Ida Shaw Martin

Sarah Ida Shaw Martin (September 7, 1867 – May 11, 1940) was an American author, publisher, educator, and sorority founder. She founded the Delta Delta Delta sorority, Psi Psi Psi sorority, and was the author of The Sorority Handbook. She served as national president of two sororities -- Delta Delta Delta and Alpha Sigma Alpha. She also helped found and was chairman of the Association of Education Sororities.

Early life Shaw was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 7, 1867.

Sahe attended the Girls' Latin School in Boston, graduating as valedictorian in 1889. She then graduated from Boston Normal School. She graduated with a A.B. in 1889, Phi Beta Kappa. She had extensive knowledge of Greek, Hindu, and Egyptian mythology, as well as astronomy, which aided her in the formation of the sorority's rituals.

After graduating from college, Shaw was the grand president of Delta Delta Delta from 1889 to 1893. From 1897 to 1900, she served on the fraternity's grand council as its first grand historian and was the grand officer in charge of the Grand Committee on Education. She composed "Hazing Song" that was included in the Songs of Delta Delta Delta, published in 1903.

In 1914, Shaw established Psi Psi Psi, a sorority for the mothers of Delta Delta Delta members. In 1938, she gave a radio address from her home in Boston for the Delta Delta Delta 50th Anniversary Convention attendees. She worked with the sorority to draft its first official constitution, create its ritual, and reorganize into a professional education sorority.

In 1920, she petitioned the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) to accept Alpha Sigma Alpha as a member. However, her request was denied because women could not belong to two NPC organizations; Shaw Martin's dual membership in Delta Delta Delta and Alpha Sigma Alpha made the sorority ineligible for NPC membership.

Other organizations In 1916, Martin helped found and was chairman of the Association of Pedagogical Sororities, later known as the Association of Education Sororities. In April 1932, her successor and other sorority representatives filed a case in Suffolk Superior Court, requesting that Martin turn over bank books and $12,717 ($ in 2023 money) that was believed to be in the Pi Delta Theta bank accounts under Martin's control.

Publishing Shaw wrote and published The Sorority Handbook, a directory for women's fraternities and sororities, and issued new editions every couple of years. She was also the sorority editor for Banta's Greek Exchange, a quarterly journal first published in December 1912.

Personal life Shaw married William Holmes Martin on December 24, 1896, at her family home on 5 Cobden Street in Boston.