Kappa Alpha Theta Journal, Vol. 16 no. 1
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Kappa Alpha Theta Published by the Fraternity Edited by Alpha Gamma Chapter VOL XVI NOVEMBER 1901— MAY 1902 EDITH D. COCKINS, Editor-in-chief Columbus, Ohio
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CONTENTS OF VOLUME XVI After College — What Florence Lippincott . 218 “Aloha oe” Charlotte Hall . 253 Alpha’s Trinity M. E. S . .... 235 Alumnae Department . 101 ? 175^ 272 A Message from Porto Rico Mrs. C. B. Hobart . 255 Among the Greeks ... . 133 200 Business Methods M. E. S. Scott . 23 Chapter Letters . 34, 104, 179, 274 Chapter Ties Adelaide Hoffman . 220 Columbia University Florence Sill . ... 139 Ata/ieyA/ieOa . 25, 91, 164, 263 A Paying Investment . .28 A Plea for the Timid Girl . 26 Appreciation . . A Suggestion . 93,165 A System of Preparation for Fraternity Examinations .... 95 Chapter Economics . . Give — and It Shall Be Given unto You . 94 La Raison d’etre . 28 Let Us Love One Another . . . . Igg Our Opportunities . Igg Pi’s Asking Day . . Reciprocity . 26 The Journal . . The Thinkers and the Workers ... 168 Editorials . . 31, 97, 172, 268 Exchanges . 62, 134, 202 Gamma District— President’s Letter L. Pearle Green . 261 Inter-Fraternity Relations Marguerite Campion . 246 Loyalty Helen M. Eastwick . 88 Notes and Clippings . 294 Notes and Personals . 197 Ohio State University . . . . Personals . 66> ]28, 197, 292 President’s Letter Ed?iah H, H ickson . 259 Report of the Educational Committee May K. Flannery .... 248 Stanford University Florence Heyzvood . 209 The Convention in its Social Aspect Florence L. Bell . 12
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The Fraternity’s Growth M. Edith Bell . 250 The Functions of College Settlements Helen Ruth Balmer . . 160 The Grand Council 1901-1903 . 17 The President’s Message Ednah H. Wickson . 21 The Success of the Convention of 1901 Myra M. Post . 9 The University of California Muriel Ransom . 154 The Woman’s College of Baltimore Mary P. Boss . 79 The Women’s University Club of New York Henrietta Weber . 139 University of Illinois Louise Jones . 67 University of Minnesota Grace Lavayea . 223 Women's Fraternities Myra Post . 72
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me 16 No. KAPPA ALPHA THETA Published by the Fraternity. Edited by Alpha Gamma Chapter. JANUARY MARCH MAY NOVEMBER TABLE OF CONTENTS November Fifth, 1901 Ohio State University, . 1 The Success of the Convention of 1901 — Myra Post, 9 The Convention in its Social Aspect — Florence L. Bki.l, - 22 The Grand Council 1901-1903, . 17 The President’s Message — Ednah H. Wickson, - 21 Business Methods — Mary E. S. Scott, . 23 Aniteyuut'Qa, 25 Appreciation* . 25 Reciprocity, - 26 A Plea for the Timid Girl, . 26 A Paying Investment, - 28 La Raison d’etre, . 28 Editorials, 31 Chapter Letters, . 34 Personals, 56 Exchanges, - . 62 Address everything intended for publication, and all business com" munications to EDITH D. COCKINS, 1348 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio. fi^iTAll material intended for publication should reach the editor before October 5, December 5, February 5 , April 5. TERMS: $1.00 per Year, payable in advance; 25 cents Single Copy; Sample Copy Free. Kappa Alpha Theta will be sent to all subscribers until ordered discontinued and arrearages paid, as required by law. Entered at the Post Office at Columbus as second-class matter.
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FRATERNITY DIRECTORY GRAND COUNCIL President — Ednah Harmon Wickson, Berkeley, Cal. Vice-Presidents— Adelaide Hoffman, 356 Henry St., Brooklyn, N.Y. AiyTA MiEEER, 1707 Hinman Ave., Evanston, Ill. Pearce Green, Stanford University, California. Secretary— PeareE Green, Stanford University, California. Treasurer — Mary E. S. Scott, 32 Broadway, New York City. Editor— Edith D. Cocktns, 1343 Neil Ave., Columbus, Ohio. EDITORIAL BOARD OF KAPPA ALPHA THETA Editor-in-Cfiief— Edith D. Cockins, 1348 Neil Ave., Columbus, O. ADVISORY BOARD Esther Stafford Tayeor Anna Wieeiams M. Edith Beee Mary Loren Grace Eageeson Katherine Earey Editor of the Catalogue— M. Edith BEEE, 382 East Town Street, Columbus, Ohio.
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Ifa, U) » 7.
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CORRESPONDING SECRETARIES ALPHA DISTRICT President — Adelaide Hoffman, 356 Henry St., Brooklyn, N. Y. Iota, Cornell University— Harriet Bishop, Sage College, Ithaca, N.Y. Lambda, University of Vermont— Helen L. Hodge, 88 North Prospect St., Burlington, Vt. Mu, Allegheny College— Ruth Townley, Meadville, Pa. Chi, Syracuse University— Eva M. Smith, “The Castle,” Irving Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. Alpha Beta, Swarthmore College— Helen M. Eastwick, Swartli- more, Pa. Alpha Delta, Woman’s College of Baltimore— Grace E. Simis, Woman’s College of Baltimore, Baltimore, Md. Alpha Epsilon, Brown University— Ella A. Pollard, Brown Univer¬ sity, Providence, R. I. Alpha Zeta, Barnard College— Annie L. Seward, 48 Hawthorne Ave., East Orange, N. J. Gamma Alumnae— Ruth C. Overton, 281 Claremont Avenue, Brook¬ lyn, N. Y. Eta Alumnae, Ruth Ida Norton, Shelburne, Vt. BETA DISTRICT President— Alta Miller, 1707 Hinman Ave., Evanston, Ill. Alpha, De Pauw University — Ruth Baker, Greencastle, Ind. Beta, Indiana State University — Alberta Kennedy, Indiana State University, Bloomington, Ind. Delta, University of Illinois— Louise Brookings, K. A. 0. House, Champaigne, Ill. Epsilon, Wooster University — Mary B. Notestein, Wooster, O. Eta, University of Michigan — Zella Zerefa Fay, 1008 Hill St., Ann Arbor, Mich. Kappa, University of Kansas — Helen Williams, 1225 Tennessee Ave., Lawrence, Kansas. Pi, Albion College — Alice Wixom, 404 E. Porter St., Albion, Mich. Rho, University of Nebraska — Ella Bradford Harper, 1435 G. St., Lincoln, Neb. Tau, Northwestern University — Grace F. Havens, 1707 Hinman Ave., Evanston, Ill. Upsilon, University of Minnesota— Ruth Leonard, 1067 15th Ave., S. E., Minneipolis, Minn. Psi, University of Wisconsin — Ada C. Lloyd, Chadbourne Hall, Madison, Wis. Alpha Gamma, Ohio State University— Elizabeth Chamberlain, 85 N. 22nd St., Columbus, Ohio.
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Alpha Alumnae, Mrs. John B. DeMotte, Greencastle, Ind. Beta Alumnae, Mrs. Marion Weller-Willett, 315 15th Ave., S. E., Minneapolis, Minn. Delta Alumnae, Irene Baker. Epsilon Alumnae, Edith Hunter, 1032 Bryden Road, Columbus, O. Zeta Alumnae, Hattie Mary Tutewiler, 801 Senate Ave., Indian¬ apolis, Indiana. GAMMA DISTRICT President — L. Pearle Green, Stanford University, California. Phi, Stanford University — Cara Stillman, Stanford Univ., Cal. Omega, University of California — Rowena Moore, K. A. 0. Hall, Berkeley, Cal. The K. A. 0. Club of Southern Cal. — Mrs. Thomas P. McCrea, Los Angeles, Cal.
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Sr'tf rf b B.'S - ' SJL. - — r~-~ - _ ■ ■ ■ -i' ' x III ||f El I,® n ri ■ ■ I,J* li m n ■ n ■ P»' US The Gymnasium University Hall Biological Hall Townshend Hall Orton Hall
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Vol. XVI. No. 1. Kappa Alpha Theta NOVEMBER, 1900. Ohio State University “ Wahoo, Wahoo ! Rip, Zip, Bazoo ! I yell, I yell, for O. S. U. ! ” Ohio State University as an institution of learning is forging rapidly to the front. That it has not in past years been as well known as Cornell, Ann Arbor or the Univer¬ sity of Wisconsin is due to the facts that it is young and that Ohio as a government partially supports two other colleges and hence a division of funds has always been necessary. Each year, however, brings increasing finan¬ cial recognition to the University, and it stands today a tower of strength as an educational center for the state. Fortunately or unfortunately there are more than forty other colleges scattered throughout Ohio, which draw many of our youth to their doors because of local advan¬ tages and religious teachings. On account of this we may never rank with some of the great state universities in the total enrollment of students, but it is the constant aim to equal the best institutions in equipment, spirit and work. Ohio State University is a land grant College, subse¬ quently endowed by taxes from the government. Jt is still in its youth, having just passed the twenty-fifth anni¬ versary, and yet it has grown from its one building and handful of students to fifteen buildings and fifteen hun¬ dred students, and taxes the strength of one hundred and
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2 KAPPA ALPHA THETA fifty instructors. Six colleges are represented : Agricul¬ ture and Domestic Science, Arts, Philosophy, and Science, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine. The growth of the University in every department has been remarkable. Within the past four years, Townshend Hall, the Armory and the Biological Hall have been built, University Hall each at an average expenditure of over one hundred thousand dollars. The Law building is now in process of construction, and a Physics building and Woman’s build¬ ing are expected to follow soon. The University grounds embrace some three hundred and forty acres of land, forty of which constitute the campus proper. Over this the buildings, differing in styles
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OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 3 of architecture and in materials, are scattered. The wide expanse of green and the beautiful shade trees make it un¬ necessary that conformity in architectural design be fol¬ lowed. Between the buildings in a little ravine, there is a famous spring of clear and cold water which feeds a small lake, all shadowy and secluded under the silver poplars that sigh and whisper above it. In the rear of the Gym¬ nasium is the Athletic Field, situated in a most idyllic spot, the lovely little wood backing it, and an apple orchard in front. Down through the sloping fields and meadows is the river, where there is good skating in the winter, and where the friends of flowers and birds and butterflies are frequent st ravers in the spring. The campus is a well kept park, its trees, its slightly rolling surface and its natural beauty advantageously co-operating with what¬ ever improvements are made. The life of the University is about as complex and varied as may be imagined in such an institution, the col¬ leges being a world unto themselves with their own society. In addition there is the city life which gives much that is valuable in lectures, concerts and theatres.
