1917 February - To Dragma

122 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

to go! Notify the Convention Manager as soon as possible, and then
we'll have our first Alpha Omicron Pi Special!

T H E SONG CONTEST

T O S T I M U L A T E interest in more and better Alpha O songs, and
to make that interest bear fruit, is the purpose of the prize
offered by Grand Council for the best fraternity song received by
the Chairman of the Song Committee before April 1st next. The
prize is ten dollars. I t is not limited to a special kind of song, though
Miss Knight wishes to call attention to the need of songs on Conven-
tion, a good Founders' Song, and Alumnae Songs.

For suggestions and directions read Miss Knight's article in this
number most carefully. Then, you musical and poetic ones, do your
best, knowing that this is an opportunity to serve your fraternity for
all time.

Send your songs to her before or by A p r i l 1st. Her address is
Miss Mae Knight, 333 Cedar Ave., Long Beach, Cal.

LETTERS FROM O L D T I M E R S

The following letter from Mrs. Dorr explains itself. The Editor
is always so glad of suggestions, and this is assuredly a good one.
We are already taking measures to carry it out.

Berwyn, 111.
January 17, 1917.

Dear Miss Chase:

When I read in the November issue of To D R A G M A that the next number
was to be a Mother's or Home Number, I decided that I would send in a
long article. I should know something of interest for in my seven years of
married life I have accumulated a beautiful home, four adorable babes and
many household cares. However, when it came to writing this same article,
I felt that petty household duties, etc., had driven all literary talent from my
pen. I have, however, one suggestion. To my surprise, I have realized that
my interest in sorority affairs was waning because of the many other calls
on my strength. In making this discovery I learned what would probably
interest many To DRAGMA readers, who are drifting away—and that is letters
from old timers.

Fraternally yours,

CAROLYN PIPER DORR, P, '07

HOME

P ERHAPS no other word in the English language has the power
to awaken in the mind and heart more varied emotions. There
is something prophetic to me in the issuing of the Home Number of
To DRAGMA which bodes well for the future of A O IT. I t must,

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 123

necessarily, bring our fraternity, which is already close to our hearts,
a bit closer to our hearthstones.

The very word "Home" suggests to the mind the most cherished
things of life. Upon the campus our fraternity has substituted its
;iome for the home of our fathers, touching the lives of the girls
within, and adding much of the spirit of unselfishness and charity—
to be carried into the future homes of each one.

However remote an alumna may find herself from the center of
college activities, the influence of the lives which touched hers within
the college home, surely cannot be lost.

Last summer there blossomed in my garden, two beautiful
Jacqueminot roses, the symbol, reminding me of the sisterhood of
A O IT, reaching from Gulf to Bay and from Ocean to Ocean.

P A U L I N E D A V I S HOLLISTER, I , '13.

T H E MAY NUMBER

TH E May Number will be a N E I G H B O R N U M B E R . Through
its pages we shall endeavor to become better acquainted with
our fraternity neighbors, and with what they are doing in the lines of
social service, in college activities, and in the big world. The chap-
ters which did not contribute to the undergraduate articles in this
number will be asked to give articles on the different fraternities at
their various colleges and universities..

This number will also give more detailed directions and a more
complete program of arrangements for Convention than it has been
possible to do at this time. Because the University of California and
Leland Stanford close so early, we are going to make a special effort
to have the May number out by the 10th instead of on the regular
date, the 25tli. For this reason will all chapter editors and alumna?
editors, and all Grand Officers have material intended for publication
in this number in the Editor's hands by April 1st.

This is the last number of the present Editor's term of office. She
is so anxious that it shall be a good one. Won't you all please help to
make it so?

•-SOCIETY'S M I S F I T S " BY M A D E L E I N E DOTY, N , '02

T HE Centurion in a recent issue speaks most highly of Madeleine
Doty's book, Society's Misfits, published in late September by
the Century Co. Much of the material of the book was read
undoubtedly by many of us, as articles appeared successively last
spring in Good Housekeeping, one of which we published in our May
number.

124 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI >

Miss Doty has not only achieved fame, but has also most nobly
fulfilled the fine principles of her fraternity by her sacrifice of self
for those less fortunate—a far grander achievement.

The following, clipped from the Boston Herald of January 17th
w i l l be of interest:

"Madeleine Z. Doty, author of Society's Misfit:, who has just
returned from Germany, gives an even more depressing view of living
conditions in the Kaiser's empire than does Mr. Swope's Inside the
German Empire. Everywhere she saw signs of acute distress from
underfeeding, and reports having witnessed a woman i n Hamburg
attempting to sell her baby because she had nothing to eat. Miss
Doty says that the sore spot that really festers is that, now the pinch
has come, the rich protect themselves at the expense of the poor.
There is a shortage only of necessaries; luxuries can be had in
abundance i f one can pay for them; and so i t is that the well-to-do
scarcely suffer at all. For example, while meat is extremely scarce,
chickens, ducks, and birds are not counted as meat at all. The only
difficulty is to be able to pay for them. Those that can pay are
scarcely touched by the food shortage which, according to Miss Doty,
is pressing the rest of the population down to the starvation point."

OUR N E W CHAPTERS

J UST as we go to press comes unofficial news of the installation of
Eta Chapter on January 20th at the University of Wisconsin.
We give them a hasty, though none the less cordial welcome. A n
account of the installation will appear in the May number.

On February 23rd, our Alpha Phi Chapter at Montana State Col-
lege w i l l be installed. We welcome these newest sisters as well,
and shall become better acquainted with them in the May number.





Sty* (totrotfum

TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

THE TIME

In June tliere seems to be no care,
But happiness instead is there,
And Love and Joy are everywhere—

In June.

THE PLACE

The roses nowhere bloom so white
As down in Old Virginia;

The sunshine nowhere seems so bright
As down in Old Virginia.

The birds sing nowhere quite so sweet
And nowliere hearts so lightly beat,
For heaven and earth both seem to meet

Down in Old Virginia.

There nowhere is a land so fair
As down in Old Virginia;

So full of song, so free of care,
As down in Old Virginia.

And we believe that sunny land
The Lord prepared for happy man
Is built exactly on the plan

As down in Old Virginia.

Tlie days are never quite so long Journal.
As down in Old Virginia,

Nor quite so filled with happy song

As down in Old Virginia,
And when my time has come to die,
Just take me back and let me lie
Close where the James goes rolling by,

Down in Old Virginia.
—From Sigma Phi Epsilon

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 127

A CONVENTION SYMPOSIUM

T H E M E A N I N G OF CONVENTION

The Editor of To DRAGMA asks me to tell briefly what going to
Convention means to me. To say, and briefly, what going to Conven-
tion brings me! Why, dear Editor, i f all the glad words of all the
tongues that can best denote joy, gratitude, inspiration, and uplift of
spirit had made their bows to me and said, " A t your service!" I
could not find enough of them to answer truly what you ask me.

I have been so blessed as never to have missed one Convention of
Alpha Omicron Pi, not one from the beginning. They lie upon the
bosom of my memory like a chain of golden beads; the little ones first,
and then they grow fuller and larger. And not one bears scar or
blemish.

What does this talisman not mean to me!
When I know that a Convention is nearing, I do not say to
myself, " I am going to it," as often as I say something better. "They
are getting ready for Convention now!" I say, " A l l over the land
these dear youngsters, so different and yet so much alike, so gay and
light and yet so deep and potent like the sea, so ardent and so eager
and so f u l l of promise, so quick with laughter but so very, very
earnest and determined, each group so sure it is right, yet so sweetly
willing to be led by the judgment of all, all bound by a high and
selfless devotion—they are getting ready now!"

I remember that they will love one another at sight, indeed that
they do already love one another "sight unseen." Think what that
generous loyalty means in a world so given to petty circumspections.
They come as sisters because they care for the same something, some-
thing serviceable and high, something abstract and yet more real than
life's commonplaces. Think what that must mean in a world unwil-
ling to admit that the most exalted is the most exact, the most self-
less, the most binding.

Knowing how young and merry and good they are, it stirs me to
know too that they come, modest and unselfconscious, hoping to be
made somehow better, hoping to broaden their youth and cheer and
goodness into a usefulness beyond themselves.

And then with my soul on its knees, I say humbly, "They are our
youth, O college-mates of long ago, friends of today, dear comrades
of forever, they are our youth saved for us, our youth at last come
true—even the things we wished to be and have not become, the
things that we were and have not fulfilled, the dreams we thought
mere dreams! They are not lost. Some beautiful Power holds them
like a growing plant in His hands. We have not watered or tended
as we should, but our red roses are blooming!"

128 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

Convention comes and we meet again, those of us who have met
year after year in this good service; we renew the past Conventions
in the present ones and see Alpha Omicron Pi's history smiling in
our eyes. Convention comes and we meet at last, those of us who
have long worked together, our names being good old friends but
our glances never having met until now. Convention comes and we,
Grand Councillors and elders, meet those young ones who have never
seen us, but have been compelled to learn about us, as i f we were
"somebodies." We are so sure of their faith that we do not tremble
before their inquiring eyes. They are so kind that we can bear our
own sense of humor, so loving that we can even bear—almost—our
own conscience, in the presence of their admiration.

I t is a joy to watch the several chapters learning each from the
others. For every college world, every alumna; environment, is more
or less a bound-in little l i f e ; the contacts of Convention bring us all
to a great university, where minds and spirits are deepened, vistas
lengthened, vision cleared and understanding broadened. They give
us a sense of bigness and unity, making our own sisterhood more
real and vitalizing the oneness and the common duty of all college
women everywhere.

But better than even these present gladnesses is always the hope,
the sure hope, that this splendid instrument of our association, made
of idealism and love, will be used for some great ideal and loving
purpose, i f only as a symbol of what can be done when people will
work all their lives faithfully together bound only by these ethereal
ties.

I have not begun to express what our Editor asked me to t e l l ;
but you know it, every one of you, and can say it to yourselves.

S f E L L A GEORGE STERN PERRY, A , ' 9 8 .

T H E CONVENTION ITSELF

The President of each active chapter reads for the month of Janu-
ary: "Convention year! Arouse enthusiasm!"

One way of arousing enthusiasm is to read To DRAGMA thoroughly.
Something is bound to hold your attention, and set you wondering
and wishing you knew the members of the various chapters. Why
do some of us "spike"? What is a "butterfly dance"? Is not being
a "big sister" a great responsibility? Have you a picture of the
adopted "French baby"? And so the questions run on and on.

I f you can not learn it all in To DRAGMA, you can at Convention!
We are aiming to exhibit each chapter. With the same microscopic
analysis that freshmen are examined, will the chapters be put to the
test. By their chapter exhibits they shall be known!

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 129

Then, just because it is an anniversary, there are untold-of things
that are to happen. First come the Founders, all great and wonder-
f u l personages! We are trying to entice them, so you must be there
to see them, i f they are to be there to see you.

The Constitution is to be revised, and this needs the help and
thought of every Alpha O. See that you are there to help!

Mrs. Perry is to tell us about the History of Alpha Omicron Pi.
I am not going to spoil it all by telling what her plans are, but some-
thing wonderful is afoot! Come and see.

To DRAGMA is to have life memberships. We need your support
and your check. Have you thought out some special active chapter
way of helping? Think it over, and we promise to listen well at
Convention.

There is a possibility of our wanting you for the Rituals, and you
must be there to sing. You knew there is to be a song section?

Did you ever see an Alumnae Round Table? What does "J. W.
H . " stand for? How can you stay away? I mean—how can you
keep from coming?

ISABELI.E HENDERSON, Grand President.

T H E CONVENTION AND THE HOUSEKEEPER

"Once upon a time" when I was beginning to struggle with Latin,
I was greatly impressed by a phrase, "lucus a non lucendo,"—a "grove
from not being light." I t stuck in my memory with such persistence
that when I received the request for this article, I instantly thought,
"This is a lucus a non lucendo par excellence." And it really is.
I can see the smiles of many of my fraternity sisters when they see
my name appended as "housekeeper." I feel like the friend of mine
who, this winter, is giving a paper before her club, on "The Most
Important Room in the House, the Kitchen." She knows abso-
lutely nothing about cooking, but says she is perfectly competent to
write on the subject, because she understands the "theory." So here's
for the theoretical version of the problem of "The Convention and
the Housekeeper."

