Kappa Alpha Theta Journal, Vol. 14 no. 2
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THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA, Published by the Fraternity. Edited by Iota Chapter. JANUARY , MARCH , MAY, NOVEMBER. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Beta District Convention. Lina M. Hunt , Psi, Margaret Moore , Upsilon , _ 55 What Qualities Should the Desirable Girl Possess ? - 59 Shall the Fraternity Encourage the Initiation of the “ Special Student.” E. Blanche Clark , Psi, _ 63 A Protest. Bertha Newell , Omega _ _ 65 Alumnae Department: Gamma Alumnae _ 68 Eta Alumnae _ 69 Undergraduate Department : A Strong Fraternity Girl, _ 71 What is True Fraternity Loyalty, - 72 Fraternity Influence, _ 73 Chapter Letters, _ _ 75 Personals, _ 94 Wedding Bells, _ 96 In Memoriam, _ 97 Editorials, _ 98 Exchanges, - 101 Address everything intended for publication, and all business communica¬ tions to CECILIA AGNES LAW, 33 East Ave. , Ithaca, N. Y. #6^“* All material intended for publication should reach the editor before October 5, December 5, February 5, April 5. TERMS— $1.00 per Year; 25 cents Single Copy; Sample Copy Free. The Kappa Alpha Theta will be sent to all subscribers until ordered dis¬ continued and arrearages paid, as required by law. |v 1* • «*• _
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FRATERNITY DIRECTORY. GRAND COUNCIL. President — Myra M. Post, . 342 Cadillac Boulevard, Detroit, Mich. Vice Presidents — Mary E. S. Scott, . 32 Broadway, N. Y. M. Edith Bell, . 382 E. Town St., Columbus, O. Ednah Harmon Wickson . Berkeley, Cal. Secretary — Alice E. Wadsworth, . 1008 Hill St., Ann Arbor Treasurer — Mary E. S. Scott . 32 Broadway, N. Y. Editor — Cecilia Agnes Law, . 33 East Ave., Ithaca, N. Y. EDITORIAL BOARD OF THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. Editor-in-Chief— Cecilia A. Law, . 33 East Ave., Ithaca, N. Y. Exchange Editor — Jane D. Cavarly . Sage College, Ithaca, N. Y. Editor of the Catalogue — M. Edith Bell, . . 382 E. Town St., Columbus, O.
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CORRESPONDING SECRETARIES. ALPHA DISTRICT. President— Mary E. S. Scott, 32 Broadway, N. Y. Iota, Cornell University— Louise Katz, Sage College, Ithaca, N. Y. Lambda, University of Vermont— Alice L. Bean, 41 1 Main St., Burling¬ ton, Vt. Mu, Allegheny College — Grace Jenks, 769 Market St., Meadville, Pa. Chi, Syracuse University— Mabel R. Ramsay, Winchell Hall, 301 Univ. Place, Syracuse, N. Y. Alpha Beta, Swarthmore College— May K. Flannery, Swarthmore, Pa. Alpha Delta, Woman’s College of Baltimore— A. L. Norris, Baltimore, Md. Alpha Epsilon, Brown University — Saida N. Hallett, Pembroke Hall, Brown Univ., Providence, R. I. Alpha Zeta, Barnard College— May A. Johnson, New York, N. Y. Gamma Alumna, Harriette Waller, 204 N. 123d St., New York, N. Y. Eta Alumnae, Ruth Ida Norton, Shelburne, Vt. Theta Alumna, Mary Schofield Ash, 1717 Vine St., Philadelphia, Pa. BETA DISTRICT. President— M. Edith Bell, 382 E. Town St., Columbus, O. Alpha, De Pauw University — Edna Locke Hamilton, Greencastle, Ind. Beta, Indiana State University — Emma Clinton, Bloomington, Ind. DELTA, University of Illinois — Ellen T. Smith, 312 E. Green St., Cliam- paigne, Ill. Epsilon, Wooster University — Ruth Bogardus, Hoover Cottage, Worcester, Ohio. Eta, University of Michigan — Jane V. Pollack, Ann Arbor, Mich. Kappa, University of Kansas— Estelle Riddle, 1301 Vermont St., Lawretfice, Kansas. Pi, Albion College— Alice Wixam, 404 E. Porter St., Albion, Mich. Rho, University of Nebraska— Ella B. Wirt, 335 North 14th St., Lincoln, Neb. Tau, Northwestern University— Margaret J. Pearson, 1930 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Ill. Upsilon, University of Minnesota— Margaret Moore, 1119 Sixth St., S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Psi, University of Wisconsin — Kate Buell, University Heights, Madison, Wis. Alpha Gamma, Ohio State University— Jessie M. Carpenter, 105 W. Third Ave., Columbus, Ohio. Alpha Alumnae, Lillian E. Southard, Box 284, Greencastle, Ind. Beta Alumnae, Jessie A. Bradford, 515 15th Ave., S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Delta Alumnae, Mrs. M. Borthwick Cheney, mo So. Boulevard, Oak Park, Ill. Epsilon Alumnae, Helen Rich Powell, 1 76 Twentieth St., Columbus, O. ZETA Alumn^E, Hattie Mary Tutewiler, 801 Senate Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. GAMMA DISTRICT. President — Ednah Harmon Wickson, Berkeley, Cal. Phi, Stanford University— Helen Lathrop, Stanford Univ., Cal. Omega, University of California — Katharine Bunnell, Dwight Way, Berke¬ ley, Cal. The K. A. 0. Club of Southern Cal.— Mrs. Thomas P. McCrea, Los Angeles, Cal. Entered at the Post Office at Ithaca as second-class matter.
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The Kappa Alpha Theta. Vol. XV. JANUARY, 1900. No. 2. Beta District Convention. The latter part of Thanksgiving week, Alpha Gamma and Epsilon alumnae chapters threw open their hospitable doors to the second convention of Beta District of Kappa Alpha Theta. Following the order of the grand convention, the sessions opened with an interesting address by the District President, Miss Edith Bell. After the usual reports of the officers came the chapter reports, filled with good sugges¬ tions and plans which might be available to the other chapters. Wednesday afternoon the work began in earnest with the presentation and discussion of various papers on subjects of vital importance to the fraternity as a whole. The much- mooted question of rushing was introduced by Miss Bellows, of Alpha Gamma, and long and earnest was the discussion thereof. In general, the chapters reported that this evil was not growing less by any means which had heretofore been adopted, except, perhaps, in the case of Epsilon, where the fraternities are kept under rigid surveillance of the faculty, on pain of expulsion if their rules are violated. The discussion finally ended in the proposal and adoption of a resolution to the effect that Kappa Alpha Theta request the faculties of all the colleges, wherein chapters of this Dis¬ trict are located, to call a committee composed of one or more members from each of the fraternity chapters existing there to cooperate with the faculty in setting a date before which there shall be 110 rushing nor pledging ; or else to de¬ cide upon some effective means of regulating rushing. And,
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56 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . furthermore, each chapter of this District should endorse similar resolutions and present them to their faculty. This we make as an experiment, of course, but it seemed the only feasible plan for remedying this recognized evil, which is surelv injurious in many ways to both the rushers and the rushed. Another old, yet ever new, question — to what extent a chapter should identify itself witli college interests— resulted in the passing of a resolution that Beta District declare it their policy to be as prominent as possible in all departments of college life, for in that way we may broaden our influence and best reflect credit upon our fraternity as a whole. Considerable time was also given to the “ special student” to whom the term should be applied, and whether we want¬ ed her in our fraternity. Although the general sentiment was against initiating the student taking special work, there seemed to be extenuating circumstances in the cases of some chapters, and the suggestion was made that the constitution be modified so as to allow the chapters to gain permission to take such members, somewhat according to the way in which we permit the pledging of preparatory students. After considering the advantages of large and small chap¬ ters from all points of view, Beta District adopted it as their policy to encourage the smaller chapter as tending to a bet¬ ter development. On the whole, this convention, although only of a district, accomplished a great deal in the way of shedding light on some troublesome subjects ; and, before the next grand con¬ vention, we hope to have some definite, effective plan for regulating rushing. Moreover, by means of this meeting, the chapters were brought into more intimate relations with each other than they have ever had before, and it solved the problem, for Beta District at least, of bridging over the long lapse of time between grand conventions. Lena M. Hunt, Pi. The second district convention of Beta District Kappa Alpha Theta was held November 28, 29, 30, 1900, at Colum¬ bus, Ohio, in Townsend Hall, University Campus.
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BETA DISTRICT CONVENTION. 57 PROGRAMME. TUESDAY EVENING. Informal reception ; Committee on credentials in session. WEDNESDAY MORNING. Opening exercises ; Report of committee on credentials ; Roll-call ; Minutes of last convention ; Reports of President, Secretary and Treasurer of district ; Reports of chapters ; Appointments of com¬ mittees. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. I. The Chapter and Its Relations. — I. With the faculty; 2. With the rival fraternities ; 3. With the non-fraternity students, Miss Woodburn. II. Advantages of a large chapter, Miss Holmes. III. Advantages of a small chapter, Miss Elliott. IV. District finance, Mrs. Holmes. WEDNESDAY EVENING. Committee meetings. THURSDAY MORNING. I. A suggestion for regulating rushing, Miss Bellows. II. To what extent should a chapter identify itself with college in¬ terests : College papers, literary societies, Y. W. C. A., etc., Miss Hunt. III. 1. How far shall the active chapter rely upon its alumnae ? 2. A chapter’s duty to its Freshmen, Miss Hayden. IV. What do the alumnae owe their active chapter? Miss Dietrich. V. Chapter criticism upon its own members, Miss Eummis. FRIDAY MORNING. I. What qualities must “ the desirable girl ” have? Miss Bowman. II. Suggestions for our improvement, Miss L,ee. III. How can the organization of Beta District be improved? Miss Pugh. IV. The Journal: 1. What does the chapter owe it? 2. What do the alumnae owe it? 3. Suggestions for improvement, Miss Smith. V. The chapter house, Miss Morgan. VI. What are our social obligations? Miss Moore. VII. Shall the fraternity encourage the initiation of the “.special student ?” Miss Clark. Amendments to be proposed. FRIDAY AFTERNOON. Reports of committees, miscellaneous business, election of officers, Adjournment.