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4 KAPPA ALPHA THE TA There is a goodly number of clubs at the University — all things, for all men is surely the scheme of things. The English, Political Science, Agricultural, Chemical, Law, Engineering, Pharmacy, Ceramics, Biological and Veterinary Departments all have their own clubs or so¬ cieties that meet weekly or monthly. Then there are the general literary societies, four in number, each having its own furnished hall. The Glee and the Mandolin and Guitar Clubs give us our concerts, which are society events, and succeed financially as well. Political clubs, society clubs, dramatic clubs also flourish at the Univer¬ sity. The Wheaton Club is an especially interesting or¬ ganization, formed of students enthusiastic about birds. The society has a record of all species seen by the members on the campus, and the list is probably as long as any college in America could produce. The Women’s Faculty Club is connected with the students by its interest in social events, the members of the club entertaining frequently and aiding in college affairs. The club divides the young women of the University into groups of ten ; a faculty woman is put at the head of each group, whose en¬ deavor it is to know and help, however she may, these
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OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 5 students, by receiving her ten in her home, or by giving advice or help if asked for. Fraternities exist at the University successfully and numerously. The faculty expresses no policy with regard The Spring to them, but the fact that all fraternity parties are chap¬ eroned by faculty members and their wives, a.nd that the College buildings, principally the fine Gymnasium, are often opened for parties and convention meetings, — are
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6 KAPPA ALPHA THETA sufficiently expressive. There are always fine fellows and girls who are not fraternity members, but it is nevertheless considered an honor to wear a pin. The fraternities hav¬ ing chapters here are the following : l’hi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Chi, Phi Delta Theta, Chi Phi, Beta Theta Pi, Kappa Ka.ppa Gamma, Sigma Nu, Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Tan Omega, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Phi, Pi Beta Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Sigma, Delta Delta Delta, Alpha Zeta, Sigma Xi. The University is fairly brimming over with enthusiasm for athletics, and especially are its people inclined to write “football" in flaming letters, for the team is the best in the state, and the only one likely to be ranked with the best teams in the west. The spirit runs high, and with it is the pride not only of victory, but of fairness and clean¬ ness in all sports ; for athletics are under the absolute con¬ trol of a board whose members are equally divided be¬ tween faculty, alumni, and students, and no fellow, how¬ ever valuable as a winning athlete, is allowed to make his public bow unless he be in good trim in classroom work. Also there is enthusiasm for baseball, basketball, tennis, golf and gymnasium work, the last four for women too. Y. W. C. A. and Y. M. C. A. are very strong and valu¬ able organizations, the latter having its own home near the University. Ohio State has been called “The Godless College” by its rivals throughout the state; but the fine enthusiasm for these two organizations, if no other reason, refutes such a statement. There is but little interest in oratory, but a very great deal in debating; and though the University has proved a losing member in most of the recent contests the interest does not seem to wane. The publications are few: The Lantern, the weekly newspaper; the Makio, the annual, with jokes, records, calendars, etc. ; the Ohio Naturalist, published by the Bio¬ logical Club, and the Agricultural Student, both monthly papers. The journals of Kappa Kappa Gamma and of
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OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 7 Kappa Alpha Theta are also published by the local chap¬ ters. The relation of the University and the city is mutually advantageous and pleasant. The football games, the Glee Club concerts, the beauty of the grounds, and the fine spring attract town folk to the campus. The fact that as yet no adequate provision has been made for the especial comfort of women, and that they The Gymnasium and Armory must seek homes in the city .has kept many from entering the University courses, a.nd consequently three-fourths of the girls enrolled are from Columbus. This condition, however, must change within the next few years, for in the classrooms and in the social life of the University, women are received upon a footing identical with men, and the ad¬ vantages are such as to attract a constantly increasing number of earnest students of both sexes to our state in¬ stitution of learning.
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8 KAPPA ALPHA THE! A The absence of all faculty rule has proved most success¬ ful a.t Ohio State ; the students are citizens of the com¬ munity and nowhere in the country is there less disorder. A student is absolutely free to do as his own inclination and conscience permit, provided his classroom work is ac¬ ceptable and he brings in no way discredit upon the name of the University. In every phase of University life the interest and en¬ thusiasm of the Alumni is felt. Well organized associa¬ tions of O. S. U. men are to be found in most of the prom¬ inent cities of the country. Their loyalty and active in¬ terest in University affairs has been far-reaching and has done much to place the fair name of Alma Mater among the great state Universities of the west.
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Thz Significance of the Convention of J90J In several respects the convention of 1901 was a de¬ parture from previous years. In the first place, not since the Chicago meeting of 1893, have we had an early sum¬ mer convention. Secondly, we threw economy to the winds for once, broke through the precedent of a conven¬ tion in the Middle West, we even avoided the pit- fall — Buffalo — and believing that New York itself was none too large for us, pitched our tent in the very heart of the East. “If you’ve ’eard the East a-callin,, you won’t never ’eed naught else.,, The metropolis itself allured us, but most of all we were impelled by the wish to be in the midst of our eastern chapters, from whom we might expect a large delegation. We were not disap¬ pointed ; the eastern element dominated the convention. The benefit from such contact was mutual. We of the West came to know the chapters thus largely represented as we never could know them through a single delegate ; and on the other hand in some cases the whole chapter felt the influence of the convention directly, not indirectly. It is my belief that this opportunity should be given in turn to as many chapters as possible. No one really knows what the fraternity is until she has attended a con¬ vention. In still another particular, we took an unusual step, for we threw ourselves into the hands of our very young¬ est active chapter, which, together with the able members of Gamma Alumnae, showed most remarkable capability in handling the problems of entertainment. Never has a convention been more efficiently and apparently more easily managed. We never even detected anyone oiling the machinery. I remember tha.t the Indianapolis convention surprised me in that there was less important business brought before it than T had expected. The New York convention
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10 KAPPA ALPHA THETA held a surprise of another sort. There seemed to be no end to the work ; it accumulated from day to day, and our program, restricted enough on the surface, seemed to hold infinite possibilities. Withal there was apparently no unnecessary delay, no useless discussion. The dele¬ gates showed both efficiency and willingness to work, and an admirable patience during those busy trying days. The fraternity examinations justified themselves a dozen times over by the good results shown in greater familiarity with the workings of our constitution. Just what the business we accomplished was, of course cannot be told in detail here. We are glad to note, how¬ ever, the general sentiment in favor of the small chapters, and of greater uniformity among chapters. To attain the latter object, an experiment in district organization was decided upon ; during the next two years the innovation of a traveling officer, instead of a convention, will be tried. We await the result with interest. In our work upon the constitution, two conflicting ten¬ dencies were noticeable ; the movement in favor of greater explicitness, and the inclination to trust each chapter to interpret the document wisely and according to the spirit. In general, the former tendency prevailed. In the strug¬ gle between the two perhaps some mistakes were made, haitli in the chapters, in one or two instances, it seemed to me, left too much# latitude in interpretation. It is a diffi¬ cult matter, however, to avoid both Scvlla and Charybdis. I have spoken frequently of a general tendency or senti¬ ment in the convention. This way of speaking is not mere vagueness or exaggeration. The most significant and encouraging characteristic of the meeting was, to my mind, the evident congeniality of the delegates. To one who has been present at many conventions and has watched the growth of the fraternity, there has appeared a constantly increasing uniformity among the chapters. By this uniformity I do not mean the sameness that for¬ bids individuality, but uniformity in standards, which
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SIGNIFICANCE OF CONVENTION OF 1901 11 shows itself in unanimity of opinion when the great funda¬ mental questions are touched upon. Moreover, there were few traces of the old provincialism which was once so strong in our fraternity; the delegates, for the most part, seemed to consider themselves acting for the frater¬ nity, rather than for a particular chapter. The development of our fraternity has taken place, with¬ out doubt, along much the same lines as that of any other, yet one cannot help marvelling at the change, as if it were unique. We have not seen much of the spirit of provincialism in our day (though unfortunately it is not quite dead yet), but a study of our past history shows that during the first years of our existence, the obligation which a chapter felt to the general fraternity was very slight. Like the American colonies under the Articles we were united by a rope of sand. We were a federation of sovereign powers, not a strong union. We even find that there was distrust and jealousy among the chapters. With the more efficient organization that has gradually been cemented since, have come harmony, a sense of re¬ sponsibility, and a more catholic spirit. Alumnae of fif¬ teen or twenty years ago tell us in all frankness that their fraternity life was no such thing as the fraternity life of today, tlmt it was no such powerful force in their lives; and many of these alumnae are first finding out the true meaning of fraternity through relations established re¬ cently with the present active chapters. It is easy to un¬ derstand how many such alumnae have lost their interest in the fraternity; it would not be ea.sv, if they had had the fraternity experience we have had. The last stroke of business of the convention was a piece of characteristic originality. I have heard it said that in an organization like ours the center of gravity should be frequently shifted. In obedience to this prin¬ ciple, the Journal was transferred from the East to the middle section, and the presidency and secretaryship car¬ ried to California. Though there are a few mechanical ob-
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12 KAPPA ALPHA THETA stacks to the prompt conduct of affairs with the head of the Council so far from the other members, the foresight and fine executive force of our new President will rise superior to all difficulties. The Council is almost an en¬ tirely new one ; therefore we may expect an infusion of new life in the administration. We are confident that this new life will have all the freshness, vigor, and stability of the strong, young civilization which our President rep¬ resents. Myra M. Post. The Convention in its Social Aspect It is not unlikely tha.t we shall be accused of platitudes, if the last convention continues to be named the best , when its estimate is recorded. And yet, the one held last July can be sincerely chronicled as better and superior to those preceding it. It was, in the first place, held in the East, an advantage in itself. For not only was an opportunity given to far and middle west chapters to visit New York, but the ele¬ ment of distance was removed, an obstacle which has pre¬ vented eastern Thetas in number, from attending conven¬ tions in Chicago, Madison and Indianapolis. To judge a chapter through the medium of but one delegate, is to judge it quite imperfectly. The Fourteenth Biennial Convention then afforded a very splendid oppor¬ tunity, to us of Beta and Gamma Districts, of meeting the chapters from Barnard, Swarthmore, Baltimore, Cor¬ nell and Brown, almost as a whole. And then the trend of travel was so markedly east, this summer, that many were able to include New York in plans for their Exposition trip, and so attend the conven¬ tion. Another very favorable point gained, by the place of meeting, was the fact that while independently entertained at a hotel, we at the same time enjoyed the delightful offices of a local college chapter, which arranged for our every
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THE CONVENTION IN ITS SOCIAL ASPECT 13- comfort. And when one recalls the exhausting heat which fell upon us just before the 8th, the energy and zeal which inspired Alpha Zeta and Gamma Alumnae chapters, is the more appreciated. Our arrival had been preceded by such judicious planning and arranging, that we were not cognizant of any plans at all. The surest evidence that tact and discretion and ability to do, were behind the whole ! The delegates and visitors having, for the most part, arrived during Tuesday, we were given an opportunity to meet in the assembly rooms that evening. Miss Hoffman, the Chairman of the Reception Com¬ mittee, had been the means of many introductions, when¬ ever her numerous duties permitted. At the evening re¬ ception we were introduced a little more formally, albeit the whole affair was agreeably free from formality. A spirit of charming hospitality and cordiality pervaded this welcome, a spirit which we must inevitably associate here¬ after with Alpha Zeta Chapter. One could not fail to be impressed with their genuineness, sincere and enthusiastic loyalty to the fraternity, and an evident desire to make the convention’s visitors their guests. On the following evening, — Wednesday, — we indulged in a trip to Manhattan Beach. The obstacle of distance apparently had not deterred our hostesses from giving us a delightful outing. A party of seventy-five were taken by elevated and ferry to Brooklyn, where chartered cars con¬ veyed us soon to the Beach. A long car ride seemed particularly refreshing after a warm day in town, and we luxuriated in crisp breezes and conversation, at the same time. Happily the moon was at its best when we arrived and its weird shadows lent ad¬ ditional charm to the ocean for those who preferred its beauties to the more dazzling attractions of concert or theatre. Thursday afternoon was reserved for a visit to Barnard College, and we accordingly adjourned at three. Un-
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14 KAPPA ALPHA THETA fortunately for us, Columbia is over a hundred squares from where we were, and much time was unavoidably lost in getting to and from our destination. But for the many who had not seen tlia.t beautiful Acropolis of New York (as it has been called), the pleasure was worth going much further for. Barnard’s halls lie high above the city on Morningside Heights, with the grandeur of Grant's tomb, the vast Cathedral of St. John the Divine, now building, and the handsome buildings of Columbia, as a setting. Our time permitted only cursory views of the buildings, but the whole left an impression of symmetry, and quiet dignity' and culture. Again, Alpha Zeta became hostesses, and this time very fittingly in their own attractive chapter room in Fiske Hall. Here we saw them as a chapter, with fraternity atmosphere surrounding us. The affair took on the aspect of an afternoon tea, where chapter joys and plans and confidences could be exchanged, while mirth and chat lent all the features that college girls’ teas possess. The setting sun over the Hudson reminded us of the fleeting hours, and we regretfully left for The Albert, to prepare for theatre or calls, the evening having been left to our own disposal. Friday, the last day of four happy and profitable ones, was upon 11s before we knew it. The banquet was ar¬ ranged for the evening and the hour was crowded upon by the last long afternoon session. Toward nine o’clock, ninety girls, attractive in evening gowns, were seated at the long banquet tables, a table across the end of three, having been made the place of honor for old and new Grand Officers, and for Thetas up¬ on the toast programme. Music and flowers, good cheer and conversation were late in giving way to toasts. Miss Post presided, and the strain and fatigue which must have been hers after performing the arduous duties
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THE PROGRAMME 15 as President, were unselfishly hidden neatli tact and gen¬ tle dignity, which characterized all she has done for the fraternity. Miss Hoffman very gracefully extended to her, for Kappa Alpha Theta, the deep gratitude and ap¬ preciation felt by the whole fraternity, calling it in fanciful conceit a love letter, expressed in roses. Our retiring officer, though assuring us that she could not answer love letters, hid her embarrassed pleasure behind the great bunch of flowers and responded very beautifully. You will be more interested in the toasts themselves than in wha.t my pen might say of them. I regret their universal excellence may not be reproduced. L’Envoi, in verse, sparkled with wit and originality. When Miss Wickson (Omega), spoke on “The Old Order and the New,” her charming simplicity and woman¬ ly grace of character, impressed her hearers very deeply. We could not but feel that though “The old order changeth, giving place to new,” it was, in form merely, and that the policies, standards, and ideals of Kappa Alpha Theta, so well sustained in Miss Post’s administration, would be cherished faithfully and maintained in the new regime. THE PROGRAMME “Our Metropolitan Chapters.” Again the feast, the speech, the glee, The shade of passing thought, the wealth Of words and wit — the double health, The Crowning Cup, the three times three.” Miss Faris — Alpha. “Vive La Compagnie !” Song. Let every good Theta now rise from her seat. Vive la Kappa Alpha Theta. “The Benighted.” “They that walk in darkness and have no light.” Miss Leete — Alpha Epsilon.
