The Prytanean Society is the oldest collegiate women's honorary society in the United States. Founded on the Berkeley campus of the University of California in 1900.The student founders, Adele Gerard Lewis and Agnes Frisius, had a keen interest in student healthcare and housing issues, and the organization's work concentrated on those areas for many years. Benjamin Ide Wheeler was president of the University, and there were just over 2,000 students. He was about to introduce the concept of student government, and the founders were prescient enough to recognize that students could identify and address issues of concern. Imagine what pride the founding members would have in the legacy they left the University, were they to hear each new Prytanean pledge "faith, service and loyalty to the University of California!"
In later years, work expanded to include awards and support for high scholarship and volunteer activities on behalf of the University by students, faculty, and campus organizations. The original members called themselves the Prytanean Society and were upper division undergraduate students. In 1936, Prytanean Alumnae was established and has operated without interruption since its inception. Early projects included the establishment of the University Infirmary, later Cowell Hospital; support for student housing through a loan and scholarship fund; the creation of Ritter Hall, a women's cooperative dormitory; and aid in establishing departments of Physical Education for Women, Home Economics, Decorative Arts, and the Center for Continuing Education for Women.
The word Prytanean derives from the Greek word "Prytanes" meaning, in a broad sense, a representative. At once time Ancient Greece was divided into a number of political units, each responsible for sending a representative to the law-making convention in Athens. When the convention was in session, a lamp was kept burning over the door of the building where the meetings of the Council of the Chosen Ones were held. This lamp appears on the Great Seal of the University of California, whose motto is "Let there be light," and also serves as the Prytanean symbol.
The history of Prytanean is the development of a respected campus organization whose members maintain the high ideals of scholarship, service, friendship, and respect for one another. Its purpose has been to secure due recognition for women of achievement. The alumnae membership now numbers over 3,000 women, including physicians, journalists, professors, lawyers, judges, artists, and other outstanding women dedicated to community service.
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In 1946, the organization
incorporated as Prytanean, Inc. The Articles of Incorporation and the
By-laws, amended in 1972 and 1996, support and further define the original
ideas of the three women who founded Prytanean. "Faith, Service
and Loyalty to the University of California" remains the pledge
of new initiates and the commitment of the over 2,500 Alumnae graduates.
Generous donations and bequests to Prytanean Alumnae, Inc. and the diligent
work of Alumnae members has enabled the organization to support an increasing
number of projects and awards on behalf of the University, its students,
and faculty. A sampling of Prytanean Alumnae, Inc. activities and projects
follows:
Annual awards to Prytanean Society members for outstanding academic
achievement and service to the University.
Allocations of $1,000 per semester to supplement projects sponsored
by campus, organizations as recommended by the collegian Prytanean members.
A
$15,000 grant to an untenured woman faculty member to support her work;
given annually since 1985, each awardee has been granted tenure as soon
as eligible.
A newsletter, which updates members on the activities and projects of
the organization, published and sent to the over 2,500 alumnae of the
organization.
Alumnae and collegians collaborate and mutually support such projects
as a Dinner for Twelve Strangers, which brings together faculty, students
and alumnae; symposium on issues such as women's health and career choices;
and other jointly planned events throughout the year.
Since 1997, the Rowena Hamilton Award has been given each year to an
outstanding female athlete.
An Oral History Project has published five volumes of the history of
members' active involvement.
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Chapters of the
Prytanean Women's Honor Society are located at the following University
of California campuses:
University
of California, Berkeley
University
of California, Davis
University
of California, Los Angeles
Univeristy of California, San Diego
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If you have at least
second semester sophomore standing and a 3.25 GPA, we encourage you
to apply and join Prytanean. Applications
are accepted at the end of every semester for the upcoming semester.
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The Prytaneans : An oral history of the Prytanean Society, its members
and their university, 1901-1920. Available at the Bancroft Library,
UC Berkeley
"Early Prytaneans" by Janet Ruyle. Chronicle of the University
of California: Ladies Blue and Gold. Volume 1, Number 2, Fall 1998.
Pages 49-55. Email Carroll
Brentano to order a copy. Also available at the Bancroft
Library, UC Berkeley, and the ASUC Bookstore.
Information on Mary
Elizabeth Bennett Ritter
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