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5» THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. OFFICERS OF BETA DISTRICT. President — M. Edith Bell ; vice-president — Agnes Lee ; secretary and treasurer — Mrs. Alice Blodgett Holmes. delegates. Alpha— Edith Holmes; Fieta — Laura Woodburn ; Delta — Jessie Lummis ; Epsilon— Ruth Elliott ; Eta— Sina Smith ; Kappa— Rachel Pugh ; Pi — Lena M. Hunt ; Rho — Jessica Morgan ; Psi — Blanche Clark ; Tau — Agnes Hayden ; Upsilon — Margaret Moore ; Alpha Gamma— Gertrude H. Bellows Alpha Alumnae— Beta Alumnae— Delta Alumnae— Grace Dietrich ; Epsilon Alumnae— Perla G. Bow¬ man ; Zeta Alumnae — Social Side of the Beta District Convention. Nowhere in history I atn sure lias a fraternity convention its parallel. Girls who were strangers to each other three days before are drawn together by a hidden bond and, at the end of that time part like old friends. The hospitality, too, with which a visitor is received is something to be remem¬ bered for a long time to come. From the time we arrived in Columbus until the day we left, or were supposed to leave, I might say, was there a spare moment when our charming hostesses had not planned something for our pleasure. We were invited to a reception at the home of Miss Bell, the night of our arrival, and we went just as we were from the train, many of us the worse for several days travel, but it was none the less enjoyable for us. This was my first glimpse of a convention and my sensations were many and varied, I assure you. There were groups of friends every¬ where, old and new, comparing notes and inquiring after mutual friends. Introductions were the order of the evening, but the order was oftener reversed. The next evening after the regular session Kappa Kappa Gamma entertained for us at a delightful reception. A great many of the college men called during the evening. Thanksgiving coming on the following day we had only a short session in the morning and hurried home to the
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QUALITIES OF THE DESIRABLE GIRL. 59 Thanksgiving dinners for there was to be a football game that afternoon. The girls provided a large tally-ho, many drove to the grounds in that while several smaller parties were made up and with such an enthusiastic crowd behind it what could the O. S. U. team do but win ? But college people generally have to dance sooner or later. and that evening we danced in the college armory. Black and gold was everywhere seen, flags, bunting, cushions, every detail was perfected and no one could help having a grand, good time. Not the least pleasing part of the Convention was the great bunches of gorgeous chrysanthemums sent us by several of the fraternities and sororities in Columbus. It was certainly a gracious tribute. Friday night was our last night together and the “spread ” which the girls gave us seemed the most appro¬ priate thing possible, but it was so hard to think that we had to leave each other and all that we had enjoyed so much during these few days. Finally, however, after many good wishes and good-byes and after many warm friendships had been made, the party broke up. Everything possible had been done for our comfort and enjoyment and we appreciated it all for we certainly were loath to leave those who had done it, and I feel that none could be more hospitable, none more gracious than those dear girls who entertained us, it is in the very air in that fair city in Ohio. Margaret Moore, Upsilon . What Qualities Should the Desirable Girl Possess. It is a very wise and clever speaker who possesses such an insight into the minds of others, that it enables him to handle an assigned subject with exactly the shade of mean¬ ing intended. Were I wiser and cleverer I should probably find no need to quarrel with the topic on the program, but I have silently wished that it stood “ Of What Qualities Should the Desirable Girl Give Promise/ * rather than as it does stand.
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6o THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. The “ desirable girl,” I take it, means the pledge girl or the initiate ; the “qualities” — well in my failure to define the word, I consulted such specialists as Webster, Worcester, and The Century. All frankly told me that qualities is a technical term for achievements, acquirements, not gifts or results of circumstances, and that it implies power, character, individuality. It is then scarcely fair to demand that our initiates come to us with the experience and reserve force of mature women. Half our pride is in lovingly moulding them to meet Theta ideals of noble womanhood, and though we older in the race fall far short of what we hope to be, we are each and all striving for greater poise, a broader development, and a more symmetrical character. All about us are women who inspire us to the most earnest endeavor, whose character¬ istics we would so gladly possess, but often we are unwilling to pay the price. The soul of the world is love, but “ Love suffereth long and is kind” — and how much this implies ; “ Love vaunteth not itself and is not puffed up” — humility ; “ doth not behave itself unseemly”— courtesy and dis¬ cretion ; “ seeketh not her own’1 — thoughtfulness for others ; “ is not easily provoked” — mastery of feeling ; “ thinketh no evil” — mastery of mind ; “ rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth” — dislike of scandal ; “ beareth all things” — power ; “ believeth all things” — faith ; “ hopetli all things” — lack of despair ; “ endureth all things” — patience; and last, “Love never faileth” — re¬ liability. With high ideals and hearts full of love, we can not fail to respond to the touch of the universe, or to be in harmony with humanity and nature. We can not be too near to life in all its mysterious beauty, and so before all other things to be desired by Thetas, I would place, the ability to love ; the power to touch mankind, to understand nature, to rely upon God. Scholarship is most essential, and I believe should be more valued and upheld by all fraternities. I wish every Theta might be an earnest student. We must know much
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QUALITIES OF THE DESIRABLE GIRL . 61 if we would do much in the world, and the college woman has to day an especially prepated field in which to labor. It may blossom under her hand, and bring forth fruit im¬ possible to less trained workers, but if she shirks this privi¬ lege, the reaction is upon herself, and she comes far short of what she might have been. Yet I believe there is always to be kept in mind this fact, that success depends not alone upon attributes strictly intellectual, but upon those personal and constitutional as well. “ The characteristic of intellect is insight, the test of success, influence.* 1 Influence is hard to analyze for it is an all-pervading power, so quickly felt, so difficult to explain ; it is born in sympathy and knowledge and nourished by courtesy and taste ; it luxuriates in beauty and other things being equal, the attractive woman has the widest influence. The pitiful part is however that many of us are so little trained in the ready appreciation of true loveliness, in our¬ selves or others. We take no time to learn to understand harmony in color, or beauty in line or form ; we do not probe far enough for the brilliancy of intellect or the kind¬ ling of spirit ; often too we sacrifice perfect physical woman¬ hood at the shrine of listlessness, carelessness, or thought¬ lessness. Upon the mass of people we have time or opportunity to make only an external impression, and many a life has been marred because the exterior gave a false estimate of the inner woman. We owe much to ourselves, physically and artistically and personal attributes are I believe on a par with intellectual attainments in the scheme for success. Success I mean in its broadest sense ; the success which is summed up in a knowledge of the world, a deference to its people, their relations and demands. Success which in¬ cludes the mastery of ourselves, and implies our harmonious adjustment to our surroundings. All this leads to the plea which I would make along social lines. Thetas need first and always, womanly women, capable women, those who are cheery, earnest, intellectual, true ; she needs examples of perseverance in endeavor, independence in the right, faith in the good. Enthusiasm helps in all places, generosity
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62 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. never returns void, but above all we need to forget self in the hsppiness of others. Thetas cannot afford to be con¬ spicuous ; anyone who by a careless word or act, causes comment, condemns not herself alone but her chapter and her fraternity as well. Culture shows in such tiny things and if these are cared for our social standing will ever be secure. Theta wishes her girls popular, but just what does popu¬ larity mean. Is it unlimited attentions from men ? I was impressed by some words read a short time since to this effect. “ Many an unmarried girl is blind to the perfections of women, because she has never taken time to study them. Her horizon is bounded by masculine forms, and it is only when Sir Knight appears, and the other men melt away like mist before the rising sun, that she discovers the beauty in her sisters, and realizes what opportunities for friendships she has lost forever.” I wish that all girls might realize that it is not necessary to ignore women, to be popular with men. There are those who are adored by men and loved by women, but they possess wonderful charity and tact ; they ignore self in living for others, and the eventual rounded personality shows the hand of a master workman in char¬ acter building — I would emphasize the prefix work — in workman — for it is only by effort that we grow. Our ultimate end is character tho’ we seek it by diverse paths. Character represents the center and source from which spring deeds and ideas ; it is not necessarily the result of circum¬ stances, though it may be, but, however attained, it means mastery, ability to convert unconscious things into conscious womanhood, power from within to assimilate objects from without ; it demands a determination not to play at living but to live ; it requires a true conception of our economic, social, ethical and physical place in the world ; it presup¬ poses a knowledge of all that we have been able to con, but it implies a faith in the unseen which is so strong and abiding that we may go on our way undaunted, singing with Tennyson, ‘‘One God, One Law, One Universe and one far off Divine Event, to which the whole creation moves.”
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INITIATION OF THE SPECIAL STUDENT \ 63 Shall the Fraternity Encourage the Initiation of the “ Special Student ? 99 Oil beginning this discussion, it might be well to clearly define the term “special student.” After giving the subject some consideration, it seems that the “special student” body of our University naturally divides itself into three classes. First we have the most common and exceedingly numer¬ ous “specials” who enter our University from some school where the preparatory courses are so different from those of the courses required by the University that it is necessary to enter as a “special,” until the required work can be made up, in order to follow out the regular work. Then let us imagine as our second class the ones who, for various reasons, are unable to attend the University for more than one or two years, and are anxious to get the most good out of the shortest time ; these people will take the studies most advantageous and beneficial without regard to the courses, consequently they are entered as specials. Then there is the third class, and of this one, fortunately, we find but few representatives ; nevertheless, it is here that we find the little Miss Butterfly, who wishes to go to college because she believes it quite the thing to do, from a social standpoint. Her dearest friends are all leaving for college, and it would certainly be quite stupid to remain at home, only hearing from afar reports of the last foot-ball game or formal party. She has no idea of tiring her eyes or worry¬ ing her brain with Greek or psychology, but rather it might behoove her to take a little French and music— or dramatic reading and elocution might be more to her taste Now that we have our classes of “specials” clearly be¬ fore us, let us consider what qualities in each class are suited and which are not suited to a prospective member of Theta. As to our first class who are “ special 99 only because of the difference in their preparation before entering, rather than the amount of work that they are now taking. Here we find the girl who has been trained in the acade¬ my, occasionally we find a representative from some normal
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64 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. school or from a college, small but of good standing. In each case the girl may have a good record, has had many things to test her character and has learned to persevere ; she is a bright, industrious girl, ready to take not only reg¬ ular but extra work, if necessary, to finish her course in the usual time. Why may she not be qualified to carry the standard of our fraternity ? Indeed, we already have so many representatives of this class in our circles that it is scarcely worth our time to urge their cause. As to the second class, there is much more doubt. Here we find the girl whose mother is an invalid, and it may be only by the greatest sacrifice that the daughter can be spared from home for even one year. Now the question arises, shall we take this girl who is to be with us scarcely long enough to become fully imbued with the spirit of the frater¬ nity, and whom we learn to love as we are about to lose her ; who is too busy to become a member of the glee club or prac¬ tice for the basket ball team, and in fact has very little time for any of the social functions. This girl is surely not going to be a social success (at least as outsiders will look at it), but shall not the girl (who is willing to work and persevere under such trying circumstances) be worthy to live under our ensign and represent before all the world our motto? Though she may not be with us for even one rushing season, yet may she not in her own quiet way, in her home life in after years, be an example of true worth and womanliness, a worthy representative of Kappa Alpha Theta ? And now as we come to our third class, we hesitate. Let us examine our little society lady. In the first place, she dresses herself daintily and becom¬ ingly— looks neat and stylish on the street and is quite a belle at the parties ; she sings well and will probably be chosen for a member of the glee club ; she plays golf occa¬ sionally, but basket ball is almost too much work, and to at¬ tend the meeting of the Y. W. C. A. is quite beyond endu¬ rance. She is good-natured, large-hearted and extremely entertaining, if she is allowed to choose her own subjects of
