Kappa Alpha Theta Journal, Vol. 10 no. 2 [3]
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The Kappa Alpha Theta. Voi,. X. MAY, 1896. No. 2. Non-Secrecy. The American College Fraternity is one of the most peculiar organizations found in the social life of any people. It occupies a unique position. And because of this position it has been an object of more or less contention in the faculty and governing boards of our educational institutions. In a measure the fraternities have occasioned this con¬ tention and opposition, because of the influence which they exert, not only over the lives of their members but also on the institutions themselves. No one claims for a moment that the fraternity system has been or is yet an ideal one. Nor is it yet free from criticism. There are characteristics in every fraternity which could be improved. But the fraternity occupies a place which no other organization yet founded has ever been able to occupy. Therefore it is the duty of the adherents of the system to divest it of its faults and make it as ideal as possible. Col¬ lege fraternities should be as nearly perfect as their limita¬ tions will permit. The young life whose character is so largely moulded by them, must of necessity be carefully guarded. Every precaution should be used to direct the student into the paths of highest virtue — for multitudinous are the temptations of the college student. College fraternities have been objected to, on account of their secrecy. And it is yet a mooted question whether secrecy is a necessary element, the fact that the question of secrecy and non-secrecy is being discussed is sufficient evi-
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66 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA dence that doubt exists as to its necessity . The spirit of the times tends to discard all superficialties and hindrances to the complete freedom of the individual and let him go unimpeded on his search after truth. So the secret college fraternity must demonstrate to the world beyond the shadow of a doubt that the secret system is the best and most influential for good, upon the lives and characters of its members. Will it stand the test of the great search light of truth ? The question immediately arises, are the secret fraterni¬ ties so-called, really secret, or are they laboring under a misguided apprehension ? Have they really discerned some unknown truth and incorporated it in their constitution — or are they founded upon these truths and principles which are known and practiced in every day life ? The question can hardly be answered in the affirmative. The college fra¬ ternity is a human organization and certainly if it should have discovered a great truth, the world would long have been in possession of it. The real truth of the matter is that secret fraternities are placing upon their members an altogether unnecessary restraint. Fraternal love is not deepened or widened by the shackles of secrecy, but because of the association of kindred minds in a common cause, of imparting truths to those with whom we come in contact. It is that feeling of equality which causes hope and love to rise in the human heart. No college student should place a barrier between himself or herself, and a fellow student be¬ cause of fraternity relations. It is unnecessary that a per¬ son should in this day and age of the world’s progress, be bound by any shackles or restraint of whatsoever kind. Oaths to secrecy should rarely be given or accepted, least of all in a college fraternity. The outside world cares very little about the grips, signs, pass- words, etc., of a college fraternity. In fact many of the so-called secret things of a fraternity are already known and have been known, and will be known as long as secrecy exists. Many members of college fraternities in speaking of their fraternity have expressed themselves in no meaningless
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 67 terms when they have declared that there was nothing in the constitution of their organization which they would not care to have read by any person. This shows the trend of thought. Evolution is certainly and surely liberating the college student from many unnecessary restraints. Non-secrecy does not mean that the outside world is to know everything done within the bounds of the organization. It does mean, however, that no member shall be taken into the organization, ignorant of its meaning and purpose. No oaths are given and none are required. Every person is put upon his or her honor. Every person is the equal of every other person. No grips, signs, pass- words, etc. , are required. Eove for each other and interest in the fraternity are founded on broader principles than such meaningless terms. Non-secrecy means openess and fairness in all college interests. Inherent worth better than schemes. It means the fullest possible development of noble manhood and womanhood. The signs of the times point to an alleviation of excessive secrecy, if not total abolition. College fraternities are too important to withdraw their principles and influences into the mysterious realms of secrecy. May the day soon dawn when the college fraternities will hold out to the great stu¬ dent body a more exalted idea of fraternity life ; when every student shall be recognized as the equal of every other student regardless of fraternity relations. Eet the Ameri¬ can college fraternity inculcate into its members a more charitable spirit not only towards other fraternities, but the outside world as well, deepen their sympathies and broaden their culture, and then they will have done no more than their position demands. This, we hold, can only be ac¬ complished in its full import, through the principles of non¬ secrecy.
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68 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Arguments in Favor of Non-Secrecy. Every great reform is preceded by much discussion and argument, and whether this be in favor of or opposed to the movement, it is really hastening its adoption by preparing men’s minds for the change. The adoption of non-secrecy is undoubtedly one of the greatest reforms that could possibly take place in the Greek world, and the discussion of it in this journal cannot fail to have its effect upon the minds of all interested ; strengthen¬ ing those already in favor of it, opening the eyes, let us trust, of those opposed to it, and rousing from their nap of indifference, those who have never given the matter serious thought. Secrecy is useless. We, as Thetas, have nothing which we could not tell to all the world without injuring our fraternity. Let 11s see what these secrets are, which we have all promised so solemnly never to reveal. They are all included in our constitution, our form of initiation, our motto, and our grip. Many college faculties require that the constitution of the fraternity seeking admission shall be submitted to them for examination, and in cases where this requirement is answered, no bad results have followed, nor do we think, could possibly follow. Secrecy is not only useless, but positively harmful in con¬ nection with our initiations, as we shall show later. Our motto is no mysterious masterpiece of minds endowed with superhuman power, as many suppose. It is simply three innocent little words, such as any child might adopt to rep¬ resent her aspirations. Suppose we reveal them. Must we then cease to strive after our ideals? Is our object in be¬ coming, or our ability to become nobler women gone ? To be sure, with the adoption of non-secrecy, our grip would have to be abandoned. So much the better, for it is meaningless and childish. Which, think you, expresses more true feeling, — a good, hearty, spontaneous handshake, or the premeditated pressure which comes after a careful ar¬ rangement of the fingers ?
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 69 What have we left ? Nothing. We might perhaps make exceptions to the business of the fraternity. For obvious reasons we do not care to publish that, nor does any other society. Is it necessary then for the fraternity alone, among all the numerous societies, to bind its members with an oath, to restrain them from telling that which ordinary common sense ought to prevent? It has been said that secrecy holds the members of the fraternity together by giving them something in common with each other only. This objection cannot count for much, when one of the oldest and best fraternities, being non-secret, is noted for the loyalty its members show towards each other. Its uselessness ought to be sufficient reason for the abolish¬ ment of secrecy, but if this is not enough, the harm it does to the fraternity, if fully realized, would surely make us wish to rid ourselves of it as soon as possible. In the first place, when we are asked to join the fraternity, what do we know of the promises we agree to make ? Noth¬ ing. We make our promises to be true to the ideals of the fraternity, and then they tell us what these ideals are, and we must live up to them, whether we happen to believe in them or not. On the other hand, if when we invite a young woman to become a member of our fraternity, we could let let her know exactly what would be expected of her, how many mistakes would be avoided, and how much stronger our fraternity would be with all its members striving for the same end! Is there not great danger that the true aims of the fraternity will be misunderstood or forgotten when we are made to promise just as solemnly that we will guard its secrets, as we promise to guard its honor? If our form of initiation were made known, then it would be impossible for us to use certain ordeals, which perhaps none of us are quite free from using, which decidedly detract from the dignity and solemnity of the occasion. Are we ashamed of anything in connection with our fra¬ ternity, that we do not wish its supposed mysteries revealed? Of course not, yet the world judges us, not by our own deeds
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70 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA necessarily, but by the deeds of any secret society it happens to know, whether good or bad. If a man is killed accident¬ ally in an initiation, every secret society suffers for it. Were non-secrecy adopted generally in the Greek world, it would be divided into two classes, the non-secret or good fraternities, and the secret fraternities, or those which have lost sight of their true aim ; for the former having nothing dark to hide, would not be afraid of the light of day, while the latter, knowing too well that the exposure of their doings would be their death-blow, remain secret. Thus we should be judged only by our own actions, or at least by the non- secret or better class of fraternities only. The sooner this much needed change is made, the better for us all, and may Theta be the leader of the reform. Bertha L. Broomeee, ’94, Alpha Beta. For Non-Secrecy. From the very fact of their secrecy, our fraternities are refused entrance into some of the most desirable colleges in the country. Faculties cannot approve and uphold in their institutions, organizations, of which they can, necessarily, have but a limited knowledge. In some instances the chap¬ ter may exist, but it is not recognized by the authorities, and hence, has no rightful claim in that institution. Not only are chapters barred from certain colleges, but we lose many individual members, simply from the fact that we cannot tell them, plainly and openly, our motives. Fra¬ ternities have become such ordinary adjuncts of collegiate life, that everyone has a general idea of their meaning. But say, for example, that a truly conscientious student ap¬ pears, who truly intends work and the question arises “ will this aid me ? How can I know ? I like the members, but their secrets, I like not.” It is the hidden feeling, sug¬ gestive of the underhanded, that arouses suspicion. The inability to explain to outsiders our plans and methods, and
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 7* some minor material matters, puts us in a position to be re¬ fused, by some of the most worthy young women. One of the reasons urged in favor of non-secrecy, applies, primarily, to small colleges. In larger ones, of course, where there are twenty or thirty fraternities, almost every student is a Greek ; but in the small institutions the bar¬ barians are completely outside. They have the constant feeling of being avoided. The continual atmosphere of secrecy about them, is very annoying. There are certain matters which we may wish to keep private ; but this need entail no bitter feeling of being left out. We must beware of the unconscious effect we produce on others as well as the active, conscious influence we exert within our own bond. Some of our members urge that there is really nothing in the secrecy ; it is now merely a pleasing sentiment ; and that it helps to throw about the life, a mysterious awe. But if the secrecy is nothing, then let it cease ; we do not wish a dead-letter in our organization. We want good sound principles and high aims. Truth needs no concealment. Let us have a broad, pure standard, and then be willing to show it to any and all, and challenge criticism. — Alumna. A Plea For the Gymnasium. The importance of physical education in this country is being more widely recognized and the cause more actively and intelligently supported every year. The term ‘ ‘ Physi¬ cal education' ’ has come to have a broader, more compre¬ hensive meaning. The virtues born of good health at last find favor in our eyes, and the truth is dawning upon us that the very morals of a nation are dependent upon the physical well-being of its citizens. Dr. Stanley Hall says: “ There is, I think, one cause in which all'men and all women of every race, nationality and condition can heartily enter. . . . The cause of health. Health is being restored again in our day to its old signifi-
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72 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA cance of holiness and completeness, so that the cause of re¬ ligion and the cause of physical training, which are every day becoming more inseparable, seem to me to give promise of something better than we have known heretofore, not only to gather up so many lines of premise that seem so hopeful in so many directions, but to inaugurate a movement for the higher perfection of men and women. When I see about me in the fields of intellectual attainment and culture, in the walks of business, and in family life, so many disasters and tragedies long drawn out, of failing health and collapse of nerve, brain and muscle, I feel that health is the only bul¬ wark upon which everything we prize — intellectual culture and religious affection — can ever be reared.’ * That both physical and moral conditions demand attention, there can be no doubt. While our national strength is .still impaired by the ravages of war, our cities have been congested by an incessant stream of foreign immigration representing largely the human refuse of other countries. To counteract these evil influences and to maintain a lofty standard of living, is a problem whose solution involves our nation’s honor and safety. What better remedy can be found — what better basis for a sound national life can be laid, than in the inculcation of physiological principles? The growth of physical education should be such as to bring these principles within the reach of every man, woman and child in our land. At present there are millions who are living degraded, corrupt lives simply because the scope of our educational system is not broad enough to make the knowledge of the right methods of living the common property of mankind. Especially is it important that the women of our nation be taught how to live hygienically and make the home the high moral force it should be in national affairs. It is unfortunate that the requisite instruction in the laws of health is mostly restricted to educational institu¬ tions, when there is such piteous need of it among the women and girls whom such institutions never reach, and this is a need which should be emphasized. *
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 73 For an illustration, take the girl who stands all day be¬ hind the counter trying to satisfy the wants of exacting customers, and breathing the same foul air over and over again until her head swims and her nerves dance. We are annoyed if she does not serve us in a happy manner, yet we seldom stop to think that her “noon rest,” probably spent among the boxes and barrels of a musty, dark basement, and her cold lunch chosen with little regard to nourishment are not conducive to a sweet temper. Nor do our thoughts follow her to the place she calls home — such a home as many girls are compelled to seek as victims of the principle of competition which is a mockery to every philanthropic effort. What can we expect of a girl who must eke out a living from two, three, four, or even five dollars a week, and whose loftiest ambitions are inspired by the wasp-waisted creature of fashion who frequents the thoroughfares and serves as a model to the shop girl ? Is it strange that she resorts to the low-rate theater and dance, or even to the streets for recreation and amusement? There are few other places open to her which offer sufficient attraction. And this is where physical education may be made to serve an important end. Let there be a gymnasium where the spirit of goodfellow- ship abounds and where girls of every occupation meet on a common footing to join in exercise and games, and the re¬ sults will be argument enough in its favor. The fresh air and cleanliness, and the sense of relaxation and freedom which pervade such a place, are in themselves sufficient to fill one with renewed energy ; but add to these good bathing facilities, a reading room supplied with the best books and periodicals and with good pictures, a lunch room where wholesome food is provided at minimum cost, or privilege given of preparing one’s own lunch in an appetiz¬ ing way. What way more practical could there be of bringing sweet and wholesome influence to bear upon lives which fate seems to have handicapped ? Then there are socials, and dances, and teas, and informal
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74 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Sunday afternoons with good stories and good music ; where the factory girl, the seamstress, the clerk, the stenographer, the teacher, the student and the society girl are all repre¬ sented, and each has something to give to the other. These social features cannot fail to inspire one with better aims and ideals, and have their immense advantages in other ways, but they are by no means the most important work of the institution. The physical work itself is the means of most remarkable changes and improvements. The various measurements and tests taken at intervals during a course of training, show the cramped and narrow chest to have deep¬ ened and expanded, the pinched waist to have assumed more Juno-like proportions, the flaccid muscle to have be¬ come firmer, and the pale face with its blue lines to have taken on the glow of health and good spirits. But more transformations than these have been taking place, for as the strength of the external muscular structure has in¬ creased, the internal muscular and nerve structures have grown proportionately stronger, and we have as a result better functioning throughout the system. The mental en¬ ergy, too, is quickened, there is better co-ordination between mind and body, more courage and self-reliance, and the body is more ready for work and more capable for it in every sense. Owing to the nature of her position, the director of a gym¬ nasium is brought into close touch wTith the lives of many of her pupils and is often enabled to administer to more than their mere physical wants. For this reason she should be a woman of wide resources and practical knowledge, as well as master of her subject. Much injury has been done the cause of physical educa¬ tion by the numerous superficially trained teachers who have made extravagant claims for ‘ ‘ systems and methods * ’ which were founded upon scarcely a correct physiological principle. The science of gymnastics is one that calls for a most ac¬ curate knowledge of the human body and acute sense of dis¬ crimination, and its practice ought to be restricted to those who have completed a systematic course of study in some training .school of recognized standing.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 75 There are a number of such schools in this country. Dr. Sargent’s at Cambridge, and Dr. Anderson’s at New Haven, whose courses include training in the different systems of gymnastics, and the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics, which devotes two years to a training in the Swedish system alone, offer wider opportunities for study than any others. Good teachers of gymnastics are compara¬ tively few, and confine themselves for the most part to insti¬ tutions which pajr high salaries. This is a mistake. We need them more outside, and if this appeal reaches any col¬ lege woman who wants to use her efforts in behalf of man- * kind, let her be convinced that a broader field for usefulness it will be hard to find. Louise M. Briggs. The Woman of To-day. The change from the position which woman formerly oc¬ cupied to that which she occupies to-day, has been an im¬ portant step in the world’s progress. At the dawn of civili¬ zation she was a mere chattel, bought and sold, loaned or exchanged at the will of her lord and master. Her position gradually improved however, and she was given certain civil and social rights ; but at the beginning of the Christian era a check was placed upon her advancement by the church, the influence of which has not entirely disappeared at the present day. Her rights were merged in the husband and her subordination to him established by ecclesiastical law. She remained more or less in this position till within the last half-century with here and there an exception to show what she might have done had the opportunity been given to her. In England a hundred and fifty years ago, woman began to assert her equality with man and to demand legal and civil rights ; but it remained for America to grant her social and intellectual freedom by opening to her the higher in¬ stitutions of learning. Though the woman of to-day is
