By: Mary Beal

On September 17, 2022, Sigma Phi Gamma (SPG) International Sorority members held a public dedication of an Indiana State Historical Marker that the state furnished in their sorority’s honor. The two-sided marker sits at the east entrance near the flagpole in Sigma Phi Gamma Founders Park, 700 N. Richmond St., Hartford City.

Joe Castelo, former city mayor and Blackford County historian for the county’s historical society, told the large crowd who assembled in the park that the location was submitted for consideration of an Indiana State Historical Marker, based on the sorority’s 100th anniversary of community service and friendship in 2020, which was not marked by the community due to the pandemic. Castelo said he thought the sorority’s 100th was pretty special and should be commemorated, even if late.

He remarked that the marker, commissioned by the Indiana Historical Bureau, was only the third in Blackford County, and that there had been delays in the manufacturing process due to supply chain issues and a vast backlog of orders, and it was feared that the marker wouldn’t be finished and arrive on time. But it did, with the bureau’s assistance.

Barbara Spreen, SPG’s international historian from Fort Wayne, explained during the dedication that the non-profit sorority that specializes in charitable acts had to document its history and achievements very extensively for the state historical agency in order to qualify the park for the marker. Spreen sent in a large tote of the sorority’s records to be reviewed, she said.

The international non-academic sorority was founded by five Hartford City women: Edith, Fern Schick, Irene, Phyllis and Violet. The first chapter, Alpha Chapter, met on August 29, 1920, in Hartford City with 18 women present. The non-academic sorority was incorporated in 1924, according to its history. Sigma Phi Gamma Founders Park was dedicated on July 8, 1945, to commemorate SPG’s 25th anniversary and displays an impressive memorial to its founders. The sorority also includes members from Canada. Its purpose is to promote true friendship among women throughout the world, to work for higher standards among young people and to perform service work whenever and wherever possible.

Members and officers came to Hartford City for the dedication from several states, and license plates in the parking lot were from Washington, Oklahoma, Ohio, Florida, New York and other areas of the country.

Mayor Dan Eckstein and his staff, Amy George, Castelo and the city parks department, fire department and public works assisted in getting the park ready for visitors before the important event, and the mayor, in his address, thanked everyone who helped to arrange the event. City councilmen Michael Wolfe and Dustin George were also present at the ceremony. Judy Sodders said that the event and marker were special to her because she was the only descendant of one of the five founders, Fern Schick and she wanted to send her aunt a picture of the marker.

Spreen told the excited crowd that Casey Pfieffer from the bureau, who was present at the ceremony, had helped her with the 12-page application, with Castelo’s advice.

Pfeiffer informed the audience that the Indiana Historical Bureau is a division of the Indiana State Library and promotes Indiana history in a variety of ways on a multitude of topics. This marker was the first erected in Blackford County in about 30 years, she said, and markers have been placed in 91 of the state’s 92 counties in the last 75 years, in all but Jay County, which so far has none. One of the latest markers the bureau placed was to commemorate women’s suffrage. The markers are all online on the bureau’s website, she added.

Beth Beckham, current SPG international president from Florida, said the Hartford City founders probably never dreamed that the sorority they started would become what it is today.

Mary Ford, SPG International Park Chair, Alpha Chapter, SPG and city park board member, said SPG’s founders had a vision of bringing women together to do great things. The sorority has made many contributions to the community and park, working with park board, she remarked.

Asked what SPG has meant to her, Spreen said, “I have friends all over the United States and Canada. I can travel and have a place to stay. They’ve got my back if I need help. I have a sense of worth from the skills I’ve learned. I was a GM factory worker at the auto plant, but in this organization, I’ve learned many computer skills I can use. I’m originally from Janesville, Wisconsin. Came to Fort Wayne with the factory.

“There are 200 to 300 women that come to summer conventions to share and reconnect. Most are from little towns, but Portland, Oregon, has four chapters, and all serve different needs,” she commented. 

Sigma Phi Gamma Founders Park is one of the largest in the city’s park system at 12 acres. It contains several recreational opportunities for the community. Sigma Phi Gamma members generously donate funds annually to help the city maintain the park and purchase play equipment, benches, flowers, trees and other things when needed. Decisions affecting the park are made by the park board, and SPG has a member actively involved with the board in the decision-making process, city officials said.