To define terms: "convention" means literally a "coming
together." As over against "housekeeper," "one who keeps the
home," there is almost at once the idea, not perhaps of antagonism,
but, at any rate, of contrast; the gathering of the clans as opposed
to the individual guarding the one hearth.

We have the two situations, how can we bring them together?
What obstacles must be overcome? The mountain cannot go to
Mahomet, hence Mahomet must come to the mountain. The
"obstacles" are something like this ; the house, the children, the hus-

130 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

band, the woman herself. This is in strictly climactic order. To my
mind, the "obstacles" are like the ghosts seen by the credulous. They
are not tangible objects from which the light rays go to the eyes
of the person seeing, but, on the contrary, originate in the mind of
the person and are projected out into space, transforming familiar
objects into bugbears. The house, the children, the husband, are all
admirable things; what makes them barriers is entirely i n the
woman's own mind. She is the one obstacle.

To consider the house first; there are some women so afraid that
the rooms will not be religiously swept and dusted, the food properly
cooked, that they think they cannot leave. Now, i f the woman will
only realize that perhaps there are other and better ways of doing
all these things than she has used, and that possibly in the gather-
ing of sister housewives she may hear of them, to her advantage, she
can consider it her duty to go and gain in efficiency. Only the other
day at an alumnae meeting, I heard of more patented kitchen uten-
sils than I fancied were made. Do you know that there are bread-
boxes, cake-boxes, turkey-roasters without any corners nor seams to
be washed out, that they are all curved, outside and inside? Do
you know that all kitchens should have utensils and materials so
arranged that the worker will never have to stoop? Do you know
that sheets, pillow-cases, towels, face cloths, tablecloths, napkins,
should be numbered and used in rotation, i f you wish them to wear
evenly and last longer? Do I hear some skeptical soul say, "But
then they'll all wear out at once and you'll be stranded." I said
that, too, but that is not "theory"!

The children are usually what the mother makes them. They may
be helpless little mites who cannot dress themselves nor wash their
faces properly, or they may be self-reliant little souls who not only
can button their own shoes but can help on small sister's buttons,
and can wash ears really clean and not depend on the towel to
remove the dirt. They have not been accustomed to howl when their
mother has gone out for a while, so it doesn't occur to them to be a
hindrance to whoever has them in charge. Grandmother is always
glad to have them for a week's visit; aunts are equally available.
I f the mother does not want to send her offspring a-visiting, she
can get some reliable person to stay in the home. I wonder i f she
grasps the fact that she will hear of other children, other methods
of feeding, dressing, discipline. Some of these may help her a good
deal; at any rate, they will make her think. The best way to get
a sane grasp of anything that threatens to become a problem is to
get away from it for a while and get a new viewpoint.

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 131

When it comes to the husband I can hear at least twenty women
I know exclaim, "But no two husbands are alike; homes may be,
children may be, but you cannot lay down any rule on husbands."
Having only one of my own, I do not profess to do so. But a human
husband is very like any human being; and there is no rhyme nor
reason for regarding him as otherwise. Any human who sees a pleas-
ure coming to another, is anxious for that other to have it and enjoy it,
even at the cost of some inconvenience. Your husband lived before
he married you, he will survive a week without you. He ate at
restaurants when he was a bachelor, he had his clothes pressed and
mended without consulting you, he managed to have clean handker-
chiefs and collars without your personal superintendence. He
arranged his affairs with his friends, attended theatres, church, per-
haps, read his magazines and papers, carried on his business engage-
ments without you. And, oh! dear lady, i f it is bothering you, he
won't f a l l in love with the fat lady next door, he really won't.

So you see, your duty lies conventionwards. Forget the house,
forget the children, forget your husband for a week, or i f you object
to forgetting them, just try in that week to get all the new ideas,
new hopes, new youth that you can carry back to them. Get out
of your environment, get out of yourself, be a girl again with the
other girls, and, on your return, you will find your home looking
better to you, your children much more attractive, your husband the
most desirable person in the world. And, listen, you will look a
whole lot better to them!

L I L L I A N M A C Q U I L L I N MCCAUSLAND, Grand Treasurer.

T H E CONVENTION AND T H E OFFICERS

First of all Convention means to the officers of the fraternity an
opportunity to meet one another, and to talk over plans and policies
for the bigger life of the fraternity. This year especially Conven-
tion should mean much to every one of us, when we realize what a
growth and expansion of our fraternity there has been in the last
twenty years from a little band of four friends into a national organi-
zation of over 1800 members. The opportunity to hear something
of the history of those years and to meet some of our Founders,
should be, indeed, a magnet to draw us to Lynchburg this June. To
me personally, Convention means the deepening of our fraternity ties
and ideals, the opportunity of developing our unity of purpose and
spirit, the coming together of sisters interested in the same purposes
and ideals, with the idea constantly before them of making Alpha
Omicron Pi stand for what is highest and best. As a national officer
I can only wish that every active as well as every national officer

132 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

could be at Convention. The opportunity of talking over what one
has been doing with others who have perhaps had the same prob-
lems to meet, is invaluable. Let us all aim to make this Convention
the best there has ever been!

H E L E N N . HENRY, Grand Secretary.

T H E CONVENTION AND THE ALUMNAE

Nineteen seventeen is here at last, and now the months will slip
by quickly bringing June and the Convention. I know that every
Alpha O will be in Lynchburg in spirit, at least, but I am taking
this opportunity to urge more of you to be there in person, as well.

Did you ever stop to think that one of the chief values of a
fraternity, both to the members and to the institution, is its perma-
nence? And this permanence rests entirely on the alumnae of the
organization. I t is their interest and enthusiasm which influences
the active girls to improve their scholarship and to increase their
activity in college affairs, as well as to preserve the individual tradi-
tions and customs of the several chapters themselves.

We can all remember how pleased we were when the alumnae
were interested enough to attend the chapter meetings, to advise us,
and to commend us for such improvements as were noticeable. And
just as the interest of the alumnae in the individual chapters is a
notable benefit to the chapter, so their interest in the Convention is
necessary to its success. They have the advantage of a point of view
obtained from observation of fraternity affairs, both as active and
alumnae members, and the Council appreciates the value of this point
of view in deciding important matters at Convention. Whether you
have the privilege of voting or not, the discussion of questions is
open to all, and we are more than glad to hear your opinions and
profit by your experience.

But the benefits are not all on one side, by any means. I have
yet to meet an alumna who has attended Convention, who does not
say she will always be glad that she went and hopes to go again.
The close association for several days in. both business and pleasure
draws the active and alumnae members nearer together and forms a
bond of union which is not quite like any other. Also, this personal
contact with sisters from different chapters, all working for a com-
mon end—the good of Alpha O—does much toward breaking down
the artificial barriers which have grown up between the East and
the West, the North and the South. So i f you want to help your
fraternity, and at the same time spend a week so f u l l of real pleasure
that you will always remember it, just plan to attend Convention
in June.

A N A B E L GOOD, Z , ' 1 2 .

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 133

T H E CONVENTION AND THE UNDERGRADUATE

"Man was not made to live alone," and this just as surely applies
to woman. So the college woman who becomes associated with her
sisters in a Greek-letter fraternity finds life more pleasant, work
easier, and her outlook on life broader, through this companionship.
And i f the small, intimately formed local chapter brings this desir-
able result, how much more the country-wide convention of the
entire fraternity!

A O I I means a great deal to me, not only because of the charming
girls I know personally who are members of this great organization,
but because of the warm feeling around my heart when I read about
or meet girls at other colleges who are working with the same high
ideals in view. How much more should we feel "related" to all
these girls i f , for a week—a whole seven days—we could all get
together for the discussion of the methods of conducting our meetings,
the cementing of warm personal friendships, the interchange of views,
and countless other things of vital interest to the A O I I g i r l !

To the undergraduate, who still looks forward to one or more years
of further college life, and its consequent activity in the fraternity,
the convention should especially appeal. I am a sophomore, and I
have~never yet had an opportunity to attend an annual convention,
yet I know that those who have had this privilege have been well
repaid. Several members of Gamma Chapter have been sent to the
conventions, and they have come back with a new zest and enthusiasm
for the work, with plans, successful elsewhere, to be tried in our
own chapter. I t seems to me that a local chapter, far removed from
sister organizations, may easily become settled into a sort of mental
rut. This tendency the convention helps to avoid. No under-
graduate, with the good of her fraternity at heart, could possibly
attend the convention and not return broader minded, and with a
greater sense of the true meaning of Alpha Omicron PL

So—let's "boost" this convention, save our money—and go! We
may all feel assured that none of us will regret it.

E L L A A D A M S W H E E L E R , T, ' 1 9 .

134 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

A WELCOME FROM KAPPA

Dear Sisters in Alpha O:
After your first, fleet, daguerreotyped view of Randolph-Macon,

obtained on the streetcar from around the bend, one of her most
noticeable characteristics will be the honeysuckle hedge around the
edge of the campus, lifting a sweetly welcoming fragrance into the
air of the whole place. Then there are the stately, homelike, red
brick walls to greet you, with cool, green vines spreading over them.
There is a sloping, grassy campus with lots of flowers, a grove of
pines, a driveway of fluffy maples, and ten little fraternity houses "all
in a row." There is "a white tile swimming-pool 20 feet by 40 feet
with a graduated depth of 4 to 6 feet" (a. la the R. M . catalogue)
and a dandy gymnasium floor "100 feet by 50 feet," where you may
"trip the light fantastic" in odd moments. There are prophecies of
a Students' Building, the enthusiasm of which may inspire in you the
desire to begin for it—as one of the many fund-raising schemes
resorted to during the past year—the collection of tinfoil, pennies,
buffalo nickels, and new dimes. There are the endless ridges of
"encircling mountains," drawing you nearer to a love and apprecia-
tion of the beautiful, and making you more and more intimate with
thoughts you've never felt before.

But, more than all, there is a band of Randolph-Macon girls,
alumna; and student body, whose proud and loyal love, as a whole,
cannot be surpassed by that of any college, however large, old, or
wealthy it may be. Although a small proportion of this number will
be here to greet you on your arrival in June, we are sure that the
number will be sufficient to convince you of the sincerity of this feel-
ing. I n the spirit of the girls lies the subtlest charm of Randolph-
Macon.

But we are not inviting you here to see our college. This spirit is
not confined to Randolph-Macon alone, and it is the same loyalty
and love towards our fraternity that has led us to invite the Conven-
tion to Lynchburg. I t is because all of us want to know and love all
of you that we have asked you. The "regrets" will bring us keenest
disappointment, the acceptances the pleasantest anticipations, so plan,
for your summer outing, a trip to Virginia and believe us.

Most cordially,

KAPPA CHAPTER,

Fannie W. Butterfield, Chapter President.

A O n HOUSE, RANDOLPH-MACON
KAPPA CHAPTER, 1916



TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 135

RANDOLPH-MACON

BY LUCY R. SOMERVILLE, K , ' 1 6

Alumna Assistant Editor for Kappa

You have heard our Twentieth Anniversary is to be celebrated with
K A P P A . You are planning to come, we hope, and you are wonder-
ing what K A P P A and Randolph-Macon are like, we are sure. A
favorite theme subject for R-M freshmen is "Who I am and Why I
Came to College." I n this article the College must seek to tell "What
R-M Is and Why You Should Come to I t . " I f at times this article
seems to have the air of a college catalogue, you will forgive me, I
hope, for it seems impossible to handle information in anything other
than an encyclopedic manner.

Randolph-Macon owes its existence to the genius of one man, Dr.
William Waugh Smith, and this perhaps accounts for the spirit
which permeates the College, which is distinctively Randolph-Macon,
and which makes Randolph-Macon the greatest of all colleges to
those who have once been under the shadow of its walls. As the
breath of life cannot be carved into a statue, no matter how skil-
f u l l y wrought, so a spirit, no matter how intensive, cannot be trans-
lated into a concrete form. To know the Randolph-Macon spirit
is to possess it, and until that possession is yours, you are no daughter
of the College, but an alien without understanding of the world about
you.

