Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science was founded in 1905. Greek-letter organizations were founded during this time, but historical records are not specific to when and how many. However records did provide that in 1907 the president, Francis M. Ingler, decreed all fraternities to be disbanded. The cause behind this decree was the hijinks of Phi Sigma Theta having a cow roaming through their fraternity house. Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science closed in 1907.
The Eastern Branch of the Indiana State Normal School on April 4, 1918 which later became Ball State University. Within a year of the school being founded the Girls Club started, which followed in the tradition of the organization at Indiana State Normal School in Terre Haute. All girls were eligible to be a member, and local sororities started in sections of the club beginning with Alpha sorority in 1920, which later became Alpha Chi Omega. With the inaccuracy of records prior to the Girls club founding, Ball State University celebrates 1919 as the founding year for the Greek community at Ball State.
Also in 1920 the first men's organization was established, the Navajo social club, which would later become Lambda Chi Alpha. The Navajo social club specifically did not use 'fraternity' in their name since they remembered the old injunction by President Ingler in 1907.
Ball State did not have a large contingent of national organizations until the mid 1950s when many of the local organizations affiliated with national fraternities and sororities.
The Greek Community is a growing and viable element of the Ball State campus today with 16 fraternities and 12 sororities recognized by the University. Approximately eight percent of all undergraduates are members of the Greek community, with over 1,200 students maintaining membership in Greek organizations.
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