1911 November - To Dragma

212 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

WILLS, MARY ETTA, '14,
P. Watseka, 111.
T. 210 E . John St., Champaign, 111.

P R O V I D E N C E A L U M N A E (Beta).

r C o t f t L i . , MAUDE CLARK (Mrs. Louis E . , ) '02,
T. Starkweather & Shepley Co., Custom House St., Providence, R. I

f * D A R L i N G , LOUELLA FiFIELD (Mrs. Lyman M . , ) '01,
37 Kossuth St., Pawtucket, R. I .

V1)RURY, DOZA MOWRY (Mrs. Leon A.,) 'oa,
15 Maverich St., Fetchburg, Mass.

• ' H A N D Y , CAROLINE VOSE (Mrs. Russell I L , ) ^04,
Manville, R. I.

''HUBBARD, GRACE LAWTON (Mrs. George W.,) '08,
Norton St., New Haven, Conn.

^ M A C Q U I L L I N , LILLIAN GERTRUDE, '99,
Churchill House, 155 Angell St., Provulenc.-, R. I .

^MANCHESTER", ALICE HOWARD, '05,
82 Olney St., Providence, R. I.

^ M C C A U S L A N D , ELISE EMELINE, '09,
14 E . Manning St., Providence, R. I.

^PKESCOTT, JENNIE PERRY (Mrs. Harold S.,) '05,
Prince St., Pawtucket, R. I .

*ROSE, HELEN EDDY (Mrs. Alanson D.,) '99,
27 Fruithill Ave., Providence, R. I .

SHELDON, HELEN SHERMAN, '05,
1158 Westminster St., Providence, R . I .

WINTERS, EDITH BROWNE (Mrs. Curtis), '05,
Lonsdate,' R. I .

•Subscribers to To DRAGMA.

To Dragma

of

Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity

Sable of flkmtettin

The Alpha Spirit . . . . . . . . 5
6
History of Lambda . . . . . . . 7
10
History of Stanford University . . . . . . 12
13
A Bit of Campus Life .15
17
Stanford Beautiful .19
23
The True Pan-Hellenic Spirit . . . . . 29
30
Women's Activities . . . . . . . 32
48
Fancies . . . .,.. 50
50
The Chapter House as a Moulder of Men . . . .51
52
The Literary Needs of America . . . . . 53
56
For Equal Suffrage 57

Editorials

Active Chapter Letters . . . . . . .

Alumnae Chapter Letters . . . . . .

Births

Engagements . . . . . . . .

Weddings . . . . . . . .

In Memoriam . . . . . . . .

News of the Alumnae . . . . . . .

Exchanges

News of the College and Greek Letter World . . .

DIRECTORY OF OFFICERS

F O U N D E R S O F A L P H A O M I C R O N PI

Jessie Wallace Hughan, Alpha, '98, 663 Quincy Street, Brooklyn, N . Y .
Helen St. Clair Mullan (Mrs. George V . ) , Alpha, '98, Andrews Avenue, Uni-

versity Heights, New York.
Stella Stern Perry (Mrs. George H . ) , Alpha, '98, Overlook Avenue, Hacken-

sack Heights, N . J .
Elizabeth Heywood Wyman, Alpha, '98, 456 Broad Street, Bloomfield, N . J .

OFFICERS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

Grand President, Ruth Capen Farmer (Mrs Walter), 7 Courtland
Street, Nashua, N . H .

Grand Recording Secretary, Blanche H . Hooper, Tufts College,
Mass.

Grand Treasurer, Lillian G . McQuillin, 155 Angell St., Churchill
House, Providence, R. I .

Grand Historian, Stella Stern Perry (Mrs. G . H . ) , Overlook Avenue, Hacken-
sack Heights, N . J .

Registrar, Mrs. John A . Britton, J r . , 152 Santa Clara Avenue, Oakland, Cal.
Auditor, Anna E . Many, 1327 Henry Clay Avenue, New Orleans, L a .
Examining Officer, Kate B. Foster, 2717 Hillegass Avenue, Berkeley, Cal.
Chairman, Committee on New Chapters, Carrie Green Campbell (Mrs. W m . ) ,

715 Court Street, Port Huron, Mich.
Editor-in-chief of T o DRAGMA, Virginia Judy Esterly, (Mrs Ward B ) 244

Alvarado Rd., Berkeley, Cal.
ASSOCIATES.

Literary Editor, Muriel Eastman Martin, 2259 Central Avenue, Alameda, Cal.
Exchanges, Kate B. Foster, 2717 Hillegass Avenue, Berkeley, Cal.
Chapters Letters, Blanche Du Bois, San Leandro, Cal.
Business Manager of To DRAGMA, Isabelle Henderson, 700 Oakwood Boulevard,

Chicago, 111.
PAN-HELLENIC CONFERENCE

Delegate, Lula K . Bigelow (Mrs. C . G . ) , 1610 South 7th Avenue, Maywood, 111.
Secretary, Marguerite B. Lake, A T, Crannog, Forrest Hill, Md.

CHAPTER ROLL

Alpha—Barnard College, Columbia University, New York.
P i — H . Sophie Newcomb Memorial College, New Orleans, L a .
No—New York University, New York City.
Omicron—University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Kappa—Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Va.
Zeta—University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—University of California, Berkeley, Cal.
Theta—DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind.

Delta—Jackson College, Tufts College, Mass.
Gamma—University of Maine, Orono, Me.
Epsilon—Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y .
Rho—Northwestern University, Evanston, HI.
Lambda—Leland Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal.
New York Alumnae—New York City.
San Francisco Alumnae—San Francisco, Cal.
Providence Alumnae—Providence, R. I .
Boston Alumnae—Boston, Mass.
Los Angeles Alumnae—Los Angeles, Cal.
Lincoln Alumnae—Lincoln, Neb.

CHAPTER CORRESPONDING SECRETARIES

Alpha—Violet Turck, 460 Riverside Drive, N . Y . C .
Pi—Cora M. Spearing, 1419 Amelia Street, New Orleans, L a .
Nu—Mabel E . Witte, 535 Second Street, Brooklyn, N . Y .
Omicron—Beatrice Armstrong, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Kappa—Annie Linn, R. M. W. C , College Park, V a .
Zeta—Gisella Birkner, 226 South 27th Street, Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—Georgia Meredith, A 0 I I House, Berkeley, Cal.
Theta—Iva Smith, A 0 I I House, Greencastle, Ind.
Delta—Leslie Hooper, Tufts College, Mass.
Gamma—Luella Woodman, Mt. Vernon House, Orono, Me.
Epsilon—Mildred Mosier, Sage College, Ithaca, N . Y .
Rho—Merl V . Anderson, Willard Hall, Evanston, 111.
Lambda—Sheda Lowman, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal.
Iota—Hazel Alkire, University of Illinois, Champaign, 111.

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

ACTIVE CHAPTERS.

Alpha—Marie Diaz de Villavilla, West 113 St., New York, N . Y .
Pi—Betsy Dupre, 1231 Washington Avenue, New Orleans, L a .
Nu—Mabel E . Witte, 535 Second Street, Brooklyn, N . Y .
Omicron—Beatrice Armstrong, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Kappa—Eleanor Somerville, College Park, V a .
Zeta—Grace M. Gannon, 500 S. 28th St., Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—Helen Thayer, A 0 I I House, Berkeley, Cal.
Theta—Iva Smith, A O I I House, Greencastle, Ind.
Delta—Alice Sears, Tufts College, Mass.
Gamma—Celia M. Coffin, Mt. Vernon House, Orono, Me.
Epsilon—Mabel de Forest, Sage College, Ithaca, N . Y .
Rho—Fuller, P., 4526 West Raymondswold Ave., Chicago.
Lambda—Sheda Lowman, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal.
Iota—Lora Moulton, University of Illinois, Champaign, 111.

ALUMNAE CHAPTERS.

New York Alumnae—Mrs. Jean L . Frame (Mrs. J . E . ) , 606 West 122nd
Street, New York, N . Y .

