Scrapbook of Theta Lambda Tau.
[Education]. Brown Historical Society. Scrapbook of Theta Lambda Tau. Brown University, 1906-1908.
Small brown cloth folio, with “Brown” embossed on the front panel; edges lightly rubbed and soiled.
A fascinating and important collection of nostalgic documentation of the sorority Theta Lambda Tau at the newly founded Women’s College at Brown University (1891). By 1902, eleven years after its establishment, the College founded four organized sororities, among them Theta Lambda Tau. The book bears unique and touching relics that shed light on an otherwise secrete and exclusive society: autograph manuscripts including a petition for charter, signed by all its members, the history of the sorority, statistics of each member, the history of Women’s College and specifics of recruitment policy and rush practices; as well as printed material including programs for artistic and theatrical events sponsored and performed by the sorority.
Although the book carries neither ostensible literary nor feminist merit, it is, indubitably, historically valuable for its documentation of the social behaviors of women within the university. Unlike men’s colleges, for which fraternities were extensions of an environment that encouraged the pursuit of intellect, originality and freedom, early women’s colleges were merely advanced “finishing schools” for wealthy young women and sororities were used as reinforcements of acceptable gentlewomen behaviors.
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