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16 KAPPA ALPHA THETA 'The Song of the Sirens.” — Song. Miss Ray — Tau. “The Siege Perilous.” And Merlin called it the ‘‘Siege Perilous, Perilous for good and ill, “for there,” he said, “No man could sit, but he should lose himself.” Miss Scott. “The Old Order and the New.” “The old order changeth, giving place to new.” Miss Wickson. “L’Envoi.” “Tomorrow to fresh woods and pastures new.” Miss Seward — Alpha Zeta. Florence Louise Bell — Epsilon Alumnae.
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The Grand Council of 1901 1903 Ednah Harmon Wickson, Grand President, was graduated from the University of California with the class of 1898. The following year she took post-graduate work in English and received the degree of M. L. She repre¬ sented Omega Chapter at the grand convention of 1897, and served on the educational committee as chairman, from 1897 to 1901. She was President of Gamma District from 1899 to 1901. Adelaide C. Hoffman, President of Alpha. District, was born and educated in New York, entered Barnard Col¬ lege in 1895, and received the degree of A. B. in June, 1899. Miss Hoffman was a charter member of Alpha Zeta Chapter, which chapter she represented in Indianapolis Convention of ’99. She was representative of Gamma Alumnae in New York Convention of 1901-, where she was elected President of Alpha District. Since February, 1901, Miss Hoffman has been instructor in Erasmus Hall High School, Brooklyn, N. Y. Alta Dorothy Miller, newly-elected President of Beta District, wa.s a member of the class of ’97 in Northwestern University, and returned the following year for post-grad¬ uate work. Since tnat time she has been studying in the College of Music at Northwestern. Miss Miller repre¬ sented Ta.u Chapter in Beta District Convention of 1898. Lillian Pearle Green, the Grand Secretary and Gamma District President, is a native of Indiana, where she lived until prepared for college. She entered Stanford Univer¬ sity and was graduated with the class of ’98.
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18 KAPPA ALPHA THETA In her senior year she was appointed assistant in the University Library, where she continued to serve for two years after graduation. Since her graduation she has de¬ voted her time to library work and during the year 1900 and 1901, was a student in the New York State Library School, returning in August, 1901. to the Stanford Library as Chief Assistant Librarian. Miss Mary E. S. Scott, Grand Treasurer, was educated at Allegheny College and the University of Chicago. For a number of years she taught in high schools and normal schools of the west and northwest. For two years she has been associated with Mr. George Davidson Rogers in literary and scientific work in New York City. At the Indianapolis Convention in 1899, Miss Scott was elected President of Alpha District and Grand Treasurer of the General Fraternity. In 1901, at New York, she was re-elected Grand Treasurer. Edith D. Cockins, editor of the Journal , was graduated in 1894 from Ohio State University, returning the follow¬ ing year for graduate work. In 1895 she was elected Reg¬ istrar of the University, which position she now holds. Miss Cockins represented Alpha Gamma in district con¬ vention, 1893, and Epsilon Alumnae in Grand Convention at Madison, 1897, and in September, 1901, was elected editor of “Kappa Alpha Theta.”
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f LPearle-Gree-n GRAND SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT OF , - GAMMA DISTRICT. \LTA Dorothv^^ i PRESIDENT *’ OF £ **BETA DISTRICT' JOURNAL IfoxVGRANDJjiffl LvNSPRESIDtNTlr tOlTH D.COCK'^ E-DITOR U OF THE* ' ^Ai“h1CK MarV t'- -r Grand > .of hFMAN AK Treasurer- Alpha District
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The President's Message To Every Member of Kappa Alpha Theta, Greeting: Let us clasp hands across the wide continent today, and resolve anew to bear each her part in the responsibilities given to her. I am no longer fearful for the trust you have committed to me, for you have placed around me on every side on the Grand Council loyal supporters, whose energy and will¬ ingness to serve the Fraternity is their paramount aim. With your interests in their hands I bid you as we enter upon this new administration to have confidence and high hopes for the prosperity of our Fraternity. It has done me good, it will do you good, members of the active chap¬ ters, to look to the women, our alumnae, who are at pre¬ sent representing us in the world. Let the high standard they have reached inspire you to nobler efforts. Through the diligence of the Grand Council we will become cogniz¬ ant of your every department oi activity— we will know our chapters thoroughly, promising to be no more critical of faults than we are appreciative of good efforts and re¬ sults. To make the work of our Council and Committees successful, let us resolve to give prompt attention to all pleas and directions— let us vie with one another in the loyal support of our Treasurer, Secretary, Journal, Cata¬ logue, and Educational Committee. Above all else, in my greeting to you, I would urge up¬ on you the importance and privilege of your position as college women. Let each member of Kappa Alpha Theta always be ready with a noble sympathy and willing help¬ fulness for all the activities and interests of her Alma Mater. It is through such efforts that we ennoble our Fraternity. By extending our interest to our college, we naturally imply an interest in her every department, liter¬ ary and social, and all the organizations by which her in¬ terests are made effective. May our associations with all
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22 KAPPA ALPHA THETA the women in our colleges be to them and to us, ever a joyful memory. It is my pleasure to announce to you the establishment of our Iota alumnae chapter in Los Angeles, California. Faithfully in Kappa Alpha Theta. Ednah Harmon Wickson. Business Methods In fear lest my bold advice of a few weeks ago prove a boom-erang and rebound upon my own head, I shall at¬ tempt to call the attention of those many Thetas who need it, to a few points of business laxity. I will also try to suggest a remedy. The business side of fraternity life has come very near to me during the past two years and has also become very dear to me in every sense of the word. The belief has gradually grown upon me that with all our study and pre¬ paration for fraternity examinations, it is simply for that one end alone a.nd that we are making no real use of the knowledge thus gained toward a better and healthier chap¬ ter and fraternity life. First of all permit me to make a few general sugges¬ tions ; a few of which were touched upon at the recent convention. As the chapter is known through its corresponding sec¬ retary, it behooves us to make a wise choice in the selec¬ tion of our representative. Select a girl who has been a member of the chapter at least a year ; one who has some natural liking for the work and one who does not neglect her own letter and theme-writing. She will be less apt to neglect the chapter work. The duties of each officer are plainly set forth in the Constitution and By-Laws of the Fraternity and Chapter.
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BUSINESS METHODS 25 These instructions should be followed to the letter. Im¬ press upon each officer of the chapter the necessity for promptness in sending reports, dues and attending to in¬ quiries generally. When one or two chapters fail to mail their reports until a month or more after they are due, the annoyance caused the Grand Council is great, espe¬ cially to those members whose own reports depend upon the reports of the chapters. If the reports are due the first of the month, see that they are on hand on the first and not on the fifteenth ; if they are due on the fifteenth, they should be on hand the fifteenth ; and not come in some time during the following vacation. When work opens in the fall take care to provide enough blanks of the various kinds for the year. You will then not be annoyed by having to order and perhaps wait for a supply. Each member of the Fraternity knows exactly how much is due the chapter and general fraternity treasury. It is her business to plan her finances accordingly. Pay to the chapter treasurer at the opening of the year the amount due the chapter treasury, and in addition the tax for the general fraternity. Take from the treasurer a re¬ ceipt and let the receipt state explicitly for what purpose the amount received is intended. Then when the time comes to turn the chapter tax over to the Grand Treas¬ urer there is no delay or annoyance in collecting from different members of the chapter. Your treasurer is conscious that much naming is oft a weariness to the flesh. She has, however, tried to make it as easy for you as possible, so would again ask that in sending moneys you use the name given in the latest number of the Journal. When personal checks are sent, remember to add the amount required for collecting out-of-town checks. The treasurer is not the only one of the Grand Council who has had her trials during the years past. Certain other officers have from time to time asked for certain
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24 KAPPA ALPHA THETA papers and have failed to receive any response to their requests. This is not only not business, but it is not polite or sisterly. It is the firm belief of the writer that much of the illness of our worthy Editor was due to her trials with the Chap¬ ter Correspondents. At least it ought to have made her ill, even if it did not. We are all human, I know, and alas ! we are all women, but in closing let me beg of you to try to overcome the tendency to do business “just like a woman.” Let us in¬ stead become business-women. Mary E. S. Scott.
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J l A A EVUMESA J laXeyameBa — “Let us talk it over together” — not alone the Grand Council and the older girls, for whom a Journal talk is mere pastime — but all of us. You may tlrr.k that anything you can say is already trite, but with a new personality back of the experience related and the ideas expressed, a new interest and meaning will be read out of the humblest contribution to these few pages. We ought to make this part of our journal a sort of cosey- corner where Thetas, though absent far, one from an¬ other, may yet talk over informally the serious, semi- serious, and perhaps even the trivial things that come to us in our college life. Let’s prove the proverb of wo¬ man’s garrulity by getting in edgewise, if in no more commodious way, our word to Theta. It would be interesting to read in the next Journal something from a Freshman’s pen, would it not? Whence shall come the first voice of this year’s initiate? Appreciation — Has the nervous hurry of the Fall term left us a mo¬ ment for quiet thoughts about the deeper meaning of an¬ other year of college? We have missed so much before, and we may again, by not taking into our University life a consciously sympathetic mood — a mood that makes us appreciative of our fine privileges ; the privilege not only of a deeper acquaintance with books, but of coming in close contact again with the cultured minds of our in¬ structors, and the responsive hearts of the lovable girls about us. It is a truth, though hopelessly old, that col¬ lege joys have no rival, and we miss a priceless thing, if we do as so many others have done, — live each day with onlv a piece-meal appreciation ; appreciation of this par¬ ticular pleasure, and of that special honor, alone : under¬ neath it all should be a constant, glowing recognition of our opportunities for self-development, for influence, and social pleasure.
