Accession Number

2023-11-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

18 cm of textual records

11 photographs : col ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller

91 slides : col ; 35 mm

54 negatives : col. ; 35 mm

Date

1922-1994

Scope and Content

Accession contains material related to the Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity, Eta Chapter at the University of Toronto. Included in the material is a 1922 constitution and ritual book, pledge and introduction manuals, rushing guidelines, records of initiation and interviews with pledges, programmes and invitations to annual balls, dinner dances, conventions and reunions, revenue reports, invoices and receipts, legal documents relating to the house sale and dissolution of the chapter, meeting minutes, membership lists, ETA and Grand Chapter newsletters, newspaper clippings, personal correspondence and memorabilia, photographs and slides, songbooks and correspondence. Also included is material relating to the Beta Sigma Rho Grand Chapter, New York, New York. The included object is a wooden case with a glass door, presumably used to hold information or announcements.

Custodial History

Records were in the possession of several individuals in the following order: Barney Dales, Marvin Pearl, Ed Bogolmy, Richard Stein.

Administrative History

The Beta Sigma Rho fraternity was founded in 1910 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by four Jewish veterinary students who were unable to obtain membership in existing fraternities because of their religion. Originally named Beta Samach, the purpose of the fraternity was to promote fraternal spirit and good fellowship among its members, to diffuse a liberal culture, to advance scholarship, and to further equity in college affairs. Although not formally stated in its constitution, the fraternity also served a social function allowing its members to develop friendships and to take part in social events, such as dances.

The fraternity began to expand nationally in 1914, and in 1920 the fraternity’s name was changed to Beta Sigma Rho. The fraternity expanded into Ontario in 1930 with the Eta Chapter at the University of Toronto. In 1944 a second Canadian chapter was opened at the University of Western Ontario, known as the Iota Chapter.

Membership in Beta Sigma Rho began to decline in the late 1960s, and in 1972 its national office merged with the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity for financial assistance. The chapter at Pennsylvania State University chose not to take part in the merger and became an independent fraternity under the new name Beta Sigma Beta.

Subjects

Greek letter societies

Name Access

Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1988-4-7

Material Format

object

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

3 m of textual records

ca. 60 photographs

1 pin

Date

1921-1981

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the personal and professional life of Dr. John Sherman and his wife Etta (née Taube), as well as Sherman's involvement with the Alpha Omega Fraternity, a dental fraternity at the University of Toronto.

In addition to textual records there are their are 44 photographs and 2 certificates from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem acknowledging Mrs. Etta T. Sherman and Dr. John A. Sherman as a founding members of the School of Dental Medicine. Among the photographs are family photos of the Taube family, general Alpha Omega event photos and several oversized photographs documenting: the interior ballroom of an Alpha Omega Installation Dinner, Feb 16, 1958, Jaeger House; the interior ballroom of an Alpha Omega Fraternity Award Night, 49th Annual Convention, Dec. 30, 1956, The Statler Hotel, Boston, Mass.; the interior ballroom of an Alpha Omega National Convention, Dec. 30, 1954, Detroit, Michigan; an Alpha Omega annual convention banquet, Dec. 27, 1938, the Statler Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio; a family photo taken at the Alpha Omega's 44th Annual Convention, Dec. 27-31, 1951, Ambassador Hotel, Atlantic City, N.J.; and an Argonaut vs Balmy Beach Dinner, Nov. 24, 1945, Adelaide Hotel, J.E. Wagman Annual Football Party, Toronto.

Administrative History

Dr. John A. Sherman (1 May 1901-30 Sept. 1982) graduated from the University of Toronto Dental School in 1924. John and Etta (née Taube) (6 Mar. 1908-22 July 1998) Sherman were among the group of dentists and their wives who started Alpha Omega Fraternity in Canada in 1921. Dr. Sherman was an international president of AO, and the founder of the Alpha Omega Foundation of Canada; he also served as its secretary-treasurer for many years. He was an exemplary leader in dentistry across the world and also served the profession as an inventor of dental equipment.

John Sherman died Sept. 30, 1982 and Etta Sherman died July 22, 1998.

MG_RG

MG2 B1Q

Subjects

Greek letter societies

Name Access

Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Toronto Chapter

Sherman, Etta, 1908-1998

Sherman, John, 1901-1982

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Personal series

Level

Series

Fonds

4

Series

1

Material Format

multiple media

Date

[ca. 1900]-2000

Physical Description

49 cm of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Sol Edell, the son of Paul and Mollie Edell, was one of five siblings. He and Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock, had two daughters and two sons and lived in Toronto. After Dolly died in 1961, he married Celia (née Rogen) Hoffman, a widow, in 1966. He became the stepfather to the two sons of Max and Celia Hoffman who had been residents of Hamilton. Some members of the family remained in Toronto while others moved to other parts of Canada, the United States and Israel. Sol Edell was actively involved in or provided financial support to many educational, professional and religious organizations.

Scope and Content

Series includes correspondence, invitations, publications, photographs, family films and a sound recording. The series is made up of seven sub-series: Associations, Charities, Community Activities, Education and Extra-Curricular Activities, Life Cycle and Family Events, Religious, and Residence.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 12 photographs, 7 film reels, 1 audio reel, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 47 architectural drawings.

Name Access

Hoffman, Max

Hoffman, Celia

Rho Pi Phi

Harbord Collegiate

Subjects

Education

Greek letter societies

Physical Condition

Film and sound reels should be digitized.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Personal series

Associations sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

4

Series

1-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1961-1995

Physical Description

4 cm of textual records

1 photograph

Admin History/Bio

Sol Edell was a member of the pharmaceutical fraternity Rho Pi Phi and the Rotary Club, a non sectarian businessman’s association.

