Zeta Tau Alpha History
National History
Zeta Tau Alpha was founded October 15, 1898, by nine women at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Only 14-15 years of age, these young women desired permanence to their friendships and hoped to perpetuate their sisterhood long after college. Though dedicated to the formation of a Greek-letter group, the band of nine delayed selecting a formal name. A temporary name of “???” was taken when, as legend has it, a member of another group met with the Founders. Raising her eyebrows and forming her fingers in the shape of a question mark, she asked “Who are you?” In unison, the group answered “Yes, Who? Who? Who?” Thus, the group came to be known as “???” while they sought an appropriate Greek name and symbols. During this time, the group received valuable assistance from two of the members’ brothers -- Maud’s brother, Plummer Jones, and Frances Yancey Smith’s brother Giles Mebane Smith. Both were students at the college of William and Mary, members of men’s Greek-letter organizations and knowledgeable of Greek lore. After a year of careful contemplation, the group chose the formal name, the patron goddess and the badge.
- Maud Jones Horner, Died August 20, 1920
- Della Lewis Hundley, Died July 12, 1951
- Alice Bland Coleman, Died June 11, 1956
- Mary Jones Batte, Died December 3, 1957
- Alice Grey Welsh, Died June 21, 1960
- Ethel Coleman Van Name, Died January 24, 1964
- Helen M. Crafford, Died September 17, 1964
- Frances Yancey Smith, Died April 23, 1977
- Ruby Leigh Orgain, Died October 22, 1984
The Theta Eta Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was installed on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University on March 18-20, 1977.
Mrs. Ernestine Henry, Dean of Women, wanted a new social sorority on the Stephen F. Austin campus. In October of 1975, she called nine young women, who hardly knew each other, into her office and asked them if they would be interested in forming a sorority. The girls were interested, so together they formed the local sorority Kappa Epsilon. The girls enjoyed being a local sorority, but they wanted more. In February, Kappa Epsilon began inviting national organizations to the Stephen F. Austin campus. Zeta Tau Alpha made their presentation to the girls in April, and Kappa Epsilon immediately wanted to be a part of the Zeta Tau Alpha sisterhood. On May 11, 1976, the girls received the long awaited acceptance letter from Zeta Tau Alpha. On May 23, 1976, fifteen girls were pledged into Zeta Tau Alpha. On March 18, 1977, the long anticipated Initiation was conducted by national officers and the Zeta sisters from Sam Houston State University.
On March 19th in the Starlight Ballroom in the University Center at Stephen F. Austin, Dean Henry, the woman that inspired those nine women to venture out and create a sorority, gave a word of welcome to the Theta Eta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha.
Today our chapter has grown from 15 to 105 thanks to Dean Henry and those nine ambitious women of the original Kappa Epsilon sorority.