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26 KAPPA ALPHA THETA Do we sometimes care to be thought the first fraternity in college, more than we ca.re to be the first, whether so recognized or not? Is it ever true that our efforts to im¬ press are greater than our efforts to be? “When one shouts to hear the echo of his own voice, it is not called eloquence.” Reciprocity — “Affections are a sing’lar kind o' property; hain't good for nothin’ ’til you’ve gin ’em away.” Since the reopen¬ ing of college, Thetas have been proving the truth of Uncle Eb’s philosophy. And what a. privilege it is, not only to possess our new girls and their avowed affections, but to experience the infinitely greater joy of sharing with them the sincerest and best that is in us ! The year has for us such high possibilities for mutual benefit: we are all sisters, having within our reach the miracle of endow¬ ing each other with worthy qualities by little more than a sympathetic recognition of their beginnings. A Pica for the Timid Girl — Is there a chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta that has not among its numbers the timid girl? Would a chapter be complete if it were made up entirely of capable, self-re¬ liant girls, whose ability to perform any task assigned them is never doubted, and whose unfailing energy is a source of never-ending wonder and admiration to her less confident sister? Perhaps no other girl in the chapter is so much misun¬ derstood, so often needlessly wounded by thoughtless words or actions on the part of her sisters in the fraternity as the timid girl. She is the one who is oftener than any other referred to as a “sweet little thing, but not an espec¬ ially strong fraternity girl.” Do you, Thetas, know the strength of that girl ; have you ever sounded the depth and sweetness of her character? Do you know how much
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A PLEA FOR A TIMID GIRL 27 womanliness and desire for companionship is hidden be¬ neath that quiet, shrinking exterior? Are you doing all you can to develop that girl’s character, to bring her into closer contact with the rest of her chapter, to help her broaden and expand under the influence of Theta love and sympathy ? Is it right for the rest of you Thetas to assume all the responsibilities, when the timid girl is bound by her pledge to the fraternity to do her part? How can she do it when she sees other Thetas shouldering the burdens, with a self-confident spirit, while she stands waiting and wistful, longing to help, but fearing to make any over¬ tures, lest they be ignored? Have you ever considered that it is the timid girl who has the better standing among non-fraternity college women, that it is she who unconsciously heals the little wounds which have been made by the more aggressive girl of the fraternity? While she is doing that much for you outside of the chapter, cannot you do something for her within its circle? Too often the timid girl is unduly conscious of the lack of that necessary something which makes it impossible for her to meet other Thetas even half-way in their efforts to bring her into the fraternal circle. Is it not only in accordance with true Theta spirit for you who make friendships easily, to go a little farther, and little by little draw your sister out of her shell of timidity into the light and sunshine of Theta fellowship? Let her gradually come to realize that she is a very necessary part of her chapter ; go to her for sympathy in your little woes ; ask her advice in your undertakings ; give her something to do for Theta that will make her forget self, and take from her that brooding sensitiveness, which will slowly but surely warp her nature, and mar her influence for good among her fraternity sisters.
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28 KAPPA ALPHA THETA A Paying Investment— The connection between a large chapter roll and a large income was startlingly disclosed at our convention in New York this summer. When an endeavor was made to limit a chapters’ membership to a congenial number it was contended that a large membership in a certain instance was essential to the support of a fraternity house. Here¬ tofore we had considered a comfortable chapter house as a means to an end, but now being enlightened we under¬ stand that the house itself is the end and the conglomerate chapter the means. Noble the ambition of a chapter which exists for its hotel facilities and happy the Theta who is tolerated as a star boarder! The idea though novel to most of us presents infinite possibilities in this age of commercialism. Far be it from us to discuss it lightlv. A. L. S. La Raison d'etre — We cannot refute the constant criticism and condem¬ nation of fraternities by mere avowal that they are bene¬ ficial ; we must prove it, not only by words, but by deeds. It will accomplish little to say that a. University is better off because of fraternities and that a girl is better off for being in one, if we do not give practical evidence of the outside world that this is true. And of what does this evidence consist? Of developing and increasing the vir¬ tues and diminishing the evils. The first evil is the “rushing” system which all admit is to be condemned, and for which, no one has ever been able to suggest an adequate substitute or even a remedy. It would be much better if an agreement could be made that no bids should be given until the second semester ; that no rushing should be done by means of parties, flowers or anything outside the usual school routine, except perhaps
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LA RAISON D'ETRE 29 a limited number of calls. This would not take the time that should be given to study and would give all concern¬ ed an opportunity of getting acquainted, each with the other as they really are, and not merely as they appear in society. There would be fewer mistakes made, and better satisfaction generally, if all the fraternities could see the wisdom of adopting some such plan. If this is impossible, let us make our “rushing” as little objectionable as possible. Let us remember to be courteous, broad-minded, just, and charitable. Let us be willing to see that a girl is not necessarily unlovable because she prefers others to us, and that the “others” are not essentially under-handed, spite¬ ful and generally unworthy because they happen to be the objects of her preference. We should try to cultivate dig¬ nity in this most undignified work, and we must remember that a girl who is really worth the winning, is to be won not bv display of those things which we are accustomed to designate as “swell” but by the evidence of those quali¬ ties which will assure her that she is among those with whom she will find true friendship. We can be sure of this. We know that we do not value a girl for her large house or for her fine clothes, but rather for her real self. If, however, we are to choose wisely, we must not forget that many girls who do not particularly attract at first, ha.ve the sterling qualities that really count. Thus we gather together girls of character, and the numerous evils found in fraternity life will find no foothold and no en¬ couragement. The first essential in any person, is the earnest and sin¬ cere desire to improve. This means constant watchful¬ ness, constant putting down of self in thought and word and deed. All must be patient, charitable, loving, seeking the good of others rather than their own selfish ends. I know no better place to learn unselfishness, forebearance and tact than in a fraternity where there are constantly different views, and some one must give way. It must
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30 KAPPA ALPHA THETA not be always the same, lest the stronger rule and the weaker lose her individuality. Each should feel that the responsibility of the fraternity rests upon her, and she should decide each question for herself, then ask herself, “Do I want it because 1 want it, or because I think it is right ?” We should not become so wrapped up in the fraternity that we look at the world from that standpoint only, but we should have broad interests and acquaintances and make the -fraternity subservient to the general good of the university and society as a whole. As a rule, we have no time for the cultivation of outside friendships, but we can be thoughtful of, and interested in, all those with whom we come in contact. Above all, let us put down the spirit of criticism so rampant in fraternity circles. Let us confine it strictly to the necessary judgment of prospective members, and not bestow it so freely upon those within and those never to be within. Let us ever remember that praise is far more effective than criticism. There is much more that might well be said on the sub¬ ject but space will permit only this in closing, — that no one has time to be petty, nor to stand for anything that is petty; the world is too full of things that are truly worth the doing.
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EDITORIALS The Journal of Kappa Alpha Theta begs to announce formally that it has moved to the middle-west and will hereafter be at home to its friends with Alpha Gamma Chapter at the Ohio Sta.te University, Columbus, Ohio. It is with fear and trembling, that the new editor takes up the pen that has been so long and so ably wielded by Miss Cecilia Law of Ithaca. She feels her incompetency and inexperience more than she is willing to admit, but she will gladly take up the burden that has been laid upon her shoulders and with the loyal support and co-operation of every Theta, will try to make The Journal worthily rep¬ resent Kappa Alpha Theta in the Greek world. The new Catalogue and Residence Directory is in the hands of the printer and will be ready for distribution within a few weeks. The Editor, Miss M. Edith Bell, ha.s been untiring in her efforts to make the Directory complete in every particular. The financial success of the book depends upon the patronage of the active and alumnae members of the fraternity and it is hoped that the members will send in their orders for the Directory promptly. A complete Catalogue of the Fraternity mem¬ bers has not been issued for a number of years, and every Theta ought to have such a Directory in her possession. Your attention is called to the advertisement of the Cata¬ logue in this issue. Send in your subscriptions at once. The much-mooted question of chapter letters seems to be the subject for many editorials. It was hoped that it would be unnecessary to say anything on this subject after the lengthly discussions that took place this summer at the Convention. Either the delegates have failed to re¬ port in full, or something is wrong with the corresponding editors. The chapter letters with the exception of a very few are late and some of those that have come to the editor's table are not what they should be. Will the
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32 KAPPA ALPHA THE TA chapters please take this matter under their careful con¬ sideration? Let us have chapter letters that will repay one for the time spent in reading them. Give us the gen¬ eral college news and a glimpse of your chapter life. Items of minor importance should be given less space. Above all let the letters be dignified. Be careful about the use of slang and the use of superlatives. La.st, but not least, avoid boastfulness. Every fraternity man and woman knows that no one chapter contains all of the best element of any one college and it places any chapter that makes such a statement, liable to severe criticism and ridicule. Be enthusiastic by all means, but enthusiasm for Kappa Alpha Theta would never require one of its members to be boastful or undignified. Ha.s it ever occurred to the members of Kappa Alpha 1 beta that we do not give enough credit to the founders of our fraternity for the noble organization that has been our legacy? To be sure individual chapters celebrate January 27th as the red-letter day in their calendar, but would it not be well to set that day apart as Founders’ Day and let every chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta cele¬ brate the day in some appropriate way? We have no day that we all celebrate a.s sacred to Theta, and it seems most appropriate that we should celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the fraternity. Many fraternities have done this for years and it has done much to foster the feel¬ ing of good fellowship and to bring the chapters in closer contact with one another. Let us have a national Theta Day. Let it be known as Founders’ Day, January 27th, and let all Thetas, old and young, gather around the festal board and celebrate in an appropriate manner the advent of our fraternity that means so much to us. The spirit of conservatism seems to be abroad in the Greek world. We see this in the granting of charters
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EDITORIALS 33 among the fraternities in general, and in the pledging of new members among the individual chapters in particular. The conservative policy is always to be commended. Fewer mistakes are made and the steps taken are almost sure to work good to the organization. As old Davy Crockett said '‘Be sure you’re right, and then go ahead.” If we all followed this policy we would have fewer mis¬ takes to lament. Especially is this true in the ex¬ tending of invitations to new members. In the hurry and rush of the opening college days it is very hard to decide just which girls are going to fit best into our chapter life and often mistakes are made in the selection of members on account of a hasty judgment. Some of the chapter's have tried the plan of waiting several weeks before extend¬ ing invitations to new girls and the result in every case has been most gratifying, not only to the chapter, but also to the new girl, who has had time to look about her and become accustomed to the new conditions surrounding her on every hand. Would that this policy might be adopted in every chapter, for it undoubtedly tends toward a greater congeniality and strength in the chapter and a greater strength and dignity in our national organization. Your attention is called to the book on Greek Letter Societies which Mr. Jason is preparing for publication. We ought to be well represented in this book and each chapter ought to see to it that creditable photographs of chapter groups, chapter houses, interior views of rooms and halls are sent at once to Miss Mary E. S. Scott, 32 Broadway, New York. Miss Scott has the matter in charge and is anxious to have the material sent in with the least possible delay.
