Phi Mu Gamma

This article is about the social sorority. For the professional arts sorority, see Phi Mu Gamma (professional).

Phi Mu Gamma
ΦΜΓ
Founded	October 17, 1898; 127 years ago (1898-10-17) Hollins Institute
Type	Social
Former affiliation	General Federation of Women's Clubs NJCP
Status	Defunct
Defunct date	1921
Emphasis	Two-year colleges
Scope	National
Motto	"Know Thyself!"
Colors	Turquoise blue and   Black
Symbol	Skull and crossbones
Flower	Forget-me-not
Jewel	Pearl and turquoise
Patron Roman deity	Diana
Publication	The Shield and Argaliad
Chapters	20+
Headquarters	United States

Phi Mu Gamma (ΦΜΓ) was an American collegiate women's fraternity. It was established as a social sorority at the Hollins Institute (now Hollins University) in Virginia in 1898. In 1913, the fraternity limited its chapters to two-year institutions. Phi Mu Gamma went inactive in 1921.

History

Phi Mu Gamma was founded as a social women's fraternity on October 17, 1898 at the Hollins Institute in Hollins, Virginia.^[1][2] Its purpose was "the uplift and advancement of womanhood".^[3][4] The founders were Maude Johnson, Elizabeth Cooley, Pearl S. Penn, Mona House, Daisy Bell Cooley, Louis Sykes and Elizabeth Leigh Wood.^[4] On March 22, 1902, Phi Mu Gamma Fraternity was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia.^[5][4]

Phi Mu Gamma expanded to other colleges, establishing many chapters at junior colleges.^[1] Beta chapter was chartered at the Ely School for Girls in New York City in 1902, followed by Gamma at Brenau College and Delta at the Graham School in New York City in the same year.^[1] Brenau had a chapter house by 1907.^[6][7]

The fraternity held its first national convention at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. in June 1907.^[8][9] The convention was attended by representatives from twelve chapters, including Hollins Institute, Brenau College, Jackson College, and two schools from New York.^[9] One of the delegates was Grace Bryan, daughter of William Jennings Bryan.^[10][7]

However, in July 1907, the fraternity only had five chapters, with sixty active members and 250 total initiates.^[11] The 1908 national convention was held in June at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.^[7] In 1909 year, Phi Mu Gamma was a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.^[12] In 1913, the sorority decided to limit its chapters to junior colleges.^[1] As a result, many of its chapters withdrew and joined other sororities.^[1]

By January 1921, Phi Mu Gamma was defunct.^[2] However, one month later, in February 1921, the Iota chapter at Emerson College of Oratory reestablished Phi Mu Gamma into a national oratory sorority.^[1][2]

Symbols

Phi Mu Gamma's motto was "Know Thyself!".^[11] Its original insignia was a skull and crossbones.^[11] This was replaced with a shield bearing a crescent with a torch and the Roman numeral "XXVII".^[13] Its flag was an elongated turquoise triangle, bearing the Greek letters "ΦΜΓ" in black.^[11]

The fraternity's badge was a stacked shield, with the largest in gold and surrounded in pearls and turquoise, topped by a black enamel shield and, then, a gold shield with the Greek letters "ΦΜΓ" in black enamel.^[11] Its pledge pin was a gold bar with the Greek letters "ΦΜΓ" in black enamel.^[11]

The sorority's colors were turquoise and black.^[11] Its flower was the forget-me-not.^[11] Its jewels were turquoise and pearl.^[11][13] Its patron deity was Diana.^[11]

The fraternity's cheer was:^[11]

Raw bones! Saw bones!

Skull and crossbones!

Sis, boom, bah!

Phi Mu Gamma, rah, rah, rah!

Its magazine was The Shield, started in 1907.^[11] Its annual publication was the Argaliad, started in 1911.^[1]

Activities

Some of the fraternity's charitable activities supported scholarships. The Eta chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music held an annual bazaar and dance to raise scholarship funds for the conservatory.^[14][15] The Iota chapter at Emerson College awarded a scholarship to the student with the highest record during their senior year.^[16] Gamma chapter at Brenau provided a scholarship that was open to the state of Georgia through the Women's Club of Atlanta.^[17][7][18]

Chapters

Collegiate chapters

The number and order of all of Phi Mu Gamma's chapters are not known.^[1] Following is a list of known chapters, with inactive institutions indicated in italics.^[1][2]

Chapter	Charter date and range	Institution	Location	Status	References
Alpha	1898–1916	Hollins College	Hollins, Virginia	Withdrew (ΓΦΒ)	[a]
Beta	1902–1906	Ely School for Girls	New York City, New York	Inactive	[19][b]
Gamma	1902–1914	Brenau College	Gainesville, Georgia	Withdrew (local, then ΔΔΔ)	[c]
Delta	1902–190x ?	Graham School	New York City, New York	Inactive
Epsilon (First) ?	19xx ?–19xx?	Jackson Agricultural College	Jackson, Alabama	Inactive	[9][20][d]
Zeta	1902–19xx ?	Veltin School for Girls	Manhattan, New York	Inactive
Eta (First)				Inactive
Theta	1904–1913	Judson College	Marion, Alabama	Withdrew (ΔΔΔ)	[e]
Iota	1907–January 1921	Emerson College of Oratory	Boston, Massachusetts	Withdrew (local)	[21][f]
Epsilon (Second)	1908–1909	Pleasant J. Potter College	Bowling Green, Kentucky	Inactive	[22]
	1908–1910	Louisiana State University	Baton Rouge, Louisiana	Inactive
Eta (Second)	1908–1915	New England Conservatory of Music	Boston, Massachusetts	Withdrew (ΣΑΙ)	[14][g]
Kappa	January 1910–19xx ?	Centenary Female College	Cleveland, Tennessee	Inactive	[23][24][h]
Lambda	1910–1912	Shorter College	Rome, Georgia	Inactive	[21]
Mu	1910 – May 16, 1914	H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College	New Orleans, Louisiana	Withdrew (ΚΑΘ)	[25][21][i]
Nu	1911–1913	Alabama Women’s College (now Huntingdon College)	Montgomery, Alabama	Inactive	[21]
	191x ?–191x ?	Caldwell College	Danville, Kentucky	Inactive	[j]
Xi	1914–1915	Ward–Belmont College	Nashville, Tennessee	Inactive
Omicron	April 1913 – 1915	Christian College	Columbia, Missouri	Inactive	[26][21][27][k]
Pi	1913 – 1916	Richmond Woman’s College	Richmond, Virginia	Inactive	[28][l]
Rho	May 21, 1914 – November 1916	Middlebury College	Middlebury, Vermont	Withdrew (ΔΔΔ)	[29][30][m]