San Francisco Alumnae—Viola Ahlers, 985 Oak St., San Francisco, Cal.
Boston Alumnae—Clara Russel, 182 Cambridge Street, Winchester, Mass.
Providence Alumnae—Helen Eddy Rose (Mrs. A . D . ) , 25 Fruit H i l l Avenue,

Providence, R. I .
Lincoln Alumnae—Annie Jones, Pres., 1710 B Street, Lincoln, Neb.

T H K LAMBDA CHAPTER

To D R A G M A

VOL. 7 NOVEMBER, 1911 No. 1

To DRAGMA is published at 450-454 Ahnaip Street, Menasha, Wis., by George
Banta, official printer to the fraternity. Entered at the Postoffice at Menasha,
Wis., as second-class matter, April 13, 1909, under the act of March 3, 1897.

To DRAGMA is published on the twenty-fifth of November, February, May
and July.

Subscription price, One Dollar per year, payable in advance; Single copies
twenty-five cents.

Virginia Judy Esterly, Editor-in-chief. Isabelle Henderson, Business
Manager.

Alplja £>jrirtt

'Tis the older sister of us all,
T h e Alpha spirit sweet;
Our restless and impatient thoughts
She calms with counsel meet,
''The heart that ever keeps its faith,
Once plighted to a few,
A n d , spite of disillusion and
Temptation, still is true,
Can wider friendship, deeper love
A n d truer freedom feel,
T h a n if its impulse had not known
T h e binding of the seal."

Virginia Ruse Withers, n '09.

6 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA O MICRON PI

HISTORY OF LAMBDA

A night in December of 1907 five girls were gathered around a
chafing dish with Mr. Hard Knox as the especially invited guest.
Everything was wrong. The Hall was losing standard we agreed,
our friends were departing, and we longed to pick and choose
congenial spirits. "Form a club" someone said in a moment of
daring inspiration and with ex. week only five days off we gathered
our dissenting clan of fourteen and rented a house for the following
semester. I n August we moved into the old Delta Tau house on
the Row and rushed according to Pan-Hellenic rules. We became
a sorority in all but name, and the two and a half years that we
were known as the Walden Club we sent representatives into
every women's organization, as well as into the social life and
class committees—not alone representatives but in many cases presi-
dents and founders.

With a desire for a permanent growth and larger fellowship,
we petitioned for our chapter in March, 1910. I t was presented by
Gladys Courtain Britton, Registrar, and to her loyal friendship
and the hearty endorsement of Sigma we will be undyingly grateful.
After anxious waiting, the chapter was granted in June and the
twenty-sixth day of August Lambda was installed by Kate Foster
and Blanche Ahlers, 2. We announced it to the campus through
a big dinner and the following week brought many a hearty con-
gratulation and flowers from the sororities.

We are a year and three months old. We are building a twelve
thousand dollar house, and the last rushing season proved that we
had come to stay. We hope to f u l f i l l every aim and aspiration of
Alpha Omicron P i ; not to grow by arrogance but through sincerity
and moral venture.

ALICE ELEANOR SHINN, A '09.

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 7

THE HISTORY OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY

I might tell you that Stanford University was founded in 1887
when the spade was struck into the earth but that is in no wise true.
We must go back a bit.

Leland Stanford, Jr. was born May 14, 1868 in Sacramento, Cal.,
and it was here that his infancy was spent. I n 1874 the family
moved to their home in San Francisco on California Street; little
time, however, was spent here as the Stanfords much prefered the
climate and the life on their farm at Palo Alto thirty miles to the
south of the bay. Leland loved to scour the farm on his pony and
all the hands were his friends. He was a- most observing youth,
and put his time to the best advantage wherever he was. The
summer of 1878 was spent along the coast of Maine studying the
fish of those waters. I n 1879 he made his first trip through the
treasure lands of Europe collecting both beautiful and strange relics
for his museum, a nucleus of the wonderful collection to be seen
in the museum today. Leland made several trips of this kind and
at every turn showed his love of invention and his power of
observation for he was always busy contriving some new device with
machinery. His letters written at this time show a wonderful dis-
play of English and culture at this early age.

I n May 1883 he toured Egypt; the next year he went to Naples,
but was not well. I n February he contracted typhoid fever and was
delirious until March thirteenth, when he died being fifteen years
and ten months old. I t seemed that the grief stricken parents
could not be comforted for the loss of their only child. One night
of sorrow, an inspiration came to the Senator and he cried out—"The
children of California shall be my children." I t was the Senator's
foresight, good sense and determination with which he carried out
his aim to found a university. I t was the loving persistency with
which Mrs. Stanford carried out her aim, that of entwining the
thought of her lost boy inextricably in the university so that it
should be a real memorial and he should not be deprived of his
inheritance by death, for the university should be his forever.

Thus it was the ideas of the founders to endow the university
so that all the children of California should be benefitted, and to
qualify students for personal success and direct usefulness in life.
I n 1891 the endowment was estimated over twenty millions. The
property consists of 8,400 acres in San Mateo and Santa Clara
Counties; the Gridley farm 22,000 acres in Butte County, the
finest wheat land in the world; Vina farm 55,000 acres in Butte

8 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA 0 MIC RON PI

and Tehama Counties, worth millions of dollars; 3,575 acres i n
vines, the largest acreage of any single vineyard in the world;
85,400 acres in other lands.

Buildings were first built as they were needed and the laying of
the corner stone took place on Leland's birthday, May fourteenth,
1887. Building went on until the inner and outer quadrangles
were completed and the machine shops. Thus at the end of the
Stone Age were the monuments such as the arch, the Unique
Church and the smoke stack which stood out i n view above the
wonderfully cut stonework. The stonework alone on all the build-
ings including the church and the dormitories amounted to eight
millions.

Although the earthquake of 1906 was a great shock, it was not
the only one that Stanford University received. The first shock
came in 1893 when the U . S. Government laid claim to the Stanford
Estate. From the richest university in the world it was likely to
become the poorest. But by Mrs. Stanford's efforts the case was
put through the U . S. Circuit Court in June 1895; the Circuit
Court of Appeals in October of the same year and the U . S.
Supreme Court March 1896. A l l decided i n favor of the university.
For six years the funds of the university were tied up and it was
only by the personal sacrifices on the part of Mrs. Stanford, that
kept the university from closing its doors. She did what Queen
Isabella only offered to do. She sold her jewels and whatever else
could be converted into ready money, and cut down household
expenses to pay the salaries of the professors. A feeling of real
gratitude and affection toward Mrs. Stanford sprang up when the
faculty and students realized that the founding of the university
was no millionaire's caprice but a sincere and lofty purpose. The
university was nearly completed and in a prosperous state of affairs
when the big earthquake of 1906 came along.

The new library, one of the finest buildings of its kind in the
World, which was nearly completed, was demolished except for the
great dome in its steel supports. The gymnasium which was just
completed was wrecked completely. Both these buildings were of
the general type of the state capital buildings. The triumphal
arch and the church were wrecked leaving intact the arcaded quad-
rangles in the Spanish mission style. The total loss was about
three millions. Stanford is now very much hampered for resources,
as only $500,000 per year of the entire income can be used for
university purposes. While the total endowment is estimated now

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 9

at 33 millions, yet Stanford is terribly cramped and it will take
another Stone Age to restore the buildings.

At every turn there is something to recall the founder's remem-
brance. The relics in the museum, the family group in bronze,
the hearts sculptured in the capitals, the very name. Leland Stan-
ford, Junior, will be the genius of the place and the fifteen year
old boy like the spirit of immortal youth will lead generation after
generation through the university that he could not enter.

VIRGINIA MOORE, A '12.

1 0 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

A BIT OF CAMPUS LIFE

The freshman sat at her third story window, in the A © I I
house, and stared into the heart of the yellow sunset over the red-
wood-pierced sky line of the Coast Range. The sun had disappeared
behind a clump of the huge trees, and for a few moments their
shadows were projected mightily against the sky. To her high
window came the manifold notices of "The Row," which is most
alive at dusk, on warm evenings, between dinner and the time for
really settling down to study.

