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175-429: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America , colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha , PMA , or simply Sinfonia ) ( ΦΜΑ ) is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "who, through a love for music, can assist in the fulfillment of [its] object and ideals either by adopting music as a profession or by working to advance
350-1045: A Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies , which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768. When the Founding Fathers convened in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress . The Second Continental Congress , which began in May 1775, authored and signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, but when Philadelphia fell to
525-766: A century, the Pennsylvania General Assembly met at various places in the Philadelphia area before it began meeting regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years. However, events such as the Paxton Boys massacres of 1763 had made the legislature aware of the need for a central capital. In 1799, the General Assembly moved to the Lancaster Courthouse. The Pennsylvania General Assembly met in
700-543: A chapter room located inside the fraternity's house. Entry into chapter rooms is often prohibited to all but the initiated. In one extreme case, the response of firefighters to a blaze signaled by an automated alarm at the Sigma Phi chapter house at the University of Wisconsin in 2003 was hampered in part because fraternity members refused to disclose to emergency responders the location of the hidden chapter room, where
875-470: A college or university. Phi Mu Alpha also charters local alumni associations in a particular geographic area. Chapters and alumni associations are grouped into provinces . A National Executive Committee, elected by a National Assembly at each triennial National Convention, governs the national organization. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded as the Sinfonia Club by Ossian Everett Mills, the bursar of
1050-563: A council of multicultural Greek organizations. The National Multicultural Greek Council , officially formed in 1998, is a coordinating body of 19 Greek organizations, including nine fraternities, and ten sororities with cultural affiliations. The first multicultural sorority, Mu Sigma Upsilon , was established in November 1981 at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey . The formation of this Greek organization allowed for
1225-520: A grant that incorporated all lands included in the original Virginia Company of Plymouth Grant and other lands. This grant was in conflict with the Dutch claim for New Netherland , which included parts of today's Pennsylvania. On June 24, 1664, the Duke of York sold the portion of his large grant that included present-day New Jersey to John Berkeley and George Carteret for a proprietary colony. The land
1400-451: A heavy snowstorm, presumably because of a faulty flue . The General Assembly met at a nearby Methodist Church until a new capitol could be built. Following an architectural selection contest, Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb was asked to design and build a replacement building. However, the legislature had little money to allocate to the project. When they dubbed the roughly finished, somewhat industrial Cobb Capitol building complete,
1575-457: A leader in technology and healthcare. Similarly, Philadelphia has a concentration of university expertise. Healthcare, retail, transportation, and tourism are some of the state's growing industries of the postindustrial era. As in the rest of the nation, most residential population growth has occurred in suburban rather than central city areas, although both major cities have had significant revitalization in their downtown areas. Philadelphia anchors
1750-609: A member of the Professional Fraternity Association until 2007. Since its centennial in 1998, Phi Mu Alpha has re-embraced the vision of its founders as an organization devoted primarily to the character development of its members. The fraternity aims to build "musicianly men" into "manly musicians" who will go out into the world and advance the cause of music in their fields of influence, whether that be as music professionals, through other professions, or through philanthropy and advocacy in support of
1925-445: A membership education program for between four and twelve weeks. During this program, probationary members learn basic information about the organization such as officer duties, rules, procedures, and traditions, and they are also instructed in the values and ideals of the fraternity. The purpose of the membership education program is to prepare probationary members to assume all of the duties and responsibilities of full membership in
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#17327918195892100-638: A minimum, chapters are required to annually sponsor at least one program devoted exclusively to the music of American composers and to celebrate Founder's Day (October 6) and Chapter Day (the chartering date of the chapter). Chapters are also encouraged to meet the requirements of the fraternity's chapter visitations program, which recognizes chapters annually for achievement in the areas of chapter operations, membership development, alumni relations, musical achievement, province interaction, special projects, and fraternal tradition. Membership in Phi Mu Alpha
2275-680: A minority of Greek-letter organizations and no such fraternity is currently a member of the North American Interfraternity Conference, the largest international association of fraternities. The first coed fraternity was Pi Alpha Tau (1963–1991) at the University of Illinois at Chicago . Much more commonly, coed fraternities exist in the form of service fraternities, such as Alpha Phi Omega , Epsilon Sigma Alpha , Alpha Tau Mu and others . These organizations are similar to social fraternities and sororities, except they are coed and non-residential. Similarly, in
2450-507: A national or international organization that sets standards, regulates insignia and ritual, publishes a journal or magazine for all of the chapters of the organization, and has the power to grant and revoke charters to chapters. These federal structures are largely governed by alumni members of the fraternity, though with some input from the active (student) members. Before 1900, the expansion of fraternal housing and competition among fraternities led to increasingly aggressive recruitment among
2625-478: A professional organization and fully embrace a coed membership policy. The issue came to a head at the 45th National Convention in 1985 when the fraternity's National Assembly voted to restore Phi Mu Alpha to its original status as a male-only social fraternity. Despite this action, the fraternity did not change its statement of purpose (now known as the Object) to reflect the change in status until 2003, and it remained
2800-599: A scholastic honor society and abandoned secrecy. In 1825, Kappa Alpha Society , the first fraternity to retain its social characteristic, was established at Union College in Schenectady, New York . In 1827, Sigma Phi and Delta Phi were also founded at the same institution, creating the Union Triad . The further birthing of Psi Upsilon (1833), Omicron Kappa Epsilon (1834), Chi Psi (1841), and Theta Delta Chi (1847) collectively established Union College as
2975-509: A selected charity, the fraternity uses the unique talents and interests of its members to personally interact with and lift the spirits of those in need. The Sinfonia Educational Foundation (SEF) is the philanthropic arm of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity. The mission of the SEF is to enrich the lives of collegiate Sinfonians and to advance music in America by supporting scholarship, education, and
3150-500: A sequence of two or three Greek letters, for instance, Delta Delta Delta , Sigma Chi , Chi Omega , or Psi Upsilon . There are a few exceptions to this general rule, as in the case of the fraternities Triangle , Acacia , and Seal and Serpent . There are approximately nine million student and alumni members of fraternities and sororities in North America , or about three percent of the total population. Roughly 750,000 of
3325-433: A specific section of university-owned housing provided to them. Some fraternities and sororities are un-housed, with members providing their accommodations. In many of these cases, the fraternity or sorority owns or rents a non-residential clubhouse on or off campus to use for meetings and other activities. With a few exceptions, most fraternities and sororities are secret societies . While the identity of members or officers
3500-727: A vital and historic role in the American Revolution and the ultimately successful quest for independence from the British Empire , hosting the First and Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia , which formed the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander in 1775, and unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence the following year. On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania
3675-747: Is a U.S. state spanning the Mid-Atlantic , Northeastern , Appalachian , and Great Lakes regions of the United States . It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryland to its south, West Virginia to its southwest, Ohio and the Ohio River to its west, Lake Erie and New York to its north, the Delaware River and New Jersey to its east, and the Canadian province of Ontario to its northwest via Lake Erie . Pennsylvania
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#17327918195893850-432: Is being contested vigorously in U.S. federal court by several affected fraternities and sororities. Individual chapters of fraternities and sororities are largely self-governed by their active (student) members; however, alumni members may retain legal ownership of the fraternity or sorority's property through an alumni chapter or alumni corporation. All of a single fraternity or sorority's chapters are generally grouped in
