Since early days, Greek system influenced campus life

The Greek system of fraternities and sororities has been a vital part of campus life at Northwestern almost since the University was founded.

Northwestern’s first fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, was formed in 1859 but was disbanded during the Civil War. In 1864, Phi Kappa Psi was founded, followed by Phi Gamma Delta, in 1867.

A chapter of Sigma Chi was created in 1869 — the same year that Sarah Rebecca Roland became the first woman to be admitted to Northwestern University. A little over a decade later, Northwestern’s first sorority, Alpha Phi, was organized.

By the turn of the century, eight fraternities and eight sororities had been established, and the Greeks were effectively the social power base for undergraduate life at Northwestern. Over 30 percent of the students (and several faculty members) in the College of Liberal Arts, as well as students from the Medical, Law and Dental schools, belonged to Greek letter societies. Even the administration seemed to look favorably on fraternities and sororities.

But there were some people who viewed the Greek system as secretive, elitist and nondemocratic. In 1890, a group of antifraternity men formed a society known as the Massasoits. First-class provocateurs, the Massasoits made members sign a pledge never to join a fraternity. They also launched a newspaper, the Northwestern World, as an alternative to the fraternity-run, official campus newspaper, the Northwestern. By 1892, however, the older members of the Massosoits had graduated or left school, and the younger members ultimately did the unthinkable and joined fraternities.

In contrast, the Greek system was here to stay, as evidenced in 1895, when the administration set aside land on campus for future chapter houses. Sororities were more restricted than fraternities from organizing social events and moving into off-campus houses. It was another 30 years before sorority alumni secured 25 percent (in cash and bonds) of the $60,000 estimated building costs for new sorority quads.

In 1917, Kappa Alpha Psi, the University’s first historically African-American fraternity, was founded. However, the Interfraternity Council did not officially recognize the group until 1941. In the 1960s, there were several attempts to encourage minority enrollment at Northwestern and end discrimination in the Greek system. A member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority founded Greeks Against Discrimination. This group was active both locally and nationally in recruiting African-Americans to fraternities and sororities. Despite these efforts, by 1967 there were only 11 African Americans in Greek societies at Northwestern.

The Depression years brought significant changes to the Greek system, including the formation of the University Fraternity Board in 1935. In keeping with the hard times, dues were $2 per fraternity. The board was formed to deal with numerous issues, not the least of which were housing problems, recruitment and the occasional behavioral infraction.

While the University generally lauded the humanitarian credos of fraternities and sororities, the administration looked with a more critical eye on "fraternities whose influence was not altogether wholesome" and on the hazing and gratuitous violence involved in Hell Week.

In 1937, the Interfraternity Council passed a resolution formally abolishing Hell Week activities. Fraternities had to pledge compliance by posting a $75 bond with the University; failure to comply meant forfeiture of the bond — a fortune by Depression-era standards.

During World War II, fraternity men did their bit by temporarily donating their houses to the Navy. By May 1945, the War Department had turned 10 of the houses back over to the University. To accommodate the burgeoning male population on campus after the war, the University offered the houses to the fraternities on the condition that chapters "double-up."

But the housing shortage of the war years was a mere shadow of things to come when veterans returned to Northwestern after the Armistice. The University built over 140 Quonset huts on campus for an additional 1,000 servicemen and faculty, but there still wasn’t enough housing. For the first time in its history, the University encouraged male students to commute rather than live on campus.

By the 1950s, there were 27 fraternities and 18 sororities on campus, to which over 50 percent of the male undergraduates and 70 percent of female undergraduates belonged.

Today, there are 19 fraternities with 1,130 members and 11 sororities with 1,475 members — 32 percent and 38 percent, respectively, of undergraduate men and women.

Approximately 1,120 of the total Greek population live in residence halls; 940 live in houses; 525 live off campus; and 20 live at home.