Frances Elliott Mann Hall (October 6, 1853 in

Yarmouth, Maine Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, twelve miles north of the state's largest city, Portland. When originally settled in 1636, as North Yarmouth, it was part of Massachusetts, and remained as such for 213 years. In 1849, ...

– died February 6, 1935) was one of the five founders of

Sigma Kappa Sigma Kappa (, also known as SK or Sig Kap) is a sorority founded on November 9, 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In 1874, Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, ...

sorority.

Colby College Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the city where it resides. The donations of Christian philanthr ...

, in

Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The city is home to Colby College and Thomas College. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census the populatio ...

, became the first New England college to admit women along with men. Mary Caffrey Low became the first female student at Colby, and for two years remained the only one. Eventually she was joined by four other women, and along with

Elizabeth Gorham Hoag Sigma Kappa (, also known as SK or Sig Kap) is a sorority founded on November 9, 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In 1874, Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce ...

Ida Fuller Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce (November 26, 1854—September 26, 1930) was one of the five founding members of Sigma Kappa sorority in the American university system. Fuller served as one of the co-founders of the Sigma Kappa sorority, along with Mary ...

, Hall and

Louise Helen Coburn Louise Helen Coburn (September 1, 1856—February 7, 1949) was one of the five founders of Sigma Kappa sorority, a pioneer for women's education at Colby College, where she served as the first female trustee, and an accomplished scientist and writer ...

, Low created the

sorority at Colby on November 9, 1874. Hall is the only member of Sigma Kappa to also be a member of the

Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Eastern Star is a Freemasonry, Masonic List of fraternal auxiliaries and side degrees, appendant Masonic bodies, body open to both men and women. It was established in by lawyer and educator Rob Morris (Freemason), Rob Morris, ...

. Being the only women in the college, the five of them found themselves together frequently. In 1873–74, the five young women decided to form a literary and social society. They were instructed by the college administration that they would need to present a constitution and bylaws with a petition requesting permission to form Sigma Kappa Sorority. They began work during that year and on November 9, 1874, the five young women received a letter from the faculty approving their petition. They sought for and received permission to form a sorority with the intent for the organization to become national. Frances Hall was a high school teacher in

Rockport, Massachusetts Rockport is a seaside New England town, town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,992 in 2020. Rockport is located approximately northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula. Rockport borders Gloucester ...

prior to entering Colby College. She felt she needed better training for her profession. Hall was slightly older than the other women but was still in her early 20s. Having to go to chapel to get a mark, Hall was late one day and had to wait for all the men to come out. It was an embarrassing moment. Hall said afterwards, all she saw was the floor, but all one young man, George Washington Hall, saw was Frances. When his friends asked him what ailed him, he replied, "I've just seen my wife." Frances had to leave college her junior year, as Ida Fuller did also, because of astigmatic headaches. She married George, and they went teaching together. Hall was the first Sigma Kappa to be married. Frances attended the 1928 Convention in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

and the Saranac Convention in 1933. At Saranac, she was a faithful attendant at all functions, even the Mission program which began at midnight. Reportedly, her last message before her death in 1935 was, "Take my love to all the chapters. God bless them."

References

External links

Sigma Kappa Sorority official site
1853 births 1935 deaths Colby College alumni People from Rockport, Massachusetts Sigma Kappa founders {{fraternity-stub