Up the Row, the Sigma Chis and Kappas vied with each other
in the latest songs, varied now and then, with a lively college tune.
An obedient Beta freshman arduously watered the Beta lawn,
while his "brothers," from the comfortable seclusion of the vine-
covered porch offered advice and encouragement. Across the street
the Phi Delts, with their ever present baseball, madly raced their
game with the fading light, loath to give up their friendly monopoly
of the Delta Gamma lawn.

Below, in the Alpha Theta yard, under the protecting shade of a
walnut tree, the quiet mumble of voices told of the arrival of some
upperclassman's caller. From the open windows of the second
floor the calls of the girls—broken into by the joyous song of piano
and mandolin—made, altered, and made again their plans for the
evening.

Surely, thought the freshman, nowhere else in the world was such
a street of youth, leisure and light heartedness. This was an eddy
where the swift and troubled waters of the world did not enter.
This realization of her long cherished dreams of college was a
thousand times greater than any picture her imagination had painted.

The shadows came -out and took possession of the room. The
Row was quiet now, save for a few stragglers hastening to the
library, and every window gleamed with light. Reluctantly, the
freshman pressed the switch by her table, took up her Greek epic
and began to work.

I t may have been half an hour later, when the electric lights
grew suddenly red and dim, flickered for a second and went out.
Instantly, from all over the Campus, went up howls of rage from
hundreds of baffled pursuers of knowledge. They were formless
yells of protest at first, but then from a nearby "frat house" was
roared a magic word by a throat that must have done mighty
service in cheering on the hosts of the Cardinal.

"Pee—rade!" was the shout, and house answered house as roosters

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 11

crow at night, across a country township. A big French horn,
next door, sent forth a tremendous rallying cry, and a deep basedrum
farther up street boomed a hearty promise of support.

There was noise of swift running, descents down dark stairways,
and hurrying feet on the sidewalks. Instantly, unpremeditated,
spontaneous, the "pee—rade" was under way, winding up the Row,
back down Salvatierra, gathering strength in noise and numbers at
every step. The din of cowbells, shouts and drums echoed from
every corner of the Campus, as recruits started for the central body.

Suddenly, with a sputtering and flicker, the lights glowed, dark-
ened, and burned again, with a sure, strong light.

Quickly, as it had come, the noise ceased; the "pee—rade" dis-
banded—each turning homewards, with a good natured taunt to
some suddenly recognized friend. The Co-eds hastily withdrew
from their now lighted windows and quiet ruled, undisturbed. The
Campus again had but one thought—study.

HELEN DICKINSON, T ex-'12.

12 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

STANFORD BEAUTIFUL

The stranger with a preconceived notion of the appearance of
Stanford University is apt to have his impression utterly destroyed
for Stanford in its exterior aspect is unique in the university world.
When one steps off the train at Palo Alto and starts to walk the
short mile to the campus he enters upon a broad avenue straight
as an arrow through a thick wood—the Arboretum, as we call it.
This Arboretum is semi-tropical, many date and palm trees alter-
nating with the twisted oaks and long trunked eucalyptus. Straight
ahead on the distant ridge is a fringe of tall trees. I f soon our
visitor turns to the right he finds himself in a cactus garden at one
end of which, but set in the sanctuary of lawn and flowers, is a
mausoleum where the bodies of Senator Stanford, his wife and son,
Leland, repose; i f to the left, his road would lead past the faculty
lodge, rustic and vine-covered, to the college playground, cinder
track and rugby turf, tennis courts and training quarters.

At the end of the avenue our friend emerges from the woody
stretch and directly before him lies the huge green oval with its
border of red flowers that does so much toward giving Stanford its
striking setting. On one side of this are the chemistry and museum
buildings, the latter with its costly mosaics, while to the other
side are the ruins of the beautiful library and gymnasium which
were totally demolished by the earthquake of 1906.

Beyond the oval stands the main part of the college in the form
of a quadrangle, a quarter mile in each direction—composed of an
inner and outer "quad" built around a great court in the midst of
which are many tropical palms and trees. The quadrangle is a low
arcade, a line of buff sandstone buildings, surmounted by red tiled
roofing, bronze and marble statuary, modern and ancient, realistic
and symbolic. Facades covered with mosiac glowing in the sun
in accord with the colors of the plants, the foot-hills, lake and sky—
all these combine in giving an indescribable air of peace, of spacious-
ness, of leisure, of freedom, an air of the farm and the frontier.

RUTH CRIPPEN, A , '12.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 13

THE TRUE PAN-HELLENIC SPIRIT

I t was on the Nevada Desert that we met—the Pi Beta Phi, the
Chi Omega, and I—from faraway Gamma of Alpha Omicron Pi.
Our train had stopped an hour at noon in the midst of endless
sand and sagebrush, and we had crossed the hot platform to the
rough station house, where we ate oyster stew, and wondered from
whence it came. The thermometer said 105°, there was not a tree
in sight. A dilapidated awning at one end of the station platform
afforded the only means of shade, and after dinner was over I
wandered in that direction. I t was there that I saw two girls
engaged in conversation, and they wore Pi Beta Phi and Chi Omega
pins.

I felt a little feeling of fellowship at the sight of the pins,
though they were not like my own, but the space beneath the awning
was small, and I did not wish to intrude. I turned to go away but
the girl with the Chi Omega pin called me back, and her hand-shake
was very friendly.

"We're strangers, too," she said, '"and yet not after all. Come
and join us. It's a Pan-Hellenic meeting!" I joined them, and
the Pi Beta Phi's hand-shake was not less cordial.

And then the Chi Omega girl said something, the spirit of which
I think ought to stimulate every sorority girl in the country.

" I always feel," she said, "a friendship with all Greeks, no
matter what pins they wear, for really we're all working for the
same thing—all striving for the highest."

We three talked together about many things in the Greek letter
world in the half hour we stood there under the awning in that
desolate little Nevada town, and I think that we felt in some way
strangely drawn together. I saw them again on the train, and quite
often in San Francisco, but far beyond the charm of their southern
accents and their cordiality, did I remember the saying of the Chi
Omega girl—"we're really all striving for the highest."

I tell it here because I think that i f that sentiment should take
possession of every chapter of every sorority in this broad land,
Pan-Hellenic differences would cease, inter-sorority jealousies would
vanish, and the college world would be a finer and better place to
dwell in. For it is true. Whatever be our name or sign, whatever
be our goal, we are all striving for the highest, the purest, the
noblest. Why is our sorority dear to us? Not because its aim is
higher than the aims of the others—unknown to us. The things

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

that endear it to us are the associations that cluster ahout it—the
friendships that entwine it—the harmony with which we strive to
f u l f i l l its purpose. We would not for one moment assert that its
purpose is higher than the purpose of any other.

Let us then—as loyal Alpha Omicron Pi girls—strive for the true
Pan-Hellenic spirit—a feeling of fellowship with all Greeks, who
together are working to make college life ideal—and to prove of
real service to our brothers and sisters of the world.

MARY E . CHASE, A '09.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 15

WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES

College activities play a large part in the life of the Stanford
woman. They are considered vital factors in her development and
as such receive universal encouragement.

The organization which embraces all the women of the University
is Women's League. Any woman in the university becomes a
members upon payment of small dues and the meetings are open
to everyone. The purpose of this league is to unite the women
more closely, to give them a means of concerted action, to consider
women's affairs in the university, and legislate upon them. I t is
governed by a representative executive board.

A n offspring of Women's League is the Women's Club House
Committee which is organized to build a clubhouse that shall be a
common place for all the women and a means of uniting more closely
the outsiders with the campus girls.

Working in close conjunction with Women's League is the Young
Women's Christian Association. I t is one of the most alive, ener-
getic organizations in college. I t keeps a secretary in the rest room
who is invaluable to the girls both with sound advice and practical
aid. The work of this organization is entirely sincere and very en-
thusiastic, and it is the chief factor in keeping alive a religious interest
among the girls.

A young but flourishing organization is the Equal Suffrage League.
Its immediate work is to aid in obtaining the ballot for the women
of California, its perpetual purpose to instruct women in politics
and good citizenship.

The Athletic Association, as its name suggests, is interested in
women's athletics and has done much for their advancement. Closely
connected with it is the Tennis Club, Boat Club, and "Foil and
Maskers," the latter being a fencing club.

