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Sigma Iota

Sigma Iota
ΣΙ
FoundedNovember 27, 1904; 120 years ago (November 27, 1904)
Louisiana State University
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusMerged
Merge dateDecember 26, 1931
SuccessorPhi Iota Alpha
EmphasisLatin American
ScopeInternational
MottoOmne Rarum Carum
Colors  Red and   Green
FlowerRed carnation
Chapters12
Headquarters
United States

Sigma Iota (ΣΙ) was the second Latin American–based Greek lettered inter-collegiate fraternity established in the United States. It began in 1903 as a social club for Latin American students known as La Estrella de Oro at Louisiana State University. The club rebranded itself as the fraternal organization Sociedad Hispano-Americana on November 27, 1904. The fraternity expanded to multiple campuses before selecting Sigma Iota as its Greek letter name in 1911. Sigma Iota merged with Phi Lambda Alpha fraternity to form Phi Iota Alpha on December 26, 1931.

History

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Predecessor

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Sigma Iota originated from La Estrella de Oro, a secret society and social club for Spanish-American students that was formed on February 27, 1903, at Louisiana State University. Its eleven founders were one freshman, eight sub-freshmen, and two senior classmen of Cuban and Mexican descent, including Oscar Emilio Crabb Pacetti, Ernesto "Earnest" Juan Jose Geronimo Ferro, Robusteano Bernardo Ferro, Amito Freire, Francisco Freire, Alberto "Albert Gomez" Cecelio Larrieu Torres, John Clement Lombard, Ferdinand Vito Lopez, Edgardo Gregorio Rabel, Emilio Jose Rabel, and Charles Ramond Villa. Lopez and Crabb, the seniors, were the founding president and vice president, respectively.[1][2]

The society rebranded itself briefly as La Colonia Hispano-Americana, on November 27, 1904, with its membership expanding to 24 active members, inclulding individuals from Costa Rica, Spain, and Puerto Rico.[3][4][5][6][7] The rebranded society's first president was Costa Rican Antonio Ramon Güell Gutiérrez, who would be heavily involved with the growth of the organization in the subsequent years.[8][7][9]

La Colonia Hispano-Americano changed its name to Sociedad Hispano-Americana in December 1904 and gained recognition from the university as a fraternity.[10] Its purpose was the encourage students of Spanish descent to seek a college education in the United States.[11] Its motto was Omne Rarum Carum, meaning "Everything Rare is Dear". Membership in the society continued to be limited to students of Spanish descent who were from North or South America.[11][12][7] By June 1906, the society had added chapters at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa.[11][a] Starting in 1910, it began presenting the Sociedad Hispano-Americana Medal to a graduating student for proficiency in Spanish.[13][14]

Sigma Iota

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Sigma Iota monument at its birthplace on the former LSU campus

In 1911, the Sociedad Hispano-Americana Medal transformed from a secret society into Sigma Iota, becoming the second known Greek-lettered Latino fraternity.[3][4][6] Sigma Iota's purpose was friendship and to help Spanish-American students who attended foreign universities.[5] It also continued to present a medal for proficiency in Spanish by a non-Spanish speaking student.[14]

Sigma Iota added chapters in the United States, Central America, and Europe, becoming the first international Greek-lettered Latin American-based fraternity when it chartered a chapter at the University of Geneva in January 1913.[15][16][17] However, many of its chapters went inactive during World War I.[17]

Meanwhile, Phi Lambda Alpha, a Latino fraternity established in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley, had plans to expand throughout the United States.[15] The two fraternities began to work toward merging into a new national fraternity.[15] On December 26, 1931, Sigma Iota and Phi Lambda Alpha held a convention in Troy, New York where they agreed to form Phi Iota Alpha.[15][3][6]

Sociedad Hispano-Americana coat of arms

In 1934, several undergraduate and graduate members of the former Sigma Iota, Phi Lambda Alpha, and current Phi Iota Alpha in Puerto Rico and the mainland United States, joined Puerto Rican fraternity Sigma Delta Alpha, and reorganized the latter as Phi Sigma Alpha of the Sigma Fraternity, with its mainland component established in 1939 being known as Sigma Iota Alpha of the Sigma Fraternity.[17] A Greek-lettered designation would eventually go on to be the namesake of the sorority Sigma Iota Alpha decades later.

