MS-031

MS-31

 

BETA SIGMA PHI SORORITY COLLECTION

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The collection of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority was accessioned into the Flesh Public Library Archives on November 19, 1987.

 

The collection fills two Hollinger boxes and thirty-five individual file folders.

 

The collection covers the years 1936 to 1972. 

 

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection and the literary copyright has been deeded to the public.

 

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

 

The Beta Sigma Phi Sorority Collection is divided into eight series:  Minutes of meetings, Membership, Correspondence, Programs, Charitable Activities, Scrapbook, Financial, and Miscellaneous.

 

SERIES I –MINUTES OF MEETINGS:  covers meetings of the Exemplar Chapter from October, 1946 to May 1964, and of the Piqua City Council from August, 1949 to May, 1961.

 

SERIES II –MEMBERSHIP:  covers the constitution of the Piqua City Council as well as lists of members and meeting attendance.  Permits to transfer to other chapters and to the Exemplar Chapter are contained herein.  Information from headquarters pertaining to the meetings are also here.  Memorials to the founder and chapter advisor are found in this category.

 

SERIES III –CORRESPONDENCE:  covers letters written and received from March, 1936 to Frbruary, 1972.

 

SERIES IV –PROGRAMS: covers yearly programs and Founder’s Day programs.

 

SERIES V –CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES:  covers contributions from the chapter to local individuals and organizations and various fund raising programs.

 

SERIES VI –SCRAPBOOK: covers copies of newspaper clippings from the years 1947 to 1967.

 

SERIES VII –FINANCIAL: covers reports, contracts, tax receipts, cancelled checks, bank books, and treasurer’s records.

 

SERIES VIII –MISCELLANEOUS: covers chapter achievement comparison sheets, some souvenirs and numerous pamphlets from headquarters.

 

HISTORY

 

Beta Sigma Phi, an international organization, was founded on April 30, 1931 by Walter W. Ross of Kansas City, Missouri.

 

A Piqua chapter was organized in March, 1936, with the following charter members:  Lucille Carey, Willette F. Swayze, Mary F. Walling, Rosemary D. Amann, Virginia Collins, Elinor May Gattshall, Margaret J. Henke, Marjorie Porcher, Olga Teleler, Hazel Harshbarger, Margaret Decker Buecker, with Mary Quirk as sponsor.

 

In July of 1938 a Lambda Chapter was formed consisting of the same membership.  Another chapter was known as the Nu Psi Mu for younger members.  The Lambda Chapter progressed to Exemplar on October 30, 1946, as degrees were earned.

 

Representatives from the three chapters formed a City Council branch.  The memberships in Beta Sigma Psi expanded with the years and many and varied charitable undertakings were executed very successfully by the members.  The major project over the years was the concern of the illness of one of its members, Betty Compston, who suffered from multiple sclerosis for half a century.  Many other citizens of Piqua benefitted from the gererosity of this group.

 

Today (1992) Beta Sigma Psi is still an active organization with two chapters in Piqua.

 

CONTAINER LISTING

 

SERIES I –MINUTES OF MEETINGS

 

BOX 1

FILE   1.   Exemplar Chapter Minutes –October 30, 1946-June 11, 1947

  1. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –September 10, 1947-August 25, 1948
  2. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –September 8, 1948-July 14, 1949
  3. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –September 14, 1949-June 14, 1950
  4. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –September 13, 1950-May 9, 1951
  5. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –May 23, 1951-March 25, 1953
  6. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –April 8, 1953-February 26, 1958
  7. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –March 12, 1958-July 13, 1960
  8. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –September 14, 1960-July 25, 1962
  9. Exemplar Chapter Minutes –September 12, 1962-May 27, 1964
  10. Piqua City Council Minutes –August 26, 1949-December 12, 1960
  11. Piqua City Council Minutes –January 9, 1951-November, 1952
  12. Piqua City Council Minutes –January 21, 1953-December, 1954
  13. Piqua City Council Minutes –February, 1955-May, 1961

 

SERIES II –MEMBERSHIP

 

  1. Constitution for the Beta Sigma Phi City Council
  2. Member listings and attendance
  3. Membership –Permits to transfer –confer Exemplar degree
  4. Meeting Information
  5. Memorials

 

SERIES III –CORRESPONDENCE

 

  1. Correspondence –March, 1936-December, 1949
  2. Correspondence –January, 1950-February, 1972

 

SERIES IV –PROGRAMS

 

Box 2

File      1.  Yearly Program booklets

  1. Founder’s Day programs

 

SERIES V –CHARITABLE ACTIVIES

 

3.  Contributions to organizations and individuals

4.  Promotions

5.  Betty Compston Fund

 

SERIES VI –SCRAPBOOK

 

            6. Scrapbook

 

SERIES VII –FINANCIAL

 

            7. Financial Reports

            8. Contracts –tax receipts

            9. Beta Sigma Phi cancelled checks, bank books, receipts of parties, 1946-1961

            10.City Council bank books, cancelled checks, treasurer’s book, 1949-1961

 

SERIES VIII –MISCELLANEOUS

 

            11. Chapter’s yardstick comparison -1947-1955

            12. Miscellaneous

            13. Pamphlets from headquarters