In September, 1893, the College was opened with 78 students rep-
resenting 11 states; the first graduating class, 1896, consisted of
two members; in 1 9 1 6 there were 6 2 4 students representing 3 6
states and foreign countries, and 9 8 degrees were conferred. This
in brief is the history of the growth of the College. Applications for
admission exceed the accommodations for students each year, and as
new dormitories have been erected, they have been fully occupied.
The value of the holdings of the college is conservatively estimated at
$871,125, and the equipments of its laboratories is probably the most
complete in the South. Randolph-Macon had the first psychology
laboratory in the South and one of the first in the country, and has
kept its apparati in advance of that of most colleges in this country.
Randolph-Macon stands for and emphasizes the value of a purely
classical education.

A peculiar feature of the arrangement of the buildings at Ran-
dolph-Macon is the fact that all of them, except New Hall (dormi-
tory) and gymnasium, are connected by a corridor over 6 0 0 feet
long. I n the mind of our Founder, Dr. Smith, this corridor was to
be the melting pot of the College. Along it are entrances to the

136 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

offices, the library, the postoffice, three dormitories, Science Hall,
the chapel, and nearly all classrooms. Without going out-of-doors
a girl may eat, sleep, read the latest magazine, get her mail, cash a
check, attend chapel, call on the Dean, go to her classes, and gossip
with her friends. I n the constant passing and repassing along the
corridor strange faces become familiar, and no friend is long out of
sight; but on "Pay Day," with its array of grasping treasurers,
this corridor reminds one of the money changers of the ancient
world.

Life at Randolph-Macon is one mad whirl, but delightful withal.
Randolph-Macon was one of the first colleges to have Student
Government, and the powers of its Student Committee are exception-
ally broad; practically all regulations are made by that Committee.
Though we dislike so fixed a term as "Honor System," and feel that
honor cannot be restricted to certain reserved spots, still we have that
system in its entirety on all class work and examinations, and in most
points of student conduct. Athletics has a prominent share in our
college life, and we are expecting you to enjoy our swimming-pool
with us, so be sure to bring a bathing suit. I n the f a l l we have pre-
liminary basketball games l>etween the four class teams, and the two
victors in these play Thanksgiving for a silver cup. The all-college
team is also announced on Tranksgiving, and R. M.'s presented
to the members of the winning team. The basketball season
this year was considerably enlivened by several Faculty vs. Student
games. On the first of May we have a Field Day and track contests.
For several years Randolph-Macon had the college girls' World
Record for the running high jump, and has several times won places
in all-American College Girls' records. With us, champion athletes
can win a popular vote for almost anything as all contests are inter-
class, and class spirit runs high in all things.

Class spirit is a subject near to our hearts, but a subject also of
many strifes and fights that are far from gentle and ladylike. The
Evens and Odds waste little love and no compliments upon each
other when class affairs are in the ascendency, though at other times
they are friendly enough. You are Even or Odd according to the
year of your graduation, and each in-coming class inherits the colors
and traditions of the class that graduated the preceding June; the
juniors and freshmen are "sister classes," and seniors and sophomores
stand together. Each senior asks her favorite sophomore to "hood"
her, that is the sophomore is to put the Bachelor's hood on her senior
when the degrees are conferred. This plan of sophomores hooding
seniors has recently been adopted by Columbia. When you come
to visit us, though, we will forget our time-honored disputes, and
Even and Odd will join hands to welcome you to our College.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 137

We have also among other things, that plan, the delight of the-
orists and the plague of those who work under it, sophomore pledg-
ing, but we hope to reach some compromise pleasing to both in the
near future. With the exception of freshmen, from 52% to 55%
of the girls are fraternity girls. There are chapters of nine national
fraternities at Randolph-Macon, Chi Omega, Zeta Tau Alpha,
Kappa Delta, Delta Delta Delta, Phi Mu, Alpha Delta Pi, Pi Beta
Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Alpha Omicron Pi. The increase in
the number of chapters has been gradual, but it has not kept up with
the growth of the College. Chi Omega was the first fraternity to
enter Randolph-Macon, its chapter being installed in 1899, followed
by Zeta Tau Alpha in 1902, Kappa Delta and Alpha Omicron Pi in
1903, Delta Delta Delta in 1905, Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu in
1911-12, Pi Beta Phi in 1913, and Kappa Alpha Theta in 1916.
The average membership for a chapter is about eighteen (this year
we have twenty-three), but no chapter has exceeded twenty-five. The
chapter houses are bungalows used only as clubhouses. They have
been built in what we call "The Pines," a beautiful pine grove back
of the College, beyond the gymnasium and off the side of the Ath-
letic Field. These houses have all been built since 1912, we Alpha O's
being the first to build, and all chapters, except Kappa Alpha Theta,
have one. On every other Sunday night from 9:30 to 10:30 all houses
are open to members of the faculty, nonfraternity girls, and members
of other fraternities. On these nights anywhere from ten to one
hundred guests are entertained at each house; freshmen are not
allowed to come to the houses at all, but "little sisters" (girls whose
sisters are members of some fraternity) are allowed to come to the
houses.

At the last Convention of Phi Beta Kappa a chapter was
unanimously granted Randolph-Macon, and so, though the chapter
has not yet been installed, there may be a few new keys flashing out
next June, but we make no promise. There are no honor societies at
Randolph-Macon at present, but there are four local ribbon societies,
Am Sams, S. T . A . B., P I , and OMEGA, which have an average
membership of eighteen and which are not a subject for discussion in
an ordinary conversation.

Of our three college publications, The Sun Dial (weekly), The
Tattler (monthly), and the Helianthus (annual), the Helianthus is
most likely to prove of interest to you, as it is usually issued in May
and you will have an opportunity to see and enjoy it. The name
Helianthus, meaning sun-flower, represents the college flower and
colors, yellow and black. I n May also comes our May Day celebra-
tion. A May Queen is elected by popular vote early in the spring

138 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA 0 MIC RON PI

term. The program is arranged and directed by a committee
appointed by the president of the student body, and the faculty
grants a holiday. Last year we gave The Romance of the Rose in
pantomime with many beautiful interpretative dances interwoven
with the working out of the legend. I t is too early to give any hint
of what form this year's celebration will take, but it will still be
fresh in our minds when you come and you w i l l be certain to hear
all about it.

I n the first real paragraph of this article I spoke of the Randolph-
Macon spirit and said it could not be translated into a concrete form,
but I was partially wrong, for some small portion of that spirit is
being embodied in our work and plans for our Students' Building.
When you come to our campus next June, we hope to have many work-
men on that campus, and to be able to show you the cornerstone of our
Students' Building. We are putting all our Lincoln pennies, buffalo
nickles, 1916 dimes, and anything we have left into the f u n d ; we
are saving tin foil, selling chocolate, thinking and talking, working
and hoping for little else than our Students' Building.

With this rather sketchy outline of some of the more obvious
phases of our college life in mind, I hope you will find our college,
our campus, and our conversation a little more intelligible than you
would have without this article. The picture I would leave with you
is of a college where courage, and honor, and courtesy are held in
high esteem; a college waiting with a warm welcome for your coming,
that it may learn of you and that you, perhaps, may learn of it.

Kappa Chapter at Home to AH
A L P H A O s!

Place, Lynchburg. Time, June 21-26, 1917.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 139

ATTENTION! CONVENTION!

B Y B E R N I E P. PALFREY, K , ' 1 8

Convention in June and in Virginia is the all-inspiring thought of
every Kappa, and we want it to be the same for every Alpha O.
There is hardly a reason why each one should not come, and oh, so
many reasons why you should!

Of course, you remember that we haven't always had Biennial
Conventions meeting with the different chapters, but until 1909 had
only an annual Grand Council meeting in New York which was
strictly for business. Only a few, comparatively speaking, had any
share in this, so that our present conventions were planned as a big,
centralizing, unifying power, which, should bring Zeta's and Pi's,
Sigma's and Gamma's, and all of us into closer bonds of fraternity
and love. And this is our aim for the 1917 Convention! Those of
you who were at the California Convention already know that Stella
Stern Perry has promised us a History of Alpha Omicron Pi, to be
read at the next Convention. Every true Greek is interested in the
fraternity world at large, but first and last in the fraternity of his
choice, and this will be an opportunity not to be passed by.

I t has been my good luck to become personally acquainted with a
great many of the girls from Pi Chapter, and when I think of all
the pleasure that these friendships have brought to me, I think about
how much more wonderful it will be to know my sisters from all of
the chapters. And that is what Convention w i l l mean, along with
the opportunity to welcome our very newest Alpha O's.

Many of you from the Western states perhaps have never been
East, and this will be a splendid chance to combine a trip and a Con-
vention, and a beautiful excuse to visit Virginia. This fine old South-
ern state boasts all sorts of interesting and historic places—Natural
Bridge, Richmond, V . M . I . at Lexington, and others—and we are
hoping to take you to see some of them, perhaps. Nearly every one
will come via Washington so that a few days in the capital could be
most easily arranged. Is there anyone who doesn't like a jolly good
time? " A l l work and no play" is an old saying, but I believe it's
true, don't you? Of course, we will work at Convention, all the
mornings will be taken up with business sessions, but the afternoons
and evenings will be brimming f u l l of fun, a trip or jaunt up the
James, stunts, a reception, a banquet, and every good chance to know
all of our celebrities and sisters and to become one with them in the
loyal spirit of Alpha Omicron Pi!

140 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

CONVENTION BULLETIN

We are working on plans for the Convention, but at this time we

are able to make only a general report on the organization and work

of the Convention Committee. The Committee consists of three

members and each of them is in turn chairman of one of the three

general committees. Our plan resembles that adopted by Sigma for

the last Convention to a large extent. The names and addresses of

the Committee are:

Chairman, Entertainment, Katherine Roy Gordon, K, '14, 5 E.

Franklin St., Richmond, Va.

Chairman, Finance, Elizabeth Bryan, K, '15, Alexandria, La.

Chairman, Arrangements, Lucy R. Somerville, K, '16, R-M W. C ,

Lynchburg, Va. I f anyone has any suggestions or experience along

these lines, write to one of them; they are ready and waiting for

ideas.

Decide as soon as possible to come to Convention and write the

Convention Manager. I t is necessary that we have an approximate

idea of how many to expect. The expenses for your stay for four

days will be between $12 and $15 ; this will include baggage, banquet,

and all incidentals. We will be able to tell you exactly in the May

Bulletin.

The program is at present undecided upon, but it will include a

banquet and Stunt Night. I t is upon Stunt Night that I wish to

dwell. Send in the name and an outline of your stunt to Katharine

Godon before June 1st, in order to get a place upon the program for

that night. We want every chapter to be represented and we want to

spend an entertaining evening. Then we want to have a Song Con-

test, i f our time permits, but whether we have a contest or not, we

want you to write a Convention Song, and bring all the rhymes and

jingles you sing when you are at home.

We have made arrangements to use the college buildings for all

meetings and for sleeping, and you are to get your meals at an Inn

a short distance from the College. Streetcars run every twelve

minutes from the Lynchburg hotels where arrangements will be made

for any who prefer staying in the city, i f we are notified in time.

I n the May Bulletin we will give final directions and particulars.

Anyone desiring information or planning to come will please write

the Convention Manager in good season. •

LUCY R. SOMERVILLE, K, '16, Convention Manager.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 141

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHAPTER EDITORS, PLEASE T A K E NOTICE!

Since the May Number is to be published May 10th, it is necessary
that all chapter letters be sent by the twelfth instead of the twenty-
fifth of March. There seems to be some misunderstanding, in spite
of instructions, as to whom these letters should be sent.