The Stanford Trampers is interested in walking. Any university
girl is eligible and can attend such walks as are convenient for her.

Schubert Club is the women's glee club. The study of good
music is its object; and once a year it produces an opera.

After having been successful in a number of college plays a girl
is eligible to election to "Maskers," the honorary dramatic society.
The best Stanford plays are produced by this society, working in
conjunction with "Sword and Sandals," the men's dramatic society.

Quite a number of women have won prominence in college by
work upon the staff of the Daily Palo Alto, the university daily.

L6 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

And drawing together and uniting all of these interests is "Cap
and Gown," the senior women's honorary society to which a girl
is elected upon reaching the top of any line of women's activities in
college, none excepted. A girl is elected to it either in the second
semester of her junior year or at the first semester of her senior year.
This society interests itself in all the women's activities and gives
them much practical aid.

Permeating all these organizations is the true Stanford spirit of
democracy. They strive to break down the barriers between the
rich girl and the poor; the fraternity and non-fraternity girl. They
are open to all, and all of them strive to unite the women in one
great spirit of equality and fellowship.

EILEEN E . EVERETT, '14.





TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 17

FANCIES

There is a wind to-day. I have been out in it, for I heard it
calling and needed no second bidding. It is not the wind of sweep-
ing gusts and grey capricious clouds, or that of driving fog and
racing mists, and seas of much wonder and fear. I t is not one of
those summer breezes bringing beauty without appreciation, and
dreams without ambition. These are all well in their way, but this
wind is different.

I cannot tell you from where it comes or whither it goes, for I
do not know, I only know that it races over the brown slopes and
that I race with i t ; that it strikes upon my forehead and blows back
my hair, and in some strangely indefinable way gives a worthy feeling
of strength and courage and ambition. I watch it whirl a weary
heap of leaves into the air, and defy them to find one another again,
and undying devotion to some brother who became such because
lie down upon the brown earth, and hear it whirring over me and
searching for me, perhaps.

Do you know this wind? There is a strange sense of companion-
ship about it. For when I rise and come home with it across the
brown fields, dark in the half-light and purple shadows—I say
"good-night" to a friend.

I wonder i f you love the insects as I do, and have missed them
as much as I have. You see, they are friends of mine. I have never
stopped to consider whether the friendship is born of affinity or
congeniality. I t does not matter, anyway.

I have never seen these friends of mine, but I began to know them
last summer, when I spent the long evenings listening to them.
And as f a l l came on and they still stayed, they began to compensate
for many things. They made me cheerful in the morning when I
went to work, and hopeful at noon when I came home, and glad at
night when I was weary after the day. They are like so few
people, for they sing without showing themselves, and that seems to
me a rare virtue.

I tried to find two one day last November. 1 meant to put them
beneath a lose board in my floor; for I reasoned that on winter
evenings when the fire was bright, I should have no want for music,
I could not find them, though they sang beneath my fingers, which
were searching in the brown grass.

I remember how they sang last October on the nights of the
harvest moon. I thought, as I leaned from the window of my room

18 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

and looked, and listened, that they sang in joyful acknowledgment
of it all, but I have decided that i t is not that. I rather think it
is for the acknowledgment and understanding of the rest of us.

I remember, with what a contented feeling I heard, not many
nights ago, the clatter of the last dinner pail vanish down the road,
and thrust the little rusty key into the pad-lock of my small red
school-house. Then I started down the long stretch of white road
toward the west.

I have never forgotten the sunset of that night. I t was like
something I had never seen before. The purple and gold lights
were gone, but the violet and gray remained. Over in the west,
beyond the range of pointed firs and scraggly pines, was a real
city beautiful. I t rose—palace and tower, and minaret—all of
gray cloud with the violet light over all, and here I will say that
the violet light made every home a palace. A t the end of the
street toward the north was the temple of Parthenonic pillars.
There was a golden light over the temple. The city was very quiet
for the twilight hush was over it, and it was near the evening hour.
There may have been soft music, but I could not hear it. The color
and light of the city would in themselves have been music to finer
ears than mine.

The shadows were coming, and the city was sinking into the
darkness of them, but before it had quite gone away, lights began
to flash upon the grayness—very soft, quiet lights. I wondered
much about them. Had the lamplighters, hoary men, began to
touch the lamps at the palace doors? Perhaps so, but I think not.
I believe that each of the queens had placed a lamp in her window—
a lamp with a little red shade to welcome home the king.

MARY E . CHASE.

The Blue Book of the University of Maine, January, 1907.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 19

THE CHAPTER HOUSE AS A MOULDER OF MEN

Copied by permission from the Caduceus of Kappa Sigma.

BY CLYDE M. HADLEY (BETA-ZETA, ' 0 6 )

The chapter house, as a topic, lends itself to three viewpoints:
what it has done, what it is doing, and what it may and might do.

By far the greatest factor in the college fraternity system, it has
wrought big changes in methods, aims and attitude of the whole
Greek-letter world.

Like every other movement worthy of permanent status, the Amer-
ican college fraternity has developed through evolution, and, let us
trust, will continue to do so t i l l it fully meets all the opportunities
for good that are open to it. The system is here to stay, and must be
dealt with as a fact, not a theory. There is a reason why it has so
fastened itself on the college community, and the biggest feature of
that reason is the chapter house. Let us see why. The chapter house
has been a means to an end—to many ends. I t is looked upon these
days so much a matter of course, especially in the West, where even
a local cannot hope to survive without an attractive home, that we
fail to appreciate what an important and revolutionary item it has
been. I f the chapter house idea develops—and why may it not—in
future as it has in the comparatively few years that it has been with
us to any great extent, who can say what a power it shall become?
Develop, it certainly w i l l ; competition will see to that.

What were formerly social clubs, engaged, for the most part, i n
proselyting and advertising, have become families, the members of
which are bound together by innumerable ties of intimacy. The
chapter house is the direct and sole cause of this change. True,
the chapter families are like many families of the blood, some con-
genial, and some not; but the fact remains that the members learn
to know each other, favorably and otherwise, to an extent impossible
through any other relation. I f you would know a man through and
through, his strong points, his weak points, and his commonplace
points, just live with him three of four years as a chapter mate.

The chapter house has added an element of practicality to groups
formerly associated on a basis of sentiment and fellowship only.
The problems of a household may keep men down to earth and make
them think concretely, without detracting necessarily from the sen-
timental side, unless the individual be of such temperament that he
cannot mix the two. I n that event, the chapter will doubtless see
that others like him are not taken in. Living with a man makes one
see him as he is—not, perhaps, as one would to picture him, in some
cases. Result: members are chosen on a different basis from what

20 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

they were formerly. I t used to be a simple thing to declare fealty
and undying devotion to some brother who became such because
he was a star in this or that line. So long as he keeps his distance,
as it were one could worship him and admire h i m ; no doubt the
sentimental regard for him was genuine.

Nowadays, a man will think much harder before casting his vote
to admit a new member, for it means daily association on the frank-
est and most intimate terms possible, with common interests, mater-
ial and ideal, financial and social, practical and sentimental. More-
over, a member will hesitate a long time before breaking with his
chapter, however deep his grievance, for when he moves out of the
house the whole college knows it and things are said. As it used to
be, the man could get a "grouch on" and fail to attend the weekly
or semi-monthly chapter meetings and nobody would be the wiser
on the outside. As a place for one to learn to bear and forbear, to
respect or recognize another's viewpoint, to control one's temper, see
oneself as others see him, get the "swell-head" bumped out of him,
submit to discipline, whether he had known such a thing at home or
not, a chapter house, well organized, provides the ideal situation.

This is where the practical side comes in again. Men are human,
especially college men. I f one of their brothers, with whom they
have to eat three times a day, room with, be seen with on all occa-
sions, study with, play with, is not what he should be, they set about
to make him what he should be. They don't shut their eyes, as of old,
and say he is perfect because he happens to wear their badge; they
know better. I n order to make their own forced association with
him bearable, i f for no other motive, they set about to correct him,
by methods more or less strenuous that have evolved through neces-
sity, the mother of invention. The correctives usually succeed i f
the offending brother has any manhood; i f not, he has the alternative
of severing his connection with the fraternity. The ideal of today is
that one must make himself worthy of the fraternity and a credit to
i t ; not that the fraternity must shield him, however great a rake
he may be. The chapter house, with its very human side, is respon-
sible for this.