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76 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA essentially American yet the same influences are at work in other countries. In England she has gained greater civil rights than in America. In Germany she is just entering the universities, while in New Zealand perfect equality of civil and social rights of man and woman is already ac¬ knowledged. The lines of distinction between the sexes are fast disappearing, the walls of separation are crumbling away. Universities that have stood out against the admis¬ sion of woman for centuries, have now opened their doors to her. Higher education has fitted her for nearly any posi¬ tion in life, few restrictions are placed upon her, she has but to make her choice. She is daily competing with man in business. The number of lady lawyers and physicians increases yearly. Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer, Miss M. Carey Thomas, Miss Agnes Irwin, as deans of Chicago, Bryn Mawr and Radcliffe attest the presence of woman in the higher educational circles. There is scarcely a news¬ paper or magazine in the land upon which woman does not have a place. Francis E. Willard, Eady Henry Somerset, J. Ellen Foster, and Mary Ellen Lea.se, advocating their various causes, represent woman on the platform. In the World’s Fair we had our woman’s building, and our board of lady managers ; while she is fast acquiring a monopoly of the public schools. Thus to-day we find woman not only in the colleges but at their head, in the professions, in busi¬ ness, on the press, in literature and the arts, founders and managers of hospitals, schools and institutes, on the school boards and in the public schools. It is quite generally con¬ ceded that woman may engage under proper circumstances, in almost all these and perhaps other occupations with pro¬ priety. There are, however, some rights and privileges claimed by some people for woman and by some women for themselves which are not yet so generally conceded by the public. One question which has claimed more or less attention for several years, but which seems to have assumed a more important phase at the present time, is that of woman suffrage. The
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 77 question to-day has become a practical one. It can no longer be looked upon as the hobby of a few enthusiasts. Some of the best thought of the day is being given to its consideration, the time is ripening for its decision and upon woman herself will rest the greater responsibility of the choice. It is not a question of competency or right, but whether the majority of women really wish the ballot. The right of voting is not a privilege, it is a duty often stern and irksome. If woman is given the franchise she must either assume the responsibilities of the state in addition to those she already has, or lay aside some present duty as less sacred and important. This the majority of American women seem loath to do, if we take the recent elections in Massa¬ chusetts and New York as fair examples. Along this same line we come upon the woman who is an extremist in one way or another, popularly known as the “new woman.’' She adopts the extreme in dress reform, and affects the manners and small vices of men. Mrs. Bal- lington Booth says of this type of the ‘ ‘new woman’ ’ that “she is a very poor copy of a mock man, an unfeminine creature from whom men and women alike turn with aversion.” Or it may be she who thinks it her province to free woman from the bondage and oppression to which she is still sub¬ ject. She is exceedingly strong-minded, and in constant anxiety lest some one will not admit her equality with man. She clamors incessantly for the rights and privileges not yet granted to woman and has neither time nor opportunity to perfect herself in those already obtained. Whatever view we may hold concerning the extent to which woman ma}^ properly exercise the rights and privileges open to her, the fact is clear that her field of action has been greatly en¬ larged in the last fifty years. All this progress in the position of woman has brought many advantages to her in larger fields of usefulness, greater opportunities for self-improvement and a wider range of influence. But after all this development she is still a woman, still the sister, wife, and mother, and for her there
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78 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA is but one standard, the standard of womanhood : that, wherever she may be, whatever she may do, she maintain her womanliness and her influence in the home. She must at all times measure her every word, every thought, every action by this standard, making her 'whole conduct conform to it. Woman has been endowed with characteristics peculiarly her own. She is gentle, tender, patient, loving. She differs from man in her very nature and any attempt to make herself like him, either in character or manners, trails the standard of womanhood in the dust — degrading not only herself but man as well. We welcome the conditions which have enlarged the scope of woman’s work, but after all it may be that she has not gained in usefulness in proportion to her enlarged privileges. I look back to the days of our fore-fathers, and see mothers instilling principles of in¬ tegrity, honor and patriotism into the minds of sons who be¬ came the heroes of the Revolution, sons who were the founders of the nation, giving us the “ land of the free.” I see wives, in the dark days of the Rebellion, inspiring the men who guided the ship of state safely through the stormy waters. I see sisters and mothers, both north and south, steeling the courage of brothers and sons in that great civil conflict. I see the devout mother imparting her spirit to sons who become strong moral and religious factors and leaders in literature and thought. I see the old fireside with its many quaint attractions. The father and sons are there enjoying the comforts provided by the mother and sisters whose only duties or ambitions are to care for the home and make it cheerful and happy. I turn to the present and see woman with all the new responsibilities that have come to her, and I wonder if she is losing her influence in the home. I fear that she is in some cases, but not all. Among the women of to-day I see some combining the past with the present and in these I find an inspiring example. It may be that she has gone side by side with her brother, done the same sums, played the same games, entered the same college, attended the same lectures, been subjected to the same tests
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 79 with the same results, and received the same diploma. Or not having had all these advantages has borne the same bur¬ dens, enjoyed the same pleasures, attained the same suc¬ cesses as her brother. She is intellectual, courageous, energetic, ambitious, self-reliant ; possessing the grace, the modesty, the quiet dignity and gentle charm of womanli¬ ness. Her presence in the home is like sunshine. She lifts the burdens from the tired mother, cheers and comforts the aging father. The duties of home are sacred to her and to them she lends her first thoughts, her loving efficient aid, It may be that not forgetting her duties in the home she turns for a time to the busy world outside. It may be to the school room, to the law or medicine, to journalism or literature, or she may be a leader in some reform. She be¬ comes the guiding spirit of a new home, the loved and honored wife and mother, the helpful courageous companion of the husband and the inspiration of the children. But whatever her choice may be, or whatever she may do, she will in no wise sacrifice her womanliness and her influence in the home. Emma Kemp Timbereake. Student Life. ADDRESS DELIVERED AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY, jAN. 20, 1S96. According to the Germans, a university is a place to which men go to ‘‘learn to think scientifically.” University life, then, is intrinsically a life apart from everything else in purpose. It is also a life apart in kind. Here, the student throws aside the restraints of home, and becomes his own master. In German Universities, this freedom is absolute . Its purpose is to let the student work out his own philosophy of life utterly untrammeled. If he makes mistakes, as he must, let him ; he will learn more that way. The German professor is an original investigator. His object is to teach his pupils to be the same. He is a lecturer, not a holder of
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8o THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA recitations. He lias absolute freedom of speech, and may voice his opinion on any subject at any time. His pupils, on the other hand, may accept or reject his theories as they choose. The German student is quite as free as his master. He may attend lectures or not, as he pleases. He may study or not, as he pleases. He cannot get his degree unless he does study, and comply with the University regulations, but he may comply when he will. In America, a student rarely knows the name of his professor until he enters college. In Germany, the student is familiar with the names of the pro¬ fessors in the various Universities long before he is ready to leave the preparatory school. He would never think of going to a University to pursue a course, prescribed by a catalogue. He wishes to study chemistry. Very well. He decides on the man with whom he desires to study, then goes to the place where that man can be found. He goes somewhere else when he has gotten all he wants there, and, during his University career, he usually studies at several places. The points to be noted are that the German student chooses his man, and then goes to study with him, and that it is almost unknown for a student to spend his whole Uni¬ versity life at one institution. In America, this freedom is most nearly approached at Harvard and at Stanford. In most American colleges, it would not be practicable, chiefly because of the immaturity of the students. The average age at which a German enters the University is twenty years. He spends there four or five years, the mature, formative years of his life. He has previously spent nine years under the strict discipline of the gymnasium, an institution which corresponds to our high school plus the first two years of our ordinary American college. Chicago University has recognized the lower standard of our college system, and obviates the technical difficulty in nomenclature by calling the first two years of her course academic years, and the last two, university years. The average age of the American student who enters the University, is, at a guess, eighteen years, and even younger, especially in the West.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 81 None of these students have had a mental discipline equivalent to that of the German youth who graduates from the gymna¬ sium. There are then, certain restrictions necessary in the line of class-room work. Especially in our smaller colleges is real teaching needed, because pupils are not taught to think for themselves in our lower schools. This, of itself, demands that the student be required to attend lectures and recitations up to a certain limit. He cannot possibly get anything done otherwise. In institutions calling themselves universities, however, as much of this freedom as is practic¬ able should be maintained. At Indiana University, for in¬ stance, that spirit of freedom, is, I think, observed to a large degree. At least, that is the one marked impression that has been made upon me from the moment I entered the Uni¬ versity. Not absolute is this freedom, however, for, if a student “bolts” lectures and recitations beyond a certain limit, he is called to account. But even this amount of lee¬ way is not given in some other institutions of this state. In Purdue (and I make the comparison with Purdue because it is the only other institution of this state with which I am in any degree familiar) at Purdue, the students are required to present an excuse from the office for every absence, and if a man absents himself from any recitation three times without such an excuse, he is suspended until he appears with one, and with permission from the office to re-enter his class. As far as my observation goes, the character of the work at Indiana University is quite as high as is the character of that at Purdue, while the method of obtaining it is far more in accord with the etiquette of higher educational institu¬ tions. In other ways than in this distinctive phase of study, the life of the university student is peculiar. He is now, as never before, his own master. In Germany, the student leaving home, leaves with it all domestic restraint. Unless he carries letters of introduction, as a rule, he does not enter a home during his whole university career. He lodges wherever it pleases him, excepting at hotels or inns, boarding wherever
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82 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA lie chooses. Most of the students board at restaurants, coming and going whenever it best suits their convenience. In America, much the same method is pursued with this difference, that, here, dormitories are often, though not al¬ ways, provided. In Germany, such a thing is unknown. Wherever there are dormitories, there must be regulations governing them, hence the freedom of the student must be curtailed, and this will not do in Germany. The German student is to be a law unto himself. At Harvard, there are some twelve dormitories, accommodating about 973 men. The students furnish their own rooms. They may buy from the outgoing tenant, they may supply themselves with brand new articles, or, if they choose, they may rent furniture for about $5 a set per year. Now and then, a student is so fortunate as to receive a gift of his furnishings from some rich man’s son, who is leaving college for good. I do not think that there is any American college where male stu¬ dents are obliged to lodge in the dormitories. In fact, I do not know of any large college, where there is enough dor¬ mitory room to accommodate all the students. Hence, some must lodge outside, and many prefer it. At Purdue, there is dormitory room for very few, while here at Indiana Uni¬ versity, the dormitory is done awTay with entirely. The great value of the dormitory lies in the fact that the stu¬ dents there have better rooms and have them better cared for than is too often the case outside. At Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, the dormitories are supplied with every con¬ venience, the newer buildings indeed are almost palatial in equipment. In the .smaller colleges, dormitory life tends to foster college spirit, while, in all colleges, there are always the advantages of being near the college, of being easily located, and of being under some surveillance on the part of the officers of the faculty — if this last be an advantage. In American colleges, students in the main board where they will. Every variety of place is found from the res¬ taurant to the club. Some colleges have a regular college table. At Harvard Memorial Hall is such a place. About
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 83 700 men board here, and I am told that the table is excel¬ lent and the charge merely nominal. If some of the early worthies who attended Harvard could look in upon this table, they might draw a sigh of envy, remembering the days when the college furnishings were so scarce that each stu¬ dent was obliged to carry his own knife and fork to the table for every meal. To be .sure, there are some comments on the board that are not highly complimentary. It has been said that six months at Memorial Hall are enough to spoil a man’s table manners for ten years ; and, indeed, visitors often go into the galleries to see the men at their meals, or, as the visitors say, to see the animals eat. The Hai'vard Crimson recently made an earnest appeal to the cooks not to serve the students with any more Irish stew, but then, this quality of sameness is hardly peculiar to Memorial Hall. In Bloomington, we have no college table. The students lodge where they will and board where it best suits them. The college chapel is an interesting institution of college life. All sorts of experiments have been tried with all sorts of success. It is usually found, I think, that where attend¬ ance at chapel is compulsory, there is far greater irreverence than under any other conditions. At Harvard, in former years, chapel was held at 6 A. M. in summer and a half hour before sunrise in winter. This unchristian demand met with the result it deserved, and students rushed into chapel in every stage of dress and of undress, and continued to do so until, in later times, more reasonable requirements were made. At present, attendance at chapel is not com¬ pulsory, but the Harvard faculty make it worth the while of every student who cares for the finer side of life, to attend. Five of the leading clergymen of the vicinity are chosen to conduct morning prayers and to preach during the year. Their time is so divided that each conducts daily morning prayers for about two weeks each half year, and each preaches on four Sunday evenings. The finest speakers of the country are secured, and every denomination is represented. In the
Page 20
34 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA pulpit of Harvard stand side by side, Baptist and Episco¬ palian, Methodist and Roman Catholic. Loyal to truth, broad in mind and in act, Harvard is indeed a university. When noted men are not procurable for the asking, chapel can be made attractive in many other ways. The method at this university is an illustration in point, extra music and the weekly lecture being anticipated as a pleasure by the students. It has been found advisable to introduce similar features into universities where chapel attendance is required, for it is one thing to have students present in body, and quite another to have them present in spirit. When students whisper and talk aloud, read, study, or draw pictures, it is pertinent to question if their bump of reverence be highly developed. It is to be regretted that in American colleges there is so little of the goodfellowship between professors and students that is found in England. To illustrate : At Oxford, tutors, dons, and fellows entertain the students at lunches and din¬ ners. To be sure, their conveniences are greater, for they, most of them, have rooms of their own in which they can entertain ; besides this, they are free to use the conveniences of the college kitchen and halls. This is a phase of student life not found in Germany either. For a long time at Harvard the student did not meet the professors at all, excepting, perhaps, the Dean. At last the university awoke to this flaw in her management, and the faculty gave a reception to the students. While, of course, this could not make the parties intimate friends at once, it was certainly a step in the right direction, and as such was commendable. At Harvard, each student is assigned to some particular instructor, to whom he goes for advice. This often leads to very pleasant friendships. Apropos of this phase of Indiana University life, I think the students all feel and appreciate the kindliness and courtesy of the President’s Thursday evenings. They are sure of a warm welcome and of helpful sympathy, and go away feel¬ ing happier for a glimpse of home life.