Please note especially this explanation:
The Editors of Pi, Nu, Theta, Delta, Gamma, Epsilon, Rho, Iota,
Chi, Beta Phi, Kappa, Bangor, Boston, Providence, New York,
Indianapolis, and New Orleans Alumnae, please send letters to Mar-
garet June Kelley, 52 Essex St., Bangor, Maine.
The Editors of Omicron, Zeta, Sigma, Lambda, N u Kappa, Upsi-
lon, Tau, Alpha Phi, Eta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Lincoln,
Chicago, Minneapolis, and Portland, Oregon Alumnae, please send
letters to Mary Ellen Chase, Bozeman, Montana.
Frequently we have to pay extra postage on chapter letters. W i l l
Editors please be careful to have the letters weighed before sending?

Mrs. Lilla Dickinson announces the marriage of her daughter
Helen Dickinson (the Auditor of Alpha Omicron P i ) , to Mr.
William Lange on Tuesday, January 16th, at Pasadena, Cal.

Nothing is more certain than that there is a vast amount of good
will and ability for social work unutilized because of the lack of a
proper agency for applying it to service. The Bureau of Volunteer
Social Service was organized in Chicago about a year ago, under the
auspices of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae, to act as a middle-
man between those who wish to help and those who can make use of
helpers. We realize that we are only beginning to touch upon a large
field of work, and we are eager to make the coming year one of
great helpfulness. We are offering you the opportunity to develop
your own talents while using them to benefit others. What can you
teach—English, sewing, music? Can you entertain clubs? Can you
direct children in their play? Can you do friendly visiting, or inter-
viewing or investigative work? I f so, the Bureau wants you. Write
or call up its headquarters at Room 519, 431 South Dearborn Street,
Chicago, and it will use its best efforts to put you in touch with a real
opportunity for service.

We wish to announce that the article which appeared in the
November number, entitled " I f I Were Adviser to Girls" was taken
from the Adelphean of Alpha Delta Pi. Through an oversight, we

142 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

failed to give the Adelphean the credit for a most splendid article.
The friendship of its Kditor, Mrs. Lang, with Dean Clark of Illinois
has certainly been of value to all of the many journals which have
published the article in part or in whole.

Since our last number of To DRAGMA, we are richer by two new
Alumna; Chapters, one at Bangor, Maine, and one at Portland, Ore-
gon. We surely give them welcome. We have received unofficially
the news also of the establishment of Eta Chapter at Wisconsin Uni-
versity, upon which we have commented editorially.

Through the courtesy of the National Board of Y. W. C. A. we
have been privileged to examine The Girls' Year Book and The Inch
Library. It has really been a privilege, and it is no less one to call
the attention of the Alpha O girls to these two publications.

The Girls' Year Book is bound in dull blue cloth, and slips easily
into a coat or a sweater pocket. It is comprised of Bible readings
with most original and helpful comments for every day in the year.
I t is far superior to anything of the kind which the Editor has ever
examined, and she heartily recommends it as a real inspiration. I t
is wholesome, original, human, and practical—the very elements
which appeal to the modern college girl. I t costs fifty cents. Buy a
copy for your roommate's birthday, and perhaps she will return the
compliment.

The Inch Library is at present comprised of two inches. We hope
more will be added. The inches consist each of nine little leaflets,
written especially for girls by those who know and love girls. Some
of the subjects treated are Being Good Friends with One's Family.
The Kingdom of Our Thoughts, and A Girl and the Caste System.
Each leaflet is attractively bound, and the nine are encased in a blue
cardboard holder. The separate leaflets are five cents each, or
bought by the set including the case, fifty cents for each inch.

Another good g i f t for your roommate's birthday, or a Christmas
present for a fraternity sister.

Mrs. Etta Phillips MacPhie, one of the founders of Minneapolis
Alumna;, has moved to Lowell, Mass. A l l mail can reach her by
being sent in care of Mrs. H . W. Phillips, Box 91, Chelmsford
Center, Mass.

We are glad to announce that Miss Henry has been made Execu-
tive Secretary of the Woman's Educational and Industrial Union of
Boston. I t certainly gives scope for splendid work, and we feel
sure Miss Henry is admirably fitted for such service.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 143

ACTIVE CHAPTER LETTERS

PI, H. SOPHIE NEWCOMB MEMORIAL COLLEGE

Rielta Garland, '17 .Mary Sumner, '17
Jean H i l l , '17 Magda Chalaron, '18
Lessie Madison, '17 Helen Grevemberg, '19
Kathleen O'Niell, '17 A n n a M c L e l l a n , '19
Mary Raymond, '17 E v e l y n Pigott, 19
Mildred Renshaw, '17 F a y Morgan, 'ao

Once more the Christmas holidays have come, and as Pi looks
back to the three months just gone by, she's tempted to comment
"well done." Of course, all of this isn't due just to the active
chapter, but a large part of our alumna; chapter, who besides its
social work, has found time to organize many advantageous rushing
schemes. Twice a month, two of the alumna; give a rushing party
on the same day, and both cast lots to see which actives and which
rushees are going to their party. Besides doing rushing and being
advisers, they also act as financiers occasionally. We gave a Christ-
mas tree at which each of us brought a present for the fraternity
room. And what do you suppose was hanging right from the top-
most branch of the tree? A check—and from the alumnae. Of
course, we all have visions at present of hard wood floors, couches,
and many other heavenly things—I wonder how far the check will
stretch!

We're all very enthusiastic over March pledging which the faculty,
on account of a petition of Panhellenic, has granted the fraternities.
We can only pledge those girls, however, who carry absolutely
no condition. With this clause, the faculty sees that the fraternities
are cooperating with them in the uplifting of scholarship.

Pi entertained at a birthday party on December 8th. We thought
of every A O TI in the world when towards the end we sang Alpha
O songs. We're very sorry that the first telegram we sent Mrs.
Perry had the wrong address, but we do hope she received the
second that was sent, for we certainly thought of her on that day.

And though we've been having rushing parties and birthday parties
and other kind of parties, Pi has not forgotten her social work
which she values highly. On Thanksgiving Day, we sent a tremen-
dous basket of "goodies" to the Maison Hospitaliere, an institution
for old ladies. Kathleen O'Niell and Mary Sumner, along with
other members of the Mandolin and Guitar Club, played on Canal
Street during Christmas week for the benefit of the Doll and Toy
Fund. After the holidays, all of the "musicians" of the fraternity
intend playing at some of the charitable institutions to help those
who need cheering up.

144 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

And we're talking Convention, Convention. So along with the
wish f o r a bright and successful New Year that Pi sends to every
active and alumna member of A O n, she also wishes that 1917
will bring with it the realization of the best A O I I convention ever.

MII.RED RENSHAW, '17, Chapter Editor.

NU, N E W YORK UNIVERSITY

Elizabeth Jane Monroe Dorothy Kenyon
Frances Walters Edna Rapallo
Helen Williams Sarah Donegan
Florence Haag Mary Peaks

Dear Sisters in Alpha O:

Nu's regular editor is very i l l in the hospital with typhoid, so I

am undertaking to be an unworthy substitute for this number. I

am glad to say that I believe the danger is past and that she is

starting her recovery, but she is yet too i l l to see anyone.

Nu Chapter has been rather active during the recent campaign.

One of our alumnae, Helen Hoy Greeley, was on the Hughes

Special, while Elizabeth Moss and Virginia Mollenhauer have been

campaigning for Wilson. So no matter which side the victory was

on, we were sure of being included in it.

We are also represented among the war sufferers. Helen Ranlett

has been doing work among the refugees in Amiens, France. Mable

Witte is delivering lectures on law in the Brooklyn Institute this

winter. Helen Potter is engaged in revising a book on corporation

law. A new firm has been formed consisting of Jessie Ashley,

Adelma Burd, and Helen Potter.

Cecile Iselin is continuing in the office of Mr. Escher. He acts

as counsel for the Swiss Consulate. Dorothy Kenyon was also

asked to remain with her firm when the f a l l term opened. I had

better explain to those members of Alpha O who are not following

the legal profession that firm means a law firm, and these positions

mean law clerkships. I t is quite a coveted honor for a girl to get

into a good firm and be asked to stay, as the legal profession is still

quite conservative about women.

Hoping that your next letter may be written by the regular

editor,

Yours i n Alpha O,

ELIZABETH A. SMART.

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 145

OMICRON, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

Margaret Conover, Grad. Marian Swain, '19

Wista Braly, '17 Kathleen V a u g h a n , '19

Katherine Johnson, '17 Sadie Ramsey, '19
Mary D . Houston, '18 M a r t h a L o u Jones, '19

Dorothy Nolan, '18 L y n n McNutt, '19

Sue Bryant, '19 L i d a Moore, Spec.

Louise Wiley, Grad. Josephine Johnson, Spec.

Elizabeth Kennedy, '19

Omicron's February letter must always begin with a list of pledges.
This time is no exception, and, as usual, in spite of the Editor's
criticisms, they are the "best ever." Here they are—Margaret
McAnulty, Eleanor Burke, Julia Rather, Elizabeth Tarpley, and
Iva Hobson. I n our next letter I hope they will be wearing the
A O I I pin instead of "the sheaf." They are as loyal now as any
full-fledged Alpha O's could be.

Since pledges are disposed of, I will now tell about our football
season just closed, because it is one of the most successful in our
history. To tell the whole story in a sentence—we beat Vanderbilt.
That is our big game, and a victory means a great season whatever
else might happen. But this year we were victorious in all games
but one, and that was a tie. So we think our boys are worthy of the
biggest " T " obtainable. There is much talk of a large new athletic
field which, i f it is constructed, will fill a long standing need.

Before the Christmas holidays the Y. M . C. A. is going to give
a Mid-winter Carnival with "big acts" and "side shows." They
hope to give such an exhibition as would make Ringling Brothers
proud. The Y. W. C. A., not to be outdone, is also to be in the
limelight, though in a slightly different way. We are to give a
group of tableaux on the Christmas Story with suitable readings
and songs.

The Christmas spirit has possessed most U . T.-ers these days.
Everyone is counting the days, hours, and even minutes until time
for home-going. And to think—when we read this in To DRAGMA
we shall have come back, and, what is more, we shall be in the
midst of examinations. Why do such terrible experiences always
come after the most delightful?

Speaking of delightful experiences makes all of us Omicrons
remember our alumnaj home-coming, when most of our last year
girls and some more besides were with us for Thanksgiving. I t
was wonderful to have them with us again, but we didn't get to tell
them nearly all we wanted to, for we could only sit and gaze at
them. Then there were parties, of course—one of the very loveliest
being the freshman luncheon which they prepared and served them-

146 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

selves. I f we did not know it before, we are now perfectly con-
vinced that our new sisters will be fine managers, and hostesses
irresistible to freshmen-to-come. The sweetest and most Alpha-like
party we had was in our room. We first had the "fish" to perform
some and then—all of us in Alpha Omicron Pi were "once more
united" in a special fraternity meeting. We knew a visit back to the
" H i l l " would not be complete without that.

1 wish I could tell about all we have done this year and the
rushing parties we have given, but I am afraid the Editor would
say I was taking up space not mine. So I will briefly say that we
had five parties—two in the fraternity room, one at Lida Moore's
country home, one at Lucretia Bickley's, and one on Halloween at
the Morgans', Fay's home. The informal lunches in our room were
enjoyed greatly.

A l l kinds of good wishes are in order now, are they not? Omicron
sends them all to each and every Alpha girl—"Merry Christmas!"
"Happy New Year!" and—most especially to you to whom it per-
tains—"Successful examinations!"

MARY D . HOUSTON, Chapter Letter Editor.