Perhaps the best thing that the chapter house has brought to the
fraternity is the necessity of doing, in place of dreaming; of accom-
plishing, not just proclaiming. To begin with, it becomes absolutely
imperative to take in members, a goodly number of them, each year.
How long would a chapter last, with the expense of a twenty man
house on its hands, were it to prove supercritical or negligent in this
regard? As they simply have to take in men, the chapters w i l l work
tenfold harder to secure the particular men that they want, because,

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 21

remember, it means living with them as brothers, not just meeting
them once in a while. The motive for getting the right men has more
than loyalty back of i t ; it has personal reasons, of the kind that will
make one bestir himself i f anything on earth will.

Even i f the most desired men are not obtained the chapter must
still have someone, to keep the house going. Chapter houses are not
boarding houses, they are co-operative establishments, the financial
responsibility of which rests on the members in common. The cost
of living is reduced, for there is not a proprietor's profit to come out
of i t ; but, on the other hand, the house must be kept reasonably f u l l ,
or those attempting to maintain it will go bankrupt. The chapter
sets its standard of type of men wanted, and, frequently, is forced to
take in men not up to that rating. Result: it sets about to bring
them up to that level. Rather than lose prestige, it proceeds to
"show" the college community whether it has made a mistake or not
in its men. The chapter that can sense a "diamond in the rough,"
and develop and draw him out till he becomes the envy of the college,
elicits, as it should, the greatest admiration from its rivals. This all
depends on the chapter, and the tone or spirit which actuates it.
Chapters that spend their time throwing bouquets at themselves turn
out material that would oftentimes be quite different in another
atmosphere.

The work of the chapter house has just begun when the rushing
season is over. Then come the drill, the training, and the adjusting
of the man to the home and the home to the man. With some, the
adjustment is easy; with others, it is not. I t becomes a science; each
man has to be studied and dealt with according to his apperception,
his way of looking at things, his degree of pliability. The benefit
reacts on those doing the training, too, for they learn human nature,
learn tact, learn how to be firm yet agreeable, learn how to "get at"
a man by appealing to that part of his nature which can be touched.
The chapter house is a laboratory for the study of human nature.
Not all members avail themselves of it, to be sure, but most of them
do, and so come out of college with an understanding of humanity
and the motives that move mankind which some men do not gain in a
lifetime.

So much for the coldly practical side of chapter house life. But
that is not all. The best part has not been told. I t is a part that
one must feel to appreciate, and it cannot be described in analytical
terms. This is the sentimental side. Do not think for a moment
that sentimentality is lost sight of through the discipline and effort
of a chapter house. The discipline and effort are, after all, a side
issue, a means to an end, and that end finds its fruition, its flower,
in the realm of sentiment. Here is the difference: to tell a man he is

22 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

your brother because the ritual prescribes it does not make him so,
however deep and impressive the vows may be. No, that which makes
brotherhood—true, not artificial brotherhood—is community of in-
terest, common aims, common plans, common hopes, common impul-
ses, common likes and dislikes, common worries, common prob-
lems of life, a common name, a thorough, intimate understanding of
each other. When one has these with his closest companion, carefully
selected as such, then does he have what is as near akin to brotherhood
as can be possible outside of a blood relation. A l l these practical ties
of intimacy, so far from disillusioning sentiment, make it many fold
stronger, because, then, it is based on a solid foundation, a founda-
tion of fact, not theory; of reality, not ideality; of tangibility and
reliability, not mandate. The term brother is hollow and mean-
ingless i f it rests simply on the spoken or written admonition to love
one another. The affection part will take care of itself under right
circumstances, and does not need to be expressed to be felt.

The chapter house makes the fraternity a brotherhood, not an
honor society; it makes a home, not alone in memory, but for future
visits, where the "glad hand" always welcomes one, and brothers,
though new to him, take him in hand and make him realize that he is
still one of and with them. The unfortunate who has no chapter
house home to visit looks into his old room at the dormitory, per-
chance ; finds strangers therein, not interested in h i m ; wanders about
a while, recalling old memories, and goes away saddened. Sentiment?
Chapters without homes do not know what that term means.

I n the West the chapter house has become universal. The growth
of the chapter house idea has been coordinate with that of the West-
ern universities; it has developed with them and, from the first,
been deeply rooted in their traditions. That is* why Westerners take
their fraternity more seriously, perhaps, than many from the East
or the South; it has meant everything to them.

The faculties are beginning to use the fraternity chapters to instill
their ideas and plans into the minds of the student body. I t is a
most convenient way to reach the individual students. President
conferences with representatives of all the chapters have been in-
augurated and accomplish much good. This shows how the secret
fraternity, unique as it is, has come to be an inherent part of our col-
lege system. I t has justified its existence, and as time goes on it will
increasingly justify it. There are still rough corners to be rounded
off, still imperfections—some of them glaring—to be corrected, but
all this will be done in the fulness of time. I n the meantime, all
Greek-letter men may justly have pride in what the system has come
to mean, and shall mean, to the college world, as an influence, how-
ever, which makes these things possible, first place must be given to
the chapter house.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 23

THE LITERARY NEEDS OF AMERICA

When we have accepted a few generalizations that have been so
reiterated that we have ceased to question whether or not they still
hold true, the question of the literary needs of America, seems to
resolve itself more than any other phase of American literature,
into a question of personal opinion and judgment. I f there is any
merit in the results which I have reached after some weeks of
reading and serious thinking, it is that they are an expression of my
personal estimate of what our literature lacks when compared with
the literature and literary conditions of other countries.

Granting the four points on which critics agree i n an analysis
of the American literary output of the present day—namely—lack
of creative ability; slip shod methods of writing, with little or
no mastery of technique, and a failure to produce work strictly
national in tone; we are confronted with the lack of accord among
critics in their ratings of individual authors. Mark Twain and
Mr. Howells, all seem to agree, are deservedly on a plane above the
others, although Prof. Wendell says of one Dean of American
Letters—that "while he is completely American—his chief limitation
seems to be a kind of life long diffidence which has forbidden a
feeling of intense familiarity even with the scenes and people of
his own creation. His novels indicate, with tireless energy the
material of which literature might be made, rather than mould that
material into final form."

Mr. George F. Parker in an address before the Literary Societies
of Washington and Lee University most sweepingly condemns all
American literature of the present day.

Mrs. Atherton in a scarcely less biting review in an issue of the
North American Review of recent date, leaves us no one of merit
save Mark Twain and Bret Hart and she takes occasion to belabor
poor Henry James unmercifully. A l l of which seems not very
pretty in a lady who is herself a suppliant for popular favor.
% Mrs. Josephine Daskam Bacon in an answering review proves
quite refreshing by her optimism, and refutes Mrs. Atherton at
every point with examples of originality in Seton Thompson's " W i l d
Animals I Have Known,"—of new effect in "Monsieur Beaucaire,"—
of stories adding directly to the knowledge of mankind, and showing
the world as it is, i n "The Note" by Margaret Deland, "The Golden
Ford" by Henry Wallace Phillips, and "The Desert" by Arthur
Croslett Smith. She concludes her answer with the sentence, " A t
any rate, even i f all American fiction is anaemic (Mrs. Atherton's

24 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

contention) some American criticism escapes that adjective, might
we not call it apoplectic?"

Mr. (Percival) Pollard on the other hand amongst the host of
women writers, mentions but two with commendation, and one of
those is Mrs. Atherton. While of the men he allows us Henry
James and Ambrose Pierce—utterly debarring Robert Chambers,
David Graham Phillips, and Winston Churchill from the community
of artists in Belles Lettres, although admitting that all three were
trying to write of America for an American audience with some
measure of success.

And so the individual rank and excellence of contemporary writers
seems to hark back to the individual critic for decision.