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INITIATION OF THE SPECIAL STUDENT. 65 conversation. But she decidedly disapproves of anything so dull as a science which will keep her hard at work until late at night or cause her to rise betimes in the morning. How¬ ever she is so fond of the girls that she is willing to take at least three studies if they will select something “ not too hard.” This is the girl about whom we are trying to decide. One practical maiden questions, do we want clothes and a pretty face to represent our fraternity whose aim is the highest scholarship and the noblest womanhood ? But another one whispers, “ Oh ! but she is so dear !” Thus it becomes necessary to look farther into the matter. Is our little friend willing for the love of the girls and of our fraternity to take her three studies and do her very best with them ? Is she willing to take the advice and help of the older girls or will she become obstinate and fretful when kindly suggestions are made by the upper classmen and then at the end disgrace us all not only by failing in one or more of her studies but also by making that larger failure ; the failure to think the right, do the right and be the right. In this case she would certainly be a most unprofitable member of our fraternity. After ail it is much more a question of the individual than of the class, if the girl is a true woman doing her very best at all times, why question what her line of work may be. Whether regular or special it is most undesirable to take a girl without a great purpose in life aud the girl who is working toward the highest ideal of womanhood is the one of whom we are most in need. E. Blanche Clark, Psi. A Protest. Fond parents are apt to instill into the young, articles on conduct, a famous one being that if one can not discover the good in a thing he had best not comment upon it, unless he can in some way improve it. This makes, we are told, a good working motto for adults also ; but sometimes a
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66 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . semester on literary criticism will but foster a tendency to pick apart what does not come up to the ideal. During the years at college the writer had grave doubts as to the overpowering interest of a great amount of the reading matter found in the Journal, and now that the sub¬ ject is seen in perspective the question arises— why cannot the leading material be made more interesting? The external is so promising in its immaculate whiteness ; the paper is so good, and as for the margins, it would seem as though they were correct enough to suit the fastidiousness of even a member of the Grolier club. Now as to the con¬ tents, there is some of it which is very necessary, some of it business, some of it personal. But is there any real reason why some of it should not be readable for another reason than that it is Kappa Alpha Theta ? At this outburst there may be a large storm brewing and an answer may be that the Journal is a thing apart from all the pamphlets in the world, to be devoted to the uses of a very small portion of the society of the United States and not to be devoted to any other uses but those strictly con¬ fined within the limits of a fraternity. Also that our students have neither time nor the ability to supply pure literature for our exclusive use. Nevertheless what one has time to write ought to be well worth the time to read. Is there not here a case of conscientious sentimentality ? If we were allowed would we take up some man’s journal and willingly read how — a stand-up lunch counter was secured for an initiation breakfast — how pale pink tissue paper foot balls were used as menu cards, and brier pipes as decora¬ tion. Would one prefer reading this sort of thing from our own pages or a good short article, as good as one of these writers could make it, on some subject in which she is thoroughly interested? If we entertained four young ladies from Rho and Iota and Psi last evening in our elegantly ap¬ pointed drawing room, eating peanuts by candle light and telling ghost stories meanwhile, it is not a piece of news of enough consequence to go into print, to be sent the length and breadth of our fair continent. If the girl from Iota had
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A PROTEST. 67 a ghost story too, and it proved a success told in her inimita¬ ble style, let us all have it, with a mention of a function by all means. If it is not good enough let us have the mention of a function and say an account of how when the Psi girl was in the laboratory on such a time a certain unknown false membrane was discovered in the alcoholed ithynicho- nynaclous. The sort of thing in writing which we have now is, it is believed, in great part so many lines of copy to meet such and such a date ; it may foster conscience, foster good fel¬ lowship, but it seems a little short of that to which we might aspire. Few of us would care to spend our time on the inanities of a society column in the daily paper ; and the worst of it is that the girls simply unwind the sort of compositions that are expected of them which hardly ever have the spirit of spontaneity. Let us go back of parchment times or say the time when letters were sealed and crossed and recrossed to save space, if we think of that we may be more careful what we send to print. Perhaps some sort of remedy can be suggested. This little child of our head has been living in the seclusion of its own family so long, has been petted and kept from the cruel gaze of the barbarian so long, that though we never wish it to struggle for itself in a cold and heartless world, yet it might be just as well to realize that it would die a very sudden death if it tried to stand alone. Why not give some better excuse for its being. Bertha Newele, Omega.
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ALUMNAE DEPARTMENT. Gamma Alumnae. The feverish excitement of elections and electioneering this fall, seems to have invested New Yorkers with a crusad¬ ing spirit. There is a movement against vice in particular, and one against vice in general under its pseudonym of Tammany. As an association, Gamma Alumnae could not share in these crusades, yet imbued with the same all-per¬ vading spirit of activity, we seek a worthy avenue in which to spend it. Mere passive enjoyment of our own comforts would be the least satisfactory to our present bent for enterprise. Happily, however, there is no need of reform in Theta’s ranks, so we would raise, instead, a standard never unnecessary, but always essential in the vanguard of continued prosperity, the standard of Progress. Any halt in advance is retrogression, however imper¬ ceptible, so we would cry for aggressive, unmistakable progress. Why not make of this the greatest administration in the history of our fraternity’s success? Why not achieve during it the most marked prosperity ? Many avenues must lead to such an end and Gamma alumnae calls on all chapters to rush into the crusade with suggestions of active measures. For our part, there is one road to progress which presented itself immediately — the improvement of the Journal. We say it in no spirit of criti¬ cism but with lofty aspirations in mind. Many a Knight- errant Theta has attacked the feeble outpost of chapter letters, but we would start an army of crusaders on the whole fortress of the Journal — not to demolish it, indeed, but to fortify it with many hands, bigger guns, these to be fired with more certain aim. There are many able writers in Theta’s ranks but not all lend their art to her cause. To those who can, Gamma
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ALUMNAE DEPARTMENT. 69 alumnae would cry, be up and doing, and to those who can’t fire broadsides themselves, we say, at least fire enthusiasm into the able ones. I11 this way every one can work to make ours the greatest of fraternity quarterlies. One avenue is there, but endless are the routes to pros¬ perity and progress, others will discover other ways. Let all Thetas, therefore, rush into this crusade, show up ill- constructed forts, if there be any, and how to demolish them ; point out the strongholds we should capture, and the means ; plan new bulwarks to be built. Above all bear in mind there is work for every hand to do. There is no one in the bonds who can’t either do herself or help others in some work. To the alumnae, in particular we address this last exhorta¬ tion. The new recruits of active chapters are proverbially enthusiastic, it is the veterans of the army who must not rest content with old laurels. Let them step, eager with the rest, in the vanguard of progress and let the pages of the Journal teem with plans and policies. “ Produce ! Produce ! Were it but the pitifullest infiuitessimal fraction of a product, produce it, in God’s name ! It is the utmost thou hast in thee : out with it then. Up, up ! Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy whole might.” So only shall we attain the best, proving ourselves worthy wearers of the kite. Aurelie M. Reynaud. Eta Alumnae. After a long summer vacation we meet again in Theta bonds and extend our greetings to all the sister chapters. We trust that all have entered upon the year’s work with as much zest and enthusiasm as has Eta Chapter. Some time ago we formulated a plan to give each fall a lecture to which we might admit the public and we have had the pleasure of bringing to Burlington Mrs. Alice Free¬ man Palmer and Mrs. Margaret Deland, both of whom furnished us a most delightful evening which was thoroughly
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7o THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . appreciated by all who were fortunate enough to be present. This year we had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Bliss Perry, editor of the Atlantic Monthly , who spoke to us on Rudyard Kipling. The lecture, like those preceding, was held in the apse of the Billings Library which was decorated for the occasion. The speaker was introduced by President Buckham, whose words were most happily chosen, and the large audience was given a rare treat in the lecture which followed. A short reception following gave us an oppor¬ tunity to meet Dr. Perry. Last year our meetings were quarterly but this year we have adopted a new plan and shall meet six times during the college year. At each meeting we are to have an in¬ formal talk by members of the Faculty and others in varied fields of works including literature, art and music. The first meeting was held November 21st at the home of Miss May Boynton. The meeting was informal and took the form of a reception in the course of which Dr. Atkins, pastor of the First Congregational Church, gave a delightful talk on Lowell. The chapter had invited a few guests to join them, so with the active chapter there were about thirty- five present. The membership of the chapter has been considerably augmented this year by the addition of several members from last year’s class and some who have come to Burlington to live. We are unable at present to give all the names and will defer that until the next letter.
Page 20
UNDERGRADUATE DEPARTMENT. “ To tell the truth, I think we get just as much out of Fraternity as we put into it.” This remark set me to think¬ ing. Is it not a well-pronounced fact ? Let us consider, for a moment, a possible case. A girl joins a fraternity, and in spite of every effort to impress upon her the true meaning of this important step, she fails to find the all-significant idea, which alone A Strong Fra- is the key-note by which we receive bene- ternity Girl, fit from it. And failing in this, what remains ? Her interests, instead of being, as they should be, in the fraternity, are centered in one individual, and that individual is herself. The words “for the sake of frater¬ nity” have to her no meaning beyond a common phrase which she hears her more sober sisters recount from time to time. O, yes, of course she likes the girls very much, or she would not have joined them. But, after all, what good has it done her ? What is really meant by a “ strong fra¬ ternity girl?” “ A strong fraternity girl.” Is it not one who, forgetting herself, rises above all petty ambitions, all ignoble aims, and strives with every possible effort to advance the welfare of the fraternity ? Is it not one who, no matter how busy she may be, is always ready to help a sister in her lessons, sympathize with her in her troubles, and rejoice with her in her triumphs ? Who receives the most good from the fraternity ? Is it the self-centered one ? Which is the most loved ? Perhaps the unselfish one may think she is not appreciated. And yet, in her inmost heart, she cannot help but feel glad when the girls flock to her for sympathy, and the result is an overflowing love for all those whom she has helped, and a feeling that her mind is broadened, her toleration greater, and her wisdom increased.
