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Brave hearts filled with a noble purpose whose eyes saw
clearly into the future
At a time when society looked upon women only as
daughters, wives, and mothers—and therefore not in need of higher
education—our ten founders were pioneers of the coeducational system.
Attending school with the handicap of implied, if not open, opposition,
our founders sought support from each other.
There was a need for a social center, a place of
conference, a tie which should unite, a circle of friends who could
sympathize with one another in their perplexities. They formed Alpha Phi
in 1872 at Syracuse University.
Today, Alpha Phi continues to provide a "tie which unites,
a circle of friends" for women young and old all around the world. From
hand to hand and heart to heart, we are all grateful and proud of the
legacy left to us by our founders.
 Clara
Bradley Wheeler Baker Burdette
…lived the longest, most active life of all of the Founders. She was
born in East Bloomfield, New York. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she
graduated in the class of 1876. She was a writer, lecturer, business
woman, philanthropist, a trustee of Syracuse University, and held many
volunteer positions that filled her nearly ninety-nine years. Nationally
recognized for her achievements, Clara was listed in Who’s Who of
America.
 Hattie
Florence Chidester Lukens
...was born in Utica, New York. She received her B.S. degree in 1875
at age 21, and her M.S. degree in 1879. Upon graduation she became an
elocutionist and teacher of higher mathematics in the high school in
Bedford, Pennsylvania. She also taught in Minnesota, Clifton Springs,
New York, and in Teacher's Institutes in Pennsylvania and Iowa.
She gave numerous readings in fourteen states and
territories. A Syracuse newspaper wrote: "It is a matter of
gratification that a Syracuse lady and graduate of the University has
achieved such flattering success in this difficult department of
literary work."
Her father's office served as the first chapter room. The
rent was $7.50 a term. Florence was the first Founder to enter the
Silent Chapter.
 Martha
Emily Foote Crow
...was born at Sacketts Harbor, New York. She received a Ph.D. in
English literature. She taught and wrote, and went abroad to study at
Cambridge, Oxford, and Leipzig.
From the beginning of Alpha Phi, she dreamed of an
international Fraternity. Part of the chapter program was literary
exercise, and in one of these essays she wrote: "Now that we have
founded the Alpha Chapter of the Alpha Phi Sorority, is this all there
is to do? ... No indeed ... We have all the Alphabet to go through, and
to go through again and again ... Can we not be a World Society as well
as a National One? Yes, there is work enough for all of us and today is
no time to be idle."
And Mattie never was idle. She was the first National
President of Alpha Phi and was an administrator in education. She was
the fourth Alpha Phi to serve as Dean of Women at Northwestern
University, and also a founder of the American Association of University
Women.
Martha’s biography, written by Julia Kramer, is available
by contacting the Alpha Phi
Foundation.
 Ida
Arabella Gilbert DeLamanter Houghton
...was born in Phoenix, New York. She received her B.S. in 1876 and in
1879 she received an M.S. degree in modern languages. After college, she
taught school and wrote for newspapers and magazines.
Ida never entered a room - she breezed in, and everybody
stopped until they heard what she had to say. But although she was witty
and full of fun, she was never unkind. She lived in a mansion on Turtle
Street in Syracuse, and she and her mother arranged the first Alpha Phi
banquet there following initiation. To her and her mother we owe this
tradition which we still enjoy.
 Jane
Sara Higham
...was born in Rome, New York. She received her B.A. degree in 1876 and
her M.A. degree in 1879. After college she taught for a short time in
Syracuse, then from 1882 to 1892 she taught at the High School in Rome,
New York. She then traveled in Europe for a year. Thereafter, for forty
years she taught Latin at the Rome Free Academy.
After Jane Higham had attended her last Convention, she
wrote, "When I think of the faces of Alpha Phi women, I feel sure that
Alpha Phi is big enough and noble enough to reach out and help others
where there is the greatest need."