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CHAPTER LETTERS Alpha District IOTA — CORNELL UNIVERSITY To her sisters in Theta, Iota sends her greetings and wishes that all may begin the new year under as favorable conditions. Beside our seniors, Jane Day Cavarly, Elizabeth Lock- wood Russell, and Mabel Hale, we miss from our number Fanny Dimick Lyon, who will, we hope, be with us next fall. After spending a. year abroad, Juliet Crossett has re¬ turned to the active chapter bringing with her a Freshman sister. It has been our policy during the trying rushing season, to be as dignified and conservative as Thetas should be. We have tried to become personally acquainted with the new girls instead of taxing their physical powers by rush¬ ing parties. We felt that the theory of such a plan was advisable, yet we feared it might not be practical. But we believe that our fears were groundless, as our efforts thus far have been successful. Indeed it is with great pleasure that we introduce our pledglings, Carolyn Crossett, Elizabeth Nichols, Mary Waite, Josephine Andrews, and Adeline Kiep. We are looking forward to an early initiation, so that our next letter may present our new Thetas of whom we shall be very proud. In parting we would say to our sisters that “slow and sure” not only wins the better Freshmen but also pre¬ serves the strength of Kappa Alpha Theta. LAMBDA - UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. Lambda sends greetings to all her sisters in Theta with the hope that all are beginning another college year with
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CHAPTER LETTERS 35 as bright prospects of happiness and success as she feels assured are hers. We begin the year in entirely new surroundings and are already well settled in our new home. The thought of the old associations still brings a little “Heim weh” occas¬ ionally though our new quarters are far more cosy and attractive than the old ones. The task of singling out the chosen few among the twenty-six girls of 1905 has been a delightful one. The class is distinguished in being the largest one which has yet entered our university and is a strong class otherwise than numerically. We have already chosen five pledge- lings, Elizabeth Collier of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Ruth Keese of Ashburn Lane, Mass.; Edna Ray of Shelburne, Vt.; Sarah Dean of Ferrisburg, Vt., and Grace Deane of Watertown, N. Y. There has been the usual round of festivities to wel¬ come the new girls. The Y. W. C. A. entertained with an informal reception a.t Grass Mount on the first evening of the term and joined with the Y. M. C. A. on Friday even¬ ing of the same week, in a reception for the entire class. Then there have been various fraternity receptions, our chapter entertaining with an afternoon tea at the home of two of our juniors, Helen and Hattie Hodge, and an even¬ ing reception at the delightful home of May Boynton, one of our town alumnae. Of course, we are by no means, accustomed yet to the vacant places left by 1901. We are happy in having one of the five, Florence Nelson, with us this year. The other four are much scattered. Mabel Brownell is in Minne¬ apolis for the year where no doubt she will make the closer acquaintance of Upsilon. Adelaide Marshall has also turned her steps westward to teach in Wayne, Pa. Helen Ferguson is a little nearer home, a.s she has a posi¬ tion as teacher at Thompson’s Island, Boston. Margaret Healey is at home in Wallingford, Vt. Three of our girls had parts on the commencement
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36 KAPPA ALPHA THE TA program last June: Mabel Brownell, Adelaide Marshall and Margaret Healey, and four gained Phi Beta Kappa honors, Adelaide Marshall, Mabel Brownell, Florence Nelson and Helen Ferguson. MU — ALLEGHANY COLLEGE Rushing season and initiations are well over and Mu is very much pleased to have now seven new sister Thetas. Four have been taken into full membership and three have taken the pledge to be good true Thetas in the future. They are Bessie Burnam, Ethel Hires, Belle Limber, Loretta Johnston, Edna Gailey, Helen Anderson and Grace Jones. We are now fifteen, to uphold Theta’s standard of culture, scholarship and true womanliness. The rushing season though short, was a most jolly one. One of the girls gave a corn roast and old-fashioned barn party. The roomy old barn, the “goodies” to eat and the congenial crowd made the affair a determined success. The idea was quite original and unique and was praised by the homesick little Freshies as well as by dignified new professors. The girls were entertained at different times at lunch¬ eons and teas, and the season closed with an elaborate dinner in our newly furnished fraternity rooms. I he par¬ lor has been papered very prettily, new mattings and rugs added, and things in general changed and renewed. Dur¬ ing the summer months, our resident girls have been working very industriously fixing up the dining room, and the result is new paper, pretty pictures, rugs, curtains and sofa pillows galore. This was all done gratis and we are as proud of our hustling girls as of our cozy and bright dining room. After the dinner we went to the parlor, where the gay laughter and smiling faces showed tha.t all were having a delightful time over their coffee and bon¬ bons. Later in the evening dancing was indulged in. “An exceedingly pleasant time,” was the oft heard re¬ mark.
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CHAPTER LETTERS 37 Some of the busy, bright beads are now planning a. party, called, “The Fall Millinery Opening/’ The mys¬ teries of this have not yet been revealed to us all, so we will tell you of that next time. CHI — SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Chi chapter has returned to work with renewed en¬ thusiasm and Theta love. We feel the loss of our senior girls but are filled with the determination to make our fraternity all they could wish it to be. We are very glad to welcome to our chapter Lillian Ar¬ thur from Alpha Delta ; we feel that what is their loss is certainly our gain. The University campus is being greatly improved this year; the handsome Hall of Applied Science donated by Lyman C. Smith, will be ready for occupancy the first of November. The announcement of the gift of a new Hall of Natural History was made last week. Gamma Phi Beta has set her pledging-day a.t the end of the first semester ; we hope to co-operate with them next year if it is practical to do so. Our rushing has been con¬ ducted more moderately and quietly this year than usual ; because of our President’s death we gave no formal recep¬ tions or large functions during the first two weeks of col¬ lege. We planned to take only a few girls into our Freshman delegation and by going slowly but surely feel that we have gained the cream of the 1905 class for Kappa Alpha Theta. The new chaperone of our house is Miss Waite, who has already won the girls’ hearts and is making our chap¬ ter house the ideal home which it should be. The reports from the convention have been most stir¬ ring and have brought us all in closer touch with the fra¬ ternity as a whole. Our delegate returned bubbling over with enthusiasm and helpful ideas which she gained while there; we are
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38 KAPPA ALPHA THETA reserving her full report for the first meeting which our Freshmen will attend; we want them to realize that they are not only Chi girls but Kappa Alpha Thetas. ALPHA BETA — SWARTHMORE COLLEGE Before entering upon the account of Alpha Beta’s doings since the opening of this new year, we wish to make you acquainted with her four new initiates taken into the fraternity at the close of last year; and so, proudly we present Marguerite Campion of Swarthmore, Pa.; Alice R. Sullivan of Moorestown, N. J.; Mary A. Parry of Jenkintown, Pa., and Myra T. Abrams of Butler, Pa. Unfortunately, Myra T. Abrams was unable to return to college and we feel it is to be greatly regretted both by herself and the fraternity, but the other three “kittens” — and never was the term more fittingly applied — are with us and already are showing a lively interest in fraternity matters. In spite of the happy summer months, free from care; in spite of the loss of our Seniors, especially near to us; in spite of the work of the ensuing year, — Alpha Beta girls returned to college and college duties on the nineteenth of September, with merry hearts. During the summer one of our new girls, Marguerite Campion, fitted up a “den” in her home mainly for our use. It is very cozy and attractive, and we anticipate many pleasant hours in it. Convention is a never-ending topic of conversation with us, a.s so many of our girls attended. We never tire of “talking over” delegates, meetings, banquet, and all the other Convention features. It has also increased our zeal and enthusiasm, if that were possible. Alpha Beta sends greeting and best wishes for a suc¬ cessful year to all her sister chapters.
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CHAPTER LETTERS 39 ALPHA DELTA — WOMAN’S COLLEGE Once more Alpha Delta has begun active life here at the Woman’s College and sends greetings to all her sister chapters. Since last year we have lost seven of our girls, but have been very glad to welcome again one of our old members, Anna Sliese. She has resumed her work at college after an absence of two years, one of which she spent with Mu at Alleghany. At our banquet in the spring the engagements of three of our alumnae and one of our Seniors were announced. This reminded us of the fact that we are all “growing up,” at an alarmingly rapid rate, too ! Now, once more, we have come back to work, with enthusiasm and straightway have begun mak¬ ing plans for Alpha Delta. Those of us especially who were able to attend the Convention — eleven in all — have come home feeling more than ever proud of ourselves as Thetas. Of course, just now the subject foremost in our minds is — rushing. The season is “on,” so to speak, with its excitement and pleasure, and we sincerely hope, with disappointments for us conspicuous only by their absence. After much discussion in Pan-Hellenic meetings it has been agreed among the fraternities here to have six weeks of rushing, as usual. Kappa Alpha Theta was in favor of Sophomore pledging, and we hope to be able to secure this next year, as we are convinced tha.t it will be the very best way for us to solve the problem of “rushing.” For the present we are “teaing” and “feteing” the eligible new girls in the old way, and by the time the next number of the Journal comes out, we hope to be able to introduce several new representatives of Alpha Delta. ALPHA EPSILON — BROWN UNIVERSITY To all sisters in Theta, greeting! This is the busy time of the year for us everywhere. Freshmen a.re writing home glowing accounts of good times in college, and are
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40 KAPPA ALPHA THE TA vaguely and naively wondering that a class traditionally despised should be so popular. Here at Brown Univer¬ sity, the three woman’s societies have a contact by which no pledging of Freshmen can be done until the fourth Friday in the second term, and in which, talking fraternity to any Freshman is forbidden. We have always wanted such an agreement, but to some of the cynical ones it is a forcible reminder of the fable about the frog who be¬ sought Zeus for a king, and — got one. We have had only two real ‘‘parties’’ — pardon the good old-fashioned word — so far this year. One was a lunch a.t Lillian Gamwell’s a few days before college opened, and the other was October 5th, when Georgie Peck invited us to her house, and included in her invitation ten Freshmen. That we thoroughly enjoyed both occasions is needless to state. Recent class elections have proved the popularity of Thetas. We have the Senior Vice-President, Junior Pres¬ ident, Sophomore President and Vice-President, besides others in minor offices. Two members of other chapters have come to us this fall: Helen Traver of Upsilon, who has entered the Juniot class here, and Mrs. William McDonald, of Kappa, the wife of our new Professor of History. Their coming makes one realize how strangely wonderful is the frater¬ nity idea which sanctions the sharing in joyful complete¬ ness, with utter strangers, who wear the kite, of words and acts kept in strictest secrecy. Helen Traver brought with her some of her chapter songs and we have been much in¬ terested in singing them. We regard with awe a chapter that has songs of its own ; the melodious-poetic faculty is sadly lacking, I fear, in Alpha Epsilon. A new disease, or rather a new appearance of an old dis¬ ease, has developed among our alumnae ; it has spread rapidly, and already has infected one of the active chapter,
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CHAPTER LETTERS 41 but we are trying to check its advance there. Four of our “old girls” and one of the active chapter, have announced their engagements. May this year be full of good luck for you all. ALPHA ZETA — BARNARD COLLEGE It is with heartfelt gratitude that Alpha. Zeta takes the first opportunity of evincing to her sisters the pleasure which Theta’s summer convention brought to her. At the outset, indeed, we deeply appreciated the honor of being chosen in conjunction with our elder sisters of Gamma, to receive the representative body of our frater¬ nity, and our energies and expectations were active ac¬ cordingly. But I think it was not until a.fterwards that we realized to its fulness just what that event had meant for us. Those few days, so shortened and intensified by interest, have given to us as a whole chapter the most inti¬ mate and the most precious touch of Theta’s practical, so¬ cial and spiritual realizations. Memories of those days and of the friends who made them so enjoyable have fol¬ lowed us through the long vacation days, to remain ever present with us, now that we are together and at work again. Indeed, the strengthening encouragement derived from our summer meeting becomes most opportune, since, owing to the loss of chapter rooms in the college halls, we feel tha.t general fraternity affairs at Barnard are in a rather unsettled condition. As college did not open until the second week in October, things are as yet in their be¬ ginnings and there is nothing in evidence to indicate whether change of headquarters will, or will not, mean change of aspect and policies in the fraternity world. Much to our sorrow, two Thetas, Marguerite Siedler and Edith Marshall, ha.ve not returned to finish their courses, leaving by their departure, just seventeen in the ranks. Rushing has scarcely begun, but the Freshman class promises a good field.