Page 21
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 85 Aside from this, there are certain conditions of student social life which are the same the world over. There are always those who know nobody and go no where ; the others find their society in clubs of various sorts. There are three main divisions of clubs in Germany, the Corps, the Bur- schenschaften , and the Christian Associations. They are known as the “ colour wearing* * clubs. Besides these, there are an infinite number of societies, formed for fencing, singing, and a thousand and one other things. The Corps is an outgrowth of the “ old national associations,’ * and is marked by externals and expenditure. The members wear under their coats a ribbon sasli about an inch and a half wide, the colors being those of the association. They also wear a ridiculous little round cap about the size of a saucer. To be more effective this is placed on the side of the head. The members of this club are drawn from the wealthy and aristocratic classes. The Burschenschaften, meaning body of students, was formed in opposition to the Corps, and had for its object to inculcate into the minds of German students love of truth, patriotism, etc. It was intended to be non¬ exclusive, but exclusiveness has crept in. These two socie¬ ties aim at absolute community of life, and the friendships formed last till death. The Christian Associations differ from the above mentioned in that they are composed prin¬ cipally of theologues, and they prohibit duels — except ec¬ clesiastical ones, the worst of all. In America, the secret societies of the university form a parallel to these great German organizations. Some of our minor clubs, both literary and musical, may perhaps cor¬ respond to the local German organizations. I said awhile ago that student life is different from all other living in purpose and kind, and I have tried to point out a few of its marked features. Well, then, what is the significance of it all? Why are four years of this better than four years of anything else ? The significance lies in the fact that students come to the university to learn to be men. They come to measure them-
Page 22
86 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA selves with other minds, to find their errors and to avoid them, to gain inspiration, and, themselves directed, to learn howto direct others. Four years of this are better than than four years of anything else, because, under no other conditions is it the privilege of man to devote himself ex¬ clusively to his own advancement, mental and moral. Here he learns humility and self-control, kindliness and a catholic sympathy ; and he goes hence, with a character broadened and deepened, to live out his own life among men, and, i* the university has been what it should be, to make some one a little happier and a little better, because he has lived. Carolyn Moody Davidson Gerrish, Beta , ’p 6 . Kappa Alpha Theta in The World. Have you ever stopped to think why we are so proud of our fraternity ? Have you ever doubted that our pride is just ? Have you ever realized how often we lose sight of our ideals when they are just within our reach ? We love our fraternity because it appropriates our noblest qualities to the noblest ends ; because it brings us heart to heart with those who love our virtues and fight the faults of each woman as an enemy of mankind. We love our fraternity because it sympathizes with what we are, and strives to make us what we should be. Then why do we view, so narrowly, its limits? Why do we cease to feel its influence when we need it most ? When we leave the miniature sphere we call College and stand upon the threshold of the world ; when we realize that we are a part of the great Creator’s plan ; when the realm of the day-dream is no more, and life is a merciless reality, does our youth become merely a sweet memory, a song, commenced, and never to be sung? Alas ! too often. Wre forsake the familiar paths of the past for .strange ones in the future and try to solve the problem of Life by a new method. Our home life, our college life, our fraternity life have
Page 23
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 87 built a foundation, firm and strong, for our real life. Let us build upon this foundation. Let us take our fraternity into the world and limit its sphere no longer to the college. We leave college, and how often we leave our fraternity too ! During the first few years after graduation we occa¬ sionally visit our Alma Mater. Old scenes recall tender recollections — we are girls again and enthusiastic Thetas, but only for the moment. Five years from then, and we may say we used to be Thetas. Our pins were laid aside with the other trophies of our college life ; the journal, once read so lovingly, never finds its way to us now ; our frater¬ nity has ceased to be a part of our lives. To be sure, there is a thrill when we meet a stranger sister, a thrill because this recalls those other Thetas that we knew and loved years ago. We think again of the noble impulses of our youth, of the lofty aspirations of our girl¬ hood, of the ideals we forgot when we entered the world. Now Kappa Alpha Theta is too grand to be loved by a few — too worthy to be entrusted to a few — too broad to be satisfied with a few . Because its ideals are so lofty it de¬ mands the support of its Alumni, as well as its students. We pledged ourselves as girls, as women we owe it our al¬ legiance. The woman of the future will be above all else, a broad woman, Kappa Alpha Theta must meet the demands of the world and be a broad fraternity. Let us come face to face with our responsibility and see what it is, Kappa Alpha Theta aims to develop the virtues and crush the vices of womanhood. When we pledge ourselves to our fraternity we take up this warfare against the wrong and for the right. We are a modern order of the Table Round, with virtue for our weapon, love for our creed and a race of perfect women for our ideal and we must be watchful lest we share the fate of King Arthur’s knights. We accept the responsibility of bringing our fraternity nearer its goal. Is this not a life-long responsibility? Can we lay it down to follow any phantom ? Is there anything that will not be dignified by the presence of Theta aspirations?
Page 24
88 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA The first years of our fraternity life are blessed, indeed. The chapter life is such a heart-to-heart life ; a life so un¬ selfish, so sympathetic, so watchful, that the memory of it will be second only to the memory of our homes. But the influence of Kappa Alpha Theta is not confined within the limits of our fraternity— it is not difficult to love those that love us. As members of active chapters, we found loving hearts to sympathize and loving hands to help, but we must work, not solely for each other, but together for mankind. Working for our chapter we often do not look beyond and recognize the world as our real sphere, and our chapter as the instrument through which we influence humanity. If we would take this broader view, accepting the fraternity as a means and not an end, if we would feel its deepest influ¬ ence, if we would realize the grandeur of its work, it would mean so much more to us, our responsibility would be so much more real, and our earnestness would increase with the years. We say we love our fraternity just as much as we ever did, although we have taken no active interest in it since we left college. Ah, this is where we are deceived. We love the precious memory of our life in the active chapter. Our fraternity has become a perfect stranger. We know it not. We cannot love it. If we had the real interest of Kappa Alpha Theta truly at heart, we would take an interest in it. We would establish alumnse chapters wherever it is possible. We would support the Journal. We would not cast aside the badge of our Legion of Honor, but would be as proud to wear our pin as women as well as students. We will argue that ‘ ‘ new occasions teach new duties, ’ ’ and, though we may not acknowledge it, we will believe that we have outgrown our fraternity. The members of each chapter have been scattered throughout our country. Each seems to be just one Theta with nothing particular to do for the fraternity. Each enters a new world— a little world it may be — but nevertheless a world, in every part of which her influence is felt, and where for better or for worse
Page 25
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 89 her life is lived. Now it is in these little worlds that the real Theta is to be developed. Here is where the seed sown in the chapter is to blossom and bring forth its fruit. Here it is that we find the grandest type of humanity — the truly womanly woman . Here, and only here, is it possible for a perfect Theta to exist. If then, the grandeur of our fraternity ideals is not merely the fancy of college girls ; if earnestly we strive that the good of Kappa Alpha Theta may be reached, we will not outgrow our fraternity, we will not lay it aside as a sweet memory, but will take it into our little worlds and make it a part of our lives, a precious heritage, to nourish, to cherish and to love. Until we do place Kappa Alpha Theta upon this higher plane, and realize the boundless influence that it was created to exert, it will continue to be merely an association of col¬ lege girls. When the active chapter is left and the chapter life is a thing of the past, our fraternity will cease to be anything but a memory, and the membership of hundreds of women will be merely nominal. — Mary Talbott Clark.
Page 26
ALUMNAE DEPARTMENT. Some Closing Thoughts for Our Seniors. Just at this season of the year when we should be com¬ paratively at leisure, not only because wTe have lived through a long busy winter, but because there is so much that is beautiful in nature springing into life around us, w7e find ourselves growing constantly more occupied. Here in this great thronging City of New York, we college women who were once at this time of year so much engrossed with thoughts of graduating theses and of distant commencement are now occupied with the many distractions and demands of a city life, beside our own private cares and duties. We have, however, time to wish our younger college sisters who will finish their course this year, every success on this home¬ stretch of college work. This last short period of the college session will be a time of your life that you will not soon forget. You cannot imagine how many times your mind will go back over the things that will be said and done during these three brief months. If you are working too hard you may become tired enough to wish that it were all over with. But wait until it is, and you will then be able to appreciate, as no stretch of }7our imagination can make you do now, what it means to leave these dear friends and this place that have been so much to you. I have heard several members of Gamma Alumnae confess that it took them anywhere from six months to a year to get over a certain home-sickness for their old college days. There are, I believe, two good reasons for this. In the first place, the college life and sur¬ roundings have practically been a kind of home to us for several years, and when we leave them, we miss the fine overflow of college spirits and also the universal spirit of culture that has been a part of the atmosphere which we
Page 27
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 9i have breathed. But more than all this, when we step from our college walls, we find ourselves in the presence of a big critical world which is not going to make much allowance for our faults or give us much encouragement over hard places, and it is principally for this reason that we look back with so much longing to those dear days of girlish friend¬ ships and enthusiasm. Yet, I think we should be glad of the opportunity of facing this world and of finding our way in it. But it should be realized from the first that it is a rather hard place to get acquainted with. It needs your enthusiasm of course, but it resents that enthusiasm if you rush at it as though you were fully acquainted with it. On the other hand, it does not readily come to you. I have been interested in watching the cause of discouragement in my own case and in the cases of others, when we were first introduced to our new world. In every instance wre were in too great a hurry. Here is a lesson which every young person has to learn sooner or later, and if you are clever enough to get hold of it from the experience of another rather than from your own, so much the better for you. It is this — no matter how much your ideas and plans urge you on, at least guard against the appearance of wishing to be at the top of the heap in your particular profession. Let it be known that you are very ambitious, in a rush to get ahead, full of ideas that if carried out might upset some more conservative ways of acting, and from that moment you will find opposition on all sides. Older people of experience rarely like to take .suggestions from those younger and less experienced than themselves, even when the suggestions may be really valuable. It takes a good deal of delicacy and tact com¬ bined with a certain quiet unobtrusiveness to get your new ways worked in among the old. I say all this not to discourage anyone before .she leaves college, but to try to open her eyes before she has a chance to become discouraged simply because of her lack of knowl-
Page 28
92 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA In a conversation with one of our most influential educa¬ tors in New York City, the remark was made to me, “I do not like your girl graduates. There is a spirit of I know- it-all among them which is very annoying, Until that can be in some way knocked out, there is little chance of doing anything with them.,, Now, I believe, of course that those who have been in the field for some time should not expect too much of our young women just fresh from college, but should try in every way to develop their latent abilities and help them as it were to find themselves ; but you will not find many ready to do this, and you will be usually left to do it for yourself. Again, the college graduate is not al¬ ways given credit for her real ability, and is being constantly underestimated. This is truly disheartening, but the time will come when you least expect it, when you will find that earnest work has not been lost and that your opinion is sought and accepted. A large number of you will be entering into the profes¬ sion of teaching. Now, this means more than merely say- ing that you intend to teach until you can find your way into some other avenue of work or until you marry. If you want to become a professional teacher, I see no reason why you should not have an extra period of training, just as you would expect to have to enter any other profession. The time is not far distant when the untrained teacher whether she be high school or college graduate will find herself debarred from those positions which require not only ability but special training. Some of our colleges already have excellent departments of pedagogy, but we are looking forward to the time when all universities and large colleges will have, not only departments of theoretical training for teachers, but also regular schools of practice at their com¬ mand, which will serve as pedagogical laboratories for young teachers, where they may be able to see fine examples of instruction, and also undertake their first teaching under the guidance of experts. We need our college women for educators. Education is
Page 29
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 93 peculiarly woman’s work, but she can find her full sphere of usefulness only when she has been specially trained for her task. Do not imagine that your college training debars you from teaching little children, if you love them and have the gift of understanding how to deal with them. Versa¬ tility and wide knowledge that leads to breadth of charac¬ ter is more needed for young children than for anyone else, and it is earnestly to be hoped that our college girls will more and more make this department of teaching their especial study. We hope too, that every young college woman whether she is to become a teacher or not, will take the keenest interest in our public school systems. Remem¬ ber that the public schools are not the property of any par¬ ticular body in a community, but belong in a measure to every individual of that community, and a share of the re¬ sponsibility of the system rests with each educated person in it. May we not look to Kappa Alpha Theta girls to go into any profession with warm hearts, clear, sound heads and ready hands ? We believe that we may. Gamma Alumna. The Kappa Alpha Theta. In the pleasure which I took in looking at our last Journal, and in reading it, I was conscious of another feel¬ ing which thus expresses itself: ‘‘Our editor is putting forth every effort to make the Journal a success in a finan¬ cial, literary and fraternal sense. Her intentions will be the best, her labors strenuous, but without the cooperation of the fraternity as a whole she will be unable to run the typical Theta paper our fraternity craves and deserves.” There is not a Kappa Alpha Theta, active or alumna, who should not have the Journal problem at heart. Our Journal falls short of our own ideals, short of the realities of other fraternities, and yet in the college world our Journal is our representative.
Page 30
94 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA First how can we help our Journal financially ? Many may be unable to secure advertisements, but there is hardly a Theta who could not add one name at least to the list of subscribers. I wish our editor would give us some statistics to show what proportion of our alumnae subscribe to the paper. There is nothing which is so necessary to keep up fraternity interests after college days, as the fraternity Journal. Three years will change our own chapter com¬ pletely, but K. A. ®. remains the same, the embodiment of our ideals of womanhood and cooperation. To those of the alumnae who have not the benefit of an alumnae chapter the Journal is the only means of communication between the general organization and themselves. Would it not be pos¬ sible for the corresponding secretary of each chapter to present the case to the alumnae of her chapter, and perhaps even to send sample copies of the Journal to them ? The little book with its strong editorials, and happy, hopeful chapter letters, will plead its own cause well with the hungry Theta hearts in the land. What can we do for the literary department ? No one is more opposed than I to having abstruse literary subjects discussed in our Journal, but there are many questions interesting to us as women, and as fraternity members. Among us are women in almost every walk of life, teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, evangelists, and philanthropists. Reports of all the different vocations would interest us, as would reports from our girls who are studying abroad or in institutions where our fraternity is not represented. I do not think the active members should be wholly responsible for the literary department. College work is necessarily absorbing and what would be drudgery to a college girl should be a privilege to an alumna. Thus the Journal would provide “ a strong incentive to continued literary ac¬ tivity” to each alumna whether she adopts the alumnae con¬ stitution or not. Finally since the use of the Journal is so clearly felt, the fraternal side of it must be emphasized. Ideas can herein
Page 31
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 95 be exchanged ; advice or sympathy offered ; aims, ambi¬ tions, ideals, discussed. The personal columns should be made interesting and I think that each year a full list of the initiates into each chapter, with addresses, should be published so that the catalogues could be kept corrected. It is to the alumnae I appeal for help, for the active chap¬ ters already do their .share. Caroline P. Sargent, Grand Secretary. A Letter from the President of Beta District. Dear Sisters : I must send just a line to the Journal, if nothing more, in order that Beta district will not think her president is only a name on the directory page. I hope, too, that in this issue of the Journal that name may be followed by the correct “local habitation/ * so that if any of the chapters need my advice or assistance, they may at least be able to knock at the right door. If no one else has done so, I wish to introduce two new chapters in Beta district. Rho chapter needs no introduction since she has been with us before. I am sure we are all very glad to welcome her to the fraternity again. And I am equally sure that we can all heartily commend her action in relinquishing the charter, dear as it must have been to her, when she saw that to keep it meant to lower the standard of Kappa Alpha Theta. May all chapters similarly placed follow her example. The other chapter I wish to introduce is our new alumnae chapter in Chicago, which, I suppose, will be entered on the rolls as Delta. It is hardly organized as yet, but I am sure from the number and interest of its members, its success is assured. In no way does a fraternity show its strength and weak¬ ness so clearly as in its alumnae chapters. The existence of these, in the first place, shows conclusively that the fraternity
Page 32
96 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA is not an organization whose sphere of usefulness ends with the college life. If the fraternity is good for anything at all, its aims and ideals must be broad enough to be in harmony with whatever life work we wish to take up after the doors of our Alma Mater have closed upon us. It speaks much for a fraternity that women who have been out of college for many years and have many and wide interests, have still fraternity enthusiasm and fraternity faith enough to wish to keep up the connection through an alumnce chapter. If we need proof, do we not have it here, that the fraternity is eminently “worth while?’’ Then, too, a fraternity is stamped by its alumnse. What kind of women has the fraternity made or helped to make ? That is the crucial test. Do the active chapters keep that in mind as they should? Are the members chosen for their real worth, or for certain external attributes, delightful enough, no doubt, but of little value without the solid founda¬ tion beneath them. Girlhood — even college girlhood — is brief, and a passive rather than an active period. It is only when our characters have become firmly fixed as mature women that we can be in any degree useful in the world. Those who make delightful girls, may make very common¬ place, even useless women. Unfortunately we cannot all belong to alumnae chapters, but should we, therefore, sever all connection with the fra¬ ternity at the close of our college life? We can still keep in touch with the general fraternity in many ways, particularly by keeping up a close connection with our own chapter. We really owe a debt to the fraternity. We can never pay it, but we can cancel part of the obligation. The dangers and evils of fraternity life are the same now as they always have been. This is because the personnel of the chapter changes so often — we cannot profit by our own experiences —we are just beginning to learn our lessons when we have to sever our connection with the chapter. If we cannot profit by our own experience can we not allow our successors in the chapter to profit by them ? I consider it our duty as
Page 33
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 97 alumnae to do just this. We think, now that we can look at chapter life from a distance, that we would do so differ¬ ently in many respects could we re-live our chapter life, ket us then help the girls who are now confronted with the same problems, to confront them more bravely and to solve them more satisfactorily. On the other hand, there is much due from the active members to the alumnae. The alumnae should be made to feel that their advice and help are welcome, and their inter¬ est appreciated. In one chapter the alumnae are apportioned out to’ the active members to be written to once in so often. This may become impracticable as the alumnae list grows, but certainly some communication should be kept up. The alumnae can hardly help losing interest in the chapter, if they feel the chapter is losing interest in them. If there could be this working together of the alumnae and the active members, I think many of the evils of fraternity life might be done away with — the tendency to lay stress on non-essen¬ tials rather than on essentials ; to allow the interests of the chapter to overshadow those of the fraternity, or even the interests of the individual to overshadow those of the chap¬ ter ; the narrowness; the laxness in regard to business matters — all of which we are but too painfully aware of. Kappa Alpha Theta has a future as well as a past. We cannot rest on our past. If we stand still we are lost. We must progress to keep up with these progressive times. It is the duty of every member, active and alumna, to put her shoulder to the wheel and help the good work along. Myra McPherson Post.