KAPPA, RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE

Fannie Butterfield, '17 Buie Frith, A n n a T a y l o r , '19
C l a r a Smith, '17 J u l i a White, '19
Helen H a r d y , '17 Carle K i n g , '19
Annie E a r l e Reed, '17 Elizabeth Sale, '19
Virginia Strother, '17 E l i z a W a l l i s , '19
Louise Swift, '17 Gertrude Hatcher, '19
Augusta Stacy, '17 E l e a n o r Manning, '19
Frances H a r d y , '18 F r a n c e s M a j o r , '19
Bernie Palfrey, '18 L i n n a Mae McBride, '19
Frances H a m i l t o n , '18 Genevieve Glascow, '19
Helen Scott, '18 E l l a Thomas, '19
'19
Mary

No doubt a hostess-to-be should be modestly retiring, and so
give the impression of awaiting her big party as though it were an
everyday occurrence, but there is no use in Kappa's trying to pretend
she is not excited over the crowd of distinguished visitors she is to
entertain at the convention in June. Her state of mind fluctuates
between joy of expectation and anxiety for fear that it will be a rainy
June or that the college will burn down before commencement.
These fears, however, only make our anticipation pleasanter in
contrast, and we want you all to come, all of you! Virginia woods
are good for outdoor sleeping, and peas and corn bread are plentiful
here in June.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 147

Our adventures since the last letter have taken meagre proportions
with the convention looming up so large. The goats were absorbed
long ago, and are now applying the arts of rushing. We old ones
tell them with mournful shaking of the head that they do not rush
as we used to, but since we can't remember specific cases to back
up our statements, don't succeed in pricking their consciences much.
The truth is, rushing is becoming saner here every year.

We had our banquet on the night of Founders' Day at the Vir-
ginian Hotel. The table looked lovely; we were all dressed and
flowered up, and everybody was in a gay humor except the few mum-
bling toasts to themselves. The toast to the Convention met with
great enthusiasm. A t twelve o'clock a photographer from town came
and took some flashlights of the group, but we refrain from sending
you any, because every one of us had her eyes tight shut, and the
picture gives a bad impression of the good time we had.

Instead of having a Christmas tree f u l l of presents for ourselves,
which is our usual custom at our Christmas party, we took a poor
family of six children to brighten up. Nine dollars was given in
money for coal and groceries, and three of us took one child, fitted
him with a sweater and a cap and filled his stocking. Such a little
sacrifice did anything but mar our party which we had as usual.
Our especial patrons in town gave us some silver spoons, and our
little sisters gave us a victrola record: so the house couldn't feel
neglected i f it wanted to.

Excitement has been at low ebb in college the last two months.
Ex-president T a f t visited us and lectured in town on "Our World
Relationships," but you could hardly call our mental enthusiasm
over the subject excitement. Otis Skinner played here, and Cadmann
with his Indian princess. Statistics were voted on by the student
body, and from the A O IT's here, Helen Hardy was voted the best
all-around girl in school, Frances Hardy the most athletic, and
Augusta Stacy the most original. Panhellenic is agitating the
question of mid-year pledging again, but whether the agitation
will result in a change in our practice is doubtful.

AUGUSTA STACY, Chapter Editor.

ZETA, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Ethel Chace, '17 L y d i a Dawson, '19
Doris Scroggin, '17 H a z e l Cook, '19
Gladys Lowenberg, '17 F r a n c e s Bollard, '19
Carrie Marshall, '18 Gladys Whitford, '19
Jeannette Adams, '18 Mildred Gillilan, '19
Winnifred Moran, '18 Marie Stutts, '19
E d n a H a t h w a y , '18 Thelma Bergen, '19

148 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

Lettie I r i o n , '20 M a r y Waters, '20
F l o r e n c e G r i s w o l d , '20 Margaret Perry, '20
Alice Sheehy, '20 F r a n c e s G a n n o n , '20
Catherine Benner, '20 R u t h Farquhar, '20

This winter has been a busy one for Zeta girls. Our work is
usually sufficient to occupy most of our time, and then, of course,
there are all sorts of parties and school activities to keep us busy.
For instance, on the day of the game with Drake University, Iowa,
the girls' club gave a football luncheon. A l l of the sororities
attended en masse. Doris Scroggin, '17, was chairman of the
committee in charge of it. The toast list was appropriate to the
occasion. I t read: "The Scrimmage, The Game, The Goal." Edna
Froyd, '16, ex-president, responded to "The Goal."

The Lincoln alumna; arranged a luncheon during Mrs. Henning's
visit, and we had a reception for her at the chapter house.

The girls' club Christmas party just before vacation, was a most
enjoyable affair. Practically all of the hundreds of girls who were
there wore fancy costumes. Several groups gave stunts, for instance
"The Six Great Moments of a Girl's Life, With Apologies to Harri-
son Fisher," "Bluebeard" (it was pasteboard) in pantomime. The
Alpha O's dressed as Dutch girls, and gave a Dutch dance, to the
tune of "Oh, du lieber Augustine." Doris Scroggin was chairman
of the party committee, and we feel that much of its success was due
to her efforts. Winnifred Moran and Gladys Lowenberg were on the
decorating committee for the party.

The Monday evening before vacation we girls had our own Christ-
mas party at the house. Of course, we had Santa Claus, and the
usual ridiculous gifts which we sent to poor children, after we had
had a good laugh over them. The freshmen are supposed to be
thoroughly aware of the fact that they are expected to give a
program at the Christmas party. They made elaborate plans which
failed to materialize. The night of the party someone had an
inspiration. Programs were distributed, with numbers, A, B, C, etc.
A. "Madame Melba and Caruso. Choice selections," etc.

Upperclassmen were called upon to respond without a moment's
warning. There was almost a riot for a time, but we laughingly
admitted that the joke was on us.

One of those incorrigible freshmen, Lettie Irion, made the fresh-
man basketball team, and will, we believe, be named its captain.
Doris Scroggin is senior vice-president, and on the senior prom
committee. Winifred Moran is on the junior play committee, and
also on the girls' club commission to investigate religious conditions
at the university. Several of our girls tried out for Kosmet Club

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 149

play, but their names are "withheld by the censor" at present. Watch
this space!

During the visit of Mrs. Hennings, district superintendent, Thelma
Bergen was initiated. Esther Chamberlain was pledged at mid-term
pledge day.

And now, success to you in the approaching examinations, and

a happy New Year!
E D N A H A T H WAY, Chapter Editor.

SIGMA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Marion Bachman, '17 Hattie Marie H e l l e r , '20
Helen Clowes, '17 Rosalind Olcese, '17
Alice Cranston, '17 E t h e l M a r o n e y , '17
Elizabeth Elliot, '17 Gertrude Schieck, '17
Gladys Goeggel, '17 E d n a T a y l o r , '17
Mary Butler, '18 Bernice H u b b a r d , '18
E l l a C r a w f o r d , '18 Marguerite Neelay, '18
Gertrude Day, '19 Helen Schieck, '19
T h e l m a Donovan, '19 Dorothy Weeks, '19
Margaret Forsythe, '19 Mary Wight, '19
Lucile G r a h a m , '19 Mildred Mallon, '20
Marion Black, '20 Margaret M c V e y , '20
Catherine Cox, '20 Marion Mathews, '20
E s t h e r C a r d w e l l , '20 K a t h r y n Pride, '20
L a u r a de V e u n , '20 E d w i n a Robie, '20
A n n a G a y Doolittle, '20 Marjorie Selwood, '20
Donovan, '20
Nadine

Dear Sisters:
Sigma is closing a very busy but a most successful semester.

There are now thirty-three members in the chapter which is the
largest number Sigma has counted for several years. Much of
our interest during this half-year has centered on our new home
which is a beautiful three-story cement house with a lovely garden.
A l l the girls are well pleased with it.

The buying and furnishing of this new chapter house necessitated
excellent financial handling. For this reason, all the money affairs
have been under the supervision of a Board of Directors, composed
of the house-manager, treasurer, and several alumnae. This plan has
proven a great help to the active girls.

The most important event for Sigma this semester was our big
reception which was in the nature of a "house-warming." Several
hundred bids were sent out and a great many attended. The fresh-
men, our president and housemother stood in the receiving line
in our large chapter-room. The upperclass girls entertained in the
living-room, while the sophomores served refreshments in the dining-

150 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

room. The whole house was open to the guests. An Hawaiian
orchestra furnished the music for the afternoon.

I n the evening we received again, this time mostly mothers and
fathers and members of the faculty. About ten o'clock the music
started and forty couples danced away the night into the early
hours, only stopping for a delightful supper. The whole affair was
pronounced a veritable success.

Just last week a most promising step was taken by Sigma. About
twelve of the mothers who live near the university met at the chapter
house, and they have now formed a club in order to become better
acquainted with one another and with the girls. We think it a
splendid idea, and hope to encourage it as much as possible.

They have already helped us by contributing candy and cake
which were sold last Saturday at our annual bazaar. The Fair
resulted in a very successful afternoon as many people took advan-
age of the pretty articles, made by alumna? and active members.
The scheme of the affair was entirely oriental.

The last gathering of a l l girls for this year was at the celebra-
tion of Founders' Day. We were fortunate enough to again have
Mrs. Perry with us to relate the much-loved story of the first
Alpha O's.

Sigma sincerely hopes that the New Year will be filled with happi-
ness for each of her sisters in Alpha Omicron Pi.

H E L E N SCHIECK, Chapter Editor.

THETA, DE PAUW UNIVERSITY

Francis Kelly, *I7 Jessie Jones, '18
Georgia Gilkey, '17 Bernice Wilhelm, '19
E d n a McClure, '17 Maurine Y o r k , '19
Allison M a c L a c h l a n , '17 R u t h Little, '19
Ann White, '18 W i l h e l m i n a Hedde, '19
Ethel Pike, '18 Jesse Bicknell, '19
Margaret Douthitt, '18 Helen Lange, '19
Margurite Bennett, '18 Agnes L a k i n , '19
Esther Morris, '18 M a r y Bicknell, '19
Merle H u f f m a n , '18

PLEDGES

Bernice McCorkle, '19 L u c i l e K e l l y , '20
Margaret Babcock, '20 Mabel West, '20
Reggie O'Brien, '20 Bertha R u b y , '20
Lois Rickey, '20 Mabelle Hedde, '20
Hazel McComas, '20 Helen Hagenbush, '20
Margurite Norris, '20

Theta girls have experienced an unusually busy term, and it was
with great difficulty that we settled down to real work after our

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 151

strenuous, two weeks' spike. Just in the whirl of school work,
though, our President decfared a half holiday and we set to work
to make it a real holiday for sure. We went on a short hike and
took our suppers out in the woods where we cooked over a big fire
which we built on the rocks at the foot of a hill. I t was almost
dark when the last joyous note of our Alpha O song died away,
and we started on our homeward jaunt.

The twenty-eighth of October, we entertained for our chaperon,
Miss Towsley, about two hundred town and faculty women at an
informal afternoon reception. Halloween suggestions were carried
out in the decorating scheme, and in the dining-room.

Once into the merry whirl of college life again, there was no
stopping place. The Woman's Self-government Association gave a
Halloween fancy-dress ball and of all the good times imaginable,
we surely had it then. A l l sorts of characters were there—from
well-known historical high-brows to Charlie Chaplins. Plenty of
cider and pumpkin pie were served, after which we danced until
Miss Alvord, Dean of Women, found it necessary to chase us all
homeward.

From the very beginning of the f a l l term we began to look and
watch f o r some announcement concerning Old Gold Day, De Pauw's
home-coming, and at last the longed-for day came. Saturday,
November 4th—a time when the real Old Gold Spirit knew no
bounds. First, there was the customary chapel in Meharry Hall,
which was crowded with friends and eager, excited students. Class
spirit voiced itself in song and yell and the "Praises of Old De Pauw"
seemed to fairly raise the roof. Afterward, there were various class
contests, the color-raising and distribution of freshman caps, the De
Pauw-Butler football game, and finally the big bonfire on the
tennis courts. I n the evening we attended the Old Gold Day Vaude-
ville, which was staged by various campus organizations. The whole
day was a decided success—in fact it was such a success that we
were given a holiday the following Monday.

In the meantime a letter had come from Mrs. Hennings, our dis-
trict superintendent, saying she would visit us from Monday until
Wednesday. We received the message with greatest joy because we
had met Mrs. Hennings at the installation of Beta Phi Chapter, and
we knew what a visit from such an enthusiastic, loving worker
would mean to our chapter. The Tuesday evening she was with
us we gave a little dinner party and had all our pledges and town
girls in for dinner. After dinner Mrs. Hennings talked with us
for quite a while, telling the pledges what Alpha O had meant
to her and inspiring them with the greater spirit of our loved frater-

152 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

nity. We all felt so much stronger and thus better fitted to under-
take Alpha's work when she left us, and we only hope that this is
the first of many such future visits.