Symbols

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Sigma Iota's symbolism and coat of arms were based on that of Sociedad Hispano-Americana (picture to the right). The fraternity's colors were red and green.[18] Its flower was the red carnation.[18]

Governance

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Sigma Iota was overseen by grand officers, including the supreme master, master, admiral, secretary, and treasurer.[5]

Chapters

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Following is a list of Sigma Iota chapters, with inactive chapters and institutions in italics.[3][4][5][19][17]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha Alpha 1911 – December 26, 1931 Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana Merged (ΦΙΑ) [20][b]
Nu Alpha April 1913–19xx ? Alabama Polytechnic Institute Auburn, Alabama Inactive [c]
Nu Beta 1913–19xx ? Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Inactive
Nu Gamma September 1913–19xx ? Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York Inactive
Epsilon Alpha January 1913–19xx ? University of Geneva Geneva, Switzerland Inactive
Nu Delta October 1914–c.1915 Atlanta Medical School Atlanta, Georgia Inactive [d]
Gamma Alpha 1914–19xx ? University of Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala Inactive
Epsilon Beta March 1914–19xx ? University of Liège Liège, Wallonia, Belgium Inactive
Epsilon Gamma ? 1914–19xx ? Catholic University of Louvain Leuven, Flemish Region, Belgium Inactive
Nu Zeta January 1915–19xx ? University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Inactive [21]
1921–19xx ? Havana, La Habana Province, Cuba Inactive
Nu Epsilon 1924 – December 26, 1931 Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana Merged (ΦΙΑ) [20][e]
Upsilon Lambda 1927 – December 26, 1931 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana Merged (ΦΙΑ) [20][f]
Alpha Omega 1928–19xx ? University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Inactive [18][g]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ It appears that the two Iowa chapters were dormant before the establishment of Sigma Iota. These chapters are not included in a chapter roll in the 1914 LSU Gumbo Yearbook.
  2. ^ Became the Alpha chapter of Phi Iota Alpha
  3. ^ Alabama Polytechnic Institute is now Auburn University.
  4. ^ The college became the Medical Department of Emory University in 1915.
  5. ^ Became the Zeta chapter of Phi Iota Alpha
  6. ^ Became the Eta chapter of Phi Iota Alpha
  7. ^ Chapter formed from Alpha Omega, a local group established in 1926.

References

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  1. ^ "1903 Gumbo Yearbook". Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  2. ^ "1904 Gumbo Yearbook". Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (October 20, 2024) "Sigma Iota" Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed December 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Shepard, Francis W., ed. (1927). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (11th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 504 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b c d Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 731.
  6. ^ a b c Torbenson, Craig LaRon; Parks, Gregory (2009). Brothers and Sisters: Diversity in College Fraternities and Sororities. Associated University Presse. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-8386-4194-1.
  7. ^ a b c Gumbo (yearbook). Vol. 5. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. 1904. p. 122. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Louisiana State University Scholarly Repository.
  8. ^ "Graduates of the Louisiana state university and agricultural and mechanical college, arranged alphabetically and by classes". Baton Rouge, La., Printed by f. Gehring. 1914.
  9. ^ Columnist, Robert Mann (November 2, 2017). "LSU has too many Confederates | Opinion". NOLA.com.
  10. ^ Brown, James T. (1920). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. New York, New York: College Fraternities Pub. p. 346. OCLC 15604776.
  11. ^ a b c "Mexican Students". Iowa Alumnus. Vol. 3, no. 9. June 1906. Retrieved December 3, 2024 – via Rachel Grace Newman.
  12. ^ Gumbo Yearbook. vol. 6. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, 1905. p. 112. via LSU Scholarly Repository.
  13. ^ "Medal for the Study of Spanish". Bulletin of the Pan American: 700. 1913 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ a b "Degrees Are Conferred". The Times-Democrat. 1911-06-01. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c d "Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. History: Origins, Milestones, and Traditions". Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  16. ^ Anson, Jack L.; Robert F. Marchesani Jr (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Menasha, Wisconsin: Banta Publishing Company. p. VIII-22. ISBN 0-9637159-0-9.
  17. ^ a b c d "Historia Sigma". Phi Sigma Alpha (in Spanish). Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  18. ^ a b c The Seminole (yearbook). Vol. 24. University of Florida. 1933. p. 338. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  19. ^ The Gumbo Yearbook, vol. 15. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, 1914. p. 189. via LSU Scholarly Repository.
  20. ^ a b c Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (October 20, 2024) "Phi Lambda Alpha - Inactive Men's"Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed December 3, 2024.
  21. ^ Nitzsche, George E. (1918). University of Pennsylvania: its history, traditions, buildings and memorials: also a brief guide to Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: International Printing Company. p. 242. OCLC 65488397 – via Internet Archive.