Page 34
UNDERGRADUATE DEPARTMENT. In our fraternity life, whatever may be said to the con¬ trary, it is none the less true that there is a marked tendency towards conservatism, which almost amounts to narrow¬ mindedness. We all regret this. We do not mean to be selfish ; but with our lessons, our fraternity work and social duties, we have little time to bestow upon the girls of other fraternities, and especially upon the many girls outside of any fraternity. Knowing from various articles in the Journal that many of our sisters in other colleges are troubled A Suggestion, over this same state of affairs, we thought perhaps they might be interested in a time- honored custom of oldDePauw, which, for one evening at least, effectually breaks down all fraternity barriers. This is our annual Pan Thygaterian. It corresponds in a way to the boys’ Pan Hellenic banquet. However, ours is the much less selfish organization, inasmuch as the one includes only the members of the various men’s fraternities, while ours, as its name implies, takes in “ all the daughters” of the University. The entertainment for this year took place last Friday night, April 3rd, at Woman’s Hall. This is one time when the girls have everything their own way, as the only repre¬ sentative of the opposite sex admitted is old Jack, the col¬ lege dog, without whose genial presence no University occa¬ sion is complete. The Pan Thygaterian is a go-as-you-please entertainment, and every one “ rigs up” in some fantastic manner. The other night we had representatives from many nationalities, Egypt, Persia, Germany, France and Scotland ; while Columbia beamed with equal kindness upon all. In one corner Topsy teased Tittle Lord Fauntleroy. In another, a gay gypsy peered into the future for all who
Page 35
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 99 would know their destiny. In a safe nook, a poor old blind woman ground out doleful music from a dilapidated hand- organ. Some sombre ghosts flitted about, casting uncanny glances at Sappho who was flirting boldly with the delicate looking young gallants present. Samantha Allen, just from Saratoga, gazed genially through her spectacles at the little girls with their dolls and skipping-ropes, remarking to her neighbor, a graceful Spanish lady, that she looked forward to the time when all these votes could be polled. At ten o’clock, in response to a signal from Prof. Belle A. Mansfield, the company fell into line, and to the inspir¬ ing strains of the “ Noble Duke of York” passed out into the great dining-room. After a dainty (?) repast, entirely in keeping with the occasion, we listened to a fine program of toasts, presided over by Prof. Mansfield, and responded to by the faculty ladies and representatives from the various fraternity and non-fraternity girls. The last toast, “ Our Thygaters” was given by Mrs. Gobin, wife of our President, and a member of the Theta Alumnae Chapter. After we had expended all of our lung power in college songs and yells, we adjourned with the banquet cry still echoing in our hearts : Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! Pan Thygaterian Of Old De Pauw. Alpha. A puzzling question to many chapters which are desirous of making the most possible out of their regular meetings is What proportion of our time shall be spent in so-called literary work, what in recre- A Question, ation ? Shall our meetings be wholly given up to literary work, shall they be entirely social in their character, or is there a happy medium ? If so, how is this medium best attained ? ’ ’ Usually there are advocates
Page 36
IOO THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA for both sides to be found, and happy is that chapter which in trying to gratify all its different tastes, does not finally suc¬ ceed in giving satisfaction to none. It is a natural desire, appreciated by all college women, that a college fraternity should stand for something more than a good time socially. It is felt that unless at the end of her active chapter life a woman can know that her frater¬ nity experience has meant more to her than mere pleasant intercourse with a certain number of congenial people, it has, in a sense, been a failure. To the woman essentially fitted for fraternity life, it must always, of course, mean more than this, for it is hardly possible for her to mingle intimately for four years with those wdio, while congenial, will differ from her in many ways, and possess many qualities which she does not have, without growth in one or more directions, un¬ conscious growth, perhaps, but none the worse for that. But the average college woman is an impatient creature who has not yet learned the art of waiting, and she is not content to merely accept this passive growth, but wishes to do something to improve even her leisure moments. Usually she suggests that the ideal plan for successful chapter meetings is to have the whole chapter engage actively in literary wrork, and thus give a literary coloring to that part of the meeting which is not devoted to business. Systematic courses of reading, se¬ lections at random from different authors, magazine articles, original writing by such members of the chapter as are able to w?rite, are various fields through which her fancy ranges. The drawback which must attend such a course has prob¬ ably been found by most chapters to lie in the fact that the regular college work of their members is largely literary in character. Chapter work in order to give greatest pleasure as well as greatest profit, must not be of the same character as the college work of its members. It is for this reason that there are found so many who complain of unlimited literary meetings, and demand instead mere social gatherings. Their argument — and it is a sound one — is that they have all of such work that they care for during the week, that this work
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA IOI does not leave them much time to really know the friends whom they have chosen, and that it is much pleasanter to have the regular chapter meetings given over to such enter¬ tainment as shall bring them together more intimately with¬ out overtaxing brains which are already tired. Meetings of this character will generally suit the wants of those mem¬ bers whose homes are outside of dormitory or chapter house, but, when many of the members live together and .so have frequent opportunity of seeing each other in different ways during the week, after a time and in unadulterated doses prove as unsatisfactory as the meetings which are purely literary. The ideal chapter meeting then, the one which is to bring the members into closer acquaintance with each other and at the same time gratify the desires of those who justly feel that a fraternity should mean to its members the greatest good iu every direction, and that this good should be intel¬ lectual as well as social, must be neither wholly intellectual nor wholly social, but a wise combination of the two. How is this best done ? Some chapters have solved the problem to their satisfaction, others are still struggling with it. Can not the former help the latter by suggesting through the pages of the Journal the plans which they have found the best and most practicable. Iota confesses that she will re¬ ceive such information in a thankful spirit. Some chapters, she knows, have solved the problem, by devoting some even¬ ings to reading, others to the ever-popular spread, candy pull, and entertainments of a like nature, some to music, some to impromptu theatricals, charades, or pantomimic ren¬ derings of well known poems. Some chapters, believing that the benefits of a fraternity should not be entirely con¬ fined to its own members, have tried successfully the plan of holding open meetings perhaps once a month. Can we not learn further particulars about all these plans, and the meth¬ ods by which they are carried out? Such a discussion would be of interest to all chapters and of great help, per¬ haps, to a few. Trvr \
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102 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Possibly sometimes when you are tired and the world in general seems more or less dun-colored, for a few fleeting moments you doubt the sincerity of the devotion on the part of your dearest friend. Following are given a few simple tests which if literally interpreted and put into practice cannot fail to establish the correctness or incorrectness of your surmises. Some Mon¬ day morning when your friend has overslept, will prove an advantageous time to apply the first test. Go into her room while she is at breakfast, borrow the last Dormitory Eth- four stamps which she intends for her Sun- ics- day letters and leave or not just as it hap¬ pens, eight cents. At three minutes of nine when one wants stamps eight pennies are not as completely soul-satisfying as under less pressing circumstances. During the course of the day let her know that you did the deed and then, if she says carelessly, as she probably will out of her great regard for you, ”0 that’s all right,” — just apply test two. Stroll into her room some Sunday afternoon and borrow a pet volume. Keep it six weeks and return it only when you behold a plaintive appeal on the bulletin board begin¬ ning in something of this fashion, A‘ Will the person to whom I lent my Golden Age , please return etc., etc.” If she still seems to maintain the same regard for you, borrow the basin in which she prepares chocolate. Use it and forget to return it. The night when she is in a hurry and alas, it is not clean, is apt to prove the crucial time. Perhaps she has a cozy little kettle, preferring tea. In that case you may take her magazine from the table Saturday afternoon and forget to tell her until a week later, or use her fountain pen for a moment and leave it standing on its head. If ia spite of the eight pence and the sticky basin and the inky pen and the strayed volumes and magazines she is still civil toward you, rest assured of one of two things — either she is a modern saint of the saintliest type or else she really, disinterestedly loves you, offering up, however nightly pe¬ titions that you may mend your ways. Lillian Constance Swift.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 103 Psi has been much interested in the efforts of the man¬ agement to improve the Journal and wishes to send her cordial approval, and offers of such assistance as she may possibly be able to give. That the publication is an im¬ mense amount of trouble and work we all know, and yet the work is freely and cheerfully given. Can the chapters, to whom the arrival of the Journal means so much, do less than cooperate, not only by sending copy, but more than that, by heartily indorsing and putting into practice, as far as possible, those practical suggestions which have appeared in the last issues ? The editors have asked that the chapters interest their alumnae in the Journal, a request which strikes the key-note of the whole question. Psi’s Plan. May Psi tell a scheme of hers? It may help some sister chapter to reach her alumnae. At the beginning of the year each active member has assigned to her a certain number of alumnae to whom she must write at least once in three months. Whatever of in¬ terest occurs in chapter life is told and in this way the old girls are kept in touch with us and their interest in Kappa Alpha Theta does not diminish as it would if they were neglected. And when the alumnae of a chapter are so thoroughly in touch with it, it is a small matter to grant such a request as our editors have made, and we ought to do it. Psi.
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CHAPTER LETTERS. The date upon which the next chapter letter should be sent out is October 5. Please write on one side only of the paper, and put the personals on a separate sheet headed only by the name of the chapter. Any per¬ sonal communication to the editor should also be written on a sepa¬ rate sheet. Please note the way the chapter letters are headed and always arrange them in the same way, putting nothing at the head but the names of the chapter and the university. Alpha District. IOTA— CORNELL UNIVERSITY. Since the Lenten season will be quite over by the time the chapter letters appear in print, perhaps it will not prove amiss to recall for the moment pre-Lenten gaiety. On the evening of February fourteenth Iota entertained her friends in the new woman’s gymnasium, taking occasion, also, to introduce her six freshmen — Marcia Vedder, ’99, proving the sixth. This was the first occasion when the gymnasium has served so delightful a purpose. Happily it is not to prove the last. Since the gymnasium classes reign supreme until six o’clock, nothing could be done until dinner time ; but “many hands make light work,” and many cushions will transform the most unpromising corner. By seven o’clock the place was ready for the evening’s pleasure. Through the kindness of Professor Prentiss, some beauti¬ ful palms were obtained from the Sage conservatory. These, with a rug or two, a divan and some quaint chairs, donated for the occasion, made a delightful resting place. This corner divided honors with another in which the gym¬ nasium mats were piled, covered with a rug and massed high with cushions. Mrs. Schurman, assisted by Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Dennis, and Mrs. Young, mother of one of our new girls, received.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 105 Just before the term closed Fanny L. Sheldon, *95, hav¬ ing finished her thesis, returned to her home. Fortunately June is not many weeks off, when we hope to have her with us again. Not long ago Amelia Shapleigli, ’91, was back at the Uni¬ versity for a few days, and gave some very interesting talks on college settlement work. Mrs. Comstock, after a winter’s absence, has returned to her home and has resumed her Friday afternoons for the girls. For the spring term Mrs. Nichols has discontinued her Wednesday evenings. Mrs. Wait has also entertained the girls at tea. Recently Miss Hitchcock tendered the use of her home for an evening of fun in the nature of a candy-pull. Professor Burr, who is now at Washington engaged in Venezuelan Commission work, is greatly missed both in University, and particularly in Theta, circles, since he pre¬ sided at the upper table, making the dinner hour an especi¬ ally pleasant one. Two Thetas are represented on the executive committee of the new Sports and Pastimes Association just organized an Cornell — Lillian Swift, ’97, and Gladys Willard, ’99. The association, happily, is meeting with enthusiastic sup¬ port on all sides. ‘‘Confession is good for the soul,” likewise interesting for the other person sometimes. How many attempts are ordinarily necessary in order to obtain a semi-satisfactory fraternity group ? Trusting that no unpleasant train of thought has been roused, we .send best wishes for all en¬ deavors — fraternity groups in particular. LAMBDA — UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. Again vacation time has come and gone, and we are hard at work on the last term of our college year. Surely at the beginning of it we must send you our greetings and best wishes for a happy and successful spring term. If you all
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io6 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA have such a delightful place in which to enjoy the spring time as we Lambda girls have in Burlington, you ought to be happy. We are. Our chapter life this winter has been one of unity and harmony, and has been marked by many bright spots. On the twenty-fifth of January, Lambda was “at home” to the Faculty of the University and their wives and the mem¬ bers of the senior class. We feel that we can safely say that our reception was enjoyed by all who were present. Several of our old girls have been with us at our meetings this year, and we always promise them a warm welcome at 44 Kat’s Kradle. * * Three of our girls attended a Y. W. C. A. convention held at Middlebury College in February, and met there Miss Florence Simms of Alpha, one of the international Y. W. C. A. secretaries, whom our girls esteemed it a privilege to meet and know. We wish they might have brought her back with them for a visit with us, but her work called her in another direction. Our seniors are beginning to feel that the end is truly near at hand for them. They will go in different directions after commencement, but we know that they will be loyal Thetas still, wherever they may be. We regret very much the loss of one of our freshman girls, Clara Gillette, who has entered Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. There will be no journal after this one until November, so the Lambda girls send to all their sisters now their heartiest good wishes for a successful term, a bright and glorious commencement, and a very happy summer. MU — ALLEGHENY COLLEGE. The spring vacation has come and gone, and we are all back in our places again. This first week we have been fix¬ ing up our fraternity room, each girl having brought some¬ thing to adorn it. At our next meeting two of our pledged members wdll be
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 107 initiated into the mysteries of Kappa Alpha Theta. Such an event is always a pleasure. This term promises to be quite a gay one. At present the Alpha Chi Omega fraternity is holding its convention in Meadville, and there are numerous receptions and parties in prospect. We expect to entertain the chapter and delegates in our rooms next Friday afternoon. I must not forget to mention the very successful reception which our chapter gave last term at the home of Josephine Bates. With best wishes to all. CHI — SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. The twittering of the birds and the warm sunshine are heralding spring. We are all eagerly waiting for the warm spring days, for “ on the hill ” this season of the year is the most delightful. The many festivities of the winter term have passed and we have now entered upon the new duties of this term. The annual reception of the Syracuse Chapter of Delta Up- silon took place February 14, and was, as nsual, one of the most brilliant and enjoyable affairs of the .season. Our ’98 delegation gave an informal party at the home of Katherine Foster. The house was prettily decorated and the souvenirs were unique. Several other informal gather¬ ings have added to the enjoyment of the social season, and the Glee Club concert, which is to be given at the Bastable, April 14, is anticipated with great pleasure. In the line of college work we have been as busy as ever. During the past week Dr. Belirends, of Brooklyn, has been delivering a course of lectures on ‘ ‘ Missions ’ * which have been both interesting and instructive. At present among Chi’s members great enthusiasm is being manifested over a new chapter home. We have rented a large, commodious house on Irving street and are eagerly making arrangements for the furnishing of it. We expect it will be very pretty when completed and anxiously await the first of May, which will find us located there.