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42 KAPPA ALPHA THETA So much for the outlook, which is all we have at present. In parting may Alpha Zeta send good wishes to Thetas, one and all. Beta District ALPHA - DE PAUW UNIVERSITY Greeting from Alpha to all her sister chapters. We begin the new year with the best possible outlook, proud of our new chapter-house and of our marked suc¬ cess in the rushing season just closed. There were just sixteen of last year's girls back at the opening of the University, all of us more than glad to be together again and full of enthusiastic plans for the new year. We gave several informal affairs for the new girls but the crowning event was a dinner party given Septem¬ ber 24th. The dining hall of the chapter house was beau¬ tifully decorated and the party was reported to be the most elegant affair of the kind ever given in DePauw circles. After the two weeks of our contract had expired, we were proud to pin the black and gold on the seven girls of our choice. Not one girl was lost although the other sororities in the college do not hold to the two weeks con¬ tract. Saturday, October oth the following girls took the first steps into the Theta sisterhood: Mary Haughton, Vin¬ cennes, Ind. ; Ruth Ritter, Indianapolis, Ind. ; Clara Hood, Warsaw, Ind.; Ethel Baker, Portland, Ind.; Margaret Landrum, Terre Ha.ute, Ind. ; Anna Osburn, Marion, Ind. ; Edith Walker, Anderson, Ind. Each of the first three comes in the steps of an older sister dear to Alpha. We miss from our number several of last year's Thetas who are now scattered from California to New York. Let us all do all in our power to keep the standard of our fraternity high and, proud of her past and present, secure a glorious future to Kappa Alpha Theta.
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CHAPTER LETTERS 43 BETA - INDIANA LrNIVERSTTY Last June we feared that Beta Chapter would be weak in numbers this fall as many of our girls were not to re¬ turn. We were reinforced, however, by two Alpha Thetas, Mary Moses and Marguerite Smith, and by Nellie Bowsen of Indianapolis, who is back doing post-graduate work at T. U., so that we began the term with twelve active members. Many of these will leave us next June so we thought best to provide against another dearth in the chapter and have taken in eleven new girls. They are Lena Simmons, Ethel Rogers, Wyrtis McCurdy, and Ines Perring, all of Bloomington; Pearl Cassell and Helen Hill, of Vincennes, Indiana; Anna Jones and Almana Biebe of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Margaret Snodgrass, Mar¬ ion, Indiana ; Geraldine Semhower, Seymour, Indiana ; and Alice Patterson of Buffalo, New York. We feel that in each one Kappa Alpha Theta has secured a most de¬ sirable member and one thoroughly loyal to the black and old gold. There was no contract with the other fraternities at In¬ diana this year and the rushing was soon over. All of our pledges came very highly recommended to us so we did not prolong the wearing period of uncertainty and we held our initiation on last Saturday night. The most that we have done this term in a social way has been for the new girls in the “getting acquainted” pro¬ cess. Invitations are out now, however, for our formal term reception on October 19th. On the Tuesday after initiation our Freshmen most delightfully entertained at a chafing-dish party at the home of Ethel Rogers. As soon as is possible, we are to begin the discussion of plans for a new chapter house. We want to be in a new house next year. Altogether, we feel that we have made a good beginning and are looking forward to the best sort of a year for us all in Beta Chapter.
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44 KAPPA ALPHA VHP 'PA DELTA — UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS We are very happy this Fall in our new house and very proud of the fact that at last we have furniture which is really our own. It seemed at first, that it would be too great a step, but we are so glad we undertook it, as we are coming out very well. This is the first year we have had a contract in regard to pledging and we cannot say enough in favor of it, and would strongly advise every chapter of Theta to suggest it to the other fraternities in her college. Rushing season has lost its “mad rush” and we all have time to get well acquainted with the new girls in a quiet, natural way. A short time ago we had a visit from Mrs. Benfield, who was a Theta from Delta chapter when the chapter was at Wesleyan University. We enjoyed hearing her talk about Delta Chapter as it used to be, and she was interested in hearing about her chapter as it is now. She seemed pleased to see the same song books which they used when she was in college, but we told her we thought we should be perfectly willing to give them up for the new ones which we expect soon. We must tell Eta how much we appreciate having Francis Gale with us this year. She is not in the house but is taking a very active interest in our chapter. Miss Gale is the second Theta whom Eta has given us and we hope she will send more. Myra Davis, from Alpha, has come to Illinois this year, and we are pleased to have her in the house with us. Bertha Pillsbury, who is one of our charter members, is teaching in the Preparatory School this year, and it means a great deal to the chapter to have her with us again. We enjoyed a short visit from Grace Morrow this Fall. Mary Kittredge, a graduate of last year, will have charge of the house until Xmas. She makes us feel that she is indeed indispensible to the chapter. In our next letter we will have news of our new girls.
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CHAPTER LETTERS 45 EPSILON — WOOSTER UNIVERSITY We are unusually fortunate in beginning the college year this fall in ha.ving ten of our old chapter back, and in the addition of Esther Hemphill, ex-1900, who has re¬ turned to obtain her degree, and whom we are more than glad to welcome among us again. We have been so busy that we have had scarcely time to think of our sister chapters or to miss the Journal. During opening week we met a. few new girls at a very in¬ formal “At Home/’ at Mary Sanborn’s home. Since that time we have had two initiations and are glad to intro¬ duce our new girls to you : Katherine Snyder, Harriette Townley and Helen Weld, a trio of whom we are justly proud. For the year we have given up having a fraternity room. Our old habitation failed to suit and no new one could be found; at present we are “boarding around” among our resident members and find the change delightful, but probably before long we shall be looking again for a fixed home. We are all a little quickened in our pride in our college, by the sound of the chisels and hammers on the campus where our new chapel is rising. The college is filling one need after another in a way that is most encouraging. ETA — UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN The rushing season is now about over, and we are happy to s.a.v four fine girls: Harriet Harrington of St. Clair, Mich., Lois Wilson and Isabella Fyfe of St. Joseph, Mich., and Una Palmer of Big Rapids, are wearing the gold and the black. This makes the number of active members twenty, fewer than last year, and yet we feel we can become better acquainted with each other and have a much stronger personal love than would have been pos¬ sible in a larger chapter. Our entertainments have taken the form of dancing
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46 KAPPA ALPHA THETA and fudges parties at the house, dinners given by our pat¬ ronesses, canoe trips up the river, tally-ho rides to the foot-ball games and drives about country and town. We have tried to be careful and conservative, although the other sororities have been especially eager and hasty in both rushing and pledging, this fall. Our old girls, a great number of whom left last spring, we miss greatly. Many, however, live near us and we hope to see them often. The Women’s League is doing some very effective work this year in caring for and entertaining new girls. Soon a League fancy dress party is to be given. These a.ffairs are usually very unique and give each girl an op¬ portunity to show what originality or artistic ideas she possesses. In the gymnasium an effort is being made to organize a girl’s fencing class. This is a departure from the regular work, and many are very enthusiastic. Eta sends love to all her sisters. May the coming year increase still more our loyalty to our fraternity and help us toward the realization of our Theta ideal. KAPrA - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY As yet, Kappa has no pledges to report, for this year we have adopted a new system — a system new a.t least to us. We have tried to do away with the customary violent rushing and decided to issue no invitations until several weeks after the opening of the University. The other fraternities have rushed as usual but we feel that we have gained by our experiment. Kappa has nineteen girls to start with and the prospects are very favorable. We have received much encouragement from members of the Faculty, several of them expressing the hope that the other fraternities may follow our plan another year. It is only in a general way tha.t we have become acquainted with the new girls. On Saturday, the twenty-eighth of Sep¬ tember, Kappa gave a reception to the ladies of the Faculty and all the Freshman girls. We have called on
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CHAPTER LETTERS 47 the girls recommended to us and are deliberately making our choice. Kappa had two Phi Beta Kappas last year, Bess Hafer from Fort Scott and Estelle Riddle from Minneapolis, Kansas. Estelle Riddle was also editor-in- chief of the Senior Annual la.st year. We are all so glad to have her with us this year for post-graduate work. We are rejoicing in the fact that one of our Seniors, Helen Calhoun, has already been elected editor of the Annual for this year, and Rachel Pugh and Anna Warfield, both among our Seniors, are editors of the University Weekly. By the time the next letter is sent, Kappa will probably have issued her invitations and have worn colors for her new girls. PI - ALBION COLLEGE The all too brief summer vacation is over and we are again settled down to hard work. College has opened this year with about the usual number in attendance. Our chapter is small but exceptionally strong, and we expect soon to initiate three girls whom we pledged last spring. Acting upon the suggestions that our delegate brought us from the convention held this summer, we asked for a meeting with representatives from the other sororities and as a result a Pan-Hellenic contract was signed settling upon the second Wednesday in November as our asking day. “All bids are to be sealed bids and mailed on the asking day.” We are delighted with the contract as we have been working for this for several years, and are in hopes it will prove successful. It relieves our minds to feel that we do not have to do such headlong rushing and bid a girl upon a couple of weeks’ acquaintance but instead may thoroughly know her and deem her truly worthy to wear the Theta pin. We entertained about a week ago at our Lodge, but thanks to our new contract, rushing parties are not very numerous this year.
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48 KAPPA ALPHA THETA 1 he Lottie Gassett library is nearly completed. This building will be a. great addition to our campus. Pi greets with delight the new plan on education. It will undoubtedly bring up the standing in fraternity ex¬ aminations. In addition to this work we are reading and discussing articles from our last Journal. Pi sends greeting to all sister Thetas and wishes them the best of success in their rushing this fall. KHO — UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA Rho sends her greetings and best wishes to all Thetas. We are together again after three months vacation, and are now hard at work rushing and studying. The latter seems rather hard to get in between teas, drives, parties, luncheons, and the other things that constitute rushing, but it seems essential. 1 he rushing this year has been very close and quickly done, the greater part being completed our registration week. As a result we are glad to tell you of Zelia Cornell of Lincoln, Nebraska; Sallie Agnew of Lincoln, Ne¬ braska; Alice Town of Omaha; Harriett Paul of Henderson, la.; Grace Gilmore of Auburn, Nebraska; Georgia Patterson of Omaha, and Nellore Wilson of Lin¬ coln, who are to be Theta sisters. Nellore wore the black and gold last spring though too late to tell you of it. We are very proud of our new girls. During registration week we had with us Jessie and Ruth Macharland, who were on their way home from Eu¬ rope. Both are Rho girls but now live in California and we feel their loss very greatly. Ellen Douglas was also with us two weeks and aided us in rushing. Rho has her same chapter house with Mrs. Millar, a dear Theta mother for a chaperone, we consider ourselves very fortunate. Just now all is excitement over the Minnesota-Ne- braska foot-ball game which takes place October 12th at Minneapolis. A large delegation is going and a number of Thetas are to be part of it.