One morning on the campus we heard the faintest whisper about
a Soldiers' Relief Fund, so we all flocked into chapel to find out
the cause of this agitation and we were not disappointed. Yes, there
was a representative at De Pauw asking a subscription from De Pauw.
The movement was first taken up among the Greek-letter organiza-
tions, and soon interesting stories were flying about, how certain
houses were raising their funds by leaving off their dessert for a
certain length of time—yes, even the dormitories were doing without
butter for a week! What was Theta Chapter of Alpha O going to
do? Soon plans were on foot and finally our treasurer sent i n a
nice big check for one hundred dollars, and—we had given up our
annual formal party.

The last week of school before Christmas vacation was, of course,
chuck f u l l of excitement, but we were not too busy to join with the
other seven sororities and the two dormitories in giving a party
for the town children. We had "lots of f u n " with the little tots,
and we were in better Christmas spirit because of the joy we had
given to someone else.

Our juniors entertained with a fancy-dress party, and finally all
the pent-up excitement ended in a big dinner for our chaperon on
her birthday. When the parting day came it was a merry, happy
bunch of girls who called good-byes as they whirled away on their
homeward-bound trains.

But alas! Examination week comes only two weeks after we get
back from our Christmas vacation, and how f u l l even those two weeks
must surely be!

Theta sends best wishes f o r a very happy New Year i n the service
of Alpha O. I f it were not too late she would wish you all a
Merry Christmas, but as it is we can only say we hope you have, each
one, had as delightful a vacation as we.

AGNES L . L A K I N , Chapter Editor.

DELTA, JACKSON COLLEGE

Marjorie Dean, '17 Kennetha Ware, '18
Marion Jameson, '17 R u t h Brooks, '19
Helen Rowe, '17 Margaret Kimball, '19
Mildred Simpson, '17 I n g a Little, '19
Margaret D u r k e e , '18 Elizabeth Miller, '19
Madeline Perkins, '18 Martha Neal, '19
Elizabeth Sargent, '18 Madeline Parker, '19

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 153

E t h e l R i c h a r d s o n , '19 Mary G r a n t , '20

Lorn a Tasker, '19 Marion Phil

Martha Walker, 'ao

Dearest Sisters:
First let me wish one and all of you the happiest kind of a

New Year. May it bring to all of us health, happiness, and a dream

come true!

We are glad to be able to introduce to you three new little sisters
already initiated and one pledged. We hope to have Marion Bennett
in our midst soon, so that her name may be added to our chapter
roll in our next letter to To DRAGMA.

I f we were a bit disappointed to have lost one or two girls we
particularly wanted, it only made us appreciate the more how dear
our new sisters are. I wish you all might know them, for you would
soon love them as we do.

Since our last letter our only formal social function has been
the dance we hold each year in honor of our initiates. Every single
member of the chapter attended this year, as well as several of our
alumnae. The dance was held in what we called the "Girls' Gym,"
the smaller of the two gymnasiums; and, i f the expression on the
faces of the dancers is to be our guide, it was a great success.

We celebrated Founders' Day on Saturday, December 9th. We had
expected a large number of our alumnae to be with us, but owing to
bad weather many of them were unable to come. However, those
who did arrive enjoyed the spread and the little entertainment we
gave. Kennetha, who had charge of the affair, is to be congratulated
on its success, especially in turning the hall into a cozy little sitting-
room.

Our last meeting before the holidays was spent i n dressing dolls
for poor children. We enjoyed our ritual, and the cozy meeting
which followed. While we sewed, some of the girls read Christmas
stories, and the whole ended in a little spread.

I n dramatics we have not been idle. Two of our girls, Betty Sar-
gent and Madeline Perkins, took part i n the first plays of the season.
Everyone pronounced them the best they had ever seen here, so
you may judge for yourself, whether A O IT has cause to be proud of
its dramatic talent.

We are glad to tell our sisters how proud we are of Helen Rowe
with her newly acquired Phi Beta Kappa key. Helen also won the
prize scholarship for general excellence in a wisely and broadly
chosen course. We are proud that one of our members, at least, has
such a high scholastic standing and also proud that others are
prominent in the various college activities.

154 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

When this letter reaches you we shall all be deep in preparations
for the mid-year examinations. Delta wishes all her sisters the
best of success in the coming trials.

MARGARET DURKEE, Chapter Editor.

GAMMA, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE

Elizabeth Bright, '17 R u t h Gardner, '19

Leola Chaplin, '17 Ruth Jordan, '19

A l f r e d a E l l i s , '17 Helen Simpson, '19

Flora Howard, '17 F a y Smith, '19

L i l l i a n H u n t , '17 E l l a Wheeler, '19

Doris Savage, '17 F r a n c e s Bartlett, '20

Jessie Sturtevant, '17 Olive Chase, '20

R u t h Chalmers, '18 Barbara D u n n , '20

Pauline Derby, '18 Ruth Ingersoll, '20

Vera Gellerson, '18 Irene J a c k s o n , '20

Mona Mac Williams, '18 Bessie Mills, '20

Gladys Reed, '18 Marguerite Mills, '20

Ruth Crosby, '18 F l o r e n c e M c L e o d , '20

Joyce Cheney, '19 Eveline Snow, '20

Kathleen Snow, '20

Dear Alpha O Sisters:

Greetings to you all from the girls of Gamma and best wishes
to you for the New Year. We introduce to you fourteen new sisters,

three of whom, Ruth Crosby, Helen Simpson, and Ruth Gardner,

were initiated late in the fall, the remaining eleven at our regular

initiation in January. With our new service initiation seems more
lovely and more impressive than ever, and our banquet was certainly
more than successful. As usual it was held in the attractive banquet

hall at the Bangor House and besides the active girls we had a large

number of alumnae back, lmogene Bumps, Beulah Philbrook. Edith

Bussell, lmogene Wormwood, Hazel Mariner Buzzell. Aileene
Hobart, Marion Jordan. Madeline Robinson, Doris Currier Treat.
Marion Estabrook, Mary Cousins, Irene Cousins, Clair Weld Durgin.

Zella Colvin, June Kelly. Letters were read from Mary Chase

(whose sister Olive we now have for a sister), Miretta Bickford,

and Muriel Colbath Wyman; such greetings make our gathering
seem even larger when we know so many girls are thinking of us on
that night. I wonder i f you know and love Beth Hanly's The Rose

as we of Gamma do. We plan to make it a custom to have it read

each year just before we rise to join our arms and sing our Alpha O

song.

Speaking of so many alumnae reminds me of our most important
news—namely, that we have had an alumnae chapter installed right

next door to us. in Bangor. We are so pleased to have such a

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 155

chapter so near at hand. At the time that Marion Rich installed the
Bangor Alumnae Chapter, she also made us a visit i n her capacity
of district superintendent. She told us of some very interesting
things the other chapters are doing, especially in their endeavors
to win the sorority cup. Maybe you will think we are not interested
in social and philanthropic work, but i f you lived in such a "pover-
tyless" community you, too, would find it hard to decide in which
way you could be of most help to the community.

Until that time we are striving as individuals to make you proud
of us. Leola Chaplin has been elected to the honorary scholarship
fraternity Phi Kappa Phi. Joyce Cheney is to have a poem, "Pitter
Patter," published in an Anthology of the Best Poems by University
Students. We envy Kappa her position as hostess, but a number
of our girls are planning to attend convention to enjoy her hospitality
even i f we are envious. Everyone begin to get enthusiastic so that
we may have the biggest convention ever.

JESSIE STURTEVANT. Chapter Editor.

EPSILON, CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Mary Albertson, '17 Calista Hoffman, '18

Sarah Campbell, '17 M.Hilda Loeffler, '18

Viola Dengler, '17 Dagmar Schmidt, '18

Anne Marrow, '17 Florence Coupe, '19

Frances Rehfeld, '17 Irene Greene, '19

Dorothy Shaw, '17 Ethel H a u s m a n , '19

Jeanette Short, '17 Helen Langdon, '19

Margaret Conlan, '18 M a r y D o n l o n , '20

Joanna Donlon, '18 Dorothy Hieber, '20

Evelyn Hieber, '18 Mary Moore, '20

Cornelia Munsell, '20

At last, rushing with its trials and tribulations is over and we are
very proud of our seven new sisters, Frances Rehfeld, Irene Greene,
Ethel Hausman (Mrs. Leon Hausman). Mary Donlon, Dorothy
Hieber, Mary Moore, and Cornelia Munsell. As college began so
late we had three weeks of hard rushing, four afternoons a week and
a b i g party each Saturday night. There were two periods on rush
days (2-4 and 4 - 6 ) but no informal calling was permitted as here-
tofore. Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Allen, two of our alumnae, kindly-
offered us the use of their homes for parties and we had a dinner
party at the Orchard Tearoom.

On November 21st. we gave a dinner for our pledges and city
alumnae in the small dining-room at Risley H a l l . Then, after pledge
service, we went to see the Portmanteau 'Theatre in Bailey H a l l , the
large Cornell auditorium. Before starting, we received the announce-

156 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

ment of the engagement of Helen La Forge, ex-'19, to Joseph
Eldridge, and the customary five-pound box of candy.

We had initiation at Mrs. Schmidt's, where Epsilon has always
had it. We all thought the new service was very beautiful, and the
initiates were very much impressed by it. Katherine Donlon, '12,
of Utica was one of the speakers at the initiation banquet.

Although very busy before Christmas, we still found time each
to dress a doll for the poor little kiddies at the Mission.

Epsilon wishes all her sister chapters a very happy and prosperous
New Year.

DAGMAR A. SCHMIDT, Chapter Editor.

RHO, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

ACTIVES

Marion Abele Dorothy Maltby
Margaret Ariess Eunice Marthens
Kate Blum Grace May
Elsie Brace Mable McConnell
Edith Brown Faith Morse
Kathryn Brown Helen Ralston
Louise Hoffman Elizabeth Recht
Margaret Jeleff Ruth Sharer
Jane Kennedy Helen Slaten
Dorothy Kerr Dorothy Wade
Alice Kolb Hazel Whitmore, Spec.
Wilson
Alice Jane

PLEDGES

Erna Ariess Hazel Lloyd
Marguerite Ford Lucille Lloyd
Gladys Frye Mabel May
Goldie Holquist Myrtle Swanson
Arleta Kirlin Bessie Talcott
Marguerite Kolb Ethel Willman
Wilson
Phoebe

To you all—Rho's heartiest wishes for your success in the New
Year! A l l that we ask for ourselves is that we may have as great
success as we have had in the past year. Especially do we pride our-
selves on our new members: Elsie Brace, Eunice Marthens, Elizabeth
Recht, Ruth Sharer, Helen Slaten, and Hazel Whitmore—whom we
initiated in November. We feel sure that our chapter will be greatly
strengthened by the addition of these girls. We also are proud to
tell you of the pledging of Marguerite Ford, a junior in Music
School, and Gladys Frye, a freshman in Liberal Arts.

Rho has taken a rather prominent part in social service work this
past year. Through the instrumentality of Louise Hoffman there" has

TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 157

been a more thorough and efficient organization of this work and the
entire university is enthusiastically championing the cause. Of
course, having our own Northwestern University Settlement, we stu-
dents have a broad field in which to work and under the guidance of
the Northwestern University Settlement Association much good is
accomplished. I must explain that the Northwestern University
Settlement Association is the student organization which takes care of
the students' end of the settlement work. A t present Alice Jane
Wilson is secretary of the association. At Christmas time the children
in the settlement district are entertained at Christmas parties for
which the women of the University dress several thousand dolls and
fill several thousand stockings. I n addition to participating in this,
we Rho girls also tried to make Christmas happier for a family less
fortunate than ourselves.