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72 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. She loses herself in her fraternity. This is the secret of it all. Unselfishness, kindness, activity, loyalty, result, and this girl goes out into the world a truer woman, a noble example of what fraternity should accomplish for each and every one of us. E. M. E. Fraternity Loyalty. Very often in our reading we come across the phrase “ the loyal Theta,” and whenever the opportunity comes for our older sisters to offer wise council, we are sure the trend of their remarks will be, “ Girls, be loyal to your fraternity.” Now, what does it mean ? To what does this high standard, known the world over as an essential feat- Wliat is True ure any relationship, call the girl who has taken the pledge of Kappa Alpha Theta ? Does it mean that henceforth she is to forsake all other college ties and put her whole energy into this one organization ? To the last I say “No,” most strongly. The true Theta girl is interested in whatever per¬ tains to the good of her University. There are so many sides to college life, so many activities outside the class¬ room, into which one may enter, that it is impossible for a girl taking regular college work to have a share in all. Yet, certainly she loses much who devotes herself to only one, even though that one, places before its members the ideals of our fraternity. We hear it said often and with too much truth that the fraternity girls are not well represented in other organiza¬ tions, that they are not interested in anything else. It seems to me that where this can be said of any chapter, it shows weakness. Its members are not representing its true stand¬ ards to the college world. I would not have the Theta girl show little zeal for the things which concern only her own fraternity, but I would have her show by her actions that our life is not wholly selfish, but that the welfare of the col¬ lege is of some moment to us. The Woman’s League, the Literary Societies, the Young Woman’s Christian Association, the College Publications, need [the support of all students. They are intimately
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UNDERGRADUA TE DEPARTMENT. 73 associated with the growth of college life, and if we are to be true to our Alma Mater these things which are to be an aid to her future prosperity should have our care. Unless outsiders can see this of us, have they not a right to feel that the fraternity holds the wrong place in the college world ? Can the best interests of Theta afford that this should be their opinion ? No. We who are bound together in the strong ties of sisterhood gain the many advantages which come from unity. We do not, then, show true loyalty to that which has strengthened us, unless we in turn give of our abund¬ ance, and thus make known to those who are watching us with keen eyes, that we are not narrow, that we can look beyond our own selfish interests, and that the true spirit of Kappa Alpha Theta leads us to well-rounded womanhood. Cannot we then make sure that we are representing our aims in their truest sense, and that our girls are active elsewhere than in the “ mystic circle.” Lydia Mather, Delta. A fraternity, if it is of any value in the life of a young woman, should not only be dear to her and influence her life during her college course but should leave visible traces of some benefit afterwards. One naturally loves a person or organization for which she has worked and given time and money. But when she has left the rank of the active members, and interests Fraternity of a different nature absorb all her time Influence, and attention, then indeed conies the test of how deep root the love and influence of her fraternity has taken in her life. As I look back upon the three years of close association with girls of my own chapter, both active and alumnae, I can think of nothing which can possibly be more helpful to a girl than the constant companionship and intimate friend¬ ship of other girls, maybe older or younger than herself. There surely can be nothing sweeter in this life than a good
Page 23
74 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. true friend. In a little band of congenial college girls such as should comprise a chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta surely every member forms more, deeper, truer friendships than she otherwise would. Perhaps one reason for this close re¬ lation is the common interest for which they are all striving, heart and soul in all their spare moments. Some one has said “ There is no true friendship without self abnegation, self sacrifice.” That I believe is one secret of the harmony which dominates a prosperous college chapter. Self interest must be put into subjection for the good of the whole. In that little book ” What is Worth While,” so full of beautiful thoughts, the following is written, “ To have a friend is to have one of the sweetest gifts life can bring ; to be a friend is to have a solemn and tender education of the soul from day to day.” How true and full of meaning this is when we think of it. The constant association of older girls with younger, of different dispositions is always beneficial to all concerned. Emerson says, “ Nature arms each man with some faculty which enables him to do easily some feat im¬ possible to any other.” Surely this has been seen proven hundreds of times, especially in fraternity life. One girl is literary, and is praised by the literature professor for her blank verse. She may not be so well endowed with the faculties which are necessary for keeping up a fraternity as one less brilliant, but who has the invaluable gift of tact which makes her better fitted for the part of a leader who can hold the organization together. Surely if one has taken the ideals and high aims of a fra¬ ternity seriously at all, they can not slip from us at the end of our college course, and leave no trace behind. They must live on with us as we go out to solve life’s problem in the broader school for which the college prepares us. Rho.
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CHAPTER LETTERS. The date upon which the next chapter letter should be sent out is February 5. Please write on one side only of the paper, and put the personals on 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 sending out of our first chapter letter, there has been nothing very eventful in the life of Iota. We want, however, in this letter to tell of three informal gatherings which we had, during the Fall, at the home of Mrs. Com¬ stock. Our custom for a number of years has been to give, at the beginning of the. college year, a large reception to the in¬ coming class. For several reasons we could not this year carry out that usual plan ; so instead we had the gathering which I mention above. At the first one we received the Kappa Kappa Gamma girls ; at the second, our friends among the independents ; at the third, which was longer than either of the other two, we received the Alpha Phi and Delta Gamma girls. As many of our faculty ladies and resident alumnae as could received with us which greatly added to the success of our teas. There is an important addition being made just now to the buildings on our campus. The foundation has been begun for a Hall of Anatomy — the first of our medical col¬ lege buildings here at Ithaca. Doubtless you all know of the recent addition of this school to the schools of our Uni¬ versity ; that part of the course is to be given here, and part in New York City.
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76 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. Since Thanksgiving we have had a visit from one of our old girls, Bertha Marx, ’98. Her visit was indeed no excep¬ tion to the pleasure which we always have when the old girls visit us. They make us feel the strength of our fra¬ ternity and our chapter. Since our first initiation we have not increased Iotas’s membership, but we are considering other girls whom we hope to take into our chapter. With this letter, Iota sends New Year Greetings to each sister chapter, and hopes that the new century has many good things in store for us all. LAMBDA — UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. Lambda has nothing but good news to send her Theta sisters. The first few weeks were busy ones with formal calls and receptions and delightful little informal visits between old girls and old and new. We would like to have you all know our three Freshman Thetas, Christine Hanna, Elizabeth Rustedt and Edith Abbott. They have passed the ordeal of initiation and are now a pleasant addition to our Saturday night circle. Our alumnae have given us two intellectual treats, one a lecture at Billings Library by Prof. Bliss Perry of the Atlantic Monthly . After this, a reception was held where all had an opportunity to meet Professor Perry. His subject was “Kipling” and he presented the characteristics of the latter’s meetings in such a fair and unprejudiced light that we felt able to read them much more appreciatively. The second lecture was given more informally at the home of Miss May Boynton. The active chapter and other friends were invited to a lecture on Lowell by Rev. G. Glenn Atkins of our own city. This was an instructive and interesting talk on an interesting subject. We have been busied with the usual round of work and play and are happy in another prosperous year. Names and addresses of initiates, Helen Christine Hanna, Washington, D. C. ; Edith Abegael Abbott, Randolph, Vt. ; Mary Elizabeth Rustedt, Richford, Vt.
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CHAPTER LETTERS . 77 MU — ALLEGHENY COLLEGE. Mu is quite ready to introduce her contingent of new Thetas : Jennie May Branley, Frances Irene Cartwright, Edna Mae Ogden, Minnie Moore, Mrs. F. J. Born, the wife of Allegheny’s new physical director, and two pledglings Bessie Alta Kelly and Dorothy Carrol Trego. We feel that we are to be heartily congratulated on each of these splendid girls who have brought such a fund of energy and enthu¬ siasm into our chapter. Asking-day brought not a single refusal to join the ranks of Kappa Alpha Theta. Mu closed her rushing season with a large reception given at the home of Josephine Bates. Many of our alumnae were present and it was a decided success. One of the most enjoyable events of our fraternity life was the banquet given in honor of Emma Eockart who was so soon to be a bride. The menu cards were dainty little souvenirs, the work of our pledgling Dorothy Trego. Miss Scott, our district president, renewed her old ac¬ quaintances here at Allegheny and though her visit was short we felt greatly honored. By the time this letter is printed it may seem rather late for New Year wishes, however, that the twentieth century may bring long life and increased prosperity to Kappa Alpha Theta is the earnest wish of Mu chapter. A bright and Happpy New Year to each and every chapter. CHI— SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. Does the time fly as quickly everywhere as it does in Syracuse? It was only a little while ago that Chi was writing rushing news and here it is time for another letter. Our initiation took place the afternoon of October ninth and the initiation banquet was held at Foremant Hall in the evening. Elizabeth Burrows, 1900 was toastmistress and the feasting and toasting lasted for several hours. On the afternoon of October nineteenth Chi entertained in honor of the Delta Upsilon Convention which was being
Page 27
78 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. held in Syracuse at the time. It was one of those delightful occasions when the hostesses are entertained quite as much as their guests, we had nearly a hundred Delta U callers. Election day was our first monthly “at home” of this college year. The weather was so beautiful that our house was filled all the afternoon with our city and college friends. It seemed so good to see them all again. After fraternity meetings for several weeks now, one class or another has entertained the whole chapter. We have had such good times at these informal “chocolates”, “fudge parties ” and charades. On November twenty-first we entertained about forty of our men friends at Women’s Union Hall. The dancing hall was beautifully decorated with Turkish cosy corners and masses of palms. On the stage the orchestra played for those who wished to dance while in the rooms beyond, those who did not, played all sorts of games and contests. The freshman have been almost bewildered by all this and the many festivities of the other fraternities, of the colleges and of celebrations over athletic victories. But in the mean¬ time we have been working away steadily. Syracuse may have another woman’s fraternity before long. Chi was very glad to entertain at five o’clock tea one Thursday afternoon nine girls — Delta Sigma Phis— who are hoping for a Delta Gamma charter. Most of the girls went home for the Thanksgiving recess and came back ready to plunge into the “ grinding ” again. We have so much work and fun ahead of us that our heads are full of “Junior Proms,” “Historical Plays” and im¬ pending quizzes and examinations. We want to tell you all how our library has been increas¬ ing. Mrs. Smith, our chaperone, has presented us with a pretty oak book case on the proviso that we fill it. You should see how we all save our pennies and how fast the shelves are filling up ! Chi sends love and Holiday greeting to all the Thetas. May you prosper forever as our Mohammedan friend used to say.
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CHAPTER LETTERS . 79 ALPHA BETA — SWARTHMORE COLLEGE. As there is no rushing to fill our minds and imaginations this fall, Alpha Beta has been occupied with the regular col¬ lege activities ; our foot-ball season which ended with a glo¬ rious victory over Haverford, November 24th, and the an¬ nual Shakespeare evening, in which the Seniors took part. Both these annual events bring together a fine showing of our alumnae. The girls of the chapter enjoyed a delightful theatre party, seeing Frances Wilson in “The Monks of Malabar.” Shortly before the Thanksgiving vacation, we were re¬ ceived by Prof. Atkinson, Iota, and Mrs. Sathie in her par¬ lors, where we were charmed to meet Alice Sathie Lewis, ’90, who is a clever palmist, and who entertained us during the evening. Fraternities have assumed an entirely different aspect at Swarthmore, due to the deferred pledge-day, and while the plan seems to be succeeding on the whole, in the abolishing of rushing, yet we find things pretty quiet, and presume the Freshmen find it more so. To all her sister chapters, Alpha Beta sends best wishes for happiness and success in the coming year. ALPHA DELTA— WOMAN’S COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE. Alpha Delta has good reason to feel proud in looking over her record for this last term. In a college where the rushing season is limited to five weeks, and where seven fraternities make the contest over the desirable girls close and exciting, it is an exceptional thing for a fraternity to get all the girls it asks. Theta, however, proved to be the exception this year, for all the nine girls to whom invita¬ tions were issued, consented to wear our little pledge pins. It would not be fitting to expatiate here upon their charms, lest in reading this letter their heads should be turned. Perhaps the highest praise which could be bestowed upon them is that they possess those qualities which go to make up the Theta ideal.