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io8 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Along literary lines the work on the “ Onotidagan ” is at¬ tracting the attention of all classes, for the annual this year is expected to be unusually good. In track athletics this year, Syracuse expects to take a foremost place, and our base ball team is doing fine work. In a few weeks we shall be again in the whirl of examina¬ tions and then follows commencement week with all its gayeties. The coming of this latter time reminds us that our seniors have but a short time yet to remain with t:s, and it is with regret that we let them go. ALPHA BETA — SWARTHMORE. No doubt many of our sisters are seated in some cozy chapter house, working or enjoying a social hour together. Though we of Alpha Beta have no building which we may call our own and to which we may retreat after the college work of the day is ended, still we have ever before us, seen on every hand and from every window the beauties of nature. You have your chapter houses, and we have our beautiful and picturesque woods, clad in all the new loveliness of spring, where we may find many a quiet spot among the ferns and anemones. But now let me turn from the present and tell you of Alpha Beta’s life during the winter, and first let me introduce to you our two new Freshmen sisters, Helen S. Moore and Emma B. Wallace, whom we initiated on February 12th. As our anniversary came during examination week, we post¬ poned the celebration for two weeks, until the 12th, when we could have our initiates with us. One of our Media sisters kindly offered her home, and here Alpha Beta’s fifteen active members, with five of the alumnae, gathered together for a Theta reunion. Many of our sisters who were unable to join us, wrote letters, showing that distance did not pre¬ vent their thoughts from being with us. An account of the establishing of our chapter and a prophesy of the future of each member of Alpha Beta were listened to with interest.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 109 After refreshments, good-byes were said and we were soon on our way back to college, with visions of the delightful gathering filling each Theta’s mind and heart. The winter with its reception and various indoor college entertainments, and its skating and outdoor pleasures, has passed only too quickly, and in a few weeks the excitement of commencement and the parting for the summer will be things of the past. Diving so far east, we feel that we know very little of the life of our sisters in the west, so you may imagine what a pleas¬ ure it was to us to receive on the 18th of March, a visit from Maud Staley of Pi, and to hear accounts of her chapter life. We have a plan which has proved a great success with us and which we wish to offer to you as a suggestion. Before each initiation we send to all our alumnae printed invitations stating the girl’s name, and the place and time of the initia¬ tion. Perhaps to the older chapters, whose lists of alumnae are longer than ours, this would be a rather arduous task, but we have found that it keeps up the interest of the gradu¬ ates in the life of the active chapter and that they make it a point, if possible, to attend our initiations. And now one word of congratulation to Iota. We feel sure you will all second us in saying that the new Journal is, indeed, a success, and sister chapters, let us all do our part and gladly contribute whatever our editor may ask, and help to attain our ideal in “ The Kappa Alpha Theta.” Beta District. ALPHA — DEPAUW UNIVERSITY. Never in the history of DePauw has there been the enthu¬ siasm and true college spirit that now exists in the Univer¬ sity. It is true, we have reason to be very proud of her on account of the many victories which have been won during the last two months. The debate with the State University,
Page 46
no THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA the State Oratorical and Prohibition contests, all brought the highest honors to old DePauw. Theta has been no less prosperous. We realize that this has been one of the most satisfactory years in the history of Alpha, and we hope that other chapters have had similar prosperity. These balmy days announce the fact that our college year is drawing to a close and although the prospects of vacation are pleasant, still there is much that is sad about Commence¬ ment. The friends we know today, tomorrow will be gone. The sisters on whom we have depended this year, will leave us and we under-classmen must fill their places. Then let these last few weeks mean much to us. In looking back over the time since the last issue of the Journal , we find many happy events. One was a visit which a number of our girls made Beta Chapter at the time of the debate between the two universities. A more enjoyable time could not be imagined and we only wish that Alpha and Beta could meet oftener. As was intimated in an article in the last Journal , there is a tendency on the part of some to consider the fraternity as a local organization. We want our girls to love Kappa Alpha Theta as a whole. We want that sisterly feeling among the chapters as well as among the individual members. A few weeks ago Theta received her friends at the home of Mrs. Beckett who is a member of Alpha Alumnae. In the afternoon the fraternity and non-fraternity girls in the College were received and in the evening the gentlemen called. Last week occurred the annual conclave of Pan-Thygate- rian, the details of which you will read on another page. We consider this one of the most important features of our college life. Here all fraternity prejudices are laid aside and we become a band of jolly girls. We wish that you all might enjoy the benefits of Pan-Thygaterian. May you all have a most enjoyable Commencement, a happy vacation, and in the fall may we meet again as ear¬ nest workers and loyal as ever to the black and gold of Kap¬ pa Alpha Theta.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 1 1 1 BETA — UNIVERSITY OF INDIANA. April 4th, Beta held her first meeting of the spring term and right glad we are to have with us this term, in addition to girls of last, two girls of the class of ’95, and Francesco Otto, who has been away from the Uuniversity since ’89. On Feb. 22nd of last term, we held here at I. U. a debate between DePauw and this University. Unfortunately for I. U. , DePauw was victorious but to compensate for our de¬ feat we had the pleasure of having with us a number of girls from Alpha Chapter. We found them delightful and we shall look forward to another visit from them at any time, with the greatest pleasure. There were fourteen of them in all and I think wemanagedto crowd all the fun possible into a night and a day. There were the Misses Arnold, Misses Morris, Campbell, Crowder, Applegate, Bacon, Rives, Reid, Williams, Cartright, Coffin, and Vickery. We are looking about us for a chapter house for next year but do not intend to have one unless we can have the very best. DEETA — UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. The girls of Delta are again together after a very enjoya¬ ble vacation week. We begin to realize now how near we are to the end of our college year, which will bring the end of college life to six of our girls. We mean to make the very most of all the time which is left to us. We feel, or rather hope, that we are becoming more and more imbued with the true Theta spirit and we are indeed grateful for all the wise encouragement and advice which our sister chap¬ ters have so kindly extended to us. Our members are all intensely loyal and enthusiastic and a more congenial circle of girls could scarcely be found — except in every other chap¬ ter of Theta. Delta has been having a delightful time socially this past term, and this next term there promises to be even more ac¬ tivity in that line.
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1 1 2 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Since we wrote last we have initiated two new girls, Susie Thompson and Grace Morrow, whom we feel that we are to be congratulated upon having secured. Miss Hull and Miss Gale, alumnae from Eta chapter, and now living at Decatur, came over, and we enjoyed their presence very much at this, our second initiation. With best wishes to all our Theta sisters. EPSILON — WOOSTER UNIVERSITY. “ Time conquers all,” and Epsilon must time obey, send¬ ing to you all her most hearty greetings, and wishing to all Theta’s chapters as glorious success as she, herself has met with during the past few months. As a result, wTe are most happy to introduce to you, Edith McWilliams whom we have added to our mystic circle. The reception or 4 house warming’ of Hoover Cottage is to be given some time this term and we are all anticipating a splendid occasion. Among the notable events in Wooster since our last letter to the Journal, Epsilon feels that the banquet given in honor of our Grand President and of our twenty-sixth anni¬ versary, holds a high place. It was given on January twenty-fourth at the hospitable home of Elizabeth Brown in Bloomington, and surely if ever enthusiasm for Theta was roused in the hearts of Epsilon, it was on that occasion. Forty Epsilonites were present, and as we packed ourselves into those two large wagons, everyone bubbling over with joy and happiness, who would have thought Dame Nature could but have smiled upon us? But although the rain¬ drops pattered on the covering over our heads, the sound was only music to the light hearts within, and we reached our destination ready for a night’s jollity. Although the banquet was indeed a feast for the body, we also feasted our minds and felt proud to have our Grand President presiding as toast-mistress. The first to be introduced, with greetings from Epsilon
Page 49
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 113 was Florence Dunlap, having the sentiment, “Noble by birth, but nobler by great deeds.’ ’ Then followed Mrs. Mateer, with a toast on “Wynkin, Blynkin, and Nod.” Said she, “ They are idols of heart and of households. They are angels of God in disguise. * ’ Then another of our alumnae, Miss Cora Weber, gave us some Reminiscences, a ‘ ‘ Tale of the early days, Of things as they used to be. ” As we listened to the great and glori¬ ous deeds of our predecessors, we were fired with a new zeal and inspiration for our beloved sorority. Then our hostess, one of our ‘ pledglings’ gave us a de¬ lightful little talk on the “ Kittens,” after which Mellicent Woodworth closed with a very profound discussion on “An¬ thropology, through a Theta lens.” Interspersed among the toasts were several musical productions, one from a quartet, consisting of Bess Park, Minerva Criley, Mildred Packer and Blanche Curry ; and a duet by Mrs Janet Hen¬ derson Bodman and Mellicent Woodworth. Certainly it did remind us of “things as they used to be,” to hear their voices blending in sweet harmony again. As time rolled round, and we once more bade farewell to one another, we could not but wish such celebrations came oftener, and we all felt linked to Theta with renewed bonds of love and en¬ thusiasm. During the last week in March, Epsilon’s latest bride, Mrs. Hamil Shields, nee Belle Platter, visited her Theta sis¬ ters, and we were most highly favored with a talk by the Rev. Mr. Shields in our rooms one evening. Of course, he gave us much excellent advice and warnings on the subject of matrimony, which we were all eager to hear. Before we separated for the spring vacation, one of our new members, Bessie Davidson delightfully entertained us at her home. In the work of Willard society this year, we are glad to say our girls have been taking a very active part ; and as a result, the society has appointed Mildred Packer as orator for “Willard Public” to be given Commencement week,
Page 50
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA ii4 and on the “ Farewell’ ’ program, Margaret Platter to give the Junior response to the Senior address. Also in the Shakespearian plays, “ Romeo and Juliet’ ’ and Henry the Eighth,” given by Prof. Bennett, .Epsilon girls have taken many of the principal parts. But we fear Epsilon is sending entirely too long a letter, and is encroaching on another’s room, so, once more, we bid farewell to all Theta’s fair daughters. ETA — UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. Our second semester is well begun and our spring vacation will be here in two days. In the meantime we are groaning over reviews and examinations. Since our last letter to the Journal we have initiated two girls, Edna Paddock, of Coldwater, Mich., and Matilda A. Harrington, of Dubuque, Iowa. They are, of course, fine girls and we are very proud to introduce them to the frater¬ nity. Miss Post was the only one of our alumnae members who could come to the initiation. Many of the others sent sweet rememberances of themselves in form of flowers and letters. We had quite a nice visit from Harriette C. Waller, of Saginaw, but she could not stay for initiation. Last week we were surprised by a visit from Martha Chad bourne and Mamah Borthwick, who are teaching in Port Huron. You can all imagine how we enjoyed their stay. We have had one great disappointment this year — May Swope, who was a Theta at Bloomington, Ind., but who came into our chapter as if she had always been a member of Eta, found that her health would not permit her to con¬ tinue her work, so she left college. We feel that we have lost one of our strongest members. Mrs. Walker, one of Eta’s patronesses, gives a little re¬ ception Wednesday the 8th, to introduce the girls to some of the newer faculty ladies. I cannot close without saying a few words about the
Page 51
THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA ”5 Women’s building, which all the college girls have worked so hard to obtain. It is to contain a gymnasium, office for the Dean of the Women’s Department, and rooms for the Women’s League. It is really being commenced now, so the enthusiasm is greater than ever. All kinds of schemes are on foot for raising money for it. One which I thought quite novel is to sell tickets which entitle the buyer to a glass of soda water at a certain drug store, the druggist giving the girls a large percentage on the number they sell. Eta wishes to express the pleasure which the last issue of the Journal gave her. It is a fine publication. With love to all Thetas. NU — HANOVER COLLEGE. The second term in Hanover College has passed very quickly and quietly with us, perhaps because we have been kept so busy. However, we had the pleasure of initiating into the fraternity Mary Moffat, a bright and enthusiastic Freshman, from whom we expect much in every way as a loyal Theta and as a student. The principal social events of the term have been a tea given by the President’s daughter to a number of the young ladies of the college ; a reception at the house of the Presi¬ dent, given to the members of the four literary societies ; a reception and banquet given by the <£. K. r. fraternity to their friends, at which all our girls were present ; a musicale, a dance and several other events of less consequence. Our five senior girls reported a delightful time enjoyed by them at a party given to the senior class by Professor and and Mrs. McComb. The K. A. ©. girls have issued invitations to their friends for a leap year party to be given by them at the home of Professor Young, on the evening of April n. Last week our chapter was much pleased by a visit from one of the charter members, Mrs. Moffat, of Fort Wayne, and also by the visit of Miss Bertye Swope, class of ’94.