But please don't think that social service entirely occupies our
thoughts. D i d I tell you about the delightful Halloween party our
pledges gave us? We were all summoned to appear at the "Murth-
ens' Hang-out" where we were received by ghosts and witches and all
the eerie folk of Halloween. They entertained us with a mock
pledging and other solemn rites which 'most made our hair stand on
end, but they finally redeemed themselves with a most "dee-licious"
spread. Our biggest social function of the semester was our dance at
the Kenilworth Country Club on December 16th. I t was the "most
loveliest" dance I have ever attended—everything was so comfy and
cozy, and everyone had a perfectly splendid time. We were expecting
some of the girls who are trying to establish a chapter at Madison,
Wisconsin, to be with us, but unfortunately they were unable to
arrange it. We were so disappointed for we Rho girls are wildly
enthusiastic at the prospect of a chapter at Madison and we would
have enjoyed meeting the girls Who have worked so hard and so
splendidly. They certainly seem to have the true Alpha O spirit
already.

But I almost forgot to mention the reception which we held for
Merva Dolsen Hennings when she visited us on her "tour of inspec-
tion," as she calls it. Of course, it wasn't at all like being formally
inspected because Merva is one of our own Rho girls. Unfortunately
she could not manage to spend more than one day with us, but we
were glad to have her even for that short time. A n invitation was
extended to all the women of the university to attend the reception,
which was held in the parlors of Willard H a l l , the women's dormi-
tory. I f we may judge by the number who accepted the invitation,
the event certainly was a success.

158 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

There is little more to tell except that Kate Blum has been elected
secretary of the senior class by an overwhelming majority—and that
Kho climbed from fourth to second place on the sorority scholarship
list. Perhaps some day we may achieve first place—who knows? By
the time you read this probably all of you will have struggled man-
fully through your semester examinations and will be beginning a
fresh sheet of the ledger. However, perhaps our wishes for your
success may not be amiss and so we echo them again.

MARION E. A B L E , Chapter Editor.

L A M B D A , L E L A N D S T A N F O R D , JR. U N I V E R S I T Y

Marian Hoal, '16 Bessie Wood, 'l8 '18
Hazel Hartwell, '16 Marion Gilbert, 'i8
Alice Moore, '16 Lily Morrison, 'i8
Genevieve Morse, '16 Constance Chandler, '18
Rea Gilbert, '17 Marguerite Odenheimer,
L a u r a Wilkie, '17 Ruth Chandler, '19
Mildred Cowdrey, '17 Lenell G a r v i n , '20
Jeane Stoddard, '18 H o r t e n s e F l e m i n g , '20
Caroline Rochfort, '18 Marion Loomis, '20
Marjorie Coil, '18 Gladys Stelling, '20
Affie Wood, '18 A n i t a Compton, '20

The past week here has been devoted to final examinations and
consequently it has been a very busy time for all of us. The Univer-
sity passed a new ruling that no one should be excused from any of
the final examinations, and as a result most of the girls had to take
five or six finals instead of the usual three or four. Most of us have
finished now, and several have left for their homes to spend the
holidays and to await the coming of the grade cards, at the same time,
hoping for favorable scholarship reports.

Marian Boal is leaving college this semester. She will remain at
her home for a while. Mildred Cowdrey will not return next semes-
ter. She is leaving soon for Honolulu where she has accepted a posi-
tion in the chemistry department of the University of Hawaii. Hor-
tense Fleming took a leave of absence a short time ago, but expects
to return to Stanford in January.

We have had a good time socially this semester. We have attended
many dances and entertainments, and have given several ourselves.
On December 5th we had a birthday party for the house. I t was a
"dress up affair," and the costumes varied from "the vampire and
the society dude" to the poor little newsboy of the streets. Many
clever gifts and jokes were exchanged.

We consider that this semester, which is now closing, has been very
.successful in many ways. We are all leaving for our homes for vaca-

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 159

tion pastimes and recreations before starting on another period of our
college careers.

MARION GILBERT, Chapter Editor.

IOTA, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Mate Giddings, '17 Martha Hedgcock, '18
N i n a Grotevant, '18
Minnie Phillips, '17 Mary Caldwell, '18
M a r i o n E. G r e g g , '17 Ruth Percival, '18
V e l d a Bamesberger, '18
Golda W a d s w o r t h , '17 Marie Stejskal, '19
Elaine B u h r m a n , '17 Helen Brauns, '19
G l a d y s Saffell, '17 Marian Kenney, '19
Hazel Stephens, '19
Louise Woodroofe, '17 Aileen Hunter, '19
Maybelle Dallenbach, '17 Edmundson, '19

Florence L . Moss, '17
Bertha Stein, '18

Nila

Mary Putnam, '19 PLEDGES L e i l a Shepherd, '20
Elsie Noel, '19 Beatrice Levy, Jessie Williamson, '30
'19

I n late October Iota gave a Halloween dance at the chapter
house. Pumpkin jack-o-lanterns and corn shocks were used profusely
in the decorations.

Then November brought the annual Illinois Home-coming cele-
bration. A t this gala time we were glad to have back with us: Mabel
Wallace, Helen Whitney, Pearl Ropp, Lottie Pollard, Elizabeth
Knuckles Barnett, Atha Wood Fowler, Cora Mae Lane, Jessie Faye
Edmundson, Katherine Buenger, Avis Couttas, Iva Beeson (Theta),
Nellie Janes, and Mary Catherine Williams. Besides these, our own
sisters, we had eight other guests. I t was a jolly week-end. Satur-
day night we gave a banquet at the chapter house in honor of our
guests and what an inspiration it was for all of us, when fifty voices
joined in singing our Illinois songs, mingled with our beloved A O IT
"Vivela," etc. Then on Sunday morning we a l l gathered around the
gratefire in our living-room and talked of Alpha O's present and laid
fond plans and dreamed of Alpha O's future.

On Monday, November 12th, Mrs. Merva Hennings, our District
Superintendent, came to visit us. She spent two and a half days in
our home, and how we did enjoy her visit. She is such an ardent
worker for Alpha O, and radiates her enthusiasm and zeal to all
about her. We were all sorry to see her go and hope she may come
back to see us again, soon. While with us, Mrs. Hennings helped as
write a new set of by-laws according to a model code. They are now
very complete and comprehensive, and in the shape we have desired
to have them.

160 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

While Mrs. Hennings was with us we were very happy to pledge
formally Beatrice Levy, '19, of Streator, Illinois.

On Monday night before Thanksgiving, our president, Mate Gid-
dings, surprised and delighted a l l of us with a sumptuous Thanks-
giving dinner. The tables were beautifully decorated.

On December 9th the Annual Doll Show was held at the Y. W.
C. A. Auditorium. The girls of the University buy the dolls and dress
them, and then they are all exhibited at this Doll Show before being
sent to Chicago to be distributed among the poor children at Christ-
mas time. Two of our girls won special recognition at this time.
Louise Woodruff received first prize for the best poster advertising
the Doll Show, and Aileen Hunter received first prize for the best
dressed doll.

As the Christmas time drew near, our active pledges began to hold
frequent secret meetings, and soon the mystery was solved when we
all received an invitation to come to their Christmas party, on Decem-
ber 20th, "dressed in our best calico." You may be sure-we were a l l
there, ready for a lark. Our pledges surely proved themselves to be
royal entertainers. There were "eats," wonderful (?) presents—
nothing was lacking.

But while we were eagerly looking forward to the joys of the
Christmas season, we did not forget the homes where Christmas was
not present. We wished we might have done more, but we were
happy to know that on Christmas Day six poor families would receive
a pair of nice, warm blankets.

I wish I might give a more favorable report of Mrs. Stower's con-
dition, in this letter. She is better generally, but her arm is still
helpless, and recovery seems so slow. Everything possible is being
done for her, and we all hope she may be well soon, but it is out of
the question for her to be back with us this year. Everybody has
been so kind to us "orphans" this semester. Our patroness, Mrs.
Pettit, has come over to be with us many and many a time. Then
Ruth's older sister, Miss Olive Percival, stayed with us several weeks.
We did so enjoy having her with us. Then a dear little lady from
Danville, Mrs. Holmes, came and stayed with us for nearly a month,
as long as she felt she could be away from her home and sons. But
now we have a real chaperon coming to us after the Christmas
vacation, who can probably stay with us the remainder of the school
year. She is a Miss Pierce from Minneapolis, Minn. We are looking
forward to her coming with much pleasure, and are so happy to
know that we are to have a housemother again.

Iota sends best wishes and hearty New Year's greetings to all.
FLORENCE L . MOSS, Chapter Editor.

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 161

TAU, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

E d i t h Mitchell, '17 E s t h e r K r o n a n , '19

E l s a Feldhammer, '17 Margaret Boothroyd.'ig

Gertrude Falkenhagen, '17 E r m a E g a n , '19

Dorothy McCarthy, '17 Gertrude Harrman, '19

Helen Pierce, '17 Margaret Kendall, '19

Florence Brande, '17 E l l a Breed, '19

Phana Wernicke, '17 A l m a Boehme, '19

Muriel Fairbanks, '18 Marion Mann, '19

Leta Nelson, '18 Mary Moriarty, '19

V i v i a n Watson, '18 Eleanor Willets, 'iQ

E l s a Steinmetz, '18 Jeannette F r y e , '18

Jennie Marie Schober, '18 L i l a K l i n e , '20

Cecile Moriarty, '18 (medicine) Mildred H a u g l a n d , '20

Lillian Tiftt, '19 L i l l i a n H u f f , '20

Dear Sisters in Alpha O:

As I write "Snow-bound" has apparently here become a reality,
for seventeen inches (how inappropriate to measure such beauty in
inches!) of whiteness cover everything.

Many and varied, indeed, have been the events which in the past
few months have become the social history of T a u : parties, pledge
day, engagements, the bazaar, Founders' Day Banquet, and recep-
tions in a bewildering succession. With the joys of Home-coming
week and the victory over Wisconsin, which marked the zenith in
football enthusiasm, came our visit from our honored district super-
visor, Merva Dolsen Hennings. We are not a little proud of her
commendatory words, and her vigorous inspiring message came as
a genuine help to us. Our reception in her honor was a social
success, and more than that trite term usually signifies. Mothers,
friends, and groups from other sororities came to drink of our tea,
and to speak a word of greeting to our dear officer. Kappa Alpha
Theta sent a great mass of beautiful pink roses, which expressed their
interest eloquently.

Pledge day brought to Tau Lila Kline. Mildred Haugland, and
Lillian Huff, and we feel, in the fullest sense of the phrase that
we are "thrice blessed." Lila Kline of Redwood Falls, Minnesota,
and Mildred Haugland of Montevideo, Minnesota, have already
taken up their abode at the chapter house to our great delight.
Lillian Huff of St. Paul is a distinct acquisition.

Our Founders' Day Banquet was held at the "Spring Time Room"
in the Roof Garden of the Radisson Hotel. Etta Phillips McPhie,
Delta, in the role of toastmistress did much to increase the good-
fellowship of those present by her spontaneity and pleasantry. The
banquet-room was a novel but delightful place, with its vine-covered
walls and quaint glass ceiling. We all felt that it had been one of

162 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

our most enjoyable celebrations of the event. Helen Pierce, Mrs.
Trafford Jayne, Iota, Leta Nelson, and Florence Brande responded
with toasts to Tau, to the freshmen, and lastly, to our founders.

Then, next i n order on the social calendar, came the "Christmas
Bazaar" for which we planned and worked with unabated zeal and
after which we gleefully counted the returns! The house was
decorated with all that goes with Christmas: red ribbons, candles,
green boughs, and holly wreaths, and a Christmas tree. The dining-
room was converted into a Christmas teashop where demure, white-
gowned maids served one with tea (or coffee) and cakes and smiles
at an absurd price. The "Den" would not have been recognized
by its own patrons, for it had become a dark, berugged and betapes-
tried place where two speculative, keen-eyed young women read one's
palm—for a dime! Thanks to the generosity of our alumnse, the
needlework booth brought us splendid returns. After all the candle
wax had been removed, and all the pine needles swept up, we agreed
with one accord that it had been "a success."

I must not forget the Christmas tree party which we gave for
thirty irresistible, but fearfully.unhygienic youngsters with unpro-
nounceable names. This is an annual event with us, but one which
has not become monotonous.

What else? Miss Morton, our chaperon, entertained the senior
girls at a dinner and theatre party on Friday evening, January 10th.
Although it is not supposed to be socially chronicled, on that same
evening the underclassmen entertained themselves at a less formal
but more hilarious affair. The details were suppressed, but there
is a vague rumor to the effect that the costumes were decidedly
unique!