4025-480: Is divided into four classes: probationary, collegiate, alumni, and honorary. Probationary members are those who are participating in an educational program of between four and twelve weeks in length in preparation for initiation as full, active collegiate members. Collegiate members transfer to alumni membership after they graduate or otherwise leave the university while in good standing with the fraternity. Honorary membership can be bestowed under guidelines established by
4200-460: Is effectively blindfolded during the proceedings, and at last, still sightless, I was led down flights of steps into a silent crypt and helped into a coffin, where I was to stay until the Resurrection...Thus it was that just as my father passed from this earth, I was lying in a coffin during my initiation into Delta Kappa Epsilon. Meetings and rituals are sometimes conducted in what is known as
4375-453: Is facilitate and accomplish acts of community service ; this is in contrast to certain social fraternities and sororities or religious fraternities and sororities that participate in philanthropy and community service as a non-primary (secondary or tertiary) mission. Fraternities and sororities traditionally have been single-sex organizations, with fraternities consisting exclusively of men and sororities consisting exclusively of women. In
4550-473: Is for life. While the core values of the fraternity are taught during probationary and collegiate membership, Sinfonians are expected to live out those values throughout their lives in support of the fraternity's Object. To organize its alumni for that purpose, Phi Mu Alpha charters alumni associations. There are currently 19 active alumni associations scattered throughout the United States. As stated in
4725-794: Is in Duncannon in Perry County . According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 12,691 homeless people in Pennsylvania. Among Pennsylvania residents, as of 2020, nearly three out of four, 74.5%, are native to the state and were born in Pennsylvania, 18.4% were born in a different U.S. state, 1.5% were born in Puerto Rico , U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 5.6% were foreign born. Foreign-born Pennsylvanians are largely from Asia (36.0%), Europe (35.9%), and Latin America (30.6%) with
4900-420: Is not possible to confer honorary membership posthumously. Probationary membership may be terminated by the probationary member through resignation or by the chapter through a retention vote in which the probationary member fails to receive the support of at least three-fourths of the chapter's members. Once initiated, membership in the fraternity is for life. An initiated member may not resign his membership in
5075-564: Is one of the oldest and largest women's membership organizations, representing more than four million women at 655 college and university campuses and 4,500 local alumni chapters in the U.S. and Canada. In 1867, the Chi Phi fraternity established its Theta chapter at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland , marking the first foray of the American social fraternity outside the borders of
5250-434: Is only worn by initiated members of the fraternity (collegiate, alumni, or honorary). Probationary members are required to wear a special probationary membership pin "at all reasonable times". The design of the probationary membership pin is an upward-pointing equilateral triangle of black enamel surrounded by a border of red enamel, with a thin gold border separating the red and black enamel and another thin gold border around
5425-598: Is rarely concealed, fraternities and sororities initiate members following the pledge period through sometimes elaborate private rituals, frequently drawn or adopted from Masonic ritual practice or that of the Greek mysteries. After an initiation ritual, the organization's secret motto, secret purpose, and secret identification signs, such as handshakes and passwords, are usually revealed to its new members. Some fraternities also teach initiates an identity search device used to confirm fellow fraternity members. Julian Hawthorne ,
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5600-464: Is the fifth-most populated state in the U.S. after California , Texas , Florida , and New York . In 2019, net migration to other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, and immigration from other countries resulted in an increase of 127,007. Net migration to Pennsylvania was 98,289. Migration of native Pennsylvanians resulted in a decrease of 100,000 people. 7.2% of the population was foreign-born as of 2021. Pennsylvania's center of population
5775-629: Is the Ossian Everett Mills Music Mission. Created in 1998, the Mills Music Mission is a modern-day revival of a practice originated by the fraternity's founder, Ossian Everett Mills, in the late 19th century. Mills was the organizer of a "Flower Mission" in Boston in which musicians and assistants would go to Boston's hospitals on Christmas and Easter to sing, play music, and give recitations. The activity
5950-471: Is the southeastern Delaware Valley , which includes and surrounds Philadelphia, the state's largest and nation's sixth-most populous city. The second-largest metropolitan area, Greater Pittsburgh , is centered in and around Pittsburgh , the state's second-largest city. The state's subsequent five most populous cities are Allentown , Reading , Erie , Scranton , and Bethlehem . Pennsylvania's history of human habitation extends thousands of years before
6125-400: Is therefore considered inactive. Province 10 was vacated in 1990 and its remaining chapter was assigned to Province 7 so that there no longer exists a geographical region with the designation "Province 10". No chapter has ever been established in the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Alaska, and Hawaii. Each province is led by a Province Governor (PG) who is appointed by
6300-805: The British in the Philadelphia campaign , the Continental Congress moved west, where it met at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then to York . In York, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation , largely authored by Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson, that formed 13 independent States into a new union. Later, the Constitution was written, and Philadelphia
6475-791: The Delaware River in the east and the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania. The second tribe, the Susquehannock , spoke an Iroquoian language and were based in Western Pennsylvania from New York state in the north to West Virginia in the southwest, including the Susquehanna, Allegheny , and Monongahela rivers near present-day Pittsburgh . European disease and constant warfare with several neighboring tribes and groups of Europeans weakened these two tribes, and they were grossly outpaced financially as
6650-482: The Delaware River to the east, 80°31' W to the west, and the 42° N to the north, except for a short segment on the western end where a triangle extends north to Lake Erie . The state has five geographical regions: Allegheny Plateau , Ridge and Valley , Atlantic Coastal Plain , Piedmont , and Erie Plain . Pennsylvania's diverse topography produces a variety of climates, though the entire state experiences cold winters and humid summers. Straddling two major zones,
6825-884: The Hurons and Iroquois blocked them from proceeding west into Ohio during the Beaver Wars . As they lost numbers and land, the Hurons abandoned much of their western territory and moved closer to the Susquehanna River, and the Iroquois and Mohawk tribes moved further north. Northwest of the Allegheny River was the Iroquoian Petun , who were fragmented into three groups during the Beaver Wars:
7000-557: The Mother of Fraternities . The social fraternity Chi Phi , officially formed in 1854, traces its roots to a short-lived organization founded at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey , in 1824 bearing the same name. Fraternities represented the intersection between dining clubs , literary societies , and secret initiatory orders such as Freemasonry . Their early growth was widely opposed by university administrators, though
7175-572: The National Constitution ). The National Council in its present form consists of the members of the NEC, the PGs, and the president or his designee of each collegiate chapter. From 1922 to 1948, chapters of Phi Mu Alpha were grouped into regional units called districts that were assigned geographically descriptive names such as "Southern District" and "Northeastern District." Starting in 1949,
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7350-561: The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston , Massachusetts . Mills was profoundly interested in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual development of the conservatory's students and had a tradition of hosting devotional meetings going back as far as 1886. Mills sought to encourage the personal development of the young men at the conservatory through wholesome social interaction among them, leading him to suggest that
7525-833: The Northeast megalopolis and is associated with the Northeastern United States . Pittsburgh is part of the Great Lakes megalopolis and is often associated with the Rust Belt . During the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States , the small town of Shanksville, Pennsylvania , received worldwide attention after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township , located 1.75 miles (2.82 km) north of
7700-517: The Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln . Control of the machine was subsequently passed on to Cameron's son J. Donald Cameron , whose ineffectiveness resulted in a transfer of power to the more shrewd Matthew Quay and finally to Boies Penrose . The post-Civil War era, known as the Gilded Age , saw the continued rise of industry in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was home to some of
7875-485: The Sinfonia Educational Foundation , and if an alumni member chooses to join an alumni association he may assume an obligation to pay dues to the association. Chapters may initiate men into honorary membership. Non-Sinfonian candidates must be distinguished male musicians, music educators, or patrons of music, and upon initiation, they are considered honorary members of both the chapter and