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n6 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Preparations for the building of the new Science Hall are being rapidly carried forward. The intention is to have it ready for occupancy next September. The furnishings are being placed in the new gymnasium. We expect to have an unusually large number of our alumnae with us at com¬ mencement. With best wishes for all true Thetas. PI — ALBION COLLEGE. Our Easter vacation is past and Pi is hard at work again. The past three months have been very pleasant and profit¬ able with us, our chapter all the time becoming more united. We have added one to our number, Susie Dean, a very strong girl of the Junior class who is now no longer a stranger but very dear to each of us. Miss Sims, of Alpha, was with us in February being called here on Y. W. C. A. work. We enjoyed her visit very much and found her a charming girl as well as an en¬ thusiastic Theta. We are planning for a royal time during Commencement week when we want all of Pi’s former members to meet with us for a banquet and a jolly time. We do not want to be exclusive and so invite you all to come and help us sing the praise of K. A. ©. Pi hopes before another school year opens to have upon the campus, a new lodge, all her own. Blanche Selway, whose home is in Dillon, Mont., will attend Eeland Stanford, Jr., University next year. We are very sorry to lose Blanche from our number and are sure that Phi will find her a most lovable and loyal girl. Professor Smith Burnham has been granted a leave of absence to study at Chicago University. This takes from us one of our resident members, Mrs. Burnham, whom we shall miss greatly. We welcome to Albion a recently organized chapter of the Sigma Nu fraternity and wish them much success.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA iij RHO — NEBRASKA UNIVERSITY. Rho comes to you again after an absence of several years, bringing with her six new members. We new Thetas were introduced into the mysteries of the sisterhood by the old members of Rho and a member of Upsilon, who is among us. A number of alumnae sisters were present and lent a hand in sealing the bonds which made us Thetas. A reception was tendered us by the members of the alum¬ nae, at the home of one of their number, and the pleasure was ours to take our stand before our Greek brothers and sisters as loyal Thetas wearing the black and gold. Al¬ though many of the old members of Rho are no longer active in the University work, their interest in Kappa Alpha Theta does not fade ; and we are being reared in a genuine Olym¬ pic atmosphere watched over by our guardian goddesses. We introduce to all our sister chapters Lida Millar, Nelle Randall, Jessica Morgan, Jean Tuttle, Emily Weeks and Leola Vancil, who, striving to live up to the Theta ideal, send greetings to all. TAU — NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. Again the time has come for Tau to send greetings to her sister chapters, and she must confess that she feels as if there was very little news to send with them. The spring term is well under way, and our campus is beginning to appear as we are proud to have it appear when we show it to our admiring friends. The Seniors are all trying to make their ideas of the work they have done agree with the registrar’s idea, and all together we are beginning to feel that the end of another year is nearly here, and that our ranks will soon be weaker by five. We are at present making preparations for our annual party, which we hope to make a shining success, and to sus¬ tain Theta’s honor in that line. Miss Annette Butler, one of our loyal town girls, gave us a spread at her home the
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1 18 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA other evening, at which we waxed noisy, as usual, and ate popcorn and candy galore. Within the last week our girls’ tennis team has sent a challenge to that of the University of Chicago, and we hope to take down their pride somewhat in the near future. We Thetas take an especial interest in the team as one of its star players is a sister, Eida Scott, and we expect her to carry off her share of the laurels. This week the annual Junior Exhibition takes place, which is to be a play written by one of the University boys, the plot of which has been kept a deadly secret not to be divulged till the auspicious occasion. Theta is not behind on the boards, as will readily be seen when you hear that one of our number is to play the dignified and worthy r61e of a boarding-house keeper. Well, we must close. We wish you all the best of luck, and regret the fact that all have not our Take Michigan and our beautiful campus for the gay spring term. UPSILON — UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. During the week after our last letter was sent, we pledged four girls, and on Monday, Jan. 20, held at the home of Geseeca Koch the prettiest initiation we have had in a long time. Our new sisters are Georgiana Everest, Carrie Fow¬ ler Tomlinson, Nella A. Williams and Rowena Pattee. On Monday the third of January, we gave a reception to the five other sororities in the afternoon, and a dancing party in the evening. We have had a good many rushing parties too, to keep us busy . The compact which has hitherto ex¬ isted among five of the sororities here has been dropped be¬ cause it put us at a disadvantage as compared with the one . that remained out. Consequently there has been fierce rush¬ ing in the high schools, in which Kappa Alpha Theta has had to take part. The feeling here between fraternities and barbs has run very high over elections. The Gopher, published every
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 119 year by the Junior class, will be edited next year in all probability, by a board composed entirely of barbs, as the fraternities have refused to accept a minority on the board. This crisis has been approaching for several years past, as the barb majority has been growing larger and larger, but hitherto the difficulty has always been patched up. The fraternities have talked of issuing a fraternity annual, but the idea has been given up. At the recent April election, one of our Juniors, Helen C. Woodman, was put on the board, and now has charge of the literary department. Mary E. Felton, who was here year before last, has re¬ turned to prepare for regular work next year. Carolyn M. Durkee, ’97, is teaching a four months school this spring, but she has enough credits to come back and graduate next year. The faculty have been considering a proposition to hold classes six days in the week instead of five, and to divide the year into two terms instead of three, but nothing will be changed for a year at least. A new drill hall is being built on the campus. PSI — UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. The last message of the college year, to the Journal should be a happy one, and it is a happy one that Psi sends to-day. Our year has been successful in every way ; the freshmen have fulfilled all anticipations and next year will be ready to do their share. With the improvements which have been made in the Lodge to render it more attractive than ever and a strong body of hard workers to begin with, there is no reason why next year should not be as successful as the present one. We wonder if all our sister chapters are as fortunate as we, in having their alumnae with them often ? Almost every week some of the old girls make us a short visit, always ready to sympathize when sympathy is needed, and to re-
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120 THE ICAPPA ALPHA THETA joice when we are happy. We would not know how to get along without these sisters who have had the experience. Aside from our frequent 4 ‘ spreads’ ’ we have been very quiet of late but soon we are to give a large dancing party which we hope to make a pleasant affair, then too, if we are successful in our plans for our annual banquet we will have a celebration worthy the occasion for we hope to have all the alumnae present, a thing we have never done yet. ALPHA GAMMA — OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. The winter term of college opened for us very pleasantly. The first Friday evening was spent at the home of Belle Pugh, where we initiated Martha Fisher and Edna Luse, both of the class of ’99. The following week, Friday even- ill£> January 16, Alpha Gamma entertained her friends at tne home of Annie McLaughlin. Dancing furnished the amusement for the evening. College life was, indeed, quite gay during the term just past, with its leap year dance, Ladies’ Faculty Club reception, Sunergon party and Junior hop, besides many pleasant informal gatherings. Almost our entire chapter attended the State oratorical contest held in Delaware, February 21. While there we were delightfully entertained at tea by Professor Duvall and wife. Mrs. Duvall was a member of Alpha chapter. Miss Weaver, also an ex-member of Alpha, was visiting in Dela¬ ware at that time. The college annual, which is to appear this year under the name “Scarlet and Gray,” has representation on its board of all college organizations. President Canfield, members of our faculty, and many students have of late spent energy and time in the interest of the Hysell bill, by which the revenue from the State to our college will be greatly increased. Their efforts have been rewarded by the passage of the bill by the legislature, and we all have great interest in the future of our University, when we hope to have new buildings and many other im¬ provements upon our campus.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 1 2 I The question of athletics is uppermost in the minds of many O. S. U. students just at present, and the games during the coming weeks are looked forward to with much pleasure. In the graduating class of ’96 we have from our chapter Odessa High and Josephine Barnaby. They have both been such devoted Thetas for so long that we shall miss them more than can be told from our active roll next year. Gamma District. PHI — ICELAND STANFORD JR. UNIVERSITY. Of course the first words Phi has to say, must concern the winnings of that suit. Not that it can make any obvi¬ ous difference for sometime yet. But it marks the end of a long period of worry, and strain, and we rejoice not only for our Alma Mater, but for Mrs. Stanford and Dr. Jordan. We are quietly happy about it now. But you should have seen us the day the news came. That is the only possible way in which you could form any adequate idea of the way we took it. The whole student body was literally frantic with joy, for the space of a day and a half. The faculty joined us in a slightly more dignified, but surely not less deep happiness. And when every possible scheme for ex¬ pressing this unutterable glee, that possessed 11s all, had been tried, and attained the best success possible, we all settled down to work again. There are two more Phis since you heard from us last. Girls of whom we are very proud. It seems as if so many fine girls never before came to Stanford in one year (a remark we made last year, I believe, and doubtless will be moved to utter next year as well. So much the better.) We had a quiet little initiation here at the house. The faculty Thetas were our only guests. And it was a happy evening for us all. We tried one or two of the suggestions offered by the convention and found them very impressive.
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122 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA We have not been doing very much in a large social way this semester. Our regular reception was not given last month on account of the Paderewski .Recital (a most wel¬ come interruption, of course). We gave one little dancing party a week or so ago. About thirty in all, I should think, who moved to the music. It was a very pleasant affair. These smaller companies sometimes prove to be more easily managed with success than the large ones. Stanford has just formed an inter-fraternity association which is to include in its membership all women who belong to national fraternity organizations. We intend to make it largely social in its aim. We desire it to help us in keeping up the feeling of good-fellowship that has existed so far be¬ tween the different Greek letter societies. The first banquet is to be given the latter part of this month. We look for¬ ward to enjoying a most pleasant evening. Phi has had to give up temporarily two of her dearest girls, this semester. May Hume, of whom you have heard before, has gone home in the hope of being able to regain her health. She is not a strong girl physically. We hope, however, to have her with us again next year. Edith Hill too, has been called home. She goes to fill the place of her mother who is ill. Here again we “ sorrow not without hope.” We shall expect her back next year, and look for¬ ward to having her with us in the House, which has not been possible before. Nora Schopbach went away this morning for a month. She is to fill a vacancy in a high school near here. We watched her go with a great deal of pride, sure she will fill the excellent position with all the grace and dignity befitting a Theta and a Stanford graduate. OMEGA — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Omega regrets exceedingly that no letter from the chapter was in the first Journal of the year, owing to a mistake as to the time and place of sending — it is too bad not to begin
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 123 the year right, but future errors will be guarded against. The new Journal was full of interest and helpful sugges¬ tions. Every touch of enthusiasm and belief in the Fra¬ ternity’s mission gives strength to us all as different chap¬ ters and individuals. Omega believes that the more closely we can unite our interests, aims and pleasures the larger and broader will be our work as college women. For after all the reason for our existence as a Fraternity is the peculiar work for us to do as students. The College and Fraternity have the same large purpose — to make us better women for the work to be done in the world outside of college. So as to the question of what shall be the character of the Fra¬ ternity Journal it seems as if its contents should not treat merely of Fraternity matters, but should touch on all mat¬ ters that pertain to college life and influence. The chap¬ ters in this way gain a surer acquaintance with the fraternity life as a whole, and also with college life and work every¬ where. To come to strictly Omega affairs, it is better perhaps to begin with the initiation of our new ’99 Theta, which took place early in the term. We bring Fannie Stone into the sisterhood, believing she will justify the warm welcome we have given her. We have now five Thetas from ’99, Elsie Burr, Mamie Kent, Katherine Wickson and Edith Bonnell, and the new member of this term. In honor of our Fresh¬ men and with the desire of meeting in our own home the ladies and gentlemen of the Faculty we gave a tea not long ago, to which we invited our alumnae also, so that the graduate and undergraduate Thetas should be remembered together by the Faculty. Then there was another chapter dinner and evening at home, when we were fortunate in having Miss Dorothea Roth of the Ann Arbor chapter with us. Our two seniors have given a tea at the chapter house to the girls of their class, and this we think a good example for the coining generations of seniors to follow. We pro¬ pose as a final pleasure and social duty to give a party in April at the home of Ethel and Mary Olney.
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124 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA The term is not entirely without its discomforts and re¬ grets. The chapter picture has to be taken, the process of which as everyone realizes does not produce pure and un¬ alloyed pleasure. The more serious things are, however, the losing of Julia Morgan, ’94, for a while at least, as she has gone east to study now and may go on to Paris, and Elsie Burr one of our ’99 girls, who leaves for Europe next month. But with the feeling of loss we have also the realization of the profit and enjoyment two Thetas will get, which will of course do us all good. The general college life with us has had a pleasant stir and novelty of late. The library is now open in the even¬ ing, the grounds are to be lighted by electric lights and have been improved with new walks and grading. The young men of the University gave six days of manual labor to this last work, in response to a call upon them by a new regent, who desired with us all to have the improvements but did not have the necessary state funds to do it with. We all felt proud of the young men’s work and on the 29th of February there was the celebration of the “ Students’ Eabor Day.” The time of examination is not far off, may the result thereof be satisfactory to us all, east and west. Cordial greetings to you all.
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PERSONALS. ALPHA. Daisy Sims, ’95, favored us with a visit a few weeks ago. Jessie Spann made us a short visit last week. Blanche Bacon was initiated at the beginning of the semester. Mrs. Della Ogden Duvall was welcomed back to a large circle of friends last week. Bertha Fisher, of Indianapolis, has been the guest of the Misses Weaver during the past week. Miss Emma Pierson of Beta was with us a few days last week. Edna Odell, ’99, has been obliged to leave college on ac¬ count of sickness. Miss Potter of Delta visited us a few days last month. EPSILON. Miss Grey Patterson, ex-^i, holds a position in the Car¬ negie Library. Mrs. Susan Given Patterson, ’76, is superintendent of the Union City, Ind. schools — one of the few women in the country filling such a position. Miss Arietta Warren, ’89, is studying in Ann Arbor Uni¬ versity. Miss Clara Brown, ’93, is instructor in Latin in Amity College, College Springs, Iowa. ETA. Dorothy Roth, who has been in Pasadena, Cal., most of the winter, has accepted a position with Ginn & Co. in San Francisco. Myra Post is teaching English in the Detroit High School. Ruth Gould of Tau spent a few days in Ann Arbor last week.
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126 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Louise Harris writes us that she is having a very gay winter at Hancock, Mich., where she is teaching. Harriette Waller, who was visiting in Ann Arbor, was called home to take a position in the public schools. LAMBDA. Clara Gillette, ’99, has left college and is taking a normal course in the School of Domestic Arts, at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y. Miss Helen Bosworth, ’91, and her sister Grace Bosworth ex-’96, are spending the winter in New York City. Edna Lucas, ex-’97, has our sincere sympathy in the death of her mother. A daughter was born to Mrs. June Yale Crouter in Feb¬ ruary. CHI. Miss Jessie M. Mains, ’96, has been visiting at her home in Brooklyn. Mrs. Chester of M11 chapter called at the Chapter House April 9th. Mrs. Shirley of Watertown has been spending a few weeks with her sister, Miss Greenleaf, ’98, at the Chapter House. Chi will be glad to welcome the return of Mrs. Geo. Brownell, one of her alumnae, who has been spending the past year with her husband at Baltimore. IOTA. Iota is glad to have with her again Mrs. Victor Coffin, ’93, who is spending May and June at her old home on the Cam¬ pus. Grace L. Dodge, ’92, is spending May with friends at Cornell. Winifred Ball, '91, is teaching at Vassar. Clara H. Kerr, *91, is teaching in Binghamton in the high school. OMEGA. The Chapter has its first baby Theta in the little daughter of Louise Keeler.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 127 Francis Boggs, ’94, spent a few days with us in March. Jennie Ellsworth, ’94, and Eliza Blake, ’95, are to be mar¬ ried in the summer. The engagement of Mabel Wing to Mr. Sears of Berkeley has been announced. beta Since the last issue of the Journal, we have had a visit from Daisy Sims, of Alpha, the national traveling secretary of the Y. W. C. A. Katherine Evans, ’95, of Evansville, is visiting her sister. Marion Roundthaler, ’95, was our guest for a short time last term. Adelaide Perry, ’95, and Mr. John Newsome B. ®. n. were married March 17. Harriet Mohan is teaching at her home in Anderson, Arda Knox, ’94, is principal of Brookston high school. Mrs. Will Kelley, ’94, visited her parents, Major and Mrs. Perry of Bloomington. GAMMA ALUMNA. The members of Gamma Alumnae met at a luncheon on the twenty-fifth of April in New York City. The occasion being intended to bring together all Thetas living in or near the city whether identified with Gamma Alumnae or not.
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BETA CHAPTER. 2n Utmoriam. Dkwa Wyeie Aeeen. Born Jan. ist, 1866, Died Feb. 23, 1896.
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EDITORIALS. The Grand Council members urge upon the chapters the importance of sending out the chapter reports at once upon receipt of the blanks. The college year is fast drawing to a close and it is important that these reports, which will soon be due, be attended to promptly and carefully. College women have watched with interest the way in which the two older English universities have solved the question of how they shall treat the women who apply to them for admission to the rights and privileges of the uni¬ versities. The refusal to grant them admission to degrees is wholly the result of conservatism. The question of wo¬ man’s ability to meet the intellectual requirements was long since answered in the affirmative, and they owe the fact that the degree is still denied to them to the fear of the conserva¬ tives that their unconditional admittance would inevitably result in a complete change in the life and character of the colleges. At Cambridge where the position of women has always been more assured than at the sister university, the question is simply postponed. At Oxford, the result is practically the same. The division was very close. The majorities by which the principal resolutions were defeated being strik¬ ingly small. It seems reasonable to expect that when the question again comes up as it certainly will at no very dis¬ tant date Oxford and Cambridge will be prepared to give to women if not the full degree that is given to men at least a somewhat closer approximation to the privileges that are be¬ ing accorded them at so many of the other British and Eu¬ ropean universities. When it was suggested that this number of the Journal should give the advocates of non-secrecy a special opportu-
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13° THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA nity to present their arguments to the fraternity at large it was expected that many if not all who wish to see the change made would be able to speak in favor of it. Unfort¬ unately this has not been possible. For various reasons several who would otherwise have been heard upon this side of the question have been unable to send anything in time for publication in this issue. There is no reason, however, why this part of the discussion should end here nor why any who wish to strengthen or add to the arguments al¬ ready advanced should not do so. In the next number of the Journal we shall still be glad to publish any contribu¬ tions from the opponents of the time honored custom of secrecy as well as from those to whom the custom is dear and who feel that its loss would be an almost vital one to the fraternity. So far the discussion, as was to be expected, has been confined wholly to the alumnae. Do the active chapters find that the fact of secrecy injures or limits their work as a fraternity and if so will they tell us about it either through the chapter letters or the active department of the next Journal ? The varying conditions under which the dif¬ ferent chapters exist will of course largely determine the way in which they are affected by such a question and their point of view in regard to it. And so their personal experi¬ ence would form practical arguments in its solution. We welcome our new chapters, one of them an old friend that is again among us with a membership that is still new to most of us and the other, one that we are not only glad but proud to add to the number of our alumnae chapters. Perhaps those of us who have not come into intimate rela¬ tions with the alumnce chapters do not altogether realize what a strong power they are in the fraternity. Those of the undergraduates who are fortunate enough to be able to attend one of the meetings come back with renewed lo3^alty and enthusiasm aroused by meeting cultured women whose wideness of sympathy and tolerance gained from life is often a revelation as well as an inspiration to the college girl.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 131 And if it means so much to the student still in college how much more gladly is the privilege of meeting college women and members of one’s own fraternity welcomed by the grad¬ uate who has had to leave the college and fraternity that was so dear to her and go back to a life where the condi¬ tions are sometimes painfully different. If the fraternity system still needed to be excused, and even among college people there are yet some who ask for an excuse, our alumnae chapters should furnish one of the strongest arguments in its favor. When women, who have taken advantage of the best education offered them in this country and abroad, who have followed successfully their chosen profession and who have proven that an educated professional woman may also be a perfect home maker, still think it worth their while to remember the fraternity they joined when in college and when they organize for work that is more or less broad or restricted as they have inclina¬ tion or opportunity and do so still under the name of that fraternity, it is certainly a strong endorsement of the true worth and permanent character of the foundation upon which the aims and principles of the fraternity rest. To such an alumna her fraternity is no college fad to be for¬ gotten entirely or to become merely a memory within a year or so after graduation but is a life long interest ever fresh and ready to respond when called upon. We are proud of our alumnae chapters and we are grateful to them for the help that they consciously and unconsciously are always giving us. Those who have had an opportunity to watch the results of an inter-fraternity agreement by which a definite date is fixed upon as pledge day for all or a part of the fraternities in one university and who have seen the many and great ad¬ vantages that result from such an agreement will be sorry to see from a chapter letter this month that the chapters in one college have felt obliged to abandon this plan after once having adopted it. Surely any means by which rushing
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132 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA can be lessened and a slower and surer way of becoming ac¬ quainted with new girls substituted, will commend itself to all thoughtful fraternity members who care more for the kind of girl that they ask to become one of them than for the number. It takes time to institute any reform but pa¬ tient work will have its reward in time and if this plan is given an honest trial every fair minded fraternity will in time acknowledge it a reform and welcome it as such. If the fraternities that have entered into such an agreement would stand by it in spite of the fact that there is a minority that will not join them they would put themselves before the new girls in an attitude the fairness of which could not fail to appeal to them. They would respect a chapter that frankly said that it wished to know a girl well before offer¬ ing her the compliment of an invitation to membership and who invited a more intimate knowledge of the chapter on her part, feeling sure that it would only prove the more at¬ tractive. And the fraternity that remains outside will be the one to suffer rather than the others. In .this number we publish the names and addresses of the active members of the chapters, (with the exception of three who failed to send the lists) , so that the catalogue may be corrected and supplemented. After this we hope to do as our grand secretary suggests and publish in the May num¬ ber a list of initiates for the year. Miss Sargent makes some very pertinent suggestions in regard to the Journal and she is right in saying that the best way to increase alumnae subscriptions is through the co-operation of the cor¬ responding secretaries. Sending sample copies at random is by no means so effective as sending to addresses furnished by some member of the chapter who has a personal knowl¬ edge of the former members. It is to the seniors who will graduate this June, however, that we have a right to look for the largest increase of the alumnae subscription list. If before graduation they would
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA i33 send their names as subscribers for next year they would do more than they realize, not for the Journal alone but for the fraternity as a whole. If this should be done we would feel very much more like publishing the statistics asked for and which we prefer not to print until by some such plan the list of the subscribers among the alumnae who are not members of alumnae chapters has been materially increased. Please notice that the next chapter letters should be sent out on October 5.
