• Source: Beta Sigma Omicron

      • Beta Sigma Omicron (ΒΣΟ) is a defunct American collegiate sorority. It was founded on December 12, 1888, at the University of Missouri and merged with Zeta Tau Alpha on August 7, 1964.


      History


      Beta Sigma Omicron was founded at the University of Missouri on December 12, 1888. Its founders were:

      Eulalie Hockaday
      Katherine Turner
      Maude Haines.
      By 1909 the sorority had ten active chapters and their alumnae associations. The ten chapters were at Belmont College, Brenau College, Centenary College, Central Female College, Fairmont Seminary, Hardin College, Liberty Ladies' College, Stephens College, Synodical College, and Transylvania College. The sorority held its first convention in June 1910 in Louisville, Kentucky.
      The early expansion went primarily to women's schools in the southern states, a fraction of which were coordinated with larger male-only schools (Tulane, Missouri, etc.) However, a significant number of early chapters were at schools that ceased operation before or during the Great Depression. One chapter had even been placed at a high school.
      Because of the prevalence of chapters at two-year schools and other non-accredited institutions, Beta Sigma Omicron operated independently of the National Panhellenic Conference for its first forty years of existence. As an independent sorority, ΒΣΟ was at risk of chapters being "poached" by other national sororities.
      In 1913 and 1917, two of ΒΣΟ's chapters, at Brenau College and at Hollins University, respectively, withdrew from the sorority. The Brenau group was absorbed by that school's chapter of Delta Delta Delta in 1915, and in 1919 the Hollins group became a chapter of Chi Omega. Still, growth persisted. In 1932 the sorority absorbed three of the four chapters of Pi Sigma Gamma, a small sorority that disbanded that year. Beta Sigma Omicron became an associate member of the National Panhellenic Conference in 1930 and a full member in 1933.
      At Beta Sigma Omicron's 1963 Convention (75th anniversary), a vote on absorption or disbanding was taken. Although Beta Sigma Omicron had chartered 61 chapters and had almost 15,000 initiated sisters, at the time of the anniversary, it only had thirteen active chapters and no longer met the National Panhellenic Conference's membership requirements. The vote was unanimous for absorption, and Beta Sigma Omicron looked for an organization to merge with. On August 7, 1964, Beta Sigma Omicron was absorbed by Zeta Tau Alpha.
      Of the thirteen active chapters, seven were absorbed into Zeta Tau Alpha: Samford University (at the time, Howard College), Millsaps College, William Jewell College, the University of Evansville, Thiel College, Westminster College, and Youngstown College. Three others were released to join Alpha Phi, as Zeta Tau Alpha already had chapters on their campuses: Louisiana State University, Baldwin Wallace University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Three small chapters at urban schools in New York and Ohio chose to become local sororities but failed soon thereafter. A recent 1961 chapter, which would have added a fourteenth active chapter to the merger negotiations, had been placed at Waynesburg University. However, this group withdrew in 1963, the year before the merger, to form a local due to the National Sorority being unwilling to accept the Negro student that the chapter had pledged. That group survived and became a chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma nine years after its withdrawal.


      Symbols


      The Beta Sigma Omicron badge was a monogram of the sorority letters, with the Omicron around the Beta and the Sigma superimposed on the Omicron. Its insignia were Stars, Covenant, Lamp, and Laurel. Its pledge pin was a triangle of red enamel, displaying a Grecian lamp and three stars.
      The sorority's colors were ruby and pink. Its flowers were red and pink carnations or Richmond and Killarney Roses Its jewel was the ruby. Its patron goddess was Hestia. Its motto was We Live to do Good.
      The sorority's publications were The Beta Sigma Omicron, first published in 1905, The Lamp (esoteric), and The Urn


      Chapters


      Following are the chapters of Beta Sigma Omicron. Active chapters at the merger indicated in bold, inactive chapters are indicated by italics. Similarly, inactive schools are indicated by italics.


      See also


      List of social sororities and women's fraternities


      References

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