On July 10, 1915,
Sigma Sigma Sigma and
Alpha Sigma Alpha held a preliminary conference in Cincinnati and then on September 4, 1915, in Boston formed a "panhellenic in education" between themselves, first called the
Association of Pedagogical Sororities. These two sororities created the Association in order "to give the student in training for the teaching profession the same opportunities of sorority affiliation which the liberal arts students and those in other professions enjoyed," in response to a 1911 survey that found national sororities operated at almost all campuses except those of teaching schools. Invitations were granted to
Pi Kappa Sigma and
Delta Sigma Epsilon in 1917. At the third national convention, the four sororities changed the name from Association of Pedagogical Sororities to Association of Education Sororities. Per the official meeting minutes, the name change was to "establish definitely professional standing in Hellas". In 1920, Sarah
Ida Shaw Martin, a founder and former national president of
Delta Delta Delta and the current president of Alpha Sigma Alpha, petitioned the
National Panhellenic Conference for membership on behalf of the AES. However, this request was rejected on the basis that women could not hold dual membership in two NPC organizations (as Shaw Martin would if the education sororities were accepted). Three other sororities were admitted to AES membership through the next few decades:
Theta Sigma Upsilon (1925),
Alpha Sigma Tau (1926), and
Pi Delta Theta (1931). In 1941, Pi Delta Theta merged with Delta Sigma Epsilon. By 1938, membership was restricted to groups on campuses that offered four-year education programs. Shortly before its merger with the NPC, the AES was part of a larger multi-panhellenic association, the Council of Affiliated Panhellenics, with the NPC and the
Professional Panhellenic Association. On November 12, 1947, at a conference in
Colorado Springs, Colorado, the NPC considered and granted associate membership "with reservations" to the six AES sororities. The AES was holding its biennial meeting when it was notified of the NPC decision and, at that meeting, "completed the necessary business and took formal action to dissolve the Association of Education Sororities". The merger had various aftereffects, especially for alumnae. Former AES members continued previous functions in terms of finances and programs but were encouraged to have larger memberships for the next fall rush. Since that time, three AES members have merged with other NPC groups, leaving Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, and Sigma Sigma Sigma as the remaining former AES members. Once functioning as sororities exclusively for teachers/educational colleges, the former AES members, as social sororities, now admit members without limits based on major. == Programs ==