Any college student attending an institution that has Greek Life can attest to its pervasiveness; I’m only a second-semester freshman, and already I’ve witnessed complaints and praise alike from friends who’ve decided to partake in rushing events. Despite my somewhat sardonic tone, there is certainly value in Greek Life; it provides social and academic connections, along with years of tradition which foster a very comforting atmosphere, particularly for first-year students. Therefore, rather than sing the praises of or criticize Greek organizations, I’d like to take a look at some of the history behind them—and quite a history it is.
Technically speaking, the first Greek organization, Phi Beta Kappa, was founded in 1776. However, its practices were highly exclusive and fairly dissimilar to the Greek Life of today. The earliest documented form of modern Greek Life came about in the mid-nineteenth century when male students formed groups separate from their traditional academic spheres to discuss and debate current events. The aspects of Greek Life as we know it today emerged not long thereafter; students quickly found themselves building comradery and interdependence, relying on one another for both academic and social fulfillment. From this comradery emerged an organization of parties and events, though probably not quite similar to the modern amalgamation of keg stands and crowded basements.
So, when did members start to live together, and why? In the late nineteenth century, members who were already longtime friends began to migrate to Chapter Houses, rather than simply living together in boarding facilities. The change required one key ingredient: wealthy alumni. After several years of development in Greek organizations, most of them had garnered a group of dedicated alumni to assist in the housing costs, which simply would not have been financially feasible in the early, academic-inspired years of Greek Life. With more and more fraternities moving into Chapter Houses, the fraternal world saw massive growth, particularly in recreational activities.
Rushing was a logical offshoot to the Chapter House; houses require constant upkeep, and so fraternities needed to compete for the attention of new recruits in order to maintain their beloved houses. This is where the term “rush” comes from—the organizations had to rush to fill empty house space. As membership expanded, so did tradition, and these complex traditions were often inspired by … the Greeks! Members, who were still fairly strict academics, consulted Ancient Greek literature and philosophy to develop traditions unique to their respective organizations. However, as decades of Greek life rolled on, the Classics lost some of their significance, and more and more members became less and less interested in understanding the Classical roots of traditions. Older Greek members attempted to hold on to the remaining semblances of Antiquity by using theatrical and humorous elements to engage new members. This shift also brought about hazing, as older members entertained themselves and tested the knowledge of new members in demeaning ways.
That about summarizes the basics of Greek Life. But you may be wondering—where did sororities come from? Initially, “fraternity” was used to describe both male and female organizations, until Gamma Phi Beta of Syracuse University began to refer to themselves as a sorority in 1882. This was suggested by a Latin professor, since, ironically enough, “frater” refers to “brother” in Latin, vs. “soror,” “sister.”
It should also be noted that the more controversial aspects of Greek Life—the degradation, the drinking, the potentially deadly hazing—emerged from a variety of factors. The shift in American culture has certainly played a role; as college attendees increased, there arose a decrease in academic exclusivity, marking a shift in the understanding of the “College Experience.” In other, more blunt, words, fewer students attended college to learn Latin or read Romantic literature, and more attended to embark upon a final youthful excursion, indulging in drinking and socializing before diving headfirst into the “real world.”
Though most modern aspects of Greek Life can be traced directly back to its history, it will always contain an element of mystery. Members maintained secrecy in much of their traditions and histories, likely just because they could maintain secrecy since the organizations weren’t run directly by academic facilities. The earliest Greek members weren’t much unlike those of today, then—they relished in competition and social endeavors, doing whatever possible to maintain traditions, positive and negative alike.