8050-791: The Spanish–American War . Pennsylvania was an important industrial center in World War I , and the state provided over 300,000 soldiers for the military. On May 31, 1918, the Pittsburgh Agreement was signed in Pittsburgh to declare the formation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia with future Czechoslovak president Tomáš Masaryk . In 1922, 310,000 Pennsylvania miners joined the UMW General coal strike , which lasted 163 days and shut down most coal mines within
8225-459: The U.S. House of Representatives and 40 percent of members of the U.S. Senate were members of fraternities or sororities. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania ( / ˌ p ɛ n s ɪ l ˈ v eɪ n i ə / PEN -sil- VAY -nee-ə , lit. ' Penn's forest country ' ), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Pennsilfaani ),
8400-672: The United States . Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary . Of the original Thirteen Colonies , Pennsylvania is the only state that does not border the Atlantic Ocean . The boundaries of the state are the Mason–Dixon line (39°43' N) to the south, Twelve-Mile Circle on the Pennsylvania- Delaware border,
8575-719: The United States cabinet have been members of fraternities and sororities, and the current chief executive officers of five of the ten largest Fortune 500 companies are members of fraternities and sororities. In addition, 85 percent of all justices of the U.S. Supreme Court since 1910 have been members of fraternities. U.S. presidents since World War II who have been initiated into fraternities are George W. Bush , George H. W. Bush , Bill Clinton , Ronald Reagan , Harry S. Truman , Gerald Ford , and Franklin Roosevelt . Three Prime Ministers of Canada have been members of fraternities. In 2013, about 25 percent of members of
8750-551: The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia . The university, one of nine colonial colleges , was the first college established in Pennsylvania and one of the first in the nation. Today, it is an Ivy League university, which is routinely ranked among the world's best universities. Dickinson College in Carlisle , founded by Benjamin Rush and named after John Dickinson, was the first college founded after Revolutionary War and
8925-684: The Upsilon Sigma Phi , was founded in 1918. The first Greek-letter sorority, UP Sigma Beta Sorority, was recognized in 1932. Many early fraternities referred to Christian principles or to a Supreme Being in general, as is characteristic of fraternal orders . Some, such as Alpha Chi Rho (1895) and Alpha Kappa Lambda (1907), only admitted Christians , while others, such as Beta Sigma Psi (1925) and Phi Kappa Theta (1959), catered to students belonging with certain denominations of Christianity, such as Lutheranism and Catholicism . Due to their exclusion from Christian fraternities in
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#17327918195899100-431: The county commission and freedom of religion , which were subsequently replicated in many of the Thirteen Colonies . What had been Upland on the Pennsylvania side of the Pennsylvania-Delaware border was renamed Chester County when Pennsylvania instituted its colonial governments on March 4, 1681. Penn signed a peace treaty with Tamanend , leader of the Lenape, which began a long period of friendly relations between
9275-447: The seventh-largest metropolitan area in the country and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, and Pittsburgh is the center of the nation's 27th-largest metropolitan areas. As of 2020, the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania is the nation's 69th-largest metropolitan area. Pennsylvania also has six additional metropolitan areas that rank among the nation's 200-most populous metropolitan areas. Philadelphia forms part of
9450-477: The 10th National Convention in 1910. Phi Mu Alpha's official flower is the chrysanthemum , adopted at the 1st National Convention in 1901. Phi Mu Alpha's coat of arms was adopted at the 10th National Convention in 1910. The escutcheon (shield) consists of a red saltire (or Saint Andrew's Cross) on a field of gold. Centered is a symbol similar to the fraternity's membership pin, though differing in that instead of 7 red and white circles/stones along each side of
9625-514: The 15th U.S. president and was the first president to be born in Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg , the major turning point of the American Civil War , took place near Gettysburg in July 1863. An estimated 350,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army forces, including 8,600 African American military volunteers . The politics of Pennsylvania were for decades dominated by the financially conservative Republican -aligned Cameron machine , established by U.S. Senator Simon Cameron , later
9800-438: The 29th National Convention in 1946 approved changing the corporate name to Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America , which it remains today. The Sinfonia Club became a national fraternity on October 6th, 1900, with the admission of a group of men at the Broad Street Conservatory of Music in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , under the direction of Gilbert Raynolds Combs . The traditional date given in fraternity resources for
9975-417: The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump occurred. Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west. Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km ), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km ) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km ) are inland waters, and 749 square miles (1,940 km ) are waters in Lake Erie . It is the 33rd-largest state in
10150-428: The 48 states. The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard served as an important naval base, and Pennsylvania produced important military leaders, including George C. Marshall , Hap Arnold , Jacob Devers , and Carl Spaatz . During the war, over a million Pennsylvanians served in the armed forces, and more Medals of Honor were awarded to Pennsylvanians than to individuals from any other state. The Three Mile Island accident
10325-408: The Americas began, at least two major Native American tribes inhabited Pennsylvania. The first, the Lenape , spoke an Algonquian language and inhabited the eastern region of the state, then known as Lenapehoking . It included most of present-day New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley and Delaware Valley regions in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. The Lenape's territory ended somewhere between
10500-444: The CPRs. The National Executive Committee (NEC) is Phi Mu Alpha's primary governing body. The members of the NEC are the National President, the National Vice President, two committeemen-at-large, a National Collegiate Representative (NCR), the Chairman of the Province Governors' (PGs') Council , and the Chairman of the Collegiate Province Representatives' (CPRs') Council . Each of these officers holds office for three years except for
10675-543: The Dutch began settling the Delmarva Peninsula by establishing the Zwaanendael Colony on the site of present-day Lewes, Delaware . In 1638, Sweden established the New Sweden Colony in the region of Fort Christina on the site of present-day Wilmington, Delaware . New Sweden claimed and, for the most part, controlled the lower Delaware River region, including parts of present-day Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, but settled few colonists there. On March 12, 1664, King Charles II of England gave James, Duke of York
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#173279181958910850-427: The General Assembly refused to occupy the building. In 1901, political and popular indignation prompted a second contest that was restricted to Pennsylvania architects; Joseph Miller Huston of Philadelphia was chosen to design the present Pennsylvania State Capitol that incorporated Cobb's building into a magnificent public work, finished and dedicated in 1907. James Buchanan , a Franklin County native, served as
11025-475: The NEC. As established by the fraternity's first national constitution, the highest governing body within the fraternity was known as the Supreme Governing Council , the members of which were the supreme (national) officers and one supreme councilman from each chapter, usually its president. This was the body that conducted business at each national convention, and it could also conduct business by mail ballot between conventions if necessary. The fraternity moved to
11200-419: The National Interfraternity Music Council. Individual chapters may participate in campus-level IFC governance if required by the institution. The organization's national headquarters are located at Lyrecrest , an estate on the northern outskirts of Evansville , Indiana . The fraternity has local, regional, and national levels of governance. The most fundamental local unit is the collegiate chapter chartered at
11375-427: The National President and approved by the National Executive Committee . The PG acts as the representative of the National President in all matters about activities of the collegiate chapters, colonies, and alumni associations in his province. At his discretion, the National President may also appoint a Deputy Province Governor (DPG) for a province. Each PG is responsible for organizing an annual Province Workshop for
11550-439: The National Secretary-Treasurer and the National Historian. The National Secretary-Treasurer is designated by the NEC from among its members. The NEC may also designate an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer from among its member or among the members of the national staff who is empowered to fulfill all of the duties of the National Secretary-Treasurer. The National Historian is appointed by the National President subject to ratification by
11725-409: The Netherlands confirmed the English conquest on July 21, 1667, although there were temporary reversions. On September 12, 1672, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War , the Dutch reconquered New York Colony / New Amsterdam , establishing three County Courts, which went on to become original Counties in present-day Delaware and Pennsylvania. The one that later transferred to Pennsylvania was Upland. This
