In the 1890's, Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, admitted women students, but provided little for them other than academic programming. Physical facilities for women were limited and only a few cultural and spiritual programs were offered for them. In 1873, a local sorority named I.C. Sorosis had become a chapter of Pi Beta Phi National Fraternity, becoming the only organized women's group on campus. Chapters of Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Nu provided fraternal life for the men on campus. Social activities and a nucleus of friendship were available to their members.
Harriet Luella McCollum had attended Lombard Preparatory School for two years, and in 1893 was a student at the college. Along with Cora Bollinger, she wanted to form a local sorority to encourage personal friendships, promote friendlier contacts with the entire student body, and be of active service to the college. Harriet and Cora shared rooms, one of them a sitting room sparsely furnished with a few straight backed chairs, two low rockers and a small table.
Harriet and Cora met in these rooms behind drawn shades with Lucy Gilmer, Eliza Curtis, and Frances and Almira Cheney. Before long, Bertha Cook, Julia Maude Foster, and Lewie Strong joined them and their secret planning became intense. Alice Bartlett, the youngest at only 15, completed the circle of ten. Attempts by other groups to organize societies had failed, and so secrecy was vital until the official announcement of their plan was to be made. Never more than two girls at a time would arrive at the rooms for a meeting, spacing their arrivals to avoid suspicion. When they saw each other on campus, they were very casual. Lucy Gilmer and Lewie Strong lived in rooms at Mrs. Hadley's Boarding Hall. Most of the other girls living there were Pi Phis, so Lucy and Lewie ignored each other for fear of giving away their plans,. Years later, Lucy and Lewie talked about ducking below the windows of the trolley on their way to planning sessions so that no Pi Phis would see them.
Since the Pi Phis and Phi Delts had been closely aligned, the idea of another women's group was enthusiastically welcomed by the Sigma Nus. Several Sigma Nus assisted the fledgling group with organizational details. the Constitution and Bylaws were drafted and signed in Julia Maude Foster's room because it was far from the campus and thought to be safe. A service was written and a song, whistle and yell composed. Inspired by the familiar quote, "The pen is mightier than the sword," Lewie Strong had designed the badge, a Quill. The design was given to a local jeweler in anticipation that the Quills would be ready for the girls to wear when they made their first public appearance and announcement. In case the sorority chose to affiliate with Kappa Kappa Gamma when it "went national," the colors chosen were double blue. Cora and Lucy chose the pink rose as a complement to the white rose of Sigma Nu.
A committee chaired by Cora Bollinger called upon Professor John C. Lee, acting president of Lombard College, to present their plans. They received not only approval but also assurances that the faculty would be pleased to have a second women's fraternity on the campus. Richard Brown, a leader of independent students, was told of the plans and also lent encouragement to their cause.
Although their badges were not ready, they set the date of April 17 to make their new Fraternity public. A few minutes before chapel time, the Founders met in the room of Zetecalian Literary Society to pin on knots of double blue ribbon and pink roses, which had been smuggled into the room. With sparkling eyes, flushed cheeks, and proud postures, the ten young women entered the chapel after the faculty and students had been seated. They quietly sat near the back of the room. After a moment of startled silence, the Sigma Nus led congratulatory applause!
Click Banner to access national web site