Now what seems to be the lack in our present day standard ? Surely
there is originality of thought when such works as Seton Thomp-
son's or Jack London's are possible. Certainly there is an effort and
at least a partial success in depicting phases of American life in the
work of Margaret Deland, Alice Brown, Mrs. Wharton, and O.
Henry. Incontrovertibly there is to a high degree a mastery of
technique in the work of Howells, Thomas Bailey Aldrich, and
Henry James. Assuredly our poets have attained the "Heights" in
the very limited output of Agnes Lee. I n the latest work of Mrs.
Marks (Josephine Preston Peabody) and in an occasional moment of
Guy Whetmore Caryll's writings. And again surely we have a
masterly and earnest effort to portray some of our more sordid and
perplexing phases of American city life, with suggestions for their
amelioration in the morals of Robert Herrick. Prof. Herrick has
a distinct message which we would do well to hear, and behind his
sordid, and often unpleasant episodes and settings he preaches a
doctrine of hope.

A curious and deplorable fact, about the best work is that it isn't
popular. To meet this condition some of our ablest writers have
adopted as their literary vehicle the jargon of the man of the street.
The late Sydney Porter, or as we more easily recognize him O. Henry,
is a flagrant example of this debauchery of literary style. Not con-
tent with allowing his clerks and shop girls, and messenger boys to
talk this "New Yorkese," a perfectly legitimate device, he uses the
same language to carry his own ideas. I n spite of this great defeat
his work is so extraordinary as to have earned for him the title of
"De Maupassant of America." And his stories, simple though they
are. grip you by their humanity. You know that they are true. Of
course they are popular.

There are many other writers, were there time to cite them, whose
work shows this same stain. Writers whose stories mar the American

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 25

blight of smartness. To quote from an editorial in a recent copy of
Harper's Weekly—"Its facility is miraculous, it almost compels our
admiration by its conquering air. But the real matters of faithful
living, the real secrets of souls, the great truths of arts, will never
reveal themselves to smart thinkers, and cheap cynics. They are to
to be moved patiently, religiously, with subtlety, and with depth of
consciousness and reverent awe."

California has something like a literature of its own, with a kind
of emotional freedom, of warm and unsustained artistic impulse,
hitherto prevented elsewhere by an intensity of moral tradition from
which the atmosphere of the Pacific slope is free.

But great literature must be beyond depending upon local color
for its appeal, so that in the work you forget the environment of
its orator. I t is no easy matter to portray a country so enormous,
and a society so various, so that in the completed work, its nationalism
would be its key note. And yet it would seem that from a nation
whose spirit is so individual, might come a work so intensely human
that it would carry America's message to the world.

But as yet we have not a great American novel of social life.
Nor are we likely to have it until we have a public ready for i t —
barring of course the appearance of a genius, concerning whom there
can be no laws.

On whom then rests the responsibility of educating the popular
taste, and what means might legitimately be employed toward this
end. Mr. Parker places the responsibility upon the universities! To
me this seems somewhat exclusive. I n the several institutions I have
known about, the courses were adequate, the professors well grounded,
and the ideals high. Moreover, the multitude that raises the popular
voice seldom gets as far as the universities.

Granting that the colleges are partly responsible—to me it seems
to fall as well in three other quarters.

Upon the mothers who fail to oversee the reading of their young
people, when they might stimulate and guide them to the finer things,
with a resulting cessation of the complaint made by so many teach-
ers that a great deal of time in the high schools is diverted from
legitimate work, that they may teach their pupils mythology and folk
lore with which they should be perfectly familiar.

I would place it on the shoulders of the tired business man, who
prefers Rex Beach and the "Love Sonnets of a Hoodlum" by his
fireside to the novels of Herrick. or of Mrs. Wharton—who is con-
tent to spend many evenings at musical comedies or at vaudeville
performances, when he will wear the martyr's crown for weeks i f he

26 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

has spent one at a Shakespearean revival or for months after an
evening with Ibsen.

And lastly I would make responsible the municipalities for their
failure to provide municipal play houses for their children.

The trend of our times seems to be toward the drama as a means
of literary expression. I n countries where there are municipal
theatres and opera houses the work of the literary leaders find a
ready production, but more than that it finds a public ready to
receive it. Here, with the exception of the New Theatre in New
York, and one, possibly two, endowed theatres in the west, all serious
efforts toward good drama must pass the test of popularity in order to
find a market. A municipal theatre possesses the advantage over one
endowed by private capital, in that it can offer to the public its en-
tertainment at a nominal admission fee. Thus far the endowed
theatre in New York has had to overcome the hostility of the thea-
tres managed by individuals and by the Syndicate—and, allied with
them—the press. I t has to maintain a large staff of players with a
correspondingly large salary roll, and thus far it has not been able
to offer its attractions at popular prices. I t has however lived up to its
promise of presenting the best of the new, with frequent Shakespear-
ean productions and old comedy revivals, and it has opened its doors
to newer dramas and dramatists. The record for the first year was
not as encouraging as we could wish. Out of the quantity of plays
submitted by Americans only two were found worthy of production—
"Don" and "The Nigger," and at least one of these was from the
pen of an accepted writer. Mr. Corbin concludes an account of his
year's work as reader for the theatre with the statement that "The
Great American Drama" is still to be written. I am optimistic
enough to belive that it will be just as soon as the public is educated
to a point of understanding it and wanting it.

In France and Germany—in Italy to a degree, and in the cities
of Russia the artisan and the student know what the great minds
of the age are doing and teaching. They are impatiently awaiting
the production of the new works long before they are ready, both
drama and in music, and above all they know their classics thor-
oughly !

The Parisians were so eager for the production of Chanticleer
that even the flood with its threatened destruction of the city did
not dampen their enthusiasm. The romantic and music loving Ger-
mans are familiar with the theme and significance of their drama and
operas before they see them. Something over a year ago my brother
and his wife were journeying to Bayreuth, and in the same compart-
ment was a portly German, obviously of the artisan class, noisy about

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 27

his eating and altogether not a particularly pleasant person to have
for a traveling companion. But later my brother entered into con-
versation with him, and all at once discovered that he had a won-
drous soul. He knew his Wagner better than his name, and had been
saving for eight years in order that he might attend one of the fes-
tivals. Even then his ticket was for several days following but
he was going up to be as near as possible to the goal of his dreams,
and to breathe the enchanted air.

In America, in the ghettos, and Little Italys, and Fatherlands of
our big cities—there are theatres presenting not the dramatizations of
one comic supplement, nor blood and thunder melodrama, but the
classics of their tongue and our own. Some very creditable perfor-
mances of Shakespeare have taken place in the Yiddish theatre in
New York—a play house which gave to our theatre syndicate one of
its most gifted players, Bertha Kalich—and one who is still true to
the ideals of her apprenticeship, for she has given us an inspired
portrayal of Maeterlinck's "Monna Vanna," and we are soon to have
an opportunity of seeing her in a play called "Sold" by one of the
prominent Russian dramatists of the day—a play which purports to
be a second "Doll's House." Conreid, before he turned his attention
to opera managed a German theatre in the more obscure part of New
York, which presented German classical drama—and all of these
theatres have succeeded and are thronged.

But for the same class of Americans there is nothing but moving
picture shows, vaudeville, and cheap melodrama. And yet the great
success which attends all Shakespearean productions, and really fine
drama when it is offered by the cheap stock companies seems to
prove that i f the better class of literatures and amusement is placed
within the reach, the public which raises the popular bill will call
for more.

I f the tired business man would attend one performance of serious
drama or grand opera for every evening spent at a musical comedy or
vaudeville—if the mothers would take their children to Shakespearean
revivals, and Gilbert and Sullivans operas rather than to melo-
drama or worse—if the cities would offer the best drama of yester-
day and today and of all tongues at a ten, twenty and thirty cent scale
of prices, I believe that a tremendous stride would be made toward
creating a popular demand for what is fine and inspiring and high.

Now I do not wish to leave you with the impression that I con-
sider that America's best literary expression need necessarily come
through the drama. I would in no measure restrict it. Let it take
what form it will. My contention is that in the present day the
drama is a most potent educative force, and one which makes an

28 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

almost universal appeal. And through education alone can we hope
to elevate the popular taste.