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EXCHANGES. The April number of the Delta Gamma Anchora begins with an article upon College Culture from which we quote the following remarks. “ A college course offers the stimulus to daily, systematic, disciplinary study, which will give a fund of useful knowl¬ edge, and power of clear thought, the essentials of true cul¬ ture. It presents also the best opportunity most of us will ever find, to become acquainted with wise men of the present and the yet wiser men of the past who speak through printed page, and to acquire those finer graces which bespeak the cultivated man or woman. But such opportunities are of no value unless we use them. Sandow\s exhibition of strength does not develop my muscles, though it may lead me to de¬ velop them myself. So a wise teacher may stimulate, tempt, and encourage us to mental activity, but he can no more cultivate our minds for us than he can eat or sleep for us. We sometimes hear that it is a liberal education just to know this far seeing man or that noble woman. Do not believe it. If, in knowing them, you learn merely that her bonnets are not in this year’s style, and that he has not heard the last light opera, you are little wiser than before. True, they might have given you something better, if your minds had been open to receive it . What is the moral of all this ? Not that a western village is a better place than historic Cambridge to gain wisdom and refinement, but rather that the geography of our home is of less account than the bent of our minds and the strength of our purpose. Indeed we may say of the realms of culture as was said of a certain other kingdom : ‘ Seek, and ye shall find ; knock and it shall be opened unto you.’ ” The following statements from an article in the Key giving a few statistics in regard to the Kappa Kappa Gamma fra¬ ternity may be of general interest. “ Chapters are located, withdrawn or transferred with such facility that it is difficult to be sure about the movements of our neighbors, but by our reports we find that Kappa Kappa Gamma meets Kappa Alpha Theta in 15 different institu¬ tions ; Pi Beta Phi in 13 ; Delta Gamma in 8 ; Delta Delta
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 135 Delta in 7 ; Alpha Plii in 7 ; Gamma Phi Beta in 5 ; and Alpha Chi Omega in 3. Aside from the national fraternities the chapters come into contact with local fraternities at Michigan, Deland Stanford, Indiana, Northwestern, De Pauw, and Butler. Four chapters, Barnard, Pennsylvania, Illinois Wesleyan, and Theta are the only representatives of women’s fraternities in their respective colleges and have yet to taste the delights of rushing and experience the sorrows of defeat or the joys of victory . “ Among the active chapters, Beta Tau takes the lead in point of size, having a membership of 29, while Theta and Gamma Rlio, with eleven members each, contest for the honor of being most exclusive. The average membership of the chapters falls between 17 and 18. “ During the present college year 143 members have been added to the fraternity, the number of initiates in the chap¬ ters varying from 2 to 15 in accordance with the policy of the chapter. The average number of initiates is between 5 and 6 for a chapter. _ . . “ It is interesting to note the geographical distribution of our active members and to discover which state contributes most to our welfare. Only 22 out of the 45 states are repre¬ sented. Of these, New York furnishes the largest propor¬ tion, 73 members ; Ohio is next, having 64 ; Indiana follows with 59 ; Illinois has 36 ; Pennsylvania, 34 ; Michigan, 30 ; Minnesota, 24; Massachusetts, 21 ; Iowa, 19; Kansas, 18; Wisconsin, 18 ; Nebraska, 16; Missouri, 11 ; California, 11 ; New Jersey, 5; Maryland, 3 ; Maine, 3; Nevada, 2; North Carolina, New Hampshire, District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut and Louisiana, 1 each. “If we exclude the graduates of 1895 and include the initiates of 1895-96 in summing up the last reports of the fraternity, we find that Kappa Kappa Gamma now comprises 26 undergraduate chapters with a total active membership of 454. Besides these, the fraternity has on its rolls one associ¬ ate chapter, numbering 19 members and representing 12 active chapters. ’ ’ Most of the fraternity journals give much space to the Atlanta Pan-Hellenic convention. Those whose members took an active part in the convention are more than enthusi¬ astic in their praises of the newly organized National Pan- Hellenic Society while others tell that it was not a fair repre-
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 136 sentation of the American fraternities, as many of them re¬ ceived no notice of the intended convention and were not present at the convention. The general opinion seems to be that, while the new organization will probably be able to do but little in the way of making rules and codes which will be adopted by all fraternities, still it can not fail to bring about a more tolerant and friendly feeling among the different fraternities and anything which will do this should be wel¬ comed, although, as the following clipping from the Psi Upsilon Review shows, there will always be some who view things from another standpoint. * ‘ Don’t attend ‘ Pan-Hellenic ’ meetings or dinners. These affairs are gotten up by members of weak societies so that they may profit by public association with the leaders. An initiate of Y. has no more in common with members of other Fraternities — as such — than with men who have not joined any society. There is no ‘ system ’ of Greek -letter Orders. Some Fraternities are creditable, and others ex¬ ceedingly discreditable. There is no tie between members of different societies that requires them to band together against the so-called 1 barbarians. ’ Often the ‘ neutral ’ is a better man than the society man. If you can’t find in your college or town Y.’s enough to hold a reunion, go and flock by yourself, thanking your stars that you are more fortunate than other men. A dinner of college men is all right, but a dinner of Greek-letter society men is absurd, for the latter have nothing in common unless all belong to one Fraternity.” In a recent number of the Scroll the surprising statement was made that only about 50 per cent, of the active members of Phi Delta Theta own badges. At first this seemed rather inexplicable as it would naturally seem that one of the first things a new member of any fraternity would want would be the emblem of his or her fraternity. In the February Scroll we find a letter which explains the situation and shows a remedy. The suggestion is excellent and should be seri¬ ously considered by every chapter where there is any tendency among the undergraduates to put off providing themselves with pins until they can afford a given style. The writer says :
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA i37 “ Why do not a large majority, instead of a bare majority, of members own and wear badges ? It is because of the uni¬ versal habit of our fraternity to buy expensive pins ; for when a member can not afford to buy such a one he goes without. It has not been my pleasure to mingle widely with Phi Delta Theta men ; but the little experience I have had convinces me that a Phi will either own an elegantly jewelled badge or none at all. I have known members who deprived themselves of necessaries to purchase beautiful, crown-set combinations ; I have known others to wait two, even three years until they could save the money to buy a badge like so-and-so’s; and, lastly, I have known many who never considered the matter of purchasing a badge, because they could not spare the requisite twenty or thirty dollars. A great many Phis wait until they are in business and get from their .salaries the means which their college allowances did not afford. This is the reason why only 50 per cent, of active Phis wear the badge. ‘ ‘ I am loath to believe, but suggest that there is a spirit of extravagance abroad in the fraternity. I maintain that not more than 10 per cent, of our members can properly af¬ ford badges costing more than ten dollars. The remainder who have made outlays exceeding this sum have hurt them¬ selves and others ; themselves because they are deprived of things they need more, and they have kept others, influ¬ enced by a spirit of false pride, from buying less expensive badges. Will not this spirit of extravagance and rivalry between members extend to chapters in matters of station¬ ery, dances, fraternity equipment and chapter houses? “ I have now a suggestion to make. There is a certain fraternity which has a reputation for wealth, but whose badges, alike in design, cost but five dollars a piece. My suggestion is to follow this dignified example ; to put a badge within the reach of every Phi ; and not only this, but to fix the price of it so low that every member can afford one immediately on joining.’ ’ The Shield for March is almost entirely taken up with an account of the dinner given in New York on St. Valentines day to the newly elected governor of New Jersey, John W. Griggs a Theta Delta Chi of Phi, the Lafayette chapter. The dinner was given by the New York graduate associa¬ tion of Thelta Delta Chi and over one hundred and twenty enthusiastic members of the fraternity were present.
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138 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA The Shield gives all the speeches in full as well as num¬ berless letters of regret from those unable to be present. The following verses referring to the Divine origin of the fraternity are from one of the toasts read on the occasion. “ In eighteen hundred and forty-seven, An Angel bright came down from Heaven, And brought the charter from on high Of dear old Theta Delta Chi. Upon his breast he wore a Shield, Which to the human eye revealed The stars and arrows, raised above The golden symbols of our love. ’ ’
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ADDRESSES OF ACTIVE MEMBERS. AlyPHA. Blanche Basye, . Rockville, Ind. Elsie Applegate, . 39 Christian Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Mary Caroline Rivers, . 412 B. Wood St., Paris, Ill. Ada Calista Campbell, .... 323 W. Navarre St., South Bend, Ind. Gertrude Neal, . Charleston, Ill. Bdith Coffin, . Winfield, Kas. Mary Louise Harrison, . Lebanon, Ind. Bmma Jane Rippetoe, . Trenton, Mo. Mary Hewitt Talbott, .... 352 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, Ind. Mary Ritter, . 20S Central Ave., Indianapolis Ind. Hattie Mary Tutewiler, .... 401 Senate Ave. N., Indianapolis, Ind. Hallie Harrell, . Brookville, Ind. Mary Goodwin, . Brookville, Ind. Bthel Arnold, . 623 Seminary St., Greencastle, Ind. Edith Mae Morris, . Greencastle, Ind. Sarah Vicery, . 1320 Columbia St., Evansville, Ind. Mae Daniels . Middletown, Ind. Laura Bdith Canady, . 4°* K. Wood St., Paris, Ill. Elizabeth L. Rippetoe, . * . Trenton, Mo. Josephine Louella Cartwright, . Delphi, Ind. Francis Arnold, . 623 B. Seminary St., Greencastle, Ind. Blanche Bacon, . 71 1 E. Seminary St., Greencastle, Ind. Francis Smyser, . 206 Bloomington St., Greencastle, Ind. Edna Hamilton, . 9 ?. Locust St., Greencastle, Ind. Fredricka Tucker, . 3°9 N. St., Terre Haute, Ind. Genivieve Williams, . .... Huntingburg, Ind. Elizabeth Reed, . 130 W. nth St., Connersville, Ind. Grace Taylor, . Wabash, Ind. BETA. Edith Catherine Holland, . Maud P. Holland, . Daisy Deane Miller, . Helen Gregory, . Everesta Spink, . Urban 11 a Spink, . Louise C. Rogers . Julia Weir, . Daisy Louder, . Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind. Bloomington, Ind.