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CHAPTER LETTERS 4*> TAU - NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Northwestern opens this fall with a larger enrollment than ever before. This is clue partly to our new building, Chapin Hall, a dormitory for women, and partly to the es¬ tablishment of some new courses along technical lines. A building to be devoted to this work is to be erected in the near future. The “rushing” is just at an end, and Ta.u Chapter has initiated three girls and expects to add two more soon. The “rushing” here seems to grow harder every year. Many of us hope that an “asking day” may finally be agreed upon. We have just enjoyed a. short visit from Miss M. E. S. Scott, our grand treasurer, who stopped in Evanston on her way to Minneapolis. Miss Ednah Wickson was also in Evanston this summer, visiting her cousin, Ruth Ray, who is a Tail girl, and many of us were fortunate enough to meet her. We all wish that it might be possible for us to entertain all the grand officers. We have derived so much benefit from these two visits. So many questions have been asked and answered, and we have started the year with new enthusiasm. UPSILON - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Upsilon, is now hard at work but is feeling very jubilant over the fact that so many girls have returned. Every one of our Seniors is back and is taking an M. A. Lillian Hatch Chalmers, ’95, is also taking post graduate work. When we heard that our staid Seniors would be with us again and that we would have the same chapter this year, it seemed almost too good to be true. We regret exceedingly the loss of Helen Traver, one of the most capable and enthusiastic Juniors. She is now a.t Brown and our only consolation is that there is a Theta chapter there. Grace Larayea, who was at Phi last year, is back. The rushing in the University is now finished. We
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50 KAPPA ALPHA THETA were very successful but we are glad it is over. Here all the sororities rush so vigorously that it requires much time and strength. Last year we ha.d a contract not to bid until six weeks after registration, unfortunately one of the sororities broke it, and it is now declared off. The details of the compact were not satisfactory but we all ap¬ proved of the idea of not rushing in High School. We have just initiated seven Freshmen. At the ban¬ quet we tried a new toast scheme. We all concluded we were tired of witty and brilliant toasts, so each girl gave a short talk on the faults and improvements of the chapter. This made the Freshmen better acquainted with the serious side of the girls' characters and helped us all. We are looking forward to the Nebraska foot-ball game in hopes that some of the Rho girls will be here. We feel we are very fortunately situated here in the middle-west, for it gives us an opportunity to meet and entertain our Theta sisters from several chapters as they come to the games. PSI — UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Owing to their own ill health or to illness in their fam¬ ilies several of our girls were unable to return to the Uni¬ versity this semester so tha.t upon our first reunion only eight of the old girls were back to greet each other. We all went to work with a will and although there were times when we felt that we were working against heavy odds we now feel fully repaid for our labors. We have pledged five girls whom we will be pleased to introduce as Thetas in the next issue of the Journal. They are May Stiles, Charlotte Wa.sson, Gertrude Younge, Dawn Wail, and Madge Parker. During the “rushing” season several parties and teas were given at the chapter house and at the homes of our alumnae. We think the most successful event of the season was a reception which our alumna.e gave at the home of Professor and Mrs. D. C. Jackson, at which they
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CHAPTER LETTERS 51 entertained not only the active chapter and new girls but several town people. It was at this reception that we did most of our pledging. We expect a great deal of help from our alumnae this year for they have planned to meet with us once a month. Our University has been very unfortunate this year in having to accept the resignation of President C. K. Adams, who has been with us for eleven years. The resignation was tendered because of the ill health of the president and his wife. We are looking forward to a successful a.nd happy year and send our good wishes to all chapters of Theta. ALPHA GAMMA — OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Seven girls, with hearts full of love and loyalty for Theta, came back to school this fall to share Alpha Gamma’s joys and woes. Of woes as yet we have had none, of joys — many. First, of course, of our joys are our new girls, and we must tell you the new course we pursued in getting them. For several reasons we felt that we were strong enough this fall to try to do away with that dreadful institution, “rushing,” which previously has been very vigorous here, as we have never had a contract with other sororities. We did no rushing at all in the summer, as we have done heretofore, and our sole social function this fall was a little morning party to get acquainted with new girls. After this we did nothing except try to see these girls at the university, until the second week after registration, then we extended invitations to seven girls, five of whom are now wearing Theta pins and the others are not going to be fraternity girls, at least for the present. Of these five, three are sisters of Thetas and you all know how gladly we welcome the sisters of our older girls when we find in them the Theta qualities of their sisters, as we did in these. Of these three, two are Florence and Grace Dann, who have two Theta sisters, one formerly of our chapter and
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52 KAPPA ALPHA THETA one of Eta, and the third is Hilda Weber, whose sister was one of the charter members. Our other new Thetas are Grace Keating and Catherine Andrews, who is a Wel¬ lesley graduate and is taking a Master’s Degree in chem¬ istry. We are rejoicing that Anna Williams, ’99, of Jackson, Ohio, is with us, having a two years fellowship in the English Department. We also have one of Epsilon’s girls, Evelyn Harrington. She is taking graduate work here and we welcome her heartily. Each year brings a larger number of students to our university, the total enrollment of this year numlering considerably more than that of last. Especially is this true of the Engineering College. Our campus is somewhat torn up now, due to the erection of a new building for the College of Law. It promises to be a handsome structure and is surely much needed. We hope that the next acquisition will be a Woman’s Building. Our initiation was held October 11th at the home of Margaret Pulling, ’00, and was one of the best regulated and most beautiful we have ever had. The next thing in order is to introduce our new Thetas to the college world, which we expect to do at a reception on October 25th. The beautiful Fall days we are having, make it rather hard to stay indoors and work, but our girls seem to have acquired a great deal of energy during their summer outings, a.nd we hope that the end of the term will show that much of this has been expended in good hard study and that we may do justice to Kappa Alpha Theta intel¬ lectually as well as in other lines. Best wishes for all possible success from Alpha Gamma.
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CHAPTER LETTERS 53 Gamma District PHI — STANFORD UNIVERSITY The hum of recitations is accompanied this year more than ever by the ringing of hammers on stone, for the out¬ er quadrangle is slowly rising to form new arcades and inner courts, and the sunlight now slants through flying butresses on to the red tiled roof of our nearly completed chapel. Smoke will soon come from the unsmutched chimneys of the Chemistry Laboratory which stands to the right of the oval drive half way between the museum and the other new buildings of the Science Department, while to the left of the Library the students discern the shape of rooms where soon they will be listening to lec¬ tures in History and English. In spite of the new requirements, fifteen credits being demanded now for entrance, the Freshman class numbers about the same as last year. This Freshman class has brought with it a number of charming girls, and the fourteen of us who have gathered again in Phi are completely absorbed in getting acquaint¬ ed with the interesting new-comers. Alice Dickenson of Iota is adding her strength to ours. We are not rushing as vigorously as has often been done hitherto, but are confining our entertainments mainly to Fridays a.nd Sat¬ urdays. We have had the usual informal luncheons, din¬ ners, sunset suppers, horseback rides and drives, and have given one large dance and our regular “At Home.” The last is scarcely a rushing function however as it is one of our “Last Saturdays” of every month to which all our friends in the University are invited, and where it is our hope that students and faculty may come more closely in touch with each other. Just at present we are excited over the preparation of a Japanese afternoon. Invitations printed vertically have been sent to all the Faculty, Thetas, and to a few intimate friends as well as to the Freshmen. The house will be
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54 KAPPA ALPHA THETA quite Japanese with large umbrellas, lanterns, pannels, in¬ cense and soft lights. After the guests have been received by Kimona clad hostesses, with tiny fans and umbrellas in their hair, at three-thirty to the clang of Japanese bells, two screens that have hitherto concealed a small room, will be drawn aside for the presentation of a three-act Japanese play written by one of the Phi girls. Between the acts will be Japanese music with one or two Japanese lullabies, and after the play, tea and ice with preserved cherry blossoms, ginger and Japanese cakes will be served to the guests who have been sitting Japanese fashion on cushions in the long drawing-room. We are alternately in great glee at the anticipation of a marvelous success, and in woeful dejection as we imagine a dismal failure. But on the whole we are encouraged even if some of the rehearsals do have to be carried on at ten o’clock in the evening. Since our return we have been hearing interesting bits concerning the convention, and indeed we of the Pacific Slope are exceedingly proud to have near us the Grand President, Ednali Wickson of Omega, and the Grand Secre¬ tary and District President, our own Pearle Green of Phi. OMEGA - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Our college year began in a sadder way than have any previous ones within the memory of the more recent class¬ es, for on one of the first days, the students of the Uni¬ versity were called to a memorial service for Professor Joseph LeConte. On this very impressive occasion, Pres¬ ident Wheeler and several members of the faculty, spoke of the life of this great man, of ifs wide-felt influence, due to a remarkable intellect, upon the scientific world ; of its wide-telt influence, due to a beautiful character, upon all who came within its touch; and so soon after this me¬ morial day came the news of our national grief, and again we of the University and many others met to realize more deeply the sorrow that shadowed every institution of our
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CHAPTER LETTERS 55 country, every state of our Union, and to realize, too, a hope that is universal. To turn to our particular fraternity interests, and to the good news that came to us from the Convention. Omega’s members are very happy over the election of Ednah Harmon Wickson to the office of Grand President. Perhaps these members may rightly take a particular pride and pleasure in seeing one of their own members thus honored, in seeing her influence — already felt in more than one chapter — thus widened to extend over the whole field which Kappa Alpha Theta fills. But at the same time we feel sure that every other chapter is giving the heartiest welcome to Ednah, that every other chapter has high hopes for the future to which the faithful officers of the past led us, and wherein our new president is to pre¬ side. Further, we feel encouraged and especially joyful over the acquisition of a new house, whose capacities for daily comfort and pleasure, for all sorts of festivities and for initiations, are what we’ve long been wishing for. Still more important, the number of house girls has in¬ creased to seven. Among these is Ethel Burt, one who spent her Freshman year with Ann Arbor and Eta, and whom we are specially glad to have with us now. Omega sends all good wishes to her sister chapters.
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PERSONALS ALPHA Emma Buchtel, ’04, is attending Denver University. Vera MacCabe, ’03, will enter Leland Stanford next term. Louise Tutewiler, ’03, is studying music in New York City. Mary Moses, ’02, and Marrite Smith, ’02, are attending Indiana University. Mary Lewis, ’03, is studying a.t Tarrytown-on-the-Hud- son. EPSILON Chloe Funck, ’93, was married August 12th, to Mr. Winn of Seattle, Wash. Jean McWilliams, was married August 28th, to Mr. E. D. Fisher, Alpha Tau Omega, of Boliver, Ohio. Florence Durstine of Epsilon and Alpha Gamma, has been visiting in the town. KAPPA Nell Wilhelmi has just returned from Europe and will be in the active chapter this year. The engagement is announced of Lou Havens, ’01, and Sam Jackman, Phi Delta Theta. They both live in Minneapolis, Kansas. On August 24th, May Sexton, ’01, and Mr. Earnest Ag- neau, Phi Delta Theta, were married at Minneapolis. They left immediately for Manila. On October 10th occurs the marriage of Edna Warken- tin, ’99, and Mr. Morris Alden, Phi Kappa. Psi. Bess Hafer, ’01, is teaching this year in the Fort Scott High School.
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PERSONALS 57 Estelle Riddle is back at the University for post¬ graduate work. Nina Drake, *01, is at her home in Kansas City this year. ALPHA BETA The engagement of Helen T. Sullivan, ?00, and Mr. Charles T. Brown, Delta Upsilon, ’98, and Harvard, ’99, is announced. We had a very pleasant visit from Miss Fahre of Alpha Delta, recently. Caroline Comely, ’00, and Elizabeth B. Miller are spend¬ ing the winter studying in Berlin. Mrs. Mary Williams Strong announces the birth of a son. ETA Myra Post, Sina Smith and Mary Robison are teaching in Detroit this year. Olive Blanchard is teaching in Marquette, Michigan. Ethel Burt, who was an Eta Freshman last year, is now attending the University of Berkeley. Alice Wadsworth, who was with us last semester, is teaching in New Briton, Conn. Jane Pollock is spending this year a.t her home in Chi¬ cago. Grace Holmes is teaching in Kenton. Charlotte Greist is with her family in New Haven, Conn., where they are building a beautiful new home. Janet Blanchard is the head of the English Department in Bloomington, Ill. Maude Phillips is in the hospital a.t Los Angeles for a slight operation. Irene Baker, who was temporarily teaching English at the Lewis Institute has been given a permanent position. Zoe Schurtz is teaching mathematics at Howell, Mich. Margaret Jones is teaching English in Portland, Mich.