1. Became the Upsilon chapter of Gamma Phi Beta.
2. The school moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1907. The school was destroyed by a fire in 1926.
3. The chapter withdrew and merged with the Nu chapter of Beta Sigma Omicron to form Phi Beta (local). In 1915, it became the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Delta Delta Delta.
4. The institution dropped its college division in 1903, becoming the First District Agricultural School.
5. Became the Delta Theta chapter of Delta Delta Delta.
6. Chapter formed from Alpha Tau Delta (local), established in 1902. A month after the national fraternity ceased operations, this chapter reestablished the sorority as Phi Mu Gamma (professional) oratory sorority and expanded into a national group.
7. Became the Lambda chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota.
8. Chapter formed from Sigma Chi. The college closed in 1929.
9. Became the Alpha Phi chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta.
10. Caldwell College became the Kentucky College for Women in 1913.
11. Chapter formed from Phi Mu Epsilon (local), established in 1912. It went inactive after the spring 1915 semester due to the college's anti-fraternity policies.
12. Chapter went inactive when the college closed
13. Chapter withdrew and became the Alpha Iota chapter of Delta Delta Delta.

Alumnae chapters

An alumnae chapter was established in Birmingham, Alabama in September 1909.^[31] The Ocala Alumni chapter was established in Ocala, Florida in January 1910.^[3] There was also an Atlanta Alumnae chapter and a Norfolk and Portsmouth Alumnae chapter.^[32][33]

See also

• College fraternities and sororities
• List of social sororities and women's fraternities

References

1. Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (July 11, 2025) "Phi Mu Gamma". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed October 17, 2025.
2. Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. p. 608. via Hathi Trust.
3. "Alumni Chapter Organized". The Ocala Evening Star. 1910-01-01. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities 14th edition (1940) p 521
5. "Senate BIlls Passed". The Richmond Times. 1902-03-14. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Brenau Has Many Florida Pupils". The Tampa Tribune. 1907-09-26. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Phi Mu Gamma Sorority of Brenau College". The Atlanta Journal. 1909-06-06. p. 27. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "En Route to Washington". The Roanoke Times. 1907-06-06. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Fraternity Women Banquet. Delegates to Phi Mu Gamma Society Holding First Convention Here". The Washington Post. 1907-06-08. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Southern Celebration". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. 1907-06-16. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Greek Letter Sororities. Women's Secret Societies in American Colleges". Times Union. Brooklyn. 1907-07-21. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Phi Mu Representative at Federation of Clubs at Elberton". The Macon News. 1909-11-15. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Sorority News". Times Union. Brooklyn, New York. 1908-10-19. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Bazar of Phi Mu Gamma Sorority". The Boston Globe. 1908-12-17. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Bazar and Dance for Scholarship Fund". The Boston Globe. 1909-12-14. p. 16. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Go Forth to Talk. Emerson College Graduates Eighty-Eight Aspirants for Oratorical Honors". Boston Evening Transcript. 1909-05-14. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Says Cynthia Grey". The Atlanta Journal. 1909-05-25. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "PHi Mu Gamma Scholarship". The Atlanta Constitution. 1910-05-29. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
19. L, Zach. "The Ely School for Girls". Beyond the Gilded Age. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
20. "Jackson Agricultural College". Lost Colleges. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
21. "New Sorority at Christian". Columbia Missourian. 1913-04-13. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
22. Carroll and Becque, Fran. (January 11, 2024) "Closed Institutions". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed March 5, 2024.
23. "Phi Mu Gamma Sorority Convention Enjoyable". Knoxville Sentinel. 1911-07-05. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Miss Bessie Porter". The Tuscaloosa News. 1910-01-26. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Newcomb Notes". The Times-Democrat. 1911-01-07. p. 16. Retrieved 2025-10-22 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Put Ban on Sororites". Sturgeon Missouri Leader. 1915-02-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "Accepted Local Sorority". The Columbia Daily Times. 1913-03-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
28. "Certificated and Diplomas Awarded". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 1914-05-30. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "'Tri Delta' Grants Charter to Middlebury College Chapter". Brooklyn Eagle. 1916-11-05. p. 54. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
30. "Installation of New Sorority". The Middlebury Campus. 1914-05-27. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "Phi Mu Gamma Sorority Formed". The Montgomery Advertiser. 1909-09-14. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Phi Mu Gamma to Meet". The Atlanta Journal. 1914-09-20. p. 34. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
33. "Subscription Bridge Party". Ledger-Star. Norfolk, Virginia. 1916-02-10. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.