- 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
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Head chapter series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1956-1960
- Physical Description
- 3 cm of textual material
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of two files documenting the Fraternity's history and alumni affairs. Included is an historical mauscript of the fraternity and an alumni newsletter.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Head Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 1
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1956
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains one alumni newsletter.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Head Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 1
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1960
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of two copies of a history of the fraternity entitled "A History of Beta Sigma Rho".
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1937-1994, predominant 1937-1972
- Physical Description
- 2 scrapbooks
- 10 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Eta Chapter was opened at the University of Toronto in 1930. Little is known about the early years of the chapter, except that its first pledge was Jerry Goulding. The year 1937 ushered in what members called a “golden age” for the chapter when its members began to take a more active role in university activities, such as athletic activities, drama productions and dinner-dances. This is also the period when Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster became members. They regularly wrote articles for the undergraduate newspaper, "The Varsity", and performed in campus dramas. In 1939 the fraternity began presenting an annual campus musical, the Fraternity Review, which was put on entirely by fraternity members.
- During World War Two, the Eta Chapter pledged the Canadian government to care for a group of young Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria who were interned in England. At least one such refugee came to Toronto in the Eta Chapter’s care.
- Eta’s fraternity house changed location multiple times. In the late 1940s it moved from 15 Admiral Rd. to 18 Willcocks St. After the University of Toronto purchased this property, the fraternity moved to a new house at 84 Lowther Ave., and then it was relocated again a few years later to 699 Spadina Ave.
- Scope and Content
- Series is arranged into six files: alumni records, social events, newsletters, conventions and conferences, recruiting material and scrapbooks.
- Notes
- Information for History/Bio taken from "An Introduction to Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity" found in this series and "A History of Beta Sigma Rho" found in series #1 of this fonds.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1940-1994
- Physical Description
- 3 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of three records documenting the Fraternity's alumni. Included are an unofficial list detailing what became of alumni (1940), an informal directory of alumni and associates (1963), and a reunion book (1994).
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1940-1966
- Physical Description
- 6 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of programmes produced for the Eta Chapter's social events. Included are the menus and ad-books for dinner-dances (1945-1966), the programmes from the Fraternity Revue musical shows (1940-1949), and one songbook [ca. 1960].
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1946, 1984
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of two "Epis From Eta" newsletters.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1955-1956
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of one invitation for the fraternity's northern regional conference (1955) and an international convention programme and menu for Beta Sigma Rho's 1956 international convention.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1937-1958
- Physical Description
- 1 scrapbooks
- Scope and Content
- File consists of one scrapbook detailing the Eta chapter's activities. The first scrapbook (1937-1958) is the earliest record of the Eta Chapter's activities. It is mentioned in the booklet "An Introduction to Beta Sigma Rho", which can be found in file 6. It contains both textual and graphic material including, programmes and photographs documenting the fraternity's theatre shows, dinner-dance invitations, photographs of pledge parties, newspaper clippings featuring or written by fraternity members, a sketch of a Beta Sigma Rho Superman by Joe Shuster, photographs from national and regional conferences, and photographs of the chapter's weekend at the University of Western Ontario in 1950. Found at the back of the scrapbook is a document entitled, The Constitution of Eta Chapter of Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity, revised October, 1957.
- Notes
- DATE RANGE NOTE: The superman drawing was likely drawn sometime around 1940. Joe Shuster's cousin, Frank Shuster, graduated from the University of Toronto in 1939, although it is possible that the drawing could have been given to the fraternity after that time. Joe Shuster did not attend the fraternity as he had lived in Cleveland since 1924. However, he used to visit his cousin Frank Shuster in the summers. There is evidence that the Superman character as depicted in this drawing was already being "shopped around" by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, prior to its first publication in 1938 and indeed, the character itself dates back to 1933. As well, similar drawings have surfaced from the same time period.
- Name Access
- Shuster, Frank
- Wayne, Johnny
- Wayne and Shuster
- Shuster, Joe
- Subjects
- Scrapbooks
- Repro Restriction
- OJA does not own copyright of Superman sketch. Researchers must sign a publication contract and assume full responsibility for obtaining copyright clearance.
- Physical Condition
- Some loose material
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [ca. 1965]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a booklet entitled "An Introduction to Beta Sigma Rho" which explains the benefits of joining the Fraternity and details its history.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds
- Eta Chapter series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 73
- Series
- 2
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1958-1975
- Physical Description
- 1 scrapbook
- Scope and Content
- File consists of one scrapbook (1958-1979), which contains graphic and textual material documenting initiation dinners and pledge shows, Founder's Day celebrations, fraternity picnics, themed frat parties (Hallowe'en, playboy, Hawaii luau, and beatnik), and tributes to members who passed away. The scrapbook also includes newspaper clippings of articles written by and about fraternity members; correspondence with members, alumni and other chapters of the fraternity; wedding invitations and holiday greeting cards; and the signatures of people who attended various events. There is a large reunion sign-in card tucked in at the back of the scrapbook as well as photographs.
- Subjects
- Scrapbooks
- Physical Condition
- Some loose material
- Source
- Archival Descriptions