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58 KAPPA ALPHA THETA Bertha Hull, one of our charter members, is at Pratt Institute. Eta is delighted to find that Miss Florence Reasoner, a Theta from Kappa, is at Ypsilanti. We are looking forward to a visit from Mrs. Louise Harris Shielen, of Charlevoix, Michigan, one of our char¬ ter members. Dorothea Nourse is at her home in Grand Rapids. Grace Haven, of Evanston, has been visiting in Ann Arbor for the past two weeks. RHO Emily Weeks and Julius Parker Sedgwick, Phi Kappa Psi, were married recently. They are now at home at Eveleth, Minn. Clara Walsh has just returned from Europe, where she has been studying art. Jessie and Ruth Macfarland stopped on their way home from Europe. OMEGA The home of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Graham (tempo¬ rarily in the Philippine Islands), has been brightened by the birth of a son. Annie Brewer, ’95, and Mary Powell, originally of 1902, each with a different party, are traveling abroad this year. Ruth Wilson of Rho Chapter is taking post-graduate work in the University of California. Isabel Blanchard Godie, ’01, is teaching in a grammar school of Los Angeles. Agnes Feisius, ’01, has departmental work in one of the Alameda grammar schools. ALPHA EPSILON Lucy Batts, '98, announces her engagement to Walter H. Guild, ’98, Alpha Tau Omega.
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PERSONALS 59 Josephine Beane, '97, announces her engagement to Mr. Rose of the Normal Training School in Providence, R. I. Martha Briggs, ?97, announces her engagement to Law¬ rence Hood, 1900, Theta Delta Chi. Irene Seabury, announces her engagement to Harry W. Mumford, ’01, Chi Phi. ALPHA DELTA September 3d, in Sharon, Connecticut, Carrie Cecelia Lowell, TO, was married to Hobart Jay Sarles, brother of Millie Sarles, TO. MU Sabra. Vought has been appointed librarian in the Uni¬ versity of Tennessee. The engagement of Josephine Bates and Mr. Webb, a prominent lawyer, is announced. Ruth Fenner, of Jamestown, was married to Mr. Board- well. TAU Leila L. Morris was married to Oscar William Dorman Sigma Alpha Epsilon, on October 10th. They will be at home at Freefort, Ill., after November 20th. Mary W. Orth was married Sept. 7th to Henry Kitchell Webster, Psi Upsilon. They will spend the next year in Cuba. On June 23rd Edna Earl Flesheim was married to Samuel Merwin, Beta Theta Pi. They are now living in Tours, France, and both attending the University there. The engagement is announced of Nelle Fleshiem to Frank T. Murray, Phi Kappa Psi. Miss Alta Miller, President of Beta District, has just returned from abroad. Miss Scott, Grand Treasurer, 'visited Tau last week.
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60 KAPPA ALPHA THETA ALPHA GAMMA Miss Evaline Harrington, ’99, of Wooster University, is taking a course in Library training, at Ohio State Uni¬ versity. Alpha Gamma and Epsilon Alumnae are glad to have this addition to Columbus Theta circles. Miss Mary Loren, one of our Alpha Gamma Juniors, visited Tau Chapter in the early fall, the occasion of her visit being the wedding of Miss Leila Morris. Alpha Gamma welcomed and enjoyed the breath of Tau en¬ thusiasm this visit brought to us. Miss Katherine Kiser, ’95, is teaching in the Columbus High School. Miss Helen Powell, ex-’98, is at the University, filling the newly-created position of Assistant to the Registrar. Miss Bertha Paterson, ’01, ha.s accepted a fellowship in Gallaudet College, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Taylor, nee Johns, of Chi Chapter, has recently come to Columbus to live. Epsilon Alumnae welcome her heartily. Miss Edith Cockins, Editor of Kappa Alpha Theta, made a hurried business trip to Ithaca, in October. Miss Edna Luse, ex-’99, of Sandusky, Ohio, visited her sisters in Theta during the month of September. Reverend Herbert Scott wa.s assigned by the Fall Con¬ ference to the First Methodist Church in Marietta, Ohio. Mrs. Scott was Miss Clara Luse, of the class of ’97. Miss Florence Durstine, whom both Epsilon and Alpha Gamma claim, visited Columbus Thetas the first six weeks of the university year. Miss Austa. Kelley, ex-’99, of the Ohio State University, and Miss Florence Dunlap, a Wooster Theta, are con¬ ducting a private school in Redlands, California. Miss Josephine Barnaby, ’96, is teaching Mathematics in the East Cleveland High Schools. Misses Helen Powell and Edith Hunter spent a few days of October with Mrs. Harry Miller, nee Annis Mc¬ Laughlin, of Portsmouth, Ohio.
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PERSONALS 61 It is announced in Theta circles that Miss Frances Yeazell, who came to us last year from California, will be married in December, to Professor Francis L. Landacre, of the Department of Zoology in Ohio State University. Just before going to press, we hear the unhappy news that Professor and Mrs. Gibbs will leave us in January, to go to the State Agricultural College of New Hampshire. Mrs. Gibbs wa.s Miss Perla Bowman, a member of Epsilon Alumnae and head of the Department of Domestic Science in the University. Miss Anna Williams, ’99, is back at the University, fill¬ ing a Fellowship in the English Department. The work will lead, at the end of two years, to the degree, Master of Arts.
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EXCHANGES Will the Exchange Editors please note tha.t the Journal of Kappa Alpha Theta has been moved to Columbus, Ohio, and that hereafter all exchanges should be sent to the Editor, Edith D. Cochins, 1348 Neil Ave., Columbus, Ohio. f he Shield of Phi Kappa Psi comes to our table in a new cover which is certainly very artistic. A beautiful little print of an autumn scene hides from view the follow¬ ing little poem on October by James Whitcomb Riley: October Mellow hazes, slowly trailing Over wood and meadow, veiling Somber skies, with wild fowl sailing Sailor-like to foreign lands; And the north-wind overleaping Summer’s brink, and flood-like sweeping Wrecks of roses where the weeping Willows wring their helpless hands. Flared, like Titan torches flinging Flakes of flame and embers, springing From the vale the trees stand swinging In the moaning atmosphere ; While in dead’ning lands the lowing Of the cattle, sadder growing, Fills the sense to overflowing With the sorrow of the year. — James Whitcomb Riley. Alpha Phi has recently established a chapter at the Uni¬ versity of California, making the number of her active chapters eleven. Delta Gamma has entered Syracuse University. Dead chapters are certainly not a credit to any frater¬ nity, but it is infinitely better to have a whole list of really dead ones than to have two or three living-dead ones to be forever worrying the fraternity into nightmares with their ghastly presence. The deadest, and at the same time the deadliest of chapters, are those that have members and live not ; that require constant prodding, lest they lapse into total apathy; that never move, unless started, nor
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EXCHANGES 63 stop, unless checked ; and of which it can be most justly said, “a living trouble is worse than a dead one.” These are the charters from which the fraternity should not scruple to withdraw chapters, after all available methods of resuscitation have been tried. If it be a case of sus¬ pended animation, there is still hope for the chapter ; but, if the condition be found chronic, the charge of “general deadness” ought to justify the withdrawal of the charter. — The Trident of Delta , Delta , Delta. In numbers there is not always strength. How large a chapter should be depends largely upon the dispositions and personal characteristics of its members. Where chapters are quite large, where the roll-call is answered by twenty, or thereabouts, factions are most common. Think of a chapter divided into two antagonistic parts, whose leaders are anything but true friends ,and then ask your¬ self how much of the benefit of being in a fraternity is sacrificed by this state of affairs? For several obvious reasons factions are more common among men’s frater¬ nities than among the sororities. Wherever they are found they are a source of weakness and contention. In mutual sympathy and friendship, in harmonious union, rather than in the large numbers of its members lies a fraternity’s strength. — The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Fraternity (Poem read before the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity Convention of 1901,, at Lakewood, N. Y.) In lost Arcadian days, Ere grief beset the young world’s sylvan ways, What was the rarest thing The bright gods brought from their far wandering To win man’s grateful praise? Sweet was the boon of Spring, — Of orchard boughs where foamy blossoms cling, Of clear skies deep and blue With circling swallows ever slanting through On wild, ecstat:c wing. A godlike gift the thrush, Whose lyric voice greets the young morning’s flush From a glad golden throat, And with the fading day, in tender note Flutes thro’ the twilight hush.
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KAPPA ALPHA THETA 64 Joyous a tale well told Of war and love, and witching legends old Long come from oversea To make still poppied summer hours flee, And nights of firelit cold. Song wa,s a largess rare, And clang of strings upon the throbbing air ; All music’s poignancy, Keen-sounding in the bugle’s battle glee Or chanted in a prayer. Blessed the gift of toil, The joy of winning earth’s eternal spoil : To bind the sheaves, to hew The towering pine and thrust the plowshare through The odorous, teeming soil. Ah, let our strivings end ! When all is done, of boons the gods may send To us who come and go, There yet remains to make life gleam and glow This chiefest gift — a friend. To one, joy may betide; But treads a chosen comrade at our side, Lo, straight a fairer May, And bird and song and tale, and toil’s long day Hold sweetness multiplied. Hail then, fraternity, Within whose gates no two strangers be ! Here blooms the magic rose, And all who walk this scented garden-close Have brotherhool in fee. Here burns love’s altar-flame ; Beside it youth, eternally the same; For when love’s self appears, Like cast-off mantle drop the cumbering years And age is but a name. And distance is but thought When men have found what they have always sought ; See now, I take your hand — And in the smile of this enchanted land A thousand miles are naught !
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EXCHANGES 65 We meet, and straight we part; But we are touched by some sweet subtle art, And go we east or west, The thrill of friendship stirs within each breast And binds us heart to heart. Does faith too swiftly run That sees in brotherhood the spell begun Across wide lands to reach, To draw league-sundered cities each to each And keep a nation one? Brother, look up with me ! O’erhead the Triad Stars shine tremblingly; With Beta roses wound, The Mystic Circle drops its gleaming round From sea to flashing sea! — William Lucius Graves, Ohio State, ’93. The discussions which have been going on recently in educational circles with reference to the small college a,nd its future are of great importance to fraternity men in gen¬ eral, and especially in connection with the consideration of questions of extension. There is no doubt but that the policy of most fraternities at this time is against entering the smaller institutions. Frequently the objections raised by those who are opposed to this policy are well founded, and the statements that it is better for the Greek letter fraternities to foster the chapters which they now have rather than to undertake to build up a large organization in a field which is possibly already overcrowded finds many advocates. With reference to the future of the small col¬ lege the ideas of President William R. Harper, of the University of Chicago, as outlined in a little booklet, which recently appeared entitled, “The Prospects of the Small College,” are especially opportune. It seems that the tenor of President Harper’s stand has been misinterpreted in some quarters to mean an opposition to the smaller in¬ stitutions. A perusal of this booklet shows us that he is a believer in the future of the small college rather than one who is skeptical as to its prospects. In summing up his booklet he makes the following points which are of in¬ terest : 1. The small college is certain of its existence in the fu¬ ture educational history of the United States.
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66 KAPPA ALPHA 1 H ETA 2. It must, however, pass through a serious struggle with many antagonistic elements, and must adjust itselt to other similar and sometimes, stronger agencies. 3. In the process of this struggle and adjustment some colleges will grow stronger ; some will become academies ; some, junior colleges; the high schools will be elevated to a still more important position than that which they now occupy; while, all together ,high schools, colleges and uni¬ versities, will develop greater similarity of standard and greater variety of type ; and, at the same time, they will come into closer and more helpful association one with another. The general result will be the growth of system in the higher educational work of the United States, where now no system exists. 4. The future of the small college will be a great future ; a future greater than its past, because that future will be better equipped, better organized and better adjusted. It would seem, therefore, on the basis of this reasoning that some of the small colleges at least may come in for consideration as possible fields for new chapters at some time in the future, and that by all means Sigma Chi and all other fraternities should put forth strenuous efforts tow¬ ard the maintenance of chapters already established in the weaker institutions. While undoubtedly the strong will become stronger, it does not necessarily hold that the weak will become weaker. We owe much in our own case to the small college, and we can ill afford to minimize the importance of this element in our present organization. : — Sigma Chi Quarterly.