The Founding of Delta Delta Delta
Park Street Church, Boston, Massachusetts
So the two young women began the work of creating a new national fraternity. Later Sarah wrote, "...The two enthusiastic friends were unaware of the fact that there was something stupendous about the task they had set hands, heads and hearts to accomplish. They were working for a principle, and it never occurred to them that there could be a thing as failure. Earnestness of purpose, energy and enthusiasm had brought them both success in college and why should not these same qualities bring assurance of good fortune to the new venture."
Not only did they found a fraternity, but at the same time they wrote the rituals and constitution, and designed the emblems. The choosing of the name was a joint decision. Eleanor suggested a triple letter and Sarah chose the letter and worked on the Greek mottos and passwords. Inspiration for these came from a variety of sources: Egyptian lore, Hindu mysticism, Greek and astronomy, reflecting the wide and various interests of Sarah Ida Shaw.
Never before had a sorority been founded so completely and with such depth of meaning from the very beginning, and the actual day of founding is beautifully described in Sarah's words.
"At last, all was finished on Tuesday...November 27, 1888, but there was one more meeting of the two friends on the following afternoon before they seperated for the Thanksgiving recess, at the top of the college building in what was then the Philological Library. It was there that the two girls embraced each other and said 'Tri Delta is founded'...It is not strange that the hearts of these two sponsors were full of emotion as together they went out of the college building, for each felt that there were added reasons why her Thanksgiving should be a very happy one. When they came to the parting of the ways at the historic Boston Common, Miss Pond said, 'We can make the girls we initiate promise secrecy, but what shall hold us two?' So there in the shadow of the old Park Street Church, with a bright new moon and three brilliant stars nearby...the two faithful friends clasped hands and said, 'In the presence of these myriads of witnesses, I swear eternal loyalty and fealty to Delta Delta Delta.'"
The Founders
Sarah Ida Shaw
After her graduation, Sarah taught classical languages and German until her marriage in 1896. She continued her involvement with Tri Delta, serving as Grand President from 1889-1893; Grand Commissioner of Education from 1893-1897; and Grand Historian from 1897-1900. She attended Conventions when possible and wrote articles for The Trident.
In 1907, Ida Shaw Martin (she dropped the Sarah after her marriage) published and successfully marketed the first of 11 editions of The Sorority Handbook. The book contained advice on the organization and operation of fraternities, and this began her 30-year career as a professional Greek consultant.
Ida Shaw Martin maintained close contact with Tri Delta's leaders and her Fraternity until her death in 1940. Her vision and idealism never wavered. Tri Delta owes to her the beauty of the Rituals and the knowledge that commitment to an ideal greater than ourselves can bring a new dimension into our lives. She was elected to the Fraternity Hall of Fame in 1976.
Eleanor Dorcas Pond
Eleanor Dorcas Pond was valedictorian of her high school class and was awarded a scholarship to Boston University. During her freshman year she commuted by train from her home in West Medway, Massachusetts, and in later years boarded closer to campus and commuted by horse-drawn car. Eleanor had no interest in joining the established societies. A person of high intellectual ability, she was also a fun-loving but practical young woman, a perfect compliment to Sarah Ida Shaw's visionary personality. It was she who suggested the name be a triple letter, and she also influenced the development of the ritual, badge, emblems and Constitution.
She served as Grand Vice President until the first Convention. After teaching Latin and science for four years, Eleanor entered Tufts Medical College in 1893 and graduated with a degree in medicine in 1896. Her marriage to Arthur Mann in July of 1896 was attended by many Tri Deltas who sang a Tri Delta song in place of the traditional wedding march.
The Manns first moved to Chicago where he was an engineer and she practiced medicine, did post-graduate work and lectured at the Chicago Post Graduate School. She founded the Chicago Alliance (alumnae chapter) in 1897. This group is still in existence today.
Mr. Mann's career took them all over the world, and after a year in Australia, they moved to Schenectady, New York. Here, for more than 20 years, Dr. Eleanor Dorcas Mann had a successful medical practice, specializing in obstetrics and diseases of children. She was active with the members of Beta Chapter (St. Lawrence), and became a charter member of the Syracuse Alliance. She attended the 1906 Convention in Syracuse, and her short speech describing her part in the founding of the Fraternity was a highlight of the banquet program. Eleanor died suddenly in 1925 at the age of 56 from a stroke.
Florence Isabelle Stewart
Florence Isabelle Stewart was the youngest child of a village doctor who wa sin his 80s when she entered Boston University. Because the family had little money, it was difficult for Flora to remain in school. During her first years she commuted from Medway with her high school friend, Nellie Pond. Later she lived with a brother in Boston and helped with the housework and children. This left her little time for anything but class work.
Flora was an excellent student and salutatorian of her high school class. Her intelligence was matcher by her beauty. She served as Grand Secretary from 1889-1893, but was inactive in the Fraternity after this time. For many years after her graduation from Boston University she taught Latin and Greek. She died in 1932 at the age of 65.
Isabel Morgan Breed
Isabel came from Lynn, Massachusetts. She had refused sorority bids because deep religious convictions made her question being a part of a selective organization. After learning of the Christian principles and aims of Tri Delta, she consented to become a member.
After graduation she taught Greek and Latin from 1891-1903 and served as president of the Ladies' Library Association of Randolph (Mass.). Because of poor health she retired to the family home in Lynn, Mass. in 1903, where she lived with her three unmarried sisters.
She founded a branch of the Alliance Francaise and served the Lynn Historical Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, the North Shore Club and the Women's Missionary Association of the Baptist Church in various capacities.
Her activity in Tri Delta is limited to serving as Grand Treasurer from 1889-1893, but her interest was unabated, and in her quiet and orderly life she reflected great credit upon the Fraternity. During her last years, she spent much time in study. She died in 1915 at the age of 48.