11900-439: The Petun of New York, the Wyandot of Ohio, and the Tiontatecaga of the Kanawha River in southern West Virginia. South of the Allegheny River was a nation known as Calicua, which may have been part of the Monongahela culture . In the 17th century, the Dutch and the English each claimed both sides of the Delaware River as part of their colonial lands in America. The Dutch were the first to take possession. By June 3, 1631,
12075-843: The Province Workshop is a form of convention , and each chapter in good standing within the province is entitled to five voting delegates. Colonies and alumni associations do not have voting rights at the Province Workshop. Fraternities and sororities In North America , fraternities and sororities ( Latin : fraternitas and sororitas , 'brotherhood' and 'sisterhood') are social clubs at colleges and universities . They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life or Greek-letter organizations , as well as collegiate fraternities or collegiate sororities to differentiate them from traditional not (exclusively) university-based fraternal organizations and fraternal orders that have historically acted as friendly societies or benefit societies to certain groups unlike
12250-563: The Quakers and the Indians. Additional treaties between Quakers and other tribes followed. The Treaty of Shackamaxon of William Penn was never violated. Between 1730 and when the Pennsylvania Colony was shut down by Parliament with the Currency Act in 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was called Colonial Scrip . The Colony issued bills of credit, which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by
12425-494: The South acquired one. Chapters of many fraternities followed suit, purchasing and, less often, building them with support of alumni. Phi Sigma Kappa's chapter home at Cornell, completed in 1902, is the oldest such house still occupied by its fraternal builders. Sororities, originally called women's fraternities, began to develop in 1851 with the formation of the Adelphean Society Alpha Delta Pi , though fraternity-like organizations for women didn't take their current form until
12600-487: The United States in its history, of which 249 are currently active. Alpha chapter at the founding New England Conservatory was active from 1898 to 1977. It was reactivated in 1991 but subsequently became inactive again in 1995 and remains so today. Delta chapter at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York was chartered on January 28, 1901 and is the oldest continuously active chapter of the fraternity. Chapters are formed by
12775-460: The United States, Jewish students began to establish their own fraternities in 1895 and 1920, with the first one being Zeta Beta Tau , founded in 1898. Although many of the religion-specific requirements for many fraternities and sororities have been relaxed or removed, there are some today that continue to rally around their faith as a focal point, such as Beta Upsilon Chi (1985) and Sigma Alpha Omega (1998). Numerous Greek organizations in
12950-559: The United States, fraternities and sororities have a statutory exemption from Title IX legislation prohibiting this type of gender exclusion within student groups, and organizations such as the Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee lobby to maintain it. Since the mid-20th century, a small number of fraternities, such as Alpha Theta , Lambda Lambda Lambda , and Alpha Phi Omega have opted to become co-educational and admit female members; however, these generally represent
13125-558: The United States, professional fraternities, such as Alpha Kappa Psi , Delta Sigma Pi , and Phi Gamma Nu are required to be co-ed under the Title IX amendments, as are any fraternities that are not social fraternities. In 2014, Sigma Phi Epsilon became the first fraternity in the North American Interfraternity Conference to accept transgender members, or those identifying as male, to join
13300-492: The United States. Fraternities and sororities have been criticized for practicing elitism and favoritism , discriminating against non White students and other marginalized groups, conducting dangerous hazing rituals , and facilitating alcohol abuse . Many colleges and universities have sought to reform or eliminate them due to these concerns, but these efforts have typically been met with intense controversy. The first fraternity in North America to incorporate most of
13475-677: The United States. At the time, many students from the American South were moving to Europe to study because of the disrepair southern universities fell into during the American Civil War . One such group of Americans organized Chi Phi at Edinburgh; however, during the Theta chapter's existence, it initiated no non-American members. With declining American enrollment at European universities, Chi Phi at Edinburgh closed in 1870. Nine years following Chi Phi's abortive colonization of
13650-666: The United States], Kappa Alpha Theta , was established in Toronto in 1887. By 1927 there were 42 fraternity and sorority chapters at the University of Toronto and 23 at McGill University. A few chapters were also reported at the University of British Columbia , Carleton University , Dalhousie University , University of Manitoba , Queen's University , University of Western Ontario , Wilfrid Laurier University , University of Waterloo and Brock University . The arrival of
13825-507: The University of Edinburgh, a second attempt was made to transplant the fraternity system outside the United States. In 1879, Zeta Psi established a chapter at the University of Toronto . Zeta Psi's success in Toronto prompted it to open a second Canadian chapter at McGill University , which it chartered in 1883. Other early foundations were Kappa Alpha Society at Toronto in 1892 and at McGill in 1899, and Alpha Delta Phi at Toronto in 1893 and at McGill in 1897. The first sorority [outside
14000-425: The cause of music in America." Phi Mu Alpha has initiated more than 260,000 members, known as Sinfonians , and the fraternity currently has over 7,000 active collegiate members in 249 collegiate chapters throughout the United States. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded as the Sinfonia Club at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston , Massachusetts on October 6, 1898, by Ossian Everett Mills , bursar of
14175-437: The chapters of fraternities and sororities in which they have particular interests. Usually, after a potential new member has attended several such events, officers or current members meet privately to vote on whether or not to extend an invitation, known as a "bid", to the prospective applicant. Those applicants who receive a bid, and choose to accept it, are considered to have "pledged" the fraternity or sorority, thus beginning
14350-429: The city's population as of 2000. In the 20th century, as Pennsylvania's historical national and even global leadership in mining largely ceased and its steelmaking and other heavy manufacturing sectors slowed, the state sought to grow its service and other industries to replace the jobs and economic productivity lost from the downturn of these industries. Pittsburgh's concentration of universities has enabled it to be
14525-524: The collegiate chapters, colonies, and alumni associations in the province. The Province Workshop usually includes chapter officer training sessions; cooperative province projects; discussion of matters of national, provincial, and local concern; interaction and communication between chapters; and consideration of other business matters. Insofar as the collective chapters present at the Province Workshop can pass resolutions and conduct other business,
14700-651: The committeemen-at-large who hold staggered terms of six years each, one being elected every three years. The officers are elected by the National Assembly at each national convention, except that the PG's Council and the CPR's Council elect their chairmen in caucus meetings at the national convention. The corporate officers of the fraternity in addition to the National President and National Vice President are
14875-420: The conflagration had erupted. The fraternity or sorority badge is an enduring symbol of membership in a Greek letter organization. Most fraternities also have assumed heraldic achievements. Members of fraternities and sororities address members of the same organization as "brother" (in the case of fraternities) or "sister" (in the case of sororities). The names of almost all fraternities and sororities consist of
15050-482: The conservatory. Chadwick was elected as the second honorary member of the club after Ossian Mills, and suggested the name "Sinfonia" from a student organization to which he had belonged in Leipzig , Germany . Before 1947, the legal corporate name of the fraternity was Sinfonia Fraternity of America , though the Greek letters Phi, Mu, and Alpha had been associated with the fraternity since at least 1904. The delegates to
15225-553: The conservatory. Two years later, on October 6, 1900, a delegation of members from the Sinfonia Club visited the Broad Street Conservatory of Music in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , and a group of students there successfully petitioned to form a chapter of the club, thus establishing the organization as a national fraternity. By 1901, two additional chapters were chartered, and the 1st National Convention
15400-474: The current fraternity and sorority members are students who belong to an undergraduate chapter. A 2007 survey conducted by Princeton University found that White and higher-income Princeton students are much more likely than other Princeton students to be in fraternities and sororities. Senior surveys from the classes of 2009 and 2010 showed that 77 percent of sorority members and 73 percent of fraternity members were White. Since 1900, 63 percent of members of
15575-614: The development of labor unions helped them gain living wages. However, the rise of unions also led to a rise of union busting with several private police forces springing up. Pennsylvania was the location of the first documented organized strike in North America, and Pennsylvania was the location of two hugely prominent strikes, the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and the Coal Strike of 1902 . The eight-hour day