Scope and Content

Sub-series consists of correspondence and publications from the international pharmaceutical fraternity Rho Pi Phi and from its Toronto alumni chapter, Rokeach. In addition, there are publications from Nu Chapter, the University of Toronto student chapter. As well, the sub-series includes correspondence and publications from the Rotary Club.

Name Access

Rho Pi Phi

Rokeach

Nu Chapter

University of Toronto, School of Pharmacy

Rotary Club

Subjects

Greek letter societies

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2015-3-7

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

moving images

Physical Description

7.2 m of textual records and other material

Date

1923-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the Alpha Omega Fraternity, Pi Chapter, the Ladies Auxiliary, the AO Alumni Association, the AO Foundation and the AO House Association. Records include meeting minutes and reports, convention programs, general correpondence, newsletters, membership rosters, legal records, programs, photographs, budgets and other financial records, scrapbooks, AORTA yearbooks and efficiency reports detailing the activities of the AO during the year. Of particular note are the meeting minutes of the Mount Sinai Dental Society (1939-1946) and the Toronto Jewish Dental Society (1934-1935). There are also early photographs of John Sherman, one of the original founders of the AO, which were collected for an event in his honour.

Custodial History

The records were housed at the Fraternity House on Willowdale Rd. until its sale and the Fraternity's move to 4600 Bathurst St.

Administrative History

Alpha Omega is an international dental fraternity. It is the oldest international dental organization and was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 by a group of dental students originally to fight discrimination in dental schools. Today, with headquarters relocated to Glen Rock, NJ, it is primarily an educational and philanthropic organization. There are chapters and members in cities and dental schools in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Israel, South Africa and Australia/New Zealand. Alpha Omega represents about 6,000 active dentists worldwide.

The Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity is dedicated to the following: to be "The Voice of the Jew In Dentistry"; to be "The Voice of Dentistry in all problems concerned with the Jewish Fate"; to uphold "The Image of the Jew in Dentistry"; to fight discrimination in the graduation of dental students from their respective schools, in procedures of licensing boards, in organized dentistry and in the private practice of dentistry.

The objectives of the Fraternity are to promote the profession of dentistry; to establish, foster and develop high standards of Scholarship, Leadership and Character; to inculcate a spirit of fellowship amongst all its members; to create and bind together a body of professional people, who, by scholarly attainments, faithful service and the maintenance of ethical ideals and principles, have achieved distinction; to honour achievement in others; to strive for breadth of vision, unity in action and accomplishment of ideals; to commend all worthy deeds, and if fraternal welfare demands, to call and counsel with its members; to accept, sponsor and develop the cultural and traditional achievements of our faith; to build within our fraternity a triangle, the base of which is Judaism, the supporting sides, professionalism and fraternalism.

The Toronto undergraduate chapter was founded in 1921 at the University of Toronto and the alumni chapter in 1924. The alumni continue to meet regularly and organize a variety of educational, networking, fundraising and social events for its membership.

Use Conditions

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.

Descriptive Notes

Physical Description Note: Accession inclucdes scrapbooks, graphic material and a film reel.

Use Conditions Note: Financial materials and executive meeting minutes are closed for 15 years from date of creation. Membership rosters are closed for 50 years from date of creation.

Subjects

Greek letter societies

Occupations

Name Access

Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Toronto Chapter

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

• 
• 
• 
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Accession Number

2018-10-11

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

24 cm of textual records

Date

1954-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting Louise Starkman's involvement with the Mount Sinai Women's Auxiliary; Mount Sinai Hospital reports; and records documenting Dr. Stanley Starkman's involvement with Alpha Omega, Beta Sigma Rho, Kappa Sigma Rho, and the YMHA.

Subjects

Greek letter societies

Hospitals

Married people

Name Access

Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Toronto Chapter

Alpha Omega (Fraternity)

Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto, Ont.)

Starkman, Louise

Starkman, Stanley

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

73

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1937-1994, predominant 1937-1972

Physical Description

12 cm of textual records

2 scrapbooks

Admin History/Bio

The Beta Sigma Rho fraternity was founded in 1910 at Cornell University in Ithica, New York by four Jewish veterinary students who were unable to obtain membership in existing fraternities because of their religion. Originally named Beta Samach, the purpose of the fraternity was to promote fraternal spirit and good fellowship among its members, to diffuse a liberal culture, to advance scholarship, and to further equity in college affairs. Although not formally stated in its constitution, the fraternity also served a social function allowing its members to develop friendships and to take part in social events, such as dances.

The fraternity began to expand nationally in 1914, and in 1920 the fraternity’s name was changed to Beta Sigma Rho. The fraternity expanded into Ontario in 1930 with the Eta Chapter at the University of Toronto. In 1944 a second Canadian chapter was opened at the University of Western Ontario, known as the Iota Chapter.

Membership in Beta Sigma Rho began to decline in the late 1960s, and in 1972 its national office merged with the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity for financial assistance. The chapter at Pennsylvania State University chose not to take part in the merger and became an independent fraternity under the new name Beta Sigma Beta.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the activities and history of the Beta Sigma Rho fraternity. The records are arranged into two series documenting the history of the fraternity's head chapter and Toronto's Eta Chapter. Included in the fonds are programmes from dinner-dances, shows and conventions, recruitment pamphlets, scrapbooks, newsletters, and an historical manuscript.

Notes

Information for History/Bio obtained from "An Introduction to Beta Sigma Rho" found in this fonds.

Some records were previously arranged as MG2 P1L.

Name Access

Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Greek letter societies

Physical Condition

Scrapbooks are fragile.

Creator

Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1986-11-2

1976-12-4

2004-5-83

Source

Archival Descriptions