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140 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Maud Amelia Showers, . Bloomington, Ind. Stella Pied, . South Bend, Ind. Emma Virginia Pearson, . . . 863 N. Delaware St., Indianpolis, Ind. Caroline Reynolds Minor, . . . . 111 Park Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Linda Henrietta Jos£, . 350 Orange St., Indianapolis, Ind. Della J. Evans, . 712 Walnut St., Evansville, Ind. Bessie H. Thrall, . 710 Walnut St., Evansville, Ind. M. Louise Thrall, . 710 Walnut St., Evansville, Ind. Edna G. Plenry, . 1817, 16th St., N.W., Washington, D. C. Atta L. Henry, . 181 7, 16th St., N.W., Washington, D. C. Gertrude McCleerj', . 145 W. 3rd St., Anderson, Ind. Florence Reid Myrick, . 326 N. nth St., Richmond, Ind. Katherine F. Schaefer, . 206 N. 9th St., Richmond, Ind. Edna Johnson, . 1724 Main St., Richmond, Ind. Carolyn Moody Davidson Gerrish, . Salisbury, Mass. Helene Slack, . Box 342, Huntington, Ind. Gertrude M. Simons, . 58 William St., Huntington, Ind. Lenora May Alexander, . ; . Rushville, Ind. Nell McMahan . Huntingburg, Ind. Mildred Packer, . . Blanche McClellan, . Nina Given, . Minerva Criley, . . . Maud Curry, .... Margaret M. Platter, Elizabeth Beer, . . . Elizabeth Bissman, . Mary Elliot, . . . . Bess Park, .... Florence Dunlap, . Louise Morrison, . Josephine Jones, . . Daisy Grey, . Elizabeth Beebe, . Mabel Moderwell, . . Edith McWilliams, . EPSILON. . . “ Hoover Cottage,” Wooster, Ohio . North St., Wooster, Ohio . . . North Maiket St., Wooster, Ohio . . . North Market St., Wooster, Ohio . . . North Beaver St., Wooster, Ohio . . 84 Bealle Ave., Wooster, Ohio . Bucyrus, Ohio . Park Ave., Mansfield, Ohio . Market St., Akron, Ohio . Libor. a, Pa. . Buckeye St., Wooster, Ohio . Mineral Point, Ohio . Washington, C. H., Ohio . Cedarville, Ohio . College Ave., Wooster, Ohio . . . North Market St., Wooster, Ohio . Greensburg, Pa. IOTA. Mary Louise Robbins, . . . 1708 15th St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Maude Josephine Reamer, . Lock port, N. Y. Eva Etneline Capron, . Central Park, Long Island Fanny Laurenda Sheldon, . Siuclaireville, N. Y. Agues Louise White, . Mamaroneck, N. Y. Jessica Mary Hitchcock, . 35 West St., Oueonta, N. Y.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Hi Lillian Constance Swift, . Union, N. Y. Isadore Gilbert Mudge, . Brooklyn, N. Y. Emma Louise McCollom . Troy, Penn. Nully Davidson Gunn, ... 31 Cumberland Ave., Plattsburgh, N. Y. Blandina Hasbrouck Gurnee, ... 3 Warren Place, Brooklyn, N. Y. Mabel Calder Dobbin, . Fairport, N. Y. Days Elizabeth Defendorf, . Fairport, N. Y. Marie Lisle McCollom, . Troy, Penn. Gladys Willard, . 18 1 Tompkins Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. Louise Wald man Katz, . Greensboro, N. C. Adelaide Taber Young, . Wellsboro, Penn. Cornelia Burton Trowbridge, . . 85 Orange St., New Plaven, Conn. Marcia Vedder, . St. Johnsville, N. Y. KAPPA. Eva Way, . Holton, Kan. Lucy Watson . Shawnee, Kan. Louise Towne, . U47 Ohio St., Lawrence, Kan. Emma Barber, . . 1016 Tennessee St., Lawrence, Kan. Edith Davis, . 1106 W. 8th St., Topeka, Kan. Florence Greeley Clarke, . . . 924 Rhode Island St., Lawrence, Kan. EUeu Mabel Sayre, . I3r7 Ohio St., Lawrence, Kan. Clara Gattrell Lynn, . 2413^ Troost Ave., Kansas City, Mo. May Fuller Riggs . Lawrence, Kan. LAMBDA. ’96. Annie Bowen Leavens, . Passaic, N. J. Florence Joanna May, . St. Jolinsbury, Vt. Elisabeth Norton, . Rutland, Vt. Ruth Ida Norton, . Bristol, Vt. Jessie Scott, . 15 1 N. Union St., Burlington, Vt. ’97- Blanche Brigham, . Hyde Park, Vt. May Alice Edward, . Winooski, Vt. Grace Alice Noyes, . Hyde Park, Vt. Katharine Jane Page, . Hinesburg, Vt. ’98. Ida Maud Miles, . Barton, Vt. Mabel Augusta Miles, . Barton, Vt. Marian Brigham Rustedt, . Richford, Vt. Mabel Sophia Way, . 82 King St., Burlington, Vt. ’99- Marion McIntyre, . Randolph, Vt. May Winifred Russell, . 129 Loomis St., Burlington, Vt. Mabel Nelson, . n8 Pearl St., Burlington, Vt,
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142 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Lucy Etta Sawyer, . Hyde Park, Vt. Mary Case Tewksbury, . Randolph, Vt. Clara Louise Gillette, . Hartford, Vt. Clara Blanche Johnson, . 36 Converse Court, Burlington, Vt. Hojiorary . (Mrs.) Julia H. Spear, .... Box 1627, Station F, Los Angeles, Cal. MU. Millicent Marguerite Davis, . N. Bloomfield, O. Letitia Estelle Trace, . 1661 Wilson Ave., Cleveland, O. Gertrude Harper, . 386 Chestnut St., Meadville, Pa. Blanche Elizabeth Basconi, . . . . 551 N. Park Ave., Meadville, Pa. Mabel G. Confer, . 61 1 N. First St., Oil City, Pa. Anna May Campbell, . Kane, Pa. Belle L. Bartholomew, . 308 Laurel St., Warren, Pa. Jessie May Hogate, . Danville, Ind. Edna Hayes, . 714 N. Park Ave., Meadville, Pa. Josephine Margaret Bates, .... 628 Highland Ave., Meadville, Pa. Elva Elizabeth Stoner, . 25 Logan Ave., Canton, O. J. Isabel Clingensmitb, . Watts burg, Pa. Sara Moore, . Parker’s Landing, Pa. Charlotte J. Illingworth, Lincoln Ave. and Meadow St., East End, Pittsburg, Pa. MU. Mary Brewer, . Alice Pauline Ernst, . . Margaret McCoy, .... Theodora McCoy, .... Mary Moffat, . Virginia Kemper Overton, Clara Dana Palmer, . . . . Jessie Dunn Young, . . . Beulah E. Merville, . . . Nellie L* Fleshiem, . . . . Ida E. Sawyer, . Jessie S. Sawyer, . . . . Jessie L. Fair, . . Harriet Campbell, .... Jessie G. Lewis, . Nellie Spies, . Edna Fleshiem, . Rutlie A. Gould, . . . . Lillian Bovard, . Lida L. Scott . . Greenwood, Ind. . . 714 E. Second St., Madison, Ind. . Hanover, Ind. . . Hanover, Ind. . . 126 E. Berry St., Ft. Wayne, Ind. . Milton, Ky. . . . 618 E. Main St., Madison, Ind. . Hanover, Ind. TAU. . 90 15th St., Milwaukee, Wis. . Menominee, Mich. . Evanston, Ill. . Evanston, Ill. 163 Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Ill. . South Bend, Ind. . 1456 Oak Ave., Evanston, Ill. . Menominee, Mich. . Menominee, Mich. . Evanston, Ill. . Los Angeles, Cal. . . Grove St., Evanston, Ill.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA i43 Alta D. Miller . Evanston, Ill. Dixie Bagshawe . 5222 Jefferson Ave., Chicago, III. Elizabeth Spies, . Menominee, Mich. Alice M. Blodgett . Beloit, Wis. Jessie O. Cope . Strealor, Ill. UPSILON. Elsie Carolyn Gibbs, 516 Fourteenth Ave. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Mary Adams Van Cleve, . . 520 Fourth St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Carolyn May Durkee, . 58 Piospect Terrace, St. Paul, Minn. Helen Celestia Woodman, .... 772 Lincoln Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Mrs. Justina Leavitt Wilson, . . . .227 B-Eightli Ave. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Mary Emma Felton, . . . . 1300 Fifth St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Grace Anna Cosgrove, . (home) Le Sueur, Minn., 122S Fourth St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Elizabeth Anna Fisher, . . .118 Royalston Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. Zoe Hotchkiss, . 13 Florence Court, Minneapolis, Minn. Foi Hotchkiss, . 13 Florence Court, Minneapolis, Minn. Ada Ethelyn Daniels, . 8 Florence Court, Minneapolis, Minn. Gesena Wilhelmina Koch, . . 7 Ashmore Flats, Minneapolis, Minn. Rowena Pattee, . 1319 51*1 St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Grayce Rector,, .... 2919 Emerson Ave. So., Minneapolis, Minn. Charlotte Van Cleve Hall, . (home) Honolulu, H. I. 603 Fifth St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Isabella Armstrong, .... Hennepin and 13th, Minneapolis, Minn. Georgiana Everest, . (home) Duluth, Minn. 500 15th Ave. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Nella Adelaide Williams, . (home) Plarvard, Ill. 229 Eighth St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Carrie Fowler Tomlinson, . Le Sueur, Minn. Leonora Schopbacli, . . Martha Elizabeth Hann, Winifred Webb, . . . . Maud Grover . Clara Avery, . Marie Louise Pitcher, . Grace Barnhisel, . . . Edith Barnhisel, . . . Marie Markham, . . . . Edith Louise Hill, . . May Hume, . Margaret Demin g, . . . Dora Estey Moody, . . PHI. . . . 269 Concord St., Pasadena, Cal. . . 1329 Hairison St., Oakland, Cal. . . . E. Colorado St., Pasadena, Cal. . . 206 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, Cal. . . 20 California St., Santa Cruz, Cal. . Tacoma, Wash. . San Josd, Cal. . San Josd, Cal. . Pasadena, Cal. . Pasadena, Cal. . Piedmont, Oakland, Cal. . . . 2022 West St., Sacramento, Cal. . 79 N. Los Robles St., Pasadena, Cal.
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144 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Winifred S. Fry, . . Ada Edwards, .... Ruby Green, .... Lillian Pearl Green, . Edith Monica Jordan, Ortha Belle Fielder, . . Areata, Humboldt Co., Cal. . . . Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Cal. . . . Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Cal. . . . Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Cal. . . . Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Cal. . . . Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, Cal. CHI. Seniors. Lora Olive Snyder, . Sisterville, West Va. Gertrude S. Burlingliam, . Mexico, N. Y. Nina Hannah Paxson, . Buffalo, N. Yr. Jessie May Maine, . * * * . Brooklyn, N. Y. Juniors. Bertha Julia Kellogg . East Elba, N. Y. Ollie Meade Ross, . Elmira, N. Y. Gladys Hibbard, . 614 University Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. Adelaide Dorr Van Alstine, . Little Falls, N. Y. Florence Louise Barney, . Groton, N. Y. Sophomores . Anna Elizabeth Burlingame, Edna Emily Congdon, . . . . Lena Lemoyne Hoose, . . . Edith Lenore Knight, . . . Marguerite Eleanor Scoville, Genevieve Myrtle Scoville, . Gertrude Estelle Virgil, . . . Katherine May Foster, . . . Lena Marguerite Rhodes, . . Eugenia Helene Barnes, . . Mabel Ella Northrop, . . . Lydia C. Greenleaf, . . East Springfield, N. Y. . Bradford, Pa. . Mexico, N. Y. . Mexico, N. Y. . Phelps, N. Y. . Plielps, N. Y. . Mexico, N. Y. . . 727 Irving St., Syracuse, N. Y. . . 203 Kirk Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. • 735 Crouse Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. 205 Waverly Place, Syracuse, N. Y. . Watertown, N. Y. Myrtie Evelyn Johns, . . Carrie Cecilia Lowell, . Iva Lena Lowther, . . . Millie Louise Sarles, . . Julia L. H. Stowell, . . . Flora Mildred Darling, . Ilia Melrose Kinsey, . . . Maude Sloan, . Mary Florence Tinsman, Freshmen . . . 1 1 15 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, N. Y. . Champaigne, Ill. . Fish kill, N. Y. . Liberty, N. Y. . . . .610 Croton St., Syracuse, N. Y. . Ogdeusburg, N. Y. . La Grange, N. C. . Eldred, Pa. . Romeo, Mich.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 145 Fanny Knapp Medberry, Mary Louise Carlton, . Martha Morris James, . . Laura Alma Osborne, . Alice Elizabeth Carlton, Grace Loomis, . Anna Sliaw Pinkum, . . Laura Alice Sceets, . . . Nora Belle Dirimple, . . Anna May Williams, . . Bertha Louise Brown, . . Adele Szold, . Grace Gage Cloes, . . . Grace Sutton, . Lou Dexter Whipple, . . Mabel Symmes, . Grace Pond Cope . Emma Morgan, .... Amanda Krenz, . . . . Lucretia Watson . Maud Sutton, . Ethel Olney, . Beatrice Fox, . Bertha Newell . Mary G. Maxwell, . . . Susan G. Clark, .... Marion C. Whipple, . . . Edith L. Rice, . Ed nak H. Wickson , . . Katherine R. Wickson, . Manie M. Kent, .... Edith Bonnell, . Klsie L. Burr, . Fanny C. Stone, . M. Louise Curtiss, ’96, . Grace A. Brosius, ’97, . Lydia P. Williams, ’97, . Mary S. Ash, *97, . . . Miriam Sener, ’97, . . . Mabel G. Miller, ’98, . . Susan W. Atkinson, ’98, . PSI. . 67 W. Irving St., Oshkosh, Wis. . . . 1019 University Ave., Madison, Wis. .... 98 High St., Oshkosh, WTis. . . 422 West Ave., South, La Crosse, Wis. . . . 1019 University Ave., Madison, Wis. . . 413 S. Tenth St., La Crosse, Wis. . . . 420 4th Ave, Eau Claire, W is. . . 474 Scott St., Milwaukee, Wis. . Waupaca, Wis. . Waupaca, Wis. . 1144 E. Johnson St., Madison, WTis. 702 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, Md. . Lake Bluff, Ill. OMEGA. University Cottage No. 4, Berkeley, Cal. . . . . 436 S. Hill St., Los Angeles, Cal, . . 630 Harrison St., San Francisco, Cal. . 1437 Filbert St., Oakland, Cal. . . . 754 Fourteenth St., Oakland, Cal. . . . 1519 Hyde St., San Francisco, Cal. . Westside, Santa Clara Co., Cal. University Cottage No. 4, Berkeley, Cal. . . . . 481 Prospect Ave., Oakland, Cal. , . .2417 Channing Way, Berkeley, Cal. • • • 1347 Versailles Ave., Alameda, Cal. . 1266 Fourth Ave., East, Oakland, Cal. . 1 1 16 Filbert St., Oakland, Cal. . . . . 436 S. Hill St., Los Angeles, Cal. . Ventura, Ventura Co., Cal. . . . 2723 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, Cal. . . . 2723 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, Cal. .... 1162 Harrison St., Oakland, Cal. . . 1709 Gough St., San Francisco, Cal. . . 1722 Vallejo St., San Francisco, Cal. . 169 Tenth St., Oakland, Cal. AlyPHA BETA. .... Woodside Montgomery Co., Md. . . . . 419 W. Orange St., Lancaster, Pa. . . . 1816 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. . 1717 Vine St., Philadelphia, Pa. . 233 Charlotte St., Lancaster, Pa. . . . 236 W. Chestnut St., Lancaster, Pa. . Holicong, Pa.
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146 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA Mary J. Williams, ’9s, . Eva E. Foster, ’98, . . Edith Lamb, *98, . . . Mary W. Pierce, ^S, . . Pauline Broomell, ’99, Alice Lippincott, ’99, . Helen S. Moore, ’99, . Emma B. Wallace, ’99, . . 1519 K St., Washington, D. C. 435 W. Orange St., Lancaster, Pa. . Govanstowu, Baltimore Co., Md. .1119 17th St., Washington, D. C. . Christiana, Pa. . Riverton, N. J. . May’s Landing, N. J. . Woodstown, N. J. ALPHA ALUMN^v Mrs. Lu A. Baker, . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Mary Ward Becket, . . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Jessie Case, . Attica, Ind. Mrs. Bertha Darnall, . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Lelia Washburn Demotte, . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Clara L. Gobin . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Beltie Lock Hamilton, . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Flora Lauglilin, . Cleveland, Ohio Mrs. Mattie J. Moore, . , . . . . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. May Ridpath Mann, . Greeucastle, Ind. Mrs. Elizabeth Craig Smyser, . Greencastle, Ind. Mrs. Mary Barwick Wright, . Greeucastle, Ind. Mintie A. Allen, . Greencastle, Ind. Sallie Bridges, . Greencastle, Ind. Flora Bridges, . Greencastle, Ind. Grace Birch, . Greencastle, Ind. Ida Black, . Greeucastle, Ind. Julia A. Druley, . Greeucastle, Ind. Kate Hammond, . Greencastle, Ind. Belle Hanna, . Greencastle, Ind. Belle Hays, . Greencastle, Ind. Margaret Jordan, . Greencastle, Ind. Olive Miller, . Greencastle, Ind. Olive Poucher, . Greeucastle, Ind. Myrtle Smyser, . Greeucastle, Ind. Lillian Southord, . Greencastle, Ind. Vernie Weaver, . Greencastle, Ind. Ida Weaver, . Greencastle, Ind. Martha Ridpath, . Greencastle, Ind. Emma Ridpath, . Greencastle, Ind. BETA ALUMNA. Caroline P. Sargent . 545 Westminster St., St. Paul, Minn. Mary Corser Gale, (Mrs. Harlow), . 1819 Vine Place, Minneapolis, Minn.
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA 147 Minnie Rexford Nickerson, (Mrs. E. A.), . . 74 Bedford Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. Anna Lorraine Guthrie, .... State University, Minneapolis, Minn. Emma Kemp Timberlake, (Mrs. Byron H.), 1015 8th St., S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Louise Fisher MacDougal, (Mrs. D. T.), . . 1225 4th St., S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Jessie Birch Joyce, (Mrs. Frank M. ), ... 19 Highland Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. Catherine Comfort, .... 1600 Aldrich Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. Christina Edwards Adland, (Mrs. Wm.), . . . 812 E. 18th St., Minneapolis, Minn. Marion E. Willet, (Mrs. Gerard B.), . . . . 2024 4th Ave. So., Minneapolis, Minn. Kathrine Jackson, . 1428 6th St. S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. M. Edith Bell, . 475 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, Minn. GAMMA ALUMNA. Mrs. E. S. Martin, (Alpha), . 44 West 9th St., New York City Mrs. Moody, (Epsilon), . 22 West 9th St., New York City Mrs. C. Gliicksman, (Iota), . . . Union Square Hotel, New York City Mrs. R. J. Eidlitz, (Iota), . 51 East 78th St., New York City Miss Elizabeth Carss, (Iota), . . .537 West 141st St., New York City Mrs. S. A. Baldwin, (Iota), . 315 Lenox Ave., New York City Mrs. B. H. Blood, (Iota), . 133 West 34th St., New York City Mrs. J. Hallsted, (Iota), . - . Caldwell, N. J. Mrs. L. A. Best, (Iota), . 270 Monroe St., Brooklyn Miss Ordelia Lester, (Iota), . 153 State St., Brooklyn Miss Mary F. Banks, (Iota), . 354 Sackett St., Brooklyn Mrs. M. N. Baker, (Lambda), . Upper Montclair, N. J. Mrs. Homer Folks, (Pi), . 53 East 87th St., New York City Miss Mary Titus, (Alpha Beta), . Old Westbury, L. I.