15750-470: The development of leadership and noble ideals among future generations of musicians and supporters of music in America. The fraternity's collegiate chapters participate in a broad range of activities emphasizing brotherhood, service, and music. In addition to purely social activities for the benefit of their members, chapters typically conduct activities such as: At a minimum, chapters are required to annually sponsor at least one program devoted exclusively to
15925-466: The districts were replaced by provinces , each of which was given a numerical designation. Since that time, new provinces have been formed by the merging and splitting of former provinces, with province numbers being issued in chronological order. There are currently 38 active provinces, yet the highest-numbered province is Province 40. Province 31, which is made up of the states of Wyoming and Utah, has no active collegiate chapters or alumni associations and
16100-484: The earliest known signs of human activity in Pennsylvania and perhaps all of North America, including the remains of a civilization that existed over 10,000 years ago and possibly pre-dated the Clovis culture . By 1000 CE, in contrast to their nomadic hunter-gatherer ancestors , the native population of Pennsylvania had developed agricultural techniques and a mixed food economy. By the time European colonization of
16275-460: The elements of modern fraternities was Phi Beta Kappa , founded at the College of William and Mary in 1775. The founding of Phi Beta Kappa followed the earlier establishment of two other secret student societies that had existed on that campus as early as 1750. In 1779 Phi Beta Kappa expanded to include chapters at Harvard and Yale. By the early 19th century, the organization transformed itself into
16450-464: The emergence of a multicultural fraternity and sorority movement, giving birth to a multicultural movement. The main purpose of professional fraternities and sororities is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is generally restricted to students and alumni in particular academic disciplines or industries . The term service fraternities and sororities, is used to describe Greek life organizations who’s primary purpose
16625-411: The escutcheon with the bells at the top and mouthpieces at the bottom serve as supporters . Above the escutcheon is decorative mantling and a lyre as the crest . Below is a scroll divided into three sections by the leadpipes of the fanfare trumpets. In the center section is the word Sinfonia, and the left and right sections display the numbers 18 and 98, respectively, representing the founding year of
16800-412: The establishment of Pi Beta Phi in 1867 and Kappa Alpha Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma in 1870. The term sorority was used by a professor of Latin at Syracuse University , Frank Smalley, who felt the word "fraternity" was inappropriate for a group of ladies. The word comes from Latin soror , meaning "sister," "cousin, daughter of a father's brother," or "female friend." The first organization to use
16975-417: The fifth and currently the sixth-largest city after decades of being among the top three. After 1990, as information-based industries became more important in the economy, state and local governments put more resources into the old, well-established public library system. Some localities, however, used new state funding to cut local taxes. New ethnic groups, especially Hispanics and Latinos , began entering
17150-577: The first. At the time, Pennsylvania was the most ethnically and religiously diverse of the thirteen colonies. Because a third of Pennsylvania's population spoke German , the Constitution was presented in German so those citizens could participate in the discussion about it. Reverend Frederick Muhlenberg , a Lutheran minister and the first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives , acted as chairman of Pennsylvania's ratifying convention. For half
17325-642: The foundation of the colonial Province of Pennsylvania in 1681. Archaeologists believe the first settlement of the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Period , though it is unclear when humans first inhabited present-day Pennsylvania. Between 10,000 and 16,000 years ago, Native Americans crossed the two continents, arriving in North America . Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Jefferson Township includes
17500-670: The founding of the Beta chapter at Broad Street Conservatory is October 6, 1900. However, while the petitioning letter submitted by the men from Philadelphia is dated October 6, a notation made by Ralph Howard Pendleton, secretary of Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory, at the bottom of the letter indicates that the petition was not approved until October 8. For the next two decades, Phi Mu Alpha grew and emphasized developing high character among male musicians. Percy Jewett Burrell , sixth Supreme President (1907–1914),
17675-631: The fraternity in good standing. Membership in an alumni association is voluntary and is not required for an alumnus to remain a member of the fraternity in good standing. Alumni associations cannot initiate men into the fraternity. The structure and activities of the alumni associations are left almost entirely to their members. Unlike collegiate chapters which must adhere to the fraternity's General Regulations for Collegiate Chapters , alumni associations are free to choose their governance structures, including what officers they have, how often they hold meetings, etc. The first national convention of Phi Mu Alpha
17850-710: The fraternity system in Asia accompanied the introduction of the American educational system in the Philippines . The first fraternities were established in the University of the Philippines . The now-defunct Patriotic and Progressive Rizal Center Academic Brotherhood (Rizal Center Fraternity), a brotherhood of Jose Rizal followers, was founded in 1913. This was followed by the Rizal Center Sorority. The first Greek-letter organization and fraternity in Asia,
18025-420: The fraternity upon accepting a bid. Unique among most campus organizations, members of social Greek letter organizations usually congregate and sometimes live together in large houses generally privately owned by the organization itself, or by the organization's alumni association. Often fraternities and sorority houses, called lodges or chapter houses, are located on the same street or in close quarters within
18200-623: The fraternity's National Constitution , Alumni associations shall encourage and enable alumni members to retain identity with the Fraternity, shall maintain a continuing spirit of brotherhood among men of music, shall act in support of collegiate chapters, shall engage in or support such musical projects in the community as promote the ideals of the Fraternity, shall aid deserving students of music in whatever way possible, and shall encourage and support local music programs. Alumni associations may elect to membership any alumni or honorary member of
18375-973: The fraternity's history culminated in 1970 when its leaders began marketing it as "The Professional Fraternity for Men in Music" and when a new statement of purpose was adopted that began, "The primary purpose of this Fraternity shall be to encourage and actively promote the highest standards of creativity, performance, education, and research in music in America." Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 , enacted on June 23, 1972, prohibits discrimination based on gender in educational programs receiving federal funding . This prohibition extends to professional societies for students enrolled at universities that receive federal funds for student financial aid or other programs. However, social organizations, such as social fraternities and sororities, are specifically exempted. Phi Mu Alpha's initial response to Title IX
18550-399: The fraternity's national constitution; many prominent musicians and patrons of music such as Aaron Copland , Duke Ellington , and Andrew Carnegie are honorary Sinfonians. Probationary membership is a prerequisite for initiation as a collegiate member. A man becomes a probationary member by accepting an invitation to membership extended to him by a collegiate chapter and by participating in
18725-463: The fraternity's official Ceremony for Pledging . A chapter may pledge a man as a probationary member if he meets the following requirements: It is not required that a candidate for probationary membership have an academic major or minor in music or be enrolled in a music course, though most chapters have traditionally had a majority of their members come from the music major ranks of their sheltering institutions. Probationary members participate in
18900-538: The fraternity, though he may be suspended or expelled from membership for misconduct. Transfer between collegiate, alumni, and honorary membership is possible as provided for in the fraternity's governing documents. In October 2016, the National Executive Council (NEC) requested input on potentially updating the transgender policies of the Fraternity, which had previously been interpreted as requiring members to be both "legally and medically male" at
19075-439: The fraternity. Probationary members who complete the membership education program, pay the prescribed initiation fee, and are approved by a vote of the chapter are eligible to become collegiate members through participation in the fraternity's Initiation Ritual . Collegiate members hold voting rights in their respective chapters and may hold fraternity offices specifically reserved for collegiate members. They are also eligible for
19250-438: The fraternity. A Sinfonian may be initiated as an honorary member of a chapter for long-standing support and outstanding contributions. The National Executive Committee may initiate men as national honorary members into the honorary Alpha Alpha Chapter. While there is a significant level of prestige that accompanies honorary membership, this class is equivalent to alumni membership about the rights and obligations of membership. It