And we are cramming—cramming for finals in order to main-

tain the standard we established i n scholarship this year, and i f

possible, to raise it. Our new year's resolutions are—but I will

tell you of them later. Perhaps that will be "the wisest way."

With best wishes to all,
M U R I E L FAIRBANKS, Chapter Editor.

CHI, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Mary Adams, '19 Ethel Farrington, '18
Greta Ames, '19 Florence Hughes, '18
L i l l i a n Battenfeld, '18 E d n a Hausner, '17
Irene Becker, '19 L e t a McClear, '17
Clara Bell, '8 R u t h Melvin, '17 -
Sadie Campbell, '17 Bertha Muckey, '18
Frances Carter, '18 Edith Rauch, '18
R u t h Dibben, '17 Helen Schrack, '17
'19
Reva Snyder,

TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 163

PLEDGES

Eleanor Cullivan, '20 I n a Miller, '20
Marjorie K i r k , '20 Marion Mount, '20
N o r a Knight, '20 Ethel Williams, '20
E s t h e r K o o n , '20 Elizabeth Zimmer, 'ao

Holiday greetings—for Christmas, when this is written, and
Easter, when it is read—to all our chapters, old and new, and the
heartiest of welcomes to those so recently added to our roll.

Just now, within a month or two of the time when our pledges
are to become sisters, seems especially opportune for introducing to
you the eight splendid girls that make up Chi's freshman class—
Nora Knight of Redby, Minnesota; Marion Mount of Red Bank,
New Jersey; Elizabeth Zimmer of Constableville, New York; Ina
Miller of Clinton, New York; and Eleanor Cullivan, Marjorie
Kirk, Esther Koon, and Ethel Williams, of Syracuse. Right pleased
we are with the enthusiasm and ability they are showing i n their
work for the college—Nora as vice-president of her class and chief
executive of freshman organization, Marjorie as captain of freshman
basketball and of freshman swimming, and the others all as loyal
workers in the many activities and organizations on the H i l l , strong
for Syracuse and for Alpha Omicron Pi.

And we are keeping them busy in the fraternity too, for we are
doing our best to see to it that when they have finished their lessons
in Banta's Greek Exchange and the Sorority Handbook and the
other things left for their study during their weekly chapter meet-
ings, they shall be at no loss for material with which to fill the big
Alpha O stuntbook that is in their charge, and that contains memen-
tos of all our little jollifications, and of our "ten o'clocks," and of
our Christmas party, and of the long-remembered Colgate reunion
and dance, and of the joyous celebration we held on Founders' Day.
Many good times we have had among ourselves this year, many eve-
nings for the stuntbook to commemorate, despite the general crowd-
ing and the hurrying that has resulted from the late opening of
college and the consequent disarrangement of the usual schedule of
happenings all over the H i l l .

But you must not think for a minute that Syracuse has let anything
be crowded out or spoiled by lack of time. The sophomore-freshman
Reception lost not a whit of its sport because it took place two months
late, the big Women's League party was a splendid success, the
junior-freshman romp was as jolly as ever, and the Y. W. C. A .
supper, held immediately after the annual Recognition Service for
new members, rivaled the men's athletic dinners in numbers, and
far outstripped them, we think, in everything else. The Big Sister

/

164 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

movement, sprung into such prominence within the year, has done
more than anything else could to help the freshmen forget themselves
and their loneliness in work and play with the supperclass women,
for it has worked not only through individual care but through
group parties, and has crowned its success with a huge Christmas
gathering of all the sisters, big and little.

And that brings us to Chi's Christmas baskets, for which our
Christmas social service money was spent this year instead of for a
children's party as before. We thought that since practically all
the social work in which we have been busying ourselves, has been
among children, we could, perhaps, broaden our circle of help and do
more good at Christmas time by the distribution of dinners to desti-
tute families.

The three Chi girls that attended the Student Volunteer Conven-
tion at Cornell brought us back such splendid stories of Epsilon
that we all began at once to grieve that we, too, were not Student
Volunteer delegates, and to hope for the speedy coming of an oppor-
tunity for meeting many more of our sisters. We wish some of you
would be passing through Syracuse soon and stop off—and some of
our alumna too, though they really have been wonderfully loyal
about coming back as often as possible. Wonderfully loyal, and
wonderfully helpful to us in every way, so that the best wish that
could be given to the actives for the New Year is that they may
become as splendid big sisters to the actives that follow as the
alumna; have been to them. And such a New Year's wish we send
you all.

FRANCES CARTER, Chapter Editor.

UPSILON, UNIVERSITY O F WASHINGTON

Irma McCormick, '17 Eloise Fleming, '18

Mildred Baker, '17 Eloine Fleming, '18

Ellen Jolliffe, '17 Nellie McColl, '18

Madge Philbrook, '17 Harriet Seely, '18

Ruth Fosdick, '17 Mildred Jeans, '18

Margery Miller, '18 Eloise Ebright, '19

Esther Knudson, '18 Eugenia Garratt, '19

Helen Brewster, '18 Ruth Haslett, '19

Ruth Lusby, '18 Louise Benton, '19

Emma Pohll, '18 Anne Seely, '19

Hilda Hendrickson, ' 1 9

PLEDGES

Dorothy Hudson Jessie Jolliffe
Helen Nelthrope Kate Verd
Eleanoe Peyton Una Weaver
Beth McCausland Margaret Kinnear

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 165

Isabelle McRae Marguerite Uhler
Hazel Britton Hazel Brimm
Laura Verd

Now that the Christmas vacation is over and the New Year has
begun it seems as though the greatest and hardest part of our semester
was past and gone. Now we must all prepare for the semester finals
so that Alpha O may have a good scholastic standing at Washington.

Upsilon has been very fortunate for, even though systematic rush-
ing has ceased, we have won three new pledges: Hazel Britton,
Marguerite Uhler, and Hazel Grimm. I t certainly seems good to
think of fourteen new pledges and to look forward to the time
when they may be initiated into Alpha O and become loyal workers
for the support of her honor.

On December 8th, Upsilon held a Founders' Day banquet. We
were so happy to have Miss Wedge of Delta and Miss Shipman of
Alpha with us.

Also, November 18th, we entertained with an informal dance. Our
color scheme was black and white, carried out in black and white
checks. We feel that it was a great success and that everyone had
a fine time, and so altogether with a Thanksgiving dinner, Christ-
mas parties, etc., we have had a very pleasant semester.

Oh, yes, we mustn't forget the mothers of our Upsilon girls. My,
but they are just the grandest mothers that you could ever imagine.
They have organized a Mothers' Club and are becoming better
acquainted with one another and with the girls. I n this way they are
helping to strengthen our chapter with interest, and everyone
who knows what a mother's interest will do, knows what this will do
for Upsilon.

Since 1917 has just entered the world, Upsilon wishes all her
sister chapters a New Year filled with joy, happiness, and above all
success in every way.

LOUISE BENTON, Chapter Editor.

NU KAPPA, SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY

Margaret Vaughan, '17 Maude Rasbury, Mus. Spec.
Lucinda Smith, '17 Nelle Harris, Mus. Spec.
Louise Pendleton, '18 Mary Emily Barton, '19
Louise Wadsworth, '18 Genevieve Groce, '19

We've rushed and been rushed for the last six weeks, for after
we rushed our rushees, examinations rushed us. The semester has
literally flown, and we do not feel that we have accomplished much,
except "eight prize pledges." I t seems as though it took the three
months for everything to get settled. Probably our. summer vacations

166 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

lingered too vividly in our minds. The nine-week rushing season
worked quite a hardship on all of us but we feel well repaid
for our work and are proud to announce six attractive sisters-to-be:—
Minna Lee Norwood of Nacogdoches; Frances Cummings of
Hearne; and Lora Thacker, Lura Temple, Ella Mae Upthegrove;
and Rhea Burgess of Dallas; and two whom we have just initiated:
Mary Emily Barton, '19, of Orton, and Louise Wadsworth, '18, of
Denison.

Nu Kappa was saddened by the death of Margaret Bonner Bent-
ley's father early in November, because we had all learned to love
him when he came down to our summer camp for the week-end.
Margaret lost a dear, kind father, and Dallas a charitable and be-
loved citizen in Mr. Bonner.

Early in December a deplorable explosion occurred in chemistry
laboratory when it was thought that Minna Lee Norwood, one
of our pledges, had lost the sight of one eye. After three weeks
when it was announced that her sight would be saved we were all
so happy. The thoughtfulness of the entire student body kept her
from thinking too much of the accident, and we were proud of her
bravery and glad that she is so much loved.

We had our minds diverted (unfortunately for some of us) in
the midst of our final examinations by the pledges' Christmas tree
to us. I t was a merry affair though rather "pert" on the part of the
freshmen, who presented us with nuts to be opened, and the instruc-
tions therein to be obeyed before our "real" presents were given us.
The instructions were, needless to say, far from dignified and highly
amused everyone, including the freshmen. Louise Pendleton fell
into ignominious disgrace because she couldn't "wiggle her little pink
ears" as she was told.

We lived through the "ever snew yet old" initiation ritual when we
received into the fellowship of Alpha O, Mary Emily Barton and
Louise Wadsworth. The initiation was as lovely as always, and I do
believe we all were as thrilled as the candidates themselves.

We are experiencing the eternity of paying for a piano on the
instalment plan, but we are anticipating, nevertheless, a new library
table and standing lamp, which will almost tax our room to the
limit of its capacity. As one of the freshmen said, we shall most
likely have to go out in the hall to change our minds.

Nu Kappa, in closing, wishes a bright and prosperous year, spiri-
tually, financially, and numerically f o r all the chapters, and sends
love and greetings to our baby chapter at Indiana.

G E N E V I E V E GROCE, Chapter Editor.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 167

BETA PHI, UNIVERSITY O F INDIANA

Java Covalt, '17 Lura Halleck, '18
Vedah Covalt, '17 Vivian Day, '19
Wilkie Hughes, '18 Doris Shumaker, '19
Helen Duncan, '18 Pauline Cox, '19
Fae Bryan, '18 Bernice Coffing, '20
Nelle Prall

Lelah Whitted, '19 PLEDGES
Beatrice Coombs, '19
Ruth Clapper, '19 Mae Shumaker, '20
Mary Duncan, '20
Mable Lewis, '20
Lelah Baker, '20

Dear Alpha O Sisters:
How can anyone even begin a letter at this time of the year with-

out talking first about Christmas? We have all had so much Christ-
mas spirit here at the house, that we abandoned all other plans last
evening and had a regular old-fashioned talking, eating, and sewing
party in our rooms, in honor of our pledges and Christmas. The
Y. M . and Y. W. C. A. are giving a Christmas tree to the poor
children of Bloomington, and each sorority and fraternity gave a
donation. Our charity work this Christmas consisted of giving a
donation for this party.

Since last To DRAGMA, Beta Phi has been very busy planning for
next semester. A t the present time, during this first semester, seven
of us Alpha O girls are living at the Annex in Forest Place. This
is one of the best locations possible for a sorority house. The Kappa
and Theta houses are on either side of it, and it has formerly been
used as an annex f o r both houses.

I t has been our fondest hope, from the first, to occupy the entire
house, and to do this it was necessary to have at least sixteen girls
who could live in the house. Our dream, we believe, will be realized
this next semester, for our chapter now numbers eighteen. We shall
rent the dining-room and kitchen unfurnished, and must furnish
them ourselves. I t will be going into housekeeping for the first
time for all of us, and we expect to have many exciting experiences.
We think that i f our business increases as the size of our chapter
increases, we will soon have to employ a regular office force to look
after affairs.

Mrs. Hennings, district chairman, visited us from November 8th
until the 10th. We were very pleased to have the opportunity of
being with her, even, i f only for that short time, and tried to absorb
as much of her spirit and enthusiasm as we could. On Thursday
evening, during her visit, initiation was held for four of our upper-
class girls. They were: Fae Bryan, Eton, I n d . ; Doris Shumaker,