With the demand will come production to meet it. Truly great

literature must be within the understanding of the masses—we have

a literature for the intellectuals, we have too a literature for the

masses—we need a blending of the two. Shakespeare wrote for the

man of the street far more than for the scholars of his day—and

his work makes as direct an appeal to the masses of our day and

generation as it did in the age which he wrote. Dickins is appre-

ciated by the masses almost more than by the "intellectuals," and he is

dearly loved by all children who are so fortunate as to be introduced

to him during their formative years. I t still remains for an American

to give to the world a record of our social and spiritual life so human

in its appeal that it will stand as an expression of our ideals and of

our individuality. RUTH C. FARNUM, A, '02.





TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 29

FOR EQUAL SUFFRAGE

California is a Suffrage State! Are you all interested? I hope so.
With much assurance I can turn to Nu for support, as I know she is,
for New York sent out Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley, and California is
grateful for the work she did. A portion of her time was spent in
the northern part of the state, and the last few weeks in San Fran-
cisco and vicinity. On street corners and in halls we heard her, and
were proud. The College Branch of the Equal Suffrage League felt
called upon to do its duty, and presented in Piedmont Park, Oak-
land, a pageant of Progress. This represented famous women in
history: Joan of Arc on her milk white steed, Cornelia in Ancient
Rome, Queen Rodegund of Mediaeval times, Catherine of Russia,
Pocahontas in her Indian village, the early Puritans, down to a
review of distinguished American woman—and last of all, represen-
tation of the states of f u l l or partial suffrage, with a finale of Cali-
fornia receiving the ballot from Columbia.

Ancient Rome had her classic dances, chanted their hymns, Cather-
ine of Russia received Voltaire, and the peasants danced national
dances. The Indian village teemed with life and activity from the
camp fire to the painted braves and squaws, the Puritans sat at their
spinning wheels, and rocked a real baby in a real old-fashioned
cradle, famous women appropriately gowned were there from Betsy
Ross to Clara Barton. I n all there were 300 strong, and Sigma
Alpha Omicron, not necessarily a suffragette chapter, aided greatly
in an artistic way. Florence Weeks was Catherine of Russia, Helen
Henry as Betsy Ross—Edith Dickinson, one moment a nut-brown
Indian maiden and in another tableau a pappy dancer, and Kather-
ine Barnes of Lambda—a bureau of information. Isabelle Hender-
son had charge of the Russian section.

30 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

EDITORIALS

WELCOME FRESHMEN !

W I T H a hearty grip and a sincere sisterliness we greet you and
wish you all joy and prosperity as Collegians and as Sorores.
The heritage of our fraternity falls on your shoulders.

May you always be proud of the mantle and may you wear it so
that your sisters will always be proud of you and glad that they have
intrusted it to your keeping.

T H E ELDER BROTHER.

^ Q O M E of the finest results ever attained in college have been
^ through the help rendered by upper classmen to under class-

men. Again and again I have known a man strong intellectually and
morally to take hold of a younger man who was stumbling in studies
or in conduct, and uplift and guide the younger man until he could
stand on his own feet, master of his own destiny."—William H . P.
Faunce, President of Brown University. (Copied from the Adel-
phean.)

We often lose sight of the finer side of fraternity life because we
have such a multiplicity of rushing, fraternity—and house manage-
ment and finances. But after all the spirit of fraternity is the spirit
of self-giving. Let us more often l i f t our eyes to our higher ideals.

HP H E yearly rush season brings the annually repeated charge of
« lack of democracy among fraternity members and especially
among freshmen. Whether it be that the charge is fanciful or that
there are always a few freshmen without sufficient balance of char-
acter to realize that the bid to a fraternity does not l i f t them above
their fellows and by the worth of that simple square of paper and
bunch of flowers they are not changed to a bright superior star above
the mass of non-fraternity members, we are not sure. However
this may be, the charge recurs regularly. Let us with all our energy
work, talk and live against this charge of snobbishness. I n some cases
no doubt i t is not deserved, and in others, no doubt sadly, it is de-
served and it is to prevent in a measure i f I can this littlest and mean-
est of college vices that I write a word to our freshmen especially.

Remember first, girls that there are many among those, whom I
have heard mistakenly called "outsiders" who have, and for reason,
refused all sorority bids.

Secondly, that fraternity life is a minor phase of college life and

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 31

that there can be no "outsiders" among girls all of whom share equal-
ly the right to the great purpose, a higher education, and often un-
fortunately statistics show that the privilege is appreciated more
highly by non-fraternity girls.

Thirdly—that fraternities are associations with an aim to make
happier, easier and better the life of the girl. I t is only the honor
societies which seggregate the girl from the mass, as being a little
more capable, or brainy than the average. And lastly that the
spirit of undemocracy commonly called snobbishness is unbecoming
a gentlewoman which God grant, is the aim of us all.

W H E T H E R or not we believe absolutely in the value of local
Pan-Hellenism, we as a sorority have put ourselves under her
guidance, and are in honor bound to keep her rules. And the bind-
ing of honor is not to the letter only but to the spirit of the law.
Every year and i n a l l of our colleges there is some complaint now
of one sorority, now of another, that it has not strictly adhered to the
rules of the local Pan-Hellenic. Such infringement can scarcely be
understood by those of us who hold the welfare of the fraternity
as dearer than that of the active chapter. We regret the necessity
but realize the worth of By-Law 20 in the Pan-Hellenic Association
pamphlet from the University of Illinois:

B Y - L A W 20

An accusation against another sorority must be made in writing
to the local Pan-Hellenic. ( I f the sorority is found guilty of break-
ing Pan-Hellenic rules, it shall forfeit all further dates with the
rushee in question; the national Pan-Hellenic shall be notified; and
if i t is thought advisable by the local Pan-Hellenic, the sorority may
be forbidden to pledge said rushee.)

H E L I T E R A R Y E D I T O R earnestly, nay almost tearfully be-
* seeches the corresponding secretaries of all the chapters to send
contributions (prose and verse) to Mrs. Willsie Martin, 2259 Cen-
tral Avenue, Alameda, California, at once. Do it now—collect
material from the work of Alpha Omicron Pi's, published in your
college magazines and year books and send it in time for the next

publication of To DRAGMA.—MURIEL EASTMAN MARTIN.

P R A T E R N I T Y SONGBOOKS may still be had of Adelma H
Burd, 5 Nassau Street, New York City, at $1.00 per copy or ten

copies for fifty cents.

32 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

ACTIVE CHAPTER LETTERS

ALPHA, BARNARD COLLEGE

Elizabeth Tompkins Jones, 'i2 Margaret Kutner, '12
Hester Rusk, '12 Esther Burgess, '13
Maria Diaz de Villalvilla, '13 Viola Turck, 13

I f you should meet an Alpha just now, she would immediately be-

gin to discuss the new fraternity apartment. We have recently ac-

quired two more rooms so that we now have a seven room apartment,

and there will be ample space and a hearty welcome for visitors

from other chapters.

On May twelfth we gave a tea to the faculty and Pan-Hellenic

Association. As usual everything threatened to go wrong, but when

we were on the verge of a collapse, things suddenly smoothed them-

selves out, and the party went off without a hitch. We had many

more of the faculty than usually turn out for teas, a fact that made

us duly proud. As soon as the tea was over, we began to plan our

house party. Edith Dietz and L u Sillcox went down ahead of us to

make the arrangements, and on July 1st, fourteen of us with Mrs.

Sillcox, a maid, our trusty cameras and many suitcases, arrived at

Lord's Point, Conn. We had a cottage on the Sound, about twenty

feet from the water and ten minutes' walk from a farm which pro-

vided us with six quarts of milk daily. The ten days of our stay

were f u l l of excitement and fun, much of which is recorded in our

kodak pictures, and all of which is eternally impressed on our mem-

ories. We clammed, crabbed, rowed, swam and laughed all day long,

and in the evening we sang College and Alpha songs until we became

sleepy and sentimental, and adjourned to our beds to tell stories and

finally to sleep until awakened by Mildred's giggle.