19425-486: The fraternity: 1898. The official fraternity flag consists of a red field with the coat of arms centered on a wide black diagonal stripe extending from the upper hoist to the lower fly . In addition to the numerous manuals, guides, and policy documents produced by the fraternity, historically, Phi Mu Alpha has issued the following major publications: Since the spring of 2014, the fraternity has not issued any periodical publications. Phi Mu Alpha's national philanthropy
19600-571: The government and not a banking institution, they were interest-free, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted general employment and prosperity, since the government used discretion and did not issue excessive amounts that inflated the currency. Benjamin Franklin had a hand in creating this currency, whose utility, he said, was never to be disputed. The currency also met with "cautious approval" by Adam Smith . In 1740, Franklin also founded
19775-467: The granting of charters to petitioning groups at qualified institutions of higher education. The only basic qualification for an institution to house a chapter of Phi Mu Alpha is that it offers a four-year degree in music. Before receiving a charter, petitioning groups must seek recognition as a colony . After being recognized as a colony, the petitioning group must complete the fraternity's Colony Program, which consists of numerous activities designed to help
19950-461: The group organize itself as an effective and viable branch of the fraternity. Once chartered, collegiate chapters have the authority to conduct activities in the name of the fraternity to further its Object. The fraternity's collegiate chapters participate in a broad range of activities emphasizing brotherhood, service, and music. In addition to purely social activities for the benefit of their members, chapters typically conduct activities such as: At
20125-539: The increasing influence of fraternity alumni, as well as several high-profile court cases, succeeded in largely muting opposition by the 1880s. The first fraternity meeting hall, or lodge, seems to have been that of the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Chi Psi at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan , in 1845, leading to a tradition in that fraternity to name its buildings "lodges". As fraternity membership
20300-417: The jeweling was three pearls at each tip, with two rubies separated by one pearl on each side. The design was modified slightly in 1910 by reducing the size of the old-English S to allow room for the Greek letter Φ in the top corner, Μ in the lower left corner, and Α in the lower right corner. This design remains in use today, though garnets are used instead of rubies. The official membership badge
20475-484: The land be called New Wales, but there were objections to that name, so he recommended Sylvania (from the Latin silva : "forest, woods"). The King named it Pennsylvania (literally "Penn's Woods") in honor of Admiral Penn. The younger Penn was embarrassed at this name, fearing that people would think he had named it after himself, but King Charles would not rename the grant. Penn established a government with two innovations,
20650-567: The largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Heinz Company was also founded during this period. These huge companies exercised a large influence on the politics of Pennsylvania; as Henry Demarest Lloyd put it, oil baron John D. Rockefeller "had done everything with the Pennsylvania legislature except refine it". Pennsylvania created a Department of Highways and engaged in a vast program of road-building, while railroads continued to see heavy usage. The growth of industry eventually provided middle class incomes to working-class households after
20825-529: The largest steel companies in the world. Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Steel Company in Pittsburgh and Charles M. Schwab founded Bethlehem Steel in Bethlehem . Other titans of industry, including John D. Rockefeller and Jay Gould , also operated in Pennsylvania. In the latter half of the 19th century, the U.S. oil industry was born in Western Pennsylvania , which supplied
21000-446: The law and the underlying presumption that they were less able than men," but at the same time had to deal with the same challenges as fraternities with college administrations. Today, both social and multicultural sororities are present on more than 650 college campuses across the United States and Canada. The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) serves as the umbrella organization for 26 international sororities. Founded in 1902, NPC
21175-507: The life of the fraternity or sorority, but most likely not be permitted to hold office in the organization. After the new member period, a second vote of members may sometimes be taken, often, but not always, using a blackball system. New members who pass this second vote are invited to a formal and secret ritual of initiation into the organization, advancing them to full membership. Many Greek-letter organizations give preferential consideration for pledging to candidates whose parent or sibling
21350-643: The majority of national conventions were held simultaneously with those of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Since 1964 national conventions have been held triennially, except 2021, which was rescheduled to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . National conventions traditionally include seminars on fraternal tradition and leadership, forums with candidates for national office, gala banquets, musical performances by Sinfonian ensembles, and numerous other social events. One of
21525-417: The majority of the state, except for the southeastern corner, has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ). The southern portion of the state has a humid subtropical climate. The largest city, Philadelphia , has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ). Summers are generally hot and humid. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the winter climate becomes colder,
21700-453: The many financial assistance programs of the Sinfonia Educational Foundation , such as scholarships, study abroad grants, and travel reimbursement grants for attendance at national fraternity events with educational components. Collegiate members are required to pay national per capita taxes (i.e., dues) to the fraternity, pay local dues assessed by the chapter, and attend all chapter meetings and activities. Unlike most collegiate fraternities,
21875-558: The most important functions of the convention is to facilitate business sessions to make changes to the fraternity's governing documents, set national policies, and elect national officers for the following triennium. The delegate body that makes these decisions at the national convention is known as the National Assembly , which consists of the members of the National Executive Committee , the PGs, and
22050-477: The music of American composers and to celebrate Founder's Day (October 6) and Chapter Day (the chartering date of the chapter). Chapters are also encouraged to meet the requirements of the fraternity's Chapter Citations program, which recognizes chapters annually for achievement in the areas of Chapter Operations, Membership Development, Alumni Relations, Musical Achievement, Province Interaction, Special Projects, and Fraternal Tradition. Membership in Phi Mu Alpha
22225-407: The musical arts. The number of collegiate members and active chapters has steadily grown since 2000. The essential design of Phi Mu Alpha's official membership badge (pin) was adopted at the 1st National Convention in 1901. The design consisted of an upward-pointing equilateral triangle with a gold old English S on a field of black enamel, surrounded by twelve pearls and six rubies. The pattern of
22400-440: The new fellow to mark him as a new member of the fraternity which he opted to join. Baird's further indicates that the tradition was adopted from English boarding schools, similarly jostling to recruit incoming prospects, which the aggressive fraternities found to be "handy to imitate". Variations of Rush Week continued to evolve, some offering immediate recruitment and some deferred until the second half of freshman year, or even into
22575-442: The north-central region with York , Carlisle , and the state capital Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River in the east-central region of the state. Altoona and Johnstown are in the state's west-central region. The state's three-most populated cities, in order of size, are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. As of the 2020 U.S. census , Pennsylvania had a population of 13,011,844, up from 12,702,379 in 2010. Pennsylvania
22750-627: The number of cloudy days increases, and snowfall amounts are greater. Western areas of the state, particularly locations near Lake Erie , can receive over 100 inches (250 cm) of snowfall annually, and the entire state receives plentiful precipitation throughout the year. The state may be subject to severe weather from spring through summer into autumn. Tornadoes occur annually in the state, sometimes in large numbers, such as 30 recorded tornadoes in 2011; generally speaking, these tornadoes do not cause significant damage. Cities in Pennsylvania include Philadelphia , Reading , Lebanon , and Lancaster in
22925-654: The old Dauphin County Court House until December 1821 when the Federal -style Hills Capitol, named for Lancaster architect Stephen Hills , was constructed on a hilltop land grant of four acres set aside for a seat of state government in Harrisburg by the son and namesake of John Harris, Sr. , a Yorkshire native who founded a trading post and ferry on the east shore of the Susquehanna River in 1705. The Hills Capitol burned down on February 2, 1897, during
23100-408: The older students of the conservatory invite the newer students to a social reception on September 22, 1898. Several men who attended the reception began to discuss the possibility of organizing a more permanent social club, and a meeting was planned for October 6, 1898, for that purpose. The fraternity attributes the name "Sinfonia" to prominent American composer George W. Chadwick , then director of
23275-817: The ones mentioned in this article. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student but continues thereafter for life by gaining alumni status. Some accept graduate students as well, some also provide honorary membership in certain circumstances. Individual fraternities and sororities vary in organization and purpose, but most - especially the dominant form known as social fraternities and sororities - share five common elements: Fraternities and sororities engage in philanthropic activities , host parties, provide "finishing" training for new members such as instruction on etiquette, dress, and manners, and create networking opportunities for their newly graduated members. Fraternities and sororities can be tax-exempt 501(c)(7) organizations in
23450-416: The outside of the pin surrounding the red enamel. The official colors of Phi Mu Alpha are red, black, and gold. The Sinfonia Club adopted the colors red and black on March 7, 1900, and used them as the color motif of the decorations for its first club room. Phi Mu Alpha adopted red and black as its official colors at its 1st National Convention in 1901. Gold was adopted as the third color of the fraternity at
23625-480: The past have enacted formal and informal prohibitions on pledging individuals of different races and cultural backgrounds. This began with historically White fraternities and sororities excluding African Americans due to racism. Historically Black fraternities and sororities were spearheaded thereafter in response. Racist policies have since been abolished by the North American Interfraternity Conference , and students of various ethnicities have come together to form
23800-404: The pledge period (new member period). Students participating in rush are known as "rushees", Potential New Members "PNMs", while students who have accepted a bid to a specific fraternity or sorority are known as "new members" or in some cases "pledges". A new member period may last anywhere from one weekend to several months. During this time, new members might participate in almost all aspects of
23975-447: The practical matter of finding civilian employment. This, combined with the fact that many of Phi Mu Alpha's national leaders at the time were heavily involved in state and local music educators' professional organizations, led the fraternity to become increasingly concerned with the advancement of its members in the music profession (especially in music education) in addition to the advancement of music in general. The professional period of
24150-551: The present National Assembly format with delegates being the members of the NEC, the PGs, and one collegiate member from each province (now the CPR) in 1964 at the same time that it moved from biennial to triennial conventions. The National Council as a governing body was retained, but only for actions required between conventions that are outside the jurisdiction of the National Executive Committee (e.g., amending
24325-429: The remainder from Africa (5%), North America (3.1%), and Oceania (0.4%). The state's largest ancestry groups, expressed as a percentage of total people who responded with a particular ancestry for the 2010 census, were German 28.5%, Irish 18.2%, Italian 12.8%, African Americans 9.6%, English 8.5%, Polish 7.2%, and French 4.2%. As of 2018, the top countries of origin for Pennsylvania's immigrants were India ,
24500-454: The rights and privileges of membership in the fraternity except for voting rights in a collegiate chapter and eligibility to hold offices specifically reserved for collegiate members. Alumni members are under no further financial obligation to the fraternity or to any chapter insofar as they remain members of the fraternity in good standing regardless of financial contributions. However, alumni members are encouraged to make regular contributions to
24675-502: The same neighborhood, which may be colloquially known as "Greek row", "frat row", or "sorority row". Often, chapter houses are uniquely designed, highly elaborate, and very expensive to operate and maintain. Usually, the more expensive the house the higher the annual organization dues. The features and size of Greek houses play a major role in chapters remaining competitive in recruiting and retaining members on many campuses. At some, often small colleges, fraternities and sororities occupy
24850-540: The second year. Formal recruitment on all, or virtually all campuses continues as a defined Rush week, while many campuses and most chapters offer ongoing "informal rush" to welcome potential members, amounting to hundreds of thousands of new members every year. Today, most Greek letter organizations select potential members through a two-part process of vetting and probation, called rushing and pledging, respectively. During rush (recruitment), students attend designated social events, and sometimes formal interviews, hosted by
25025-515: The social fraternities, which had hitherto followed the methodical process of tapping and individualized invitations that are still present among honorary and professional fraternities. In an introductory article about the nature and history of Fraternal life, Baird's Manual indicates that the term " Rushing " and later, " Rush week " hearken to the effort to rush to meet incoming trains filled with new classmates and delegations of freshmen students, where bids were offered and lapel pins then "spiked"
25200-497: The social fraternity. Several sororities have adjusted their policies to confirm that transgender prospective members are allowable. Importantly, all these variants have stemmed from a process of self-determination, without challenge by other Greeks. In a bellwether case in 2016, Harvard University changed its student conduct code to bar members of single-sex groups from leading campus groups, serving as captains of sports teams, or participating in valuable academic fellowships. This
25375-449: The son of Nathaniel Hawthorne , wrote in his posthumously published Memoirs of his initiation into Delta Kappa Epsilon : I was initiated into a college secret society—a couple of hours of grotesque and good-humored rodomontade and horseplay, in which I cooperated as in a kind of pleasant nightmare, confident, even when branded with a red-hot iron or doused head-over-heels in boiling oil, that it would come out all right. The neophyte
25550-466: The southeast, Pittsburgh in the southwest, and the tri-cities of Allentown , Bethlehem , and Easton in the central east, known as the Lehigh Valley . The northeast includes the former anthracite coal mining cities of Scranton , Wilkes-Barre , Pittston , Nanticoke , and Hazleton . Erie is located in the northwest. State College is located in the central region. Williamsport is in
25725-439: The state is forested . While it has no ocean shoreline, it has 140 miles (225 km) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the tidal Delaware River. Pennsylvania is the fifth-most populous state in the United States , with over 13 million residents as of the 2020 United States census . The state is the 33rd-largest by area and has the ninth-highest population density among all states. The largest metropolitan statistical area
25900-581: The state to fill low-skill jobs in agriculture and service industries. For example, in Chester County , Mexican immigrants brought the Spanish language , increased Catholicism , high birth rates, and cuisine when they were hired as agricultural laborers; in some rural localities, they made up half or more of the population. Stateside Puerto Ricans built a large community in the state's third-largest city, Allentown , where they comprise over 40% of
26075-579: The state's manufacturing-based economy contributed to the development of much of the nation's early infrastructure, including key bridges, skyscrapers , and military hardware used in U.S.-led victories in World War I , World War II , and the Cold War . Pennsylvania's geography is highly diverse. The Appalachian Mountains run through the center of the state; the Allegheny and Pocono mountains span much of Northeastern Pennsylvania ; close to 60% of
26250-827: The state. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge established the Allegheny National Forest under the authority of the Weeks Act of 1911. The forest is located in the northwest part of the state in Elk , Forest , McKean , and Warren Counties for the purposes of timber production and watershed protection in the Allegheny River basin. The Allegheny is the state's only national forest. Pennsylvania manufactured 6.6 percent of total U.S. military armaments produced during World War II , ranking sixth among
26425-601: The state." The ensuing hostilities became known as Pontiac's War . After the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances . The Congress was the first meeting of the Thirteen Colonies , which convened at the request of the Massachusetts assembly; nine of the 13 colonies sent delegates. Dickinson then wrote Letters from
26600-467: The term "sorority" was Gamma Phi Beta , established in 1874. The development of fraternities for women during this time was a major accomplishment in the way of women's rights and equality. By mere existence, these organizations were defying the odds; the founding women were able to advance their organizations despite many factors working against them. The first "Women's Fraternities" not only had to overcome "restrictive social customs, unequal status under
26775-1279: The time of probationary membership and initiation. As a result of this feedback, the NEC released an advisory statement that they interpreted the membership requirements to include "any individual who identifies consistently and in good faith as a man". Over a century old, Phi Mu Alpha has admitted men from all walks of life, some of whom have achieved notability in fields such as music, television, film, science, government, and literature. Among these famous Sinfonians are famous composers such as Frank Ticheli , Morten Lauridsen , John Philip Sousa , John Mackey , and Clifton Williams , television personalities Fred Rogers (of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) and Andy Griffith , jazz musicians Bill Evans , Duke Ellington , Count Basie , Maynard Ferguson , Wayne Bergeron , Gordon Goodwin and Cannonball Adderley , rock musician Bo Diddley , Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart , philanthropists Andrew Carnegie and George Eastman , politicians including 1948 Presidential candidate Thomas Dewey and New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia , folk singer and actor Burl Ives , tenor Luciano Pavarotti , and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard . Phi Mu Alpha has chartered 451 collegiate chapters at 445 colleges and universities across
