Zeta
Tau Alpha was founded October 15, 1898, by nine women at the State
Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. Only 14-15 years of age, these
young women desired permanence to their friendships and hoped to perpetuate
their sisterhood long after college. Though dedicated to the formation of a
Greek-letter group, the band of nine delayed selecting a formal name. A temporary
name of "???" was taken when, as legend has it, a member of another
group met with the Founders. Raising her eyebrows and forming her fingers in
the shape of a question mark, she asked "Who are you?" In unison,
the group answered "Yes, Who? Who? Who?" Thus, the group came to be
known as "???" while they sought an appropriate Greek name and symbols.
During this time, the group received valuable assistance from two of the members'
brothers - Maud's brother, Plummer Jones, and Frances Yancey Smith's brother
Giles Mebane Smith. Both were students at the college of William and Mary, members
of men's Greek-letter organizations and knowledgeable of Greek lore. After a
year of careful contemplation, the group chose the formal name, the patron goddess
and the badge.
Top to
bottom: Alice, Ethel, Helen, Ruby, Mary, Alice
Founders:
Maud Jones Horner, Died 1920
Della Lewis Hundley, Died July 12, 1951
Alice Bland Coleman, Died June 11, 1956
Mary Jones Batte, Died December 3, 1957
Alice Grey Welsh, Died June 21, 1960
Ethel Coleman Van Name, Died January 24, 1964
Helen M. Crafford, Died September 17, 1964
Frances Yancey Smith, Died April 23, 1977
Ruby Leigh Orgain, Died October 22, 1984
The Official
Flag of the Fraternity was adopted at the 1950 Convention and is in the
Fraternity colors with a Coat of Arms surrounded by the words "ZETA TAU
ALPHA."
The banner
of the Fraternity is rectangular and made of turquoise and gray satin. It
bears the letter "A," the word "Themis" in Greek, and
a burning torch. The meaning of the banner is secret, but it may be hung in
a place that is visible to anyone entering a chapter house, suite, etc.
The five-pointed
crown denotes special significance to all ZTAs. White Violet
In the
late 1800s, an admirer of one of ZTA's Founders sent a gift of strawberries.
The present prompted the group of nine friends to host their first purely
social gathering and to become officially recognized as a campus organization.
History
of Zeta Tau Alpha
Themis,
the mythological
Greek goddess of justice.
