| Beta Sigma Rho | |
|---|---|
| ΒΣΡ | |
 | |
| Founded | October 12, 1910 Cornell University |
| Type | Social |
| Affiliation | NIC (former) |
| Scope | United States |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
| Chapters | 15 charters granted |
| Merged into | Pi Lambda Phi (1972) |
Beta Sigma Rho (ΒΣΡ) was a social fraternity founded on October 12, 1910 at Cornell University. 62 years later most of its active chapters were absorbed into Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, following a similar course as two other smaller Jewish fraternities that joined that national society.
History[edit]
Beta Sigma Rho was originally organized under the name Beta Samach (Βס), "the Greek Beta and the Hebrew Samach suggesting the application of the Greek society idea to the social and cultural life of the Jewish undergraduate".[1] Founders honored by the Fraternity were:
- M. H. Milman
- M. M. Milman
- Nathaniel E. Koenig
- Lester D. Krohn
Beta Samach from the onset was notable by a lack of initiation fees and dues, and was slow to establish a constitution, ritual or the other surface attributes standard to other fraternal organizations.[1] No formal expansion program existed for its first decade even while a Beta chapter emerged at Penn State, and Gamma chapter at Columbia. But by the end of its first decade, growing pressure on the Fraternity's trustees by its members resulted in the establishment of a structure of dues and fees, along with a constitution and new operational program. On April 21, 1920 pragmatic adjustments resulted in a recasting of Beta Samach with a new name, Beta Sigma Rho, around the time of establishment of its Delta chapter at Buffalo.[2]
During the Fraternity's approximate 62 year history it eventually chartered chapters at 15 colleges, including two in Canada.[1]
The Fraternity gradually removed religious requirements from its governing documents, reflecting this change in its ritual in 1950.
Traditions and Insignia[edit]
The badge was a shepherd's staff crossed with a sword behind a shield. A plumed helmet was atop the shield, with 13 pearls placed on the circumference, and the letters ΒΣΡ placed vertically. The badge was gold, highlighted with black.
Colors of the society were blue and gold.[1]
Merger[edit]
Beta Sigma Rho merged with Pi Lambda Phi on December 12, 1972, whose records indicate the latter fraternity "added 5 active chapters, and merged 2 chapters."[3][a] At Cornell, the original Beta Sigma Rho house survived the merger, with the Pi Lambda Phi house folding, and the Beta Sig house was renamed Pi Lambda Phi starting the next school year. That Pi Lam chapter folded several years later.
The chapter at Pennsylvania State University's main campus would not agree to a merger with the existing Pi Lambda Phi chapter on the campus, therefore the Beta chapter of Beta Sigma Rho became local fraternity Beta Sigma Beta.[4]
At the merger, Baird's estimates that total membership was 5,380.[1]
Chapters[edit]
These were the chapters of Beta Sigma Rho, and where known, their outcomes. Chapters listed in bold were active at the time of the national merger, inactive chapter listed in italics.[5]
| Chapter | Installed Date and Range |
University | City | State/Province | Outcome | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | October 12, 1910-1972 | Cornell University | Ithaca | NY | Merged with ΠΛΦ chapter | [5] |
| Beta | 1913-1972 | Pennsylvania State University | University Park | PA | Reverted to local status as Beta Sigma Beta | [5][b] |
| Gamma | 1919-1965 | Columbia University | New York City | NY | [5] | |
| Delta | 1920-196x | University at Buffalo | Buffalo | NY | [5] | |
| Epsilon | 1922-1972 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | PA | Became a new ΠΛΦ chapter | [5] |
| Zeta | 1922-1972 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh | PA | Merged with ΠΛΦ chapter | [5][c] |
| Eta | 1930-19xx | University of Toronto | Toronto | Ontario, Canada | [5] | |
| Theta | 1935-1972 | Rutgers University–Newark | Newark | NJ | Became a new ΠΛΦ chapter | [5][d] |
| Iota | 1945-1972 | University of Western Ontario | London | Ontario, Canada | Became a new ΠΛΦ chapter | [5] |
| Kappa | 1949-1952 | University of Kentucky | Lexington | KY | [5] | |
| Lambda | 1950-1972 | Syracuse University | Syracuse | NY | Revived a ΠΛΦ chapter | [5] |
| Mu | 1958-1963 | University of Miami | Coral Gables | FL | [5] | |
| Nu | 1962-1965 | New York University | New York City | NY | [5] | |
| Xi | 1964-1972 | City College of New York | New York City | NY | Became a local chapter | [5][e] |
| Omicron | 1969-1972 | St. John's University | New York City | NY | Became a new ΠΛΦ chapter | [5] |
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Note that Pi Lambda Phi participated in two mergers during this period, adding similarly named fraternities Beta Sigma Tau and Beta Sigma Rho to its rolls. An earlier merger had occurred in 1941 with the absorption of Phi Beta Delta.
- ^ Beta Sigma Beta (local) remains active at PSU as of August 2021.
- ^ This chapter had originated as Alpha Pi (local) in 1919.
- ^ This chapter had originated as "Theta House" (local) in 1933.
- ^ While noted as becoming an independent chapter, Baird's does not list the successor name; appears to have soon dissipated.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII–5. ISBN 978-0963715906.
- ^ "Beta Samach Changed to Beta Sigma Rho". The Cornell Daily Sun.
- ^ "Pi Lambda Phi History". Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ Beta Sigma Beta website, accessed 17 Mar 2020. The local chapter's History section notes a rejection of the Pi Lam merger.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive)". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 18 Aug 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