We opened this year's festivities by a domino dance on the

evening of September fifteenth. We had such a thoroughly good time

puzzling our partners while we were masked that we hope to have

another dance like it soon, or else a fancy dress ball. We send

greetings and best wishes to all of you and hope that when you

come to New York you will visit us in our new home.

Any Alpha Omicron Pi girl who comes to town can and will be

gladly received in the fraternity apartment, 557 West 124 Street.

We would like to tell of our new patroness (and our only one)

Mrs. Juliana Haskell—a member of the German Department of

Barnard (Barnard 1904—Ph. D . of Columbia 1908, member of

$ B K.) We are very proud of Mrs. Haskell and very much

in love with her, for besides being very brilliant, she is very human.

We feel that she did us a great honor when she consented last spring

to be our patroness.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 33

PI, NEWCOMB COLLEGE

To all the sisters, Pi chapter extends her hearty greetings and
wishes for a most successful year.

A t the beginning of college, Pi had three girls to strive for and
support Alpha's interests—Dagmar Renshaw, '12; Cora Spearing,
'12, and Betsy Dupre, 13—, but during the first week the following
girls were pledged: Georgia Isabel Gillean, '14; Rosamond Agnes
H i l l , '14; Angie Louise McLees, '14; Gladys Anne Renshaw, '14;
Theodora Duval Sumner, '14; Willie Wynn White, '14.

Under the faculty ruling the sororities are prohibited from pledg-
ing a girl until she becomes a regular sophomore. Of course, we
feel particularly fortunate to have gained so many girls under these
conditions. Their initiation will be held early i n the month and,
in the next issue of our quarterly, their worth as Alpha girls and
college girls will be further explained.

However, in our joy over the present let us not forget the past.
Commencement does seem far away but not too long a time has
elapsed to make us forgetful of our loss at that time. Mary Thomas,
one of Alpha's staunchest supporters, was Our Senior. She comes
to the city often to discuss trousseaux and wedding trips, but these
visits make us realize that we must share her with some one else.

Commencement Week was wonderful! There was the usual senior
class play in which Mary Thomas took two parts and did much
credit to herself, her class and Pi chapter. Then, the teas and re-
ceptions the girls attended, never stopping, always going until the
end! But the most important event was University Night when the
whole university joined in the celebration of a Grecian festival to
Apollo. The campus was one mass of pink roses which shaded
electric lights, casting a dim and beautiful glow on the entire scene.
Some girls as Grecian maids in Grecian costumes danced i n the
festival, while others busied themselves with making the various
class booths attractive to the guests. Dagmar Renshaw, '12, and
Betsy Dupre, '13, were chairmen of the junior and sophomore booth
committees, respectively.

B u t — I haven't told you of our banquet. With Dorothy Safford's
unending originality we did it all alone—without the help of a
caterer. Dagmar as toastmistress did her part as Dagmar always
does—enough said! Betsy Dupre furnished entertainment for the
company, and we feel that the vaudeville stage will be minus a
star, at least until Betsy finishes college. For fear that our far
away sisters did not hear the songs, toasts, and cheers given that
night, today we re-echo their enthusiasm. f

34 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA 0MICRON PI

NU. UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

Jean E Burnet Alice L. Clark
Ida Cassasa Cecelia M. Shiel

At so early a date as September 20th when the girls are still

scattered from camps in Maine to the Jersey seashore, it is difficult

to furnish very much news about us. We have, however, one

wedding to report from last June, that of Chrystal Eastman and Mr.

Wallace Benedict. Mrs. Benedict is to live in Milwaukee.

The recent announcement of the engagement of Ruby Norton to

Mr. Reynelle George Edward Cornish caused much surprise among

the girls.

I n May we enjoyed a joint meeting with the N . Y. Alumnae

chapter in our room. Ida Cassasa was asked to represent ^Nu at

the convention together with Edith Dietz from the Alumnae chapter.

They report a most delightful trip to Boston.

The year closed with an evening sailing party up the Hudson

arranged by Helen Potter. Ida Cassasa was elected to succeed

herself as president and Alice L . Clark is secretary, the other officers

to hold over until fall.

Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley has started for California to lend her

aid in the campaign for woman's suffrage.

We are looking forward to the opening of the college year in

the hope of finding a large number of charming girls waiting to

join our ranks.

TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 35

OMICRON. UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
We are entering upon a new college year and oh, i f we could but
realize how much or how little that may mean and just how much
we may get or fail to get in this new year that is opening up before
us. Of course we will each feel at the end of the year that we might
have been more diligent we are all prone to reflect when it is too late
for our reflection to do any good and we all feel very much as the
old woman did who said, " i f our foresight were as good as our hind-
sight we would never make a mistake." Now this year let us think
and plan to see i f we can not make fewer mistakes and have less to
regret at the end of it. Let us be true Alphas in every sense and
probably our foresight will not differ very materially from our hind-
sight.

Omicron wishes from all her heart to greet you all, preferably by
grip, but since that is impossible we can at least come in close touch
with each of you through To DRAGMA.

Six of us are back and enthusiastically take up our work for Alpha.
We are Mary Rust, Blossom Swift, B. Armstrong, Louise Wiley,
Jess McFarland and Helen Kennedy and although numerically we
are not so strong as we would like to be, we are thoroughly in ear-
nest and mean to get the most possible to be gotten out of college life
both for ourselves and also for Alpha Omicron Pi.

Our chapter rooms have been moved and as yet we are not per-
manently located but our new rooms will be so far superior to the
old ones that we feel we can well afford to wait a few weeks to
get them.

As usual our girls are taking active parts in all of the student
organizations and most of us hold offices in these organizations.

Tennessee is certainly coming to the front in her numbers of girls.
We have so many more women this year than in years past and we
are delighted to say that our women make a most creditable stand-
ing when report time comes around.

The mid-year pledge day rule was repealed by the faculty and is
no longer observed by the fraternities but the sorority Pan-Hellenic
decided to enforce the mid-year rule as it has been done for the past
two years and we feel that we are doing a great deal for the best
interests of all in so doing. The spirit is much better maintained
and we find that the older sororities were wise in adopting mid-year
and sophomore pledge day.

We do want to tell you all, how delighted we have been to
to meet some of our sisters from other chapters and girls, i f you are
ever passing through Kno.wille do let us know, so that we can at
least come down to the station and get a glimpse of you.

36 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMIC RON PI

I n June quite a number of us went to the station to see the Kappa
delegation on their way home from school and you may be sure
that it did us good to see them. I t was truly a love feast that was
even noticeable to the gate keeper whom we heard remarking about
what a good time that bunch of girls seemed to have had.

Helen O'Rear (Sarefley) Kappa, spent a few weeks in Knoxville
in the spring of the past term and we were so delighted when she
let us know that she was here. So be sure that you at least drop
some one of us a card and you may be sure that we will see you i f it
it possible.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 37

KAPPA, RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE

Eleanor Somerville, '12 Lida Belle Brame, '14
Marva Thompson, '12 Shirley McDavitt, '14
Elizabeth Weber, '12 Leland Vaden, '14
Greyson Hoofnagle, '12 Nannie Vaden, '14
Linda Best, '13 Katharine Gordon, '14
Annie Kate Gilbert, '13 Elsie Paxton, '14
Anna F. Atkinson, '13 Ruby Toombs, '14
Bessie Masten, '13 Mattie Carskadon, '14
Annie Linn, '13 Mollie Minkurtz, '14

Kappa feels herself most lucky in having eighteen girls back this

year, especially so as it is our first venture into sophomore pledging.

We miss our 1911 seniors sorely. Iris Newton and Eleanor Terry,

"Father" and "Mother" as last year's goats dubbed them who have

left their "chillun" to fight for themselves this year.

I t is the nicest sensation I know of to come back to a real house.

We could hardly wait to get things straight and have a nice reunion.

During the summer has sprung up another bungalow, of X fi, mak-

ing five now completed in what Dr. Smith calls "Arcadia." They

are not pretentious brown-stone fronts but the dearest, cosiest little

bungalows in the very center of our lovