| Phrateres | |
|---|---|
| Φ | |
 | |
| Founded | December 10, 1924; 101 years ago (1924-12-10) University of California, Los Angeles |
| Type | Social |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Active |
| Scope | Local (formerly North America) |
| Motto | "Famous for Friendliness" |
| Pillars | Sisterhood, Sports, Social, and Service |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
| Flower | Yellow tea rose |
| Publication | The Thetan The Phraterean (former) |
| Chapters | 1 active 26 inactive |
| Nicknames | Phis, Phratereans |
| Headquarters | University of British Columbia Vancouver,British Columbia Canada |
| Website | www |
Phrateres (/frɑːˈtɛəriːz/frah-TAIR-eez) is a North Americanphilanthropic-socialorganization forfemalecollegestudents. Although founded at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles in 1924, it currently only has one chapter, located at theUniversity of British Columbia.
Phrateres was founded at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles in 1924 by the dean of women,Helen Matthewson Laughlin.[1][2][3] The intention was to bring "independent" women students (i.e. those not indormitories orsororities) into a collective group for socialization andphilanthropy. However, the new group proved popular, and soon membership was extended to any female student who wished to join, including those who lived in dorms, commuted tocampus, as well as members of sororities. Laughlin was the organization's grand president, serving in that capacity until 1957.[3]
Word spread to othercolleges, especially those on theWest Coast. TheBeta chapter was installed at theUniversity of Washington in 1929.[4] Ten more chapters were installed in the 1930s:Gamma[5] andDelta[6] in 1930,Epsilon[7] In 1931,Zeta[8] in 1932,Eta[9] In 1933,Theta[10] andIota[11] in 1935,Kappa[12] in 1936,Lambda in 1937, andNu in 1939.
Eventually, Phrateres had sixteen chapters in seven states and one province in Canada.[3][2] However, from 1945 until the late 1950s, three of those chapters closed:Delta,Eta, andOmicron.
From the 1930s to the 1990s, conventions were held every one to two years, with members of the host chapter housing delegates from other chapters. Chapters could win awards, such as Most Active Chapter and Best Scrapbook.
Other chapters were established, bringing the number of chartered chapters to 27. In the 1990s, only three active collegiate chapters remained:Theta,Lambda, andEta 2.[13][2]Eta closed during that decade andLambda closed in 2000.[2] Then, the only active collegiate chapter remaining wasTheta at theUniversity of British Columbia (UBC).[2][3]
The Phrateres International Board disbanded in 2001 after turning over its assets to theTheta chapter.[2][3] As of 2024, theTheta chapter still exists at UBC in the form of a non-exclusive social and service club for women.[14]
The organization's motto is "Famous for Friendliness".[15] Its colors are blue and gold. Its flower was the yellow tea rose. Its nicknames are Phis and Phratereans.
Phraters' 4 S's or pillars are Sisterhood, Sports, Social, and Service.[16]
The Theta chapter participates in social events and intramural sports.[16] TheTheta chapter organizes and participates in variousphilanthropic events.[16] Annual events include the Terry Fox Run to raise money for cancer research and the Trick or Eat canned food drive.[16]
The Lura Heeter Award was ascholarship given to one collegiate member yearly by the national fraternity, starting in 1985 by theZeta chapter. When the board disbanded in 2001, monies from the Lura Heeter Award were given to theZeta Alumnae Chapter.
All women students are encouraged and welcomed to join the organization.[14]
Phrateres International consisted of a board of trustees. A grand president led the board. It collected fees from each chapter, presented an annual scholarship, and publishedThe Phraterean newsletter. When the national board disbanded the organization in 2001, it gave its remaining funds to theTheta chapter.[2]
Records for 26 collegiate chapters have been found, with 23 in the United States and nine in Canada.[2]
Theta at theUniversity of British Columbia (UBC) is the only active chapter.[2] In the mid-1930s, Clare Brown[17] (President of the Women's Undergraduate Society) petitioned the Dean of Women, Mary Bollert, to bring Phrates to UBC.[18][19][20]Theta chapter was installed on February 1, 1935. It was the eighth chapter installed, but the firstCanadian chapter.[21]
From installation until the 1970s, membership was large enough to support as many as twelve sub-chapters. Each sub-chapter had its ownpresident andcouncil, with all sub-chapters falling under the control of an executive council comprising theRho sub-chapter. Each sub-chapter also had afaculty advisor and recruited members separately. This promoted friendly competition between the sub-chapters.
In those earlier decades, students at UBC had to wait until theirsophomore year to joinfraternities and sororities.Freshman female students were required to join Phrateres if they wanted to join a sorority later. After that first year, members either decided to stay solely in Phrateres, leave Phrateres for a sorority, or maintain membership in both. When the policy changed, and freshmen were allowed to rush, theTheta chapter experienced a dramatic decline in membership (since the 1980s, membership has not exceeded 100). From that point onwards, Phrateres at UBC was no longer seen as an organization to unify all women students, as had been the vision of Dean Laughlin at UCLA in 1924. Sub-chapters eventually ceased and the club presently operates as one unified chapter.
Theta Alumnae and Zeta Alumnae chapters are still active.
The Epsilon chapter was installed on the UNM campus in 1931.
The Eta chapter was established on the Colorado State campus in 1932.
Iota Chapter founded 1935.
The local group [Kappa Chapter] was established in 1936.