She, Mattie Foote, and Clara Bradley became members of Phi
Beta Kappa. A newspaper editorial paid her tribute when she retired in
1921: "No teacher has made a more lasting impression of true culture and
refinement of spirit than Miss Higham, and she has always had the happy
faculty of inspiring both friendship and effort."
 Kate
Elizabeth Hogoboom Gilbert
...was born in Ovid, New York. She received her B.S. degree in 1875 in
the scientific course at age 20, her M.S. in 1878, and a music degree in
1879.
After graduation she studied music in Boston and later
taught at Newark and Ithaca, New York. She possessed an excellent
soprano voice and sang in the choirs of several Syracuse churches. She
was very active in many civic and religious activities of Syracuse. She
was gifted also in the field of debate.
She was the first recording secretary of the chapter and,
along with Mattie Foote, wrote the Ritual and the first
Constitution. Her enthusiasm for Alpha Phi was
infectious, and she was very popular. She also became the mother of the
first Alpha Phi daughter, Ruth Gilbert Becker, Alpha.
 Elizabeth
Grace Hubbell Shults
...was born in Rochester, New York. She was a brilliant student who
graduated with marked honor from the Rochester Free Academy at age
thirteen. At sixteen she taught in the Rochester Collegiate Institute,
then took a brief preparatory course in the Genesee Wesleyan Conference
Seminary, entering Syracuse University in the fall of 1872. She graduate
with honors from the four year classical course, displaying unusual
ability in Latin, mathematics, and political science.
She was 22 years old when Alpha Phi was founded, and the
only one old enough to sign the legal documents.
She was an excellent debater, and one of the first
exercises of the chapter was a debate, which she and Mattie Foote won on
the topic: "Resolved: That women have their rights."
 Rena
A. Michaels Atchison (right)
...was the first president of Alpha Phi, and the Michaelanean Society
derives its name from hers. The Michaelanean Society still exists as a
corporation and owns the Alpha Phi Syracuse chapter house. She was in
the class of 1874, engaged in the study of the classics and literary
work, which she continued to study from 1874 to 1877. She received her
M.S. degree in 1879 and her Ph.D. in history in 1880.
She was a professor of modern languages and preceptress at
Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa; she later held these same
positions at Albion College, Albion, Michigan from 1882-85.
She was also a professor of Spanish and Italian languages
and literature and preceptress at DePauw University, and then Dean of
Women's College, Northwestern University from 1886-1891. She was an
admirer of Frances Willard and became a lecturer for the Women's
Christian Temperance Union.
 Louise
Viola Shepard Hancock
...was an inseparable friend of Jane Higham. Born in Rome, New York, she
attended Rome Free Academy with Jane, and together they entered Syracuse
University. Louise and Jane remained the closest friends till Louise's
death, and Louise's children called her "Aunt Janie." She was in the
class of 1876 and received a master's degree two years later.
She had a vivid imagination and keen sense of humor.
Throughout her life she made literary contributions to various papers
and envisioned many of the privileges which have come to women today.
Clara Bradley said Louise "always wanted the last word, and got it. She
was a real contender for high and noble things."
Clara
Sittser Williams (left)
...was born in Weedsport, New York. She was the only Founder not to
graduate from the University, leaving in 1874. Her course had been
Latin-scientific. She had taught school for a time. Clara was the only
farmer's daughter among the Original Ten. The first Alpha Phi meeting
was held in her room.
In her "Old Girl and Days of '72," written for the 40th
reunion, Clara wrote, "We thought it would be a fine idea socially to
form a circle of sympathetic friends whom we would know personally. We
had as our aim the mutual improvement of each other, ever trying to do
our best in college work, always keeping a high ideal before us. Never
under any circumstances were we to speak disparagingly of a sister. We
were to be ever loyal to one another, in joys or sorrows, success or
failure, and ever extend a helping hand to our sisters who needed our
aid; truly we planned to be a 'Union hand in hand.' "
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