26950-549: The town. All 40 civilians and 4 Al-Qaeda hijackers on board were killed. The hijackers had intended to crash the plane into either the United States Capitol or The White House . After learning from family members via air phone of the earlier attacks on the World Trade Center , however, Flight 93's passengers revolted against the hijackers and fought for control of the plane, causing it to crash. It
27125-460: The triangle, there are 13 monochromatic circles along each side. The saltire divides the escutcheon into four sections. In the dexter section (bearer's right or viewer's left) are clasped hands, in the sinister section (bearer's left or viewer's right) are panpipes , and in the base section (bottom) is a lamp. The chief section (top) contains no charge but the point of the centered triangular symbol crosses into it. Two fanfare trumpets crossing behind
27300-533: The unification of the states. Established in 1773, it was ratified on September 9, 1783, five days after the Treaty of Paris . James Smith wrote that in 1763, "the Indians again commenced hostilities, and were busily engaged in killing and scalping the frontier inhabitants in various parts of Pennsylvania. This state was then a Quaker government, and at the first of this war the frontiers received no assistance from
27475-576: The vast majority of kerosene for years thereafter. As the Pennsylvania oil rush developed, Pennsylvania's oil boom towns, such as Titusville , rose and later fell. Coal mining, primarily in the state's Coal Region in the northeast region of the state, also was a major industry for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1903, Milton S. Hershey began construction on a chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania ; The Hershey Company grew to become
27650-497: The vast majority of chapters of Phi Mu Alpha do not provide communal housing for their members as a means to accomplish the goals of social development and character building. Upon leaving the chapter's sheltering institution (e.g., through graduation, transfer, etc.), collegiate members may transfer to alumni membership. Faculty and staff members of the sheltering institution who are initiated as collegiate members may transfer to alumni membership at any time. Alumni members retain all
27825-465: Was a member of the same fraternity or sorority. Such prospective candidates are known as "legacies". Membership in more than one fraternity or sorority is acceptable, but only in accordance within specific Greek councils. Recently, some Greek-letter organizations have replaced the term "pledge" with that of "associate member" or "new member". Sigma Alpha Epsilon , in 2014, abolished pledging altogether. Potential members are now immediately initiated into
28000-472: Was altered so that "to advance the cause of music in America" was put in a place of prominence. After the American victory in World War II , the young men who returned from battle to re-enter the nation's universities through the benefits of the G.I. Bill were less interested in an organization devoted to upholding noble ideals—ideals that seemed naive given the men's wartime experiences—than they were in
28175-550: Was eventually adopted, and the coal and iron police were banned. At the beginning of the 20th century, Pennsylvania's economy centered on steel production, logging , coal mining , textile production, and other forms of industrial manufacturing . A surge in immigration to the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided a steady flow of cheap labor for these industries, which often employed children and people who could not speak English from Southern and Eastern Europe . Thousands of Pennsylvanians volunteered during
28350-484: Was founded in 1681 through a royal land grant to William Penn , the son of the state's namesake . Prior to that, between 1638 and 1655, a southeast portion of the state was part of New Sweden , a Swedish Empire colony. Established as a haven for religious and political tolerance, the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania was known for its relatively peaceful relations with native tribes, innovative government system , and religious pluralism . Pennsylvania played
28525-436: Was held April 16–20, 1901, during which the fraternity was officially founded as a national organization and its first national constitution was adopted. From 1901 through 1920, conventions were held annually except in 1906 (scheduled but not held), and 1917–18 (due to World War I ). From 1920 through 1964, conventions were held biennially except that no convention was held in 1942 or 1944 due to World War II . From 1926 to 1948,
28700-581: Was held in Boston to establish a national constitution. On the national level, Phi Mu Alpha operates independently from any of the major governing councils for collegiate fraternities in the United States, such as the North American Interfraternity Conference (IFC), though it is a member of other interfraternal organizations such as the Association of Fraternity Advisors, the Fraternity Communications Association, and
28875-417: Was influential during its formative years because of his long tenure in office and extensive writings. Burrell wrote many articles calling for members to develop within themselves the noble virtues espoused by the fraternity's exoteric and esoteric teachings. As the fraternity grew in both the number of members and chapters, so did its emphasis on the advancement of music. In 1927, the original Object statement
29050-765: Was not yet in British possession, but the sale boxed in the portion of New Netherland on the West side of the Delaware River. The British conquest of New Netherland began on August 29, 1664, when New Amsterdam was coerced to surrender while facing cannons on British ships in New York Harbor . The conquest was completed in October 1664, when the British captured Fort Casimir in what today is New Castle, Delaware . The Treaty of Breda between England, France, and
29225-543: Was once again chosen to be cradle to the new nation. The Constitution was drafted and signed at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, now known as Independence Hall , the same building where the Declaration of Independence was previously adopted and signed in 1776. On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania was the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution , five days after Delaware became
29400-556: Was partially reversed on February 9, 1674, when the Treaty of Westminster ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War and reverted all political situations to the status quo ante bellum . The British retained the Dutch Counties with their Dutch names. By June 11, 1674, New York reasserted control over the outlying colonies, including Upland, and the names started to be changed to British names by November 11, 1674. Upland
29575-439: Was partitioned on November 12, 1674, producing the general outline of the current border between Pennsylvania and Delaware. On February 28, 1681, Charles II granted a land charter to Quaker leader William Penn to repay a debt of £16,000 (around £2,100,000 in 2008, adjusting for retail inflation) owed to William's father. The transaction represents one of the largest land grants to an individual in history. Penn proposed that
29750-462: Was punishable by expulsion at many colleges at this time, the house was located deep in the woods. The first residential chapter home, built by a fraternity, is believed to have been Alpha Delta Phi 's chapter at Cornell University , with groundbreaking dated to 1878. Alpha Tau Omega became the first fraternity to own a residential house in the South when, in 1880, its chapter at the University of
29925-410: Was referred to as the "Flower Mission" because before going to the hospitals the participants would collect flowers from churches after the morning services and distribute them to the patients they visited. The Mills Music Mission was adopted as Phi Mu Alpha's official national philanthropy in 2003. The focus of this project is rare among fraternity philanthropies since, instead of raising funds to support
30100-441: Was the most significant nuclear accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history. The state was hard-hit by the decline and restructuring of the steel industry and other heavy industries during the late 20th century. With job losses came heavy population losses, especially in the state's largest cities. Pittsburgh lost its place among the top ten most populous cities in the United States by 1950, and Philadelphia dropped to
30275-657: Was the only one of the four aircraft hijacked that day that never reached its intended target and the heroism of the passengers has been commemorated. Since 2003, the Tekko anime convention has been held annually in Pittsburgh. In October 2018, the Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation , a conservative Jewish synagogue, experienced the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting , which resulted in 11 fatalities. On July 13, 2024, near Butler, Pennsylvania , an assassination attempt on
30450-576: Was the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution . In July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg , fought over three days in and around Gettysburg , was the bloodiest and most decisive battle of the American Civil War , claiming over 50,000 Union and Confederate fatalities and repelling Robert E. Lee 's invasion of the North, leading to the Union's preservation . Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries,
30625-402: Was to allow chapters, beginning in 1976, to initiate women on a case-by-case basis as universities began questioning Phi Mu Alpha's single-sex membership policy. In 1983, the fraternity successfully petitioned for an exemption from Title IX from the U.S. Department of Education based on its historical existence as a social organization, but some members felt that the fraternity should continue as
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