REMEMBER
Emma Harper Turner’s Influential Impact by Pi Beta Phi Historian and Archivist FRAN DESIMONE BECQUE, New York Alpha
Lifelong Commitment is a core value and guiding tenet of our Pi Beta Phi sisterhood, and while every member lives this value in her own way, few can tout such a lengthy list of contributions to the Fraternity as EMMA HARPER TURNER, Indiana Alpha and D.C. Alpha. Her journey in Pi Phi was unique and her impactful legacy is nearly unmatched, including her namesake serving as Pi Beta Phi Foundation’s dedicated emergency grant fund, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2021. Well beyond her lifetime, Emma’s service continues to touch and improve the lives of her sisters. Emma Harper Turner was born on November 5, 1864, and her early life was spent in Franklin, Indiana. Her mother died when Emma was only 11 years old, leaving her to help with rearing her two younger sisters, Maude and fellow future Indiana Alpha NELLIE TURNER. After enrolling at Franklin College, Emma first became a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In 1886, her chapter’s charter was withdrawn leaving her without a sorority affiliation on
campus. At the time, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) had not yet been established — not until 1902 — and there was no prohibition against belonging to more than one group. Emma sought to find another sisterhood opportunity on campus. Emma and her friend MARTHA NOBLE (CARTER) asked for and were granted honorable dismissals from membership in Kappa Kappa Gamma and set out to establish a new organization originally called Alpha Xi Theta. They then sought a charter from I.C. Sorosis and — along with 12 other charter members — established the Indiana Alpha Chapter on January 16, 1888, shortly before Emma graduated with honors. Later that year, Emma attended the 1888 Ottumwa Convention, incidentally witnessing the monumental moment I.C. Sorosis officially became Pi Beta Phi. Emma had a hand in helping execute this change and she was elected Grand Vice President as a result. It’s nearly unimaginable in a modern context, but the same year Emma helped charter a chapter and became a member of Pi Beta Phi, she was also elected to one of the highest positions within the Fraternity. Throughout her tenure, Emma’s impact on Pi Beta Phi was far-reaching, as was her personal and professional life. After a year of teaching in Indiana, she headed to Washington D.C. where she began working for the U.S. Post Office. She took night courses at George Washington University and in another now-unorthodox move, was a charter member of the D.C. Alpha Chapter, installed on April 27, 1889. At the 1890 Galesburg Convention, Emma presided in the absence of Illinois Beta RAINIE ADAMSON SMALL and was elected Grand President. Emma was 25 years old and two years out of college. Iowa Zeta MIRA TROTH said of Emma’s service as Grand President, “Her matter of course, straightforward executive ability fell right into line whenever it could serve. She had a quick sense of leverages and went about using it in the most considerate fashion.”
EMMA HARPER TURNER, Indiana Alpha and D.C. Alpha
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