Pi Kappa Sigma ( or Pi Kap) was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from November 17, 1894 until it was absorbed by Sigma Kappa in 1959. Pi Kap was the first pedagogical sorority.
History
Beginnings
On November 17, 1894, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, nine female student from Michigan State Normal School formed a secret club called J.P.N. In a nod to the fashion of the day, the letters of this club stood for Jolly Petticoats Nine. Other J.P.N. members recall the secret meaning as Just Progressive Normalites. For three years, J.P.N. grew as a Latin-lettered club. In 1896, membership was thirteen.
In 1897, Alice Eddy Snowden assisted the J.P.N.s to transform themselves to a Greek-lettered organization. After careful consideration of Greek syntax and semantics, Pi Kappa Sigma was chosen as the name.
Pi Kappa Sigma planted chapters at different campuses throughout the United States. In 1915, the sorority worked to become national. The first national convention was held. There, goals for increasing membership and chartered chapters were established. A new membership pin was designed. The constitution was revised. Authorization for a publication (the Laurel) was given.
Pi Kappa Sigma's status as a "pedagogical sorority" prevented it from being admitted into the National Panhellenic Conference.
The Association of Education Sororities
In 1917, two members of the Association for Pedagogical Sororities (A.P.S.), Sigma Sigma Sigma and Alpha Sigma Alpha, invited Pi Kap to join their association. Pi Kap accepted, and was soon joined by Delta Sigma Epsilon. At the third national convention of A.P.S., the sororities changed A.P.S. to Association of Education Sororities (A.E.S.) Over the next decade, Theta Sigma Upsilon, Alpha Sigma Tau, and Pi Delta Theta became A.E.S. members.
Becoming an NPC Sorority
In November 1947, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) invited Pi Kappa Sigma and her A.E.S. peers into "associate membership with reservations." With this invitation the A.E.S. immediately dissolved. In June of the following year, the reservations cited by the NPC were removed. The former A.E.S. sororities became associate members of the NPC. Pi Kappa Sigma, in a 1949 publication, hoped to become a full member by 1951.
There were two problems for Pi Kappa Sigma and the move into the NPC. First, many Pi Kaps also held membership in NPC groups, having joined before 1947. These sisters were forced to choose between Pi Kap and their NPC sorority. Pi Kap, like all sororities faced with this adjustment, suffered losses.
The second problem was the chartering of chapters at "unqualified institutions". Under the rules of the NPC, Pi Kap had to withdraw such chapters from the roll until those institutions could attain the proper accreditation. Again, Pi Kap lost members.
The history book (1949) included total membership records after the NPC affiliation. The "grand total membership" was 9,241 sisters. There were 32 active chapters and 15 inactive.
National conventions were held every two years from 1915 up to 1931, then every three years.
Merging with Sigma Kappa
Pi Kappa Sigma remained an NPC affiliated sorority for only ten more years. In 1959, it was absorbed by Sigma Kappa.
Insignia and Traditions
The first badge was a shield design with "thirteen turquoise set in laurel leaves surrounding Pi Kappa Sigma"
At the first convention, a new badge was designed. The younger Pi Kaps wanted "one with a more definite shield patterns and something symbolic of secrecy". The sisters claimed that since other sororities had pins symbolizing secrets, so should the Pi Kappa Sigmas.
The second badge was a "modified triangular shield with a narrow gold bevel surrounding a field of black enamel. At the top is a small diamond surrounded by thirteen points of gold. Across the center of the field are the Greek letters Pi Kappa Sigma in gold, and beneath them a Greek lamp in gold."
The pledge pin was a "triangle slightly modified; upper part is of turquoise-blue enamel with the letters Pi Kappa Sigma in gold."
The coat-of-arms was authorized by the Grand Chapter in 1927 and is described as a "quartered shield [gold and blue] shaped like the pin. Upper dexter quarter is a Greek lamp; in the lower sinister quarter, a five point star; at the point of interest, overlapping the quarters is an open book. The crest is an effulgent star of thirteen points resting upon a wreath. Beneath the shield are two crossed laurel branches; below them is a scroll with Pi Kappa Sigma in Greek letters."