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8o THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. The names of four new sisters are : Carrie Fehr, of Easton, Pa.; Nancy Hutton, of Winchester, Va.; Grace E. Simis of Brooklyn, who for one year was a student at Smith ; Frances Kerr of Los Angeles, Cal.; Mabel Golding of Wil¬ mington, Del.; Mabel Hornbrook of Cambridge, Ohio; and Evelyn Joynes, Ethel Elmer and Florence Waltlier of Baltimore. On November tenth we initiated our pledglings into the mysteries of Kappa Alpha Theta, after which a most de¬ lightful banquet was held at the Mount Vernon Hotel. Ethel C. Sharp, ’oi, presided with much grace and dignity and made a charming toastmistress. Our toast list which was in keeping with the spirit of the times, read as follows : AI,PHA DELTA’S CAMPAIGN OF I9OO. Ethee C. Sharp, _ _ _ Toastmistress . Expansion, _ _ _ Virginia B. Norris Our New Possessions, _ Mary P. Boss Our New President, - - - Ruth Haseup Our Campaign, _ Aeice P. Bennett _ _ Ida Evans Strikes— Commercial and Otherwise, _ Nancy Hutton After the excitement of rushing season, we all calmed down and went to work in earnest The term was a com¬ paratively uneventful one, and Thanksgiving holidays made a delightful break in the monotony of college work. Some of the girls went home, others visited friends in or near the city, while those who remained in the Halls had a gay time indulging in all those festivities and frolics which are dear to the heart of a college girl. Alpha Delta sends greetings to all her sister chapters and best wishes for a happy helpful New Year. ALPHA EPSIEON— BROWN UNIVERSITY. We — I mean the girls of Alpha Epsilon — were very much interested, as we sat waiting for chapel to begin, one fine October morning, to find that Millicent Leete was passing to each Theta a small white note, which stated that Annie Larry would be at home to her fraternity at 5 o’clock on Oc-
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CHAPTER LE TTERS. 8 1 tober 14th. Of course we were delighted over this invita¬ tion, and Saturday afternoon there were many pedestrians on College Hill — all Thetas, on their way to Annie’s home. By twos, fours, yes, even sixes, the girls stepped in the front door and ran up the stairs to Annie’s room, and laid their wraps and hats on Annie’s bed, when it suddenly dawned upon them that the sound of talking and laughter which floated up from the parlors below was even gladder and mer¬ rier than is usual at afternoon teas. The explanation, how¬ ever, is obvious. Annie, all in blue, stood in the centre of the room, and as she welcomed each guest, held up her left hand just long enough for the newcomer to catch the sparkle of a diamond. A gasp of surprise, a burst of soft laughter from Caroline MacWhinnie, our dear married sister, and the new arrival congratulated Annie on her engagement to Free¬ man Putney, Jr., Brown University, ’99. Another such occasion approached about the first of No¬ vember ; but we were not this time thus innocently deceived. An unassuming little envelope on the bulletin board, one Monday morning, contained the message that all Thetas must meet Katharine Littlefield, one of our juniors, that self-same afternoon, at her house on Prospect street ; and further, should a sister appear in any garment more preten¬ tious than a stiffly-starched white shirt-waist, she would be “put out.” Shortly after this notice appeared, Katharine disappeared ; and since this fact was noted and duly consid¬ ered by the Thetas, Fate decreed that there should not be a very great surprise when Katharine said that she is engaged to Professor Walter C. Bronson, whom we all know and re¬ spect as our distinguished teacher, the head of Brown’s de¬ partment of Rhetoric, Oratory and English Literature. We talked and sewed and drank chocolate and ate crisp maca¬ roons, and then we sometimes sang and sometimes listened, while Katharine played for us on her piano. All too quickly it grew dark, and we walked slowly home in the starlight, repeating all the way how glad we are for the happiness of Katharine, our sweet sister.
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82 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . Now to our freshmen pledglings whom we ushered into the secret organization of Kappa Alpha Theta on the evening of November twenty-fourth, the freshmen, I say, and the banquet we gave them. After we had stretched forth our hands on the good things placed before us, and had put away the desire of meat and drink, our toast-mistress, Miss Wing, arose and in her very graceful, dignified manner gave a cordial welcome to the Theta guests of honor, — Mrs. Sheble and Miss Edwards, professor in Wellesley, members of Iota ; Miss Florence Durstine of Epsilon, now a graduate student at Wellesley, and Mrs. Walton of Alpha Gamma, who lives in Providence. All of these sister visitors ad¬ dressed us and, when their turn came, the freshmen too, and also the favored individuals whose names forthwith appear : 1. Recipe for an Ideal K.A.0 _ _ Adelaide Burton, ’oi. “ Amazing brightness, purity and truth. ” 2. Alumnae Members _ Ethel WESTCOTT, ’oo. “ Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” 3. K.A.0. Homes _ Caroline MacWhinnie, ’99. “ A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there, Which sought through the world is ne’er met with elsewhere.” Prospective Brother. . { L™ “ I have no reason but a woman’s reason — I think him so, because I think him so.” 5. A Year of K.A.0 - HELEN WhiTmarsh, ’03. “Time waxing old can many a lesson teach.” 6. The Examination _ Amy Cook, ’02. “ ’Till memory lends her light no more.” 7. Parliamentary Procedure _ Maude Warren, ’02. “ Let us consider the reason of the case ; for nothing is law that is not reason.” 8. The Room - Georgie Peck, ’03. “ Infinite riches in a little room.” 9. Our Guests _ Mabel Bowe, ’01. “ Your heart’s desire be with you.” Now the names of our new members I have purposely re¬ served to form the climax to this letter. Alpha Epsilon, therefore, begs to introduce to Kappa Alpha Theta : —
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CHAPTER LETTERS . 83 Flora Melville Cotton, Providence, R. I. ; Sara De Veaux Packard, Providence, R. I. ; Miriam Frances Slocum, Mon¬ tour Falls, N. Y. ; Harriet Fuller Griggs Stevens, Willi- tnantic, Conn. ; Georgia Louise Towle, Providence, R. I. ALPHA ZETA— BARNARD COLLEGE. Alpha Zeta is so very busy with work and society that she will have to confine herself in this letter to a very business-like account of chapter affairs. In the first place we would tell our fraternity world that we have had a most successful initiation, and have taken into the chapter Eliza¬ beth Hamilton, ’01, who was pledged by Chi chapter, and Alice Felicia Corey, special. Martha Watt of Beta Epsi¬ lon, Effie Abrams of Iota, and Nina Angell of Iota, have also come into the chapter. Sometime in mid-winter we intend giving a play for the college. This is a new departure lor us, as our social en¬ deavors have heretofore been in the shape of receptions. A number of the members of Alpha Zeta were at the monthly meeting of Gamma Alumnae. We spent a very pleasant afternoon with the graduate chapter, and amused them, if we may dare to use the word, by singing chapter songs. Alpha Zeta sends best wishes to her sister chapter, and hopes they will have a successful season. Beta District. ALPHA— DE PAUW UNIVERSITY. Many things have happened since Alpha has been in com¬ munication through the Journal, with sister chapters. With our hard work we have taken the proverbial ‘ spells ’ in a social way. Alice Cox and Grace Allen gave their homes to us two successive evenings for an old fashioned spelling and singing school. The girls were intensely interested, not only in making each evening a success, but in their costumes. The gowns ranged from the unpretentious frock
Page 33
84 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. of the Hoosier school-girl to ye correct and stiff silken cos¬ tume our grandmothers wore more than a century ago. Refreshments were served in primitive but wholesome fashion and were the most attractive of any of the features of entertainment. Heavy iron-ware, heavy red table-linen, was the service for pies, baked beans, brown bread and milk. Formality was not included in the program, and we had good old-fashioned fun. Then I must not forget the ice ! Very seldom we have enough ice, length of days or inclination to enjoy skating ; but for two or three days we skated madly and furiously. The attic gave up its rusty and tarnished skates and the girls worked and walked enthusiastically for even the smallest chance to skate. And now the melancholy days have come and gone with their charge of thumb-screw examinations. But we have passed safely out from the uncertain Stygian darkness into the assurance of a new term. The suspended sword no longer has any terror for us, — until perhaps the end of the term. BETA — UNIVERSITY OF INDIANA. Since the last chapter letter was written we have held two initiations, and have added four new names to the chapter- roll. Dawn Williamson, Maie Netterville, Alberta Kennedy, and Elizabeth Murray. As there was no pledging contract this year among the four sororities, we decided to wait three weeks before offer¬ ing any propositions for membership, and we are well satis¬ fied with the result. It is still uncertain whether there will be any general contract next year, but if there is not. we shall probably try our plan again. We are now busy winding up the work of the term, and are eagerly looking forward to the holidays. For next term we have planned a course of careful study of the constitu¬ tion, history, etc., in preparation for the fraternity examina¬ tion in the spring.
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CHAPTER LETTERS. 35 DELTA — UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. You should have seen the smiling faces of the Delta girls the last few days, and I am sure we have every reason to be proud for we are rejoicing over our new pledge, who has kept us in suspense until Thanksgiving, when she donned the black and gold. Most of our girls went home or to the convention at Columbus during the holidays, and the Thanksgiving to the four girls left in our house was rather a lonesome one. Still they were not wholly desolate for one of our beloved seniors of last year, Lydia Mather, spent Thanksgiving with us. We also expected to have Ida Sawyer, but to our great re¬ gret, she could not come. The girls who were at the con¬ vention, report a delightful time. We all wish that we could have been there and almost envy the Alpha Gamma girls their part as hostesses. Two of our old girls Blanche Herrick and Grace Morrow have visited us this year, and we only wish we could have them back with us again. We also had a very pleasant visit one evening a few weeks ago from Grace Haven, a northwestern Theta. It is so good to meet the girls from the other chapters and talk over our plans and good times. May you all be as successful and happy as we have been this year. ETA — UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. There has been a great change in our chapter since the last journal — for on Nov. 24, we initiated eleven new Thetas. There seems also to have been a change in our policy for while we have always had a chapter of about fourteen or fifteen we have now twenty-seven and will have to be very careful about taking in too many next year. Since we can¬ not all live together in our fraternity house we have other means of coming together for a good time. One of these is our Tuesday afternoon tea, and we have gotten so much good out of it, that, although we have decided to be at home to our friends only on the “ First Monday of each month ”
Page 35
86 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . in the future, — we, ourselves still hope to gather once a week. The best thing of all is our Saturday supper which we have been having now for nearly two years. After fra¬ ternity meeting we all gather in the sitting room as if for a spread and have our supper served to us on box lid trays lined with paper napkins. The girls take turns in getting up these suppers two having charge each time. We had a short but pleasant visit from some of the Alpha Gamma girls who came up to the Michigan-Ohio game on Nov. 24. It would have been more satisfactory if we could have kept them to our initiation that same evening, for I think we have never had a more perfect initiation nor a more delightful banquet. So many of our “old girls ” were with us, among them our grand president, Myra Post. One of the sweetest messages we received at this banquet was a fruit cake from Mrs. R. Kenneth Smoot, of Highland Park, Ill., one of the charter members of old Eta. We, of the new Eta, appreciate her loving thoughtfulness for us. On December 8, was the annual Freshman Spread, one of the prettiest parties given in the Michigan Gymnasium. The Sophomores manage the entire affair and the Juniors and Seniors act as escorts to the Freshmen. Our Vesper Services have commenced and every Tuesday and Thursday at half past four we have in University Hall a sacred song service under the direction of Prof. Stanley. Our university has had a great loss in the death of Prof. Hinsdale, one of the oldest members of its faculty. He died in Atlanta, where he had gone just two weeks before his death. Our new Homeopathic Hospital has just been opened and is one of the finest in the country. Those in charge have been planning some sort of entertainment each week for the patients, and we as a chapter expect to do something to amuse them. Our interest in athletics is not one bit less because we failed to beat Iowa, and we were more than jubilant when our junior literary class beat our senior laws.
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CHAPTER LETTERS . 87 KAPPA— UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS. Kappa’s pledges ran late into the fall this year and threw our initiations late into October. Since then we have pledged Inez Cross of Nebraska who will be initiated next term. The two of our members who went to Columbus, Rachel Pugh and Estelle Riddle have brought us many new ideas the success of which we are anxious to try by experiment. The girls report the jolliest and most interesting kind of a convention, and make us all congratulate ourselves that the next time Beta district convenes, it will be here where we can all feel the benefit of it. Among other suggestions from the convention, we are thinking over the idea that any chapter can have a chapter house if it cares enough to work for it. Our plans have not as yet, however, assumed any definite form, but relate mostly to possibilities. I11 the meantime our attention is occupied by our Christmas tree, which is now an annual in¬ stitution with us. No one but the active girls can attend, and here are given the remembrances of the chapter to all of its members. In the midst of our work and pleasures, we are all now in deep sympathy with Anna Harrison, one of our this year’s girls from Topeka. Her brother was one of those who came to their deaths at the Leland Stanford football game on Thanksgiving day. PI— ALBION COLLEGE. This fall term has been a very pleasant one for all the girls of Pi. We have had frequent calls from some of the old girls and they were heartily welcome. Nearly all of our last year’s graduates hold fine positions as preceptresses and teachers in public schools and we feel very proud of them ; we also feel proud of our new girls as they are full of Theta spirit and brought with them a great deal of musical talent which adds to our entertainment.
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88 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. One of our new girls, Alice Knight, has left ns to teach in one of the Chicago schools and is greatly missed in the Theta circle. Owing to the many social events of the term to which many of our girls have been invited our meetings have been somewhat broken into, for we felt that Theta ought to be represented ; but when possible we have called the meetings on other nights so that all of the girls might be present. Notwithstanding this fact we have had fine fraternity meet¬ ings after which we had refreshments furnished by the different girls. A short time before Christmas we gave a party in the lodge to which our most intimate friends among the girls were invited, having for entertainment a continuous vaude¬ ville. We received a great many beautiful and useful gifts which were very acceptable and added much to the beauty of the lodge. We have also had suppers and breakfasts in the dear home which seem to bring the girls into closer sisterhood. We are now having talk arounds making plans for a party which we intend to give to our friends in the near future. RHO — UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. As Thanksgiving approaches Rho begins to realize how much has happened since the first carpet went down in the chapter house and we all came back to work and Theta. There are five new girls to introduce to you. We wish you could really see them. Three are Theta sisters and have grown up in the faith, Jane Douglass of St. Joseph, Ruth Macfarland of Lincoln, and Viola Stewart of Axtel, Grace Russel of Glenwood, Iowa, and Abbie Sears McHenry of Denison, Iowa, make up the list. We gave a large tea to present them to our university and town friends after they were formally pledged. The initiation was on Hallow’een. Rho has never been so lavishly remembered. After the ceremony and banquet, both at the chapter house, there were improvised theatricals in which the ingenuity of the newest Thetas brought tears
Page 38
CHAPTER LETTERS. 89 to the eyes of the alumnae in the dress circle. We are going to do it again. Rho had the great pleasure of entertaining Miss Alice Wadsworth for a couple of days, all too short a time since the alumnae and the town girls and the girls in the chapter house wanted her to themselves every minute. It is de¬ lightful to meet Thetas from other chapters than our own and Rho does not often have the privilege. We gave a dance November ninth in honor of Jane and Jessie Macfarland, two of our best beloved. Jessie has gone for a year of travel abroad, Jane leaves Thanksgiving day for California. They are leaving their sister Ruth ‘whom we have just initiated, in our care. A treasure for the house which now has three new girls in it. Rho wishes she might charter a car and go to convention. TAU — NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. This fall has been marked by the conventions which in¬ spire one with even greater enthusiasm for the fraternity organizations which unite girls from all localities in the common bond of fraternity and college life. Even those of us who could not attend our own splendid convention have had an opportunity of meeting girls from the various colleges and learning of our own chapters, for the National Conven¬ tions of Alpha Phi and Gamma Phi Beta have been held in Evanston this fall. Beside being entertained at large re¬ ceptions for the delegates of the two conventions we in turn entertained Alpha Phi at a tea at Irene Grave’s home and Gamma Phi at Leone Gould’s. Wejcarried out the colors of the visiting fraternity in the dining room decorations while the black and gold reigned on the frappe table. So the convention spirit has been with us all the fall and we waited eagerly for the enthusiastic reports of the days in Columbus, and our only regret is that we'could not all have been there. This week brings the Junior Playfand aj reception given to Omega Psi by our new Dean Martha Foote Crowe which includes nearly all of our girls.
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9o THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. Our Monday night suppers are still as popular as ever, and we are fortunate in having every week some of the “old girls” to spur us on with tales of other years. We were de¬ lighted to have Margaret Moore of Upsilon with us the Monday before the Convention and we are always so glad to have girls from other chapters who may be in Chicago, come out for the “ Happy Hours within the dear old hall.” UPSILON — UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. The very atmosphere at the University of Minnesota is a-throb with new-born enthusiasm and college spirit. For Minnesota’s giant football team has fought its glorious way to the front, and we now stand the proud champions of the west. And of course the loyalty and pride of the student- body has kept joyous pace with the triumph of our football heroes. Five new members of Upsilon make their bow to the Theta world : Josephine Thomas, Jane Bennett, Bessie Scripture, Blanche Higgiubotham, and Madeline Traver. After the hurry and worry of the rushing season we were glad enough to rest on our oars, and since then have enter¬ tained only twice, once at an informal dancing party to in¬ troduce our Freshmen to their verdant class-mates, and later at a larger dancing party. Our delegate, Margaret Moore, has returned from Colum¬ bus, overflowing with enthusiasm and new ideas for frater¬ nity work. She had “just the loveliest time” and can’t find words to tell us what splendid girls there are in the Ohio chapter. Several of our girls were entertained by the Nebraska Thetas at the time of the Mintiesota-Nebraska football game, and they too report a royally good time. A much-mooted question just now is whether high school rushing shall be allowed. Very likely it will depend not so much on the wishes of the fraternities as on the mandate of the powers that be. Under the present compact we have a six weeks rushing season which we all agree is an unneces¬ sary prolongation of the nervous strain and anxiety, both for rusher and “ rushee.”
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CHAPTER LETTERS. 9i PSI — UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. At the time of our last letter we were just getting into our new house and very busily “ rushing* * at the same time. The house has proved all that we anticipated. We often wonder how we ever got along without it and are firmly resolved never to be without one again. We feel that we have been very successful in our “rush¬ ing.” Our ranks have been swelled to seventeen strong by the addition of our seven new sister members. During the Thanksgiving vacation nearly all the girls either went home or else went home with friends, but those that stayed, did not want for a good time we are told. I11 the midst of so much rejoicing a feeling of sadness creeps in at the departure for California of our dear sister, Blanche Brigham, in search for health. We earnestly hope that she may return to us in the spring fully restored to her usual health. During the year we have enjoyed visits from Mollie Strong, ’oo, Winnifred Smith, ’00, Juliet Harris, ’95, Phoebe Buell, ’02, Mabel Stewart, ’02, and Alice Carlton, ’97. ALPHA GAMMA— OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. The tendency would be for Alpha Gamma to write of the Convention of Beta District which we have so recently en¬ tertained and which we so thoroughly enjoyed, but that duty has been given into other hands and, our account of the pleasures we derived from that convention would make a longer chapter letter than is allowable, so we must be con¬ tent with saying that our joy in the anticipation of it was only exceeded by that of the reality, and that our regret is that it was not a national instead of a district convention so that we might have met girls from all chapters. Our university is in a very prosperous condition this year. The number of enrolled students shows quite an increase and we hope that a larger number of desirable girls will come here each year. Our initiation was held October fifth at the home of Mar¬ garet Pulling. It was a particularly happy one as we had
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92 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . five new girls, which is an unusually large number for us, as we seldom find as many at once whom we think worthy of the black and gold. We are firm believers in quality not quantity, but when we may have both, it makes us very happy indeed. Our new sisters are Edna Hoover, Katherine Early, Elizabeth Chamberlain and Cornelia Miller, all of Columbus and Frances Yaesell of Berkely, Cal. We hope you have all had a very successful “rushing season” and that through the pages of our next Journal we may meet many new Thetas. Gamma District. PHI — STANFORD UNIVERSITY. We are in our new house at last, and though we can’t walk on the parlor floor, and have to use an improvised dining room table set up in one of the bed-rooms, it never¬ theless seems very homelike compared to the dormitory where we have been staying and above all, we are happy to be together once more. Rushing season and initiation are well over. We feel much pleased with the result, and are proud to introduce to you our six new Thetas, Mabel Baum, Sara Reid Park, Louise Van Uxem, Claire Soule, Lvla Vincent, and Alice Edwards, initiated early in November. Our house was not finished at that time but Genevieve Chambers gave us the use of her home at San Jose and we held our initiation there. Right here, I must speak of another addition to our house¬ hold, a small but important one in the shape of “Bab,” a little Theta kitten, jet black with yellow eyes, found by one of the girls outside the library. We are just settling down after our Thanksgiving vaca¬ tion, when we witnessed our annual football game with the University of California, and saw Stanford win, our eighth year of championship. And now Christmas holidays are coming fast and we are trying not to realize that with them comes the loss of five of our seniors, Letitia Patterson, Frances Patterson, Elizabeth Hague, Grace Barnhisel and Helen Vinyard.
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CHAPTER LETTERS. 93 OMEGA — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Omega wishes to introduce to all the chapters her three initiates, Carol Day, Berkeley, Elizabeth Arneill, Berkeley, and Alice Myers, Palo Alto. As we introduced our new girls to the college world at a very successful dance, we had a feeling that strong possibilities for Kappa Alpha Theta lies in the strength of these girls. We have always given a Christmas tree at the house upon the re-opening of College, when gifts ornamental and other¬ wise have showered down. This year instead we are to celebrate our birthday. Many are the plans revolving in the brains of our sophomores, for to them the honor of prepara¬ tion is always given. All of our girls are looking forward with much anticipa¬ tion toward the house-warming of Phi, to which all, “even the freshmen’ * have been bidden. Phi is very dear to us, more and more do we realize the strength of the bond which unites us, even during the heat of rival contests for college honors.
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PERSONALS. ALPHA GAMMA. The engagement is announced of Miss Perla Gray Bow¬ man, who is a member of the faculty, to Prof. Gibbs of the University. The engagement is announced of Miss Fella Axline to Mr. Claude B. DeWitt of Sandusky, O. ALPHA EPSILON. Martha Briggs, Brown ’97, is teaching in the High School at Wayne, Pennsylvania. Anna Gray, Brown ’99, is teaching in the High School at Passaic, New Jersey. The engagement of Anne May Larry, Brown ’99, to Freeman Putney Jr., Brown ’99, is announced. The engagement of Katharine Frances Littlefield, Brown ’02, to Walter Cochrane Bronson, Professor of English Literature in Brown University, is announced. ETA. We have with us this year Mrs. Arthur Graves Canfield of Kappa whose husband is head of the department of Romance languages in U. of M. Mrs. Mamah Borthwick Cheney of Oak Park, Ill., Irene Baker of Chicago, Katherine Veit of Flint, Mich., Flora Goeschel of Bay City, Mich., and Sue Patterson and Myra Post of Detroit, were with us for our initiation on Nov. 24. Eta chapter is very happy in having a delightful new patroness, Mrs John Fullerton Lawrence who is a great help to them in many ways. We are glad to have Charlotte Walker so near that she can be with us each week. LAMBDA. Mabel Way, ’98. is teaching in Barre. M irion Rustedt, ’98, visited us at initiation. Bessie Wright, ’94, and Mabel Nelson, ’99, were in town for Thanksgiving.
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PERSONALS . 95 MU. Miss Scott spent twenty four hours with us on her way to Chicago. Mrs. Simonton nee Bell Watson spent an afternoon with us. Julia Krecli is teaching in Tarrentown, Pa. Coral Merchant is teaching in Mcllwayne Institute, New Lebanon, Pa. Mable Confer of Oil City, Pa., lately paid us a flying visit. The engagement of Marian Sackett to Walter Irving Bates, Phi Kappa Psi, is announced. We welcomed Maud Bartholomew of Warren, Pa., fora few days. pi. The Misses Lotta Page, Gertrude Strickland and Emma Osborne, our graduates of 1900 have visited us this fall. A little baby boy came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Walker, of Republic, Mich., Mr. Walker graduated herein *96, and Mrs. Walker, remembered by us as Lillian Dicker- son of the class of ’95. PSI. The engagement is announced of Florence Bump, ’00, of Wausaw, to Seth N. Warner of Wheaton. Miss Hull of Eta, now a teacher in West Side High School, Milwaukee, visited us for a few days. Miss Lockwood of Alpha, State Secretary of Y. W. C. A. was with us for a few days. Rae Nate, ’03 is at Northwestern, this year. OMEGA. The engagement has been announced of Lou Shepherd, ’92, and Dr. Lewis of the University of California. E ina Wilde, ’03, has been made the Society Editor for the Women’s Edition of the Occident . Grace Josephine Boggs and Mary Y. Powel both ably represented Kappa Alpha Theta 011 Junior Day ; the former by her work on the Junior Day Committee and the latter by a well sustained part in the same. Mamie Kent Graham, ’99, with her husband Lieutenant Graham sailed for the Philippines in November. How we all miss her.
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WEDDING BELLS. ALPHA BETA. Grace Anna Brosius, ’97, was married to Clement Miller Biddle, Jr., in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, November 28. BETA. Married, October 30, 1900, in Bloomington, Indiana, Emma Leberta Wilson, ’99, to A. D. Batchelor, Sigma Chi, ’94. Married, November 28, 1900, in Richmond, Indiana, Agnes Ross Reynolds, ’99, to Henry Thew Stephenson, Assistant Professor of English in the University of Indiana. KAPPA. The marriage of Mable Sayre to Prof. Cone of the de¬ partment of Economics will take place December twentieth. lambda. Theodora Plumley and Homer Flint were married at Northfield, November 14. Geneva Jones, ’03, attended the reception and carried good wishes from the active chapter. The marriage of Mabel Miles and Frank Thompson, oc¬ curred October 30th at Barton, Vt. MU. On Dec. 26, 1900, at the home of the bride’s parents, Miss Mary Emma Lockart was married to Mr. William F. Murphy, Phi Gamma Delta. pi. Married, at the bride’s home, Mendon, Mich., Oct. 24th, Miss Zulu E. Fast, ’96, and Arthur Estes. They will make their home at Coshen, Indiana. Laura Eoleen Smith, ’00, of Wheaton to David Quigg Lewis of Chicago.
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In fttemoriam THERESA LUZADDER GREGORY BETA, 72. Mrs. Gregory was the first initiate into Beta Chapter. She died at her home in Bloomington, Ind., Friday, Sept. 21, 1900.
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EDITORIALS. The old but ever new question of the Journal and what shall fill its pages has moved two of this month’s contribu¬ tors to criticism and suggestion. There are two reasons for the existence of the fraternity Journal. First, it is a means of communication between the chapters, and second, it is the representative in the fraternity world of the fraternity of which it is the organ. Are these reasons sufficient justifica¬ tion for the existence of the fraternity Journal. The un¬ dergraduates will have to decide the first question of how much the Journal means to them. The most important department in the Journal is that of the chapter letters. The others are subordinate to this. Undoubtedly if this de¬ partment of chapter letters reached our ideal of what it might and should be, there would be no question of its use to the fraternity. As it is, the chapters too often forget that it is by their letters that they are very largely judged, and that if they do not wish this judgment to be unjust, they must fill the position of corresponding secretary with a girl who has the ability to, and who will represent the chapter in its true light and not ruin its reputation among its fellows by incompetence or carelessness. Without the chapter letters the rest has no excuse for be¬ ing. Given the letters, the rest follows as a matter of course. And it is this second part that our critics attack this month. Nothing promises better for the continuance and support of the fraternity Journal than the live interest that prompts such criticism. Gamma Alumnae offers no definite plan of action, perhaps this will follow later, if so, it will be sure to be full of practical, helpful suggestion, coming from such a source. Nowhere among the alumnae has the Journal met with more constant and cordial support than from Gamma Alumnae. Their record of chapter letters might be an in¬ spiration and example to the active chapters. One para-
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EDITORIALS. 99 mount criticism our other critic has to make, that the frater¬ nity Journal remains devoted to fraternity interests and does not venture into the wide field of the popular magazine. The fraternity Journal is for the fraternity ; its only excuse for being is that it may serve the interests of the fraternity. Why should it go beyond its natural limitations in an en¬ deavor to compete with magazines that in the nature of things must always easily surpass it, and to appeal to a pub¬ lic that has no interest in its special work and will never seek it ? Circulating among fraternity members and dealing with fraternity subjects, the fraternity Journal may al¬ ways give a good account of itself, but when it attempts to combine with this the popular or technical magazine it at once loses its own individuality and becomes an anomaly, something that is neither fish nor flesh, and that is a success in no one of the fields that it is trying to cover. As well might the college weekly combine with the magazine of the college of architecture or engineering. How many of us would prefer to read the college girls’ essay on Browning rather than what she has to say of her own college and fraternity life with its problems, and will she not write at least fully as well upon these subjects that are of such intense, living inter¬ est to her as she will in her work for the English depart¬ ment ? And if it is a question of the alumnae, the answer seems to be the same. The works of the masters of litera¬ ture and science lie open to the student, but to whom can she go with her questions of every day college and fraternity life if not to the alumnae of her fraternity who have lived the same life and settled these same questions that now con¬ front her? She has a right to ask of the Journal that it shall, so far as possible, keep in touch with the women of the fraternity who can best give her this help. Probably the majority of our readers would agree that there is a question as to whether or not the fraternity Jour¬ nal should exist at all, but would also agree that if it does exist it must be devoted to fraternity subjects and problems if it is to be in any degree successful.
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IOO THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. The warmest sympathy of every member of the fraternity will be with our sister, Alice Wadsworth, our secretary, in the recent loss of her parents. During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, her father and mother both died, leaving her alone. Her address is at present uncer¬ tain, but letters sent to her at the address given in the di¬ rectory of this number of the Journal will reach her.
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EXCHANGES. The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma has moved on from the Cornell chapter to Beta Nu of the Ohio State University at Columbus, O. Miss Lucy Allen takes the place of Miss Hull, who has so long and so ably filled the editor’s chair. The arrangement of the Key remains the same, and it is full of good things, but the changes in the cover design and the headings of the departments and articles are somewhat dis¬ appointing. We quote extracts from an article upon “A Practical Asset of Life ” : “‘Something practical.’ Out of her experience this alumna has evolved the belief that the most practical thing in the large concerns of life, the thing worth clinging to in all circumstances and happenings, is the ideal that the Kappa girl takes with her from college, the ideal that makes lor en¬ thusiasm in a righteous cause, that inspires one to reach af¬ ter that which the short-sighted term the unattainable, that aims high and goes far afield in its efforts, that plays not in trying hours, the possession of which makes a life worth living and the loss of which damns one as no other failure can. If I were a teacher instead of a mere transcriber of the record of daily events, I should insist far more strenuously upon the cultivation of ideals in regard to the conduct of life than upon declarations and mathematical demonstrations, not that I consider knowledge of that sort incompatible with the possession of ideals, however. Clamor alleges that college ideals are unpractical and im¬ practicable, but that only proves with how little understand¬ ing Clamor may speak. Our cynical friend, if he be a keen observer and honest, as a cynic may be, is forced to admit that the true successes in life are made by those who are loyal to the highest standards. Whether you measure success in dollars and cents, in public acclaim, in the quality of work accomplished, or in loyal service rendered, you must hark back to the fundamental principle that all that is en¬ during and satisfying in the fortunate issue of life’s endeavor is attained through unswerving devotion to a worthy ideal. Success of every other kind is ephemeral, and is belittled by contrast with genuine achievement.
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102 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. Her ideals are the glory and the privilege of the college woman, not that she may claim a monopoly in this line, but that conditions are peculiarly favorable for her to form, to cultivate, and to maintain ideals. If she has them not, she is more blameworthy than her sister in other circumstances and her loss of them is the more lamentable. One, perhaps the chief function of the college fraternity, is its assistance in the development of fine and true ideals in its members. In so far as it fulfills this purpose, the fraternity deserves to be recognized as an instrument of culture, all the more effect¬ ive because its best influence is subtle and indirect. This illusive and alluring quality of the college girl’s ideal is an excellent symptom. It enables her to shift from lower ground to higher, to gain fresh insight, and to grow. If a girl enters college with her mind and soul fixed upon certain definite attainments and feels no necessity for read¬ justing her ideas by the time she has reached her sophomore year, and many times thereafter, the fraternity in which she holds membership is unfortunate, whatever her scholarship, personal attractions, and other recommendations may be. It is the girl whose ideals of today are better than those she cherished yesterday that the fraternity should rejoice over, the one who makes every new condition minister to her broadened aims and uplifted standard. It is this habit of heart and mind, fostered in the college and in the fra¬ ternity, that fits a woman to cope with complex conditions of mature life successfully. It is eminently a practical quality. So, when the alumna delivers herself of the opinion that the most useful and the most practical thing in daily life is the ideal of the college girl, she has no reference to any fixed formula, verbal or written, but to that instructive turn¬ ing to the light, that desire to know the truth, that loval obedience, that enthusiastic devotion, that disregard of diffi¬ culties which serves as well in the great arena of life as in the small. One reason that the alumna claims so much practical value for ideals of the sort that guide and inspire the college girl is that it is about the only thing that will save her from misanthropy, cvnicism and all that miserable crew that lie in wait in the big world and from which it is so difficult to escape. A good, live ideal, valiantly adhered to, is a sure weapon of defense in such case.” We quote from an article upon Interfraternity courtesy in the Trident :
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EXCHANGES. 103 “The fraternity means much to the freshmen who are initiated into its mysteries and delights these autumn months, and membership therein changes from a thing to be longed for into a sweet responsibility. Each girl realizes that her own studiousness, her own cordiality, her whole adaptation to the novel surroundings of the college world form a part of the criterion by which her fraternity is judged. She longs for college honors for herself and her sister mem¬ bers, and is distinctly disappointed if the majority of them are not won by her own chapter. This is an admirable state of mind, to be sure. But in her absorption in her own fraternity, and desire for its prosperity, the student often tends to forget the golden mean. She is apt to look upon the other fraternities in the college not merely as rivals striving toward, aims which, after all, are practically very much the same as her own, but even perhaps as organiza¬ tions to be somewhat jealous of now and then ; organiza¬ tions which might at any time develop into inconvenient factors, and toward which a prudent watchfulness is always wise. She forgets that the other women’s fraternities are relatives of hers in the family of Greek-letterdom, and fails to realize that the fraternity she has joined is the first, but not the only one to be considered. It is the one fraternity of her choice, of course, but still is one of many, and in joining it she must remember she has joined the whole Greek world, of which her chapter is a part. She must learn to find that while to her the pin she wears signifies the closest and dearest ties, the pin of any other national fra¬ ternity should mean friend and ally in some measure, too. I11 the editorial election of yesterday, it may be, or the class caucus of to-morrow, the girls who are representatives of the other fraternities cast their votes on her side or on a diametrically opposite one ; but back of these ephemeral affairs should be a sense of union and a feeling that in the end all stand for the same thing. Some one may object that this is all very well as a pleasant ideal, but, in the main, it is impossible in college life. Of course it is impos¬ sible until it is put in practice.” From an article in the Kappa Alpha Journal upon the choosing of chapter officers we quote the following : Another office in which too great care cannot be taken in filling is the Chapter Secretaryship. Elect some man who has real literary ability, but be sure that he does not lack energy enough to do his work well and to do it promptly. It must be remembered that the C. S. is the spokesman of the chapter to the outside world. In fact, from many points
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104 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA . of view, this is the most important officer of the entire chapter. Sometimes a C. S. comes to the conclusion that he has merely to scratch off a string of news and nonsense for the fraternity publication and send it on. Every man before doing this should recall that his work will meet the critical examination of every active member, of a large number of the alumni, and of men of other frater¬ nities. It must be remembered that the literary excellence of your publication is always at stake and too much care cannot be giveti to the preparation of the letter. Haste is no excuse here. Every C. S. knows, or at least should know, the date at which he is expected to send his letter in, and he should have it ready by that time. It should be cor¬ rect from a rhetorical standpoint and of such a character as to be interesting to all readers. First and foremost, the chapter letter is designed to give the news of the occurrences in that particular college and chapter. The author of this article will not forget that less than two years ago he was a Chapter Secretary himself, nor will he fail to bear in mind that the C. S. has always been a “much abused” individ¬ ual. Yet there are these things that can be given in the nature of advice, and which need to be repeated year after year as gentle reminders. A number of articles of great value have appeared in rather recent issues of the Journal upon these points, and cannot do better than refer the reader to some of these. The chapter letter should give all the news of the chapter, yet it is far from desirable for it to be a mere recital of dry facts. Kappa Alpha has always pursued the policy of giving the secretaries a great deal of loose rein, and I believe it a wise policy. Our chapter letters are differ¬ ent from those of nearly all the fraternities, and I am glad of it. The Journal is largely for the active members, they support it, and therefore its pages should be open to them. The duties of the C. S. are not confined to writing the chapter letter or making the formal reports required by law. The Chapter Secretary is the Assistant Editor for that par¬ ticular chapter. It should be his endeavor to get every sub¬ scription for the Journal he can. He should furnish the Edi- tor-in-Chief notes of the alumni that come into prominence, move, marry or die. In fact he should see that the Journal gets all the news of the alumni and active members of his chapter, and of any other members of the order he can. Editors are, no doubt, very much hampered by having to seek for these, instead of having them eagerly sent. The C. S. should also procure for the Journal such contributions as are worthy of publication.
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EXCHANGES. i°5 The chapters owe a very high duty to the institution at which it is located. This obligation is second only to the duties it owes the general fraternity and itself. If it cannot fill all these duties then it is high time for the chapter to have its charter withdrawn. No fraternity man wants to see a chapter of its Order, at a college or university which has anything but a good reputation. And for that reason every chapter should do everything it can to preserve and increase its reputation for all that is good. Get all the good students you can for your college and do everything that you can to assist the faculty in carrying out its ends. A chapter tnay win for itself an impregnable position by earning the respect of the faculty, and yet be far from servile to them. Let each chapter do all it can as a body to uphold the highest princi¬ ples of college honor. Acting as a body, a chapter can be¬ come very influential in college life. See that this power is used for good and not for evil. Help build up the literary societies, the Y. M. C. A., the athletics, the social standing — in fact the whole college. We quote from the Caduceus upon what the fraternity should mean to the alumni. “There is nothing more detestable than to hear a man say, “I was a Fraternity man when at College.” He has forgotten that the Fraternity oath is unlimited, that its bonds cannot be put on to-day and shuffled off to-morrow. He has ceased to regard the fact that through his Chapter membership and Fraternity ties there have come to him benefits in life which but for that membership and those ties would in all probability have left him on the shifting sands of unfilled hope. Certainly then, he is more than an ingrate who joins a Fraternity when a mere friendless Freshman, and, after enjoying and benefiting by the influence and posi¬ tion therebv afforded him, calmly tells one, after the days of his college life are over, “ I was a Fraternity man.” ” Also from an editorial in the same magazine : “The conclave saw fit to re-elect the editor of The Caduceus, and, consequently, there will be no departure from the general policy and tone of the magazine during the next two years. There will, however, be an effort made to establish a’ uniform standard of excellence in contributed ar¬ ticles that will be higher than formerly, and the tone of the chapter correspondence, it is hoped, will be made less pro¬ vincial and puerile. To this end the editor naturally ex¬ pects the chapter correspondents and other brothers who
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106 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. possess the capacity to produce acceptable literary material to give him more consistent and continuous aid than in the past. A fraternity magazine is a very important factor in the work of a fraternity, and, in fact, is really indispensable if the chapter roll of the fraternity is at all large, but it must be a magazine of some worth, and to make it so there must be in its pages constant discussion of current fraternity and college topics by able writers, and there must also be tbe regular expression of new and original ideas for fraternity progress by the best thinkers in the fraternity. In short, the magazine, to be a success, must so present the best thoughts of a wide range of fraternity members upon topics old and new that the young brothers will derive permanent benefit and inspiration therefrom. The following from Mr. Baird will be of interest to our chapter secretaries in particular. “ In our chapter correspondence we notice an increasing tendency to the use of slang and colloquial expressions. The secretaries might profitably examine their letters with a view to the elimination of such terms. Some of them are offensive, some inaccurate, some amusing, but all are inel¬ egant and inapt. “ Beta Theta Pi is a fraternity, a brotherhood. It is em¬ phatically not an ‘order’ nor a ‘ frat.’ With rare ex¬ ceptions, the institutions of learning to which our chapters are attached can not properly be referred to as ‘schools.’ They are properly colleges or universities. It is not felicitous to say of a senior at a renowned university that ‘he remained out of school this year.’ The performance of work at the the university, or the prosecution of a course of study after a degree has been conferred upon the student, is very inac¬ curately described by saying that he is ‘ posting ’ meaning that he is taking post-graduate work in certain lines of study. Students do not “ make ” their degrees. Degrees are received by the students and conferred usually by the trustees of the college. Neither do students ‘ make ’ so¬ cieties. Societies are made up of students. Commonly persons are invited to become members of the college frater¬ nities. They are not ‘ bid,’ although in some places, sad to relate, the scramble for members at times resembles an auction. We have indicated here a few of the current ex¬ pressions found in our correspondence which might profit¬ ably be omitted. ”
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EXCHANGES. 107 We quote from an article in the Delta Upsilon Quarterly , upon “ Chapter Discipline, 1 ’ that gives the other side of the question in regard to the new members : “ It is something appalling to a conservative Delta U. to hear men, who have been in the fraternity anywhere from ten days to three weeks, expressing themselves with the utmost freedom upon matters of chapter policy, and even proposing instructions for delegates to the general conven¬ tion. The fact is that many of our upper classmen have gone altogether too far in the promotion of brotherly equa - ity and self-abnegation. Unless a senior is admittedly a fool, he must, after three years’ experience, know more about chapter affairs than a man who has not yet passed his novitiate. The exaggerated ideas of equality, which un¬ doubtedly prevail in some of our chapters, can do the chap¬ ter itself nothing but harm, for a fresman is not, by reason of his inexperience, fitted to guide or manage a chapter. As to the effect of this policy of equality upon the man himself, it has been urged that to encourage a freshman to express his opinions, to advance him to office, and to treat him in every way as the peer of any member, ensures his loyalty. The writer has, however, known freshmen who, because of this same policy, never were put down, and have, as a consequence, shown a tendency to ignore, or regard with indifference the traditions and principles of the frater¬ nity. Familiarity breeds contempt in the mind of youth. Certainly world-wide experience has not taught us that new students should be ranked as equals of upper classmen in a university. In England, France and Germany, problems of student discipline have been studied for some centuries, and the English schools and colleges have evolved the fag sys¬ tem, which requires an under classman, be he noble or gentle, to fetch and carry for his senior, to brush clothes, run errands and make himself useful generally. I11 German universities, the freshman or “ Fuchs,” is obliged to obey, not only one senior, but each and every senior who may choose to set him a task ; he is ‘‘little fox ” for everybody. France has a similar order, and our own older colleges have been deeply influenced by these systems, and possess them, only in a less degree. Ordinarily a freshman comes from some high school, where he is one among a few to whom a college education is possible ; perhaps, also, he is an only son. Once matriculated, he has showered upon him the attentions and favors of the rushing season , and what wonder is it that he
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108 THE KAPPA ALPHA THETA. regards himself as a superior person ? When you add to this that he is placed in office in the fraternity and listened to on questions of which, manifestly, he knows little or nothing, then, if familiarity has not bred contempt or in¬ difference in the mind of such a freshman, at least he has missed the chance of his life to learn gracefully , and at kind¬ ly hands, that the way to salvation is through the gate of humility, and that a sense of one’s own significance is a man’s first victory. Many an incipient case of egoism and selfishness has been cured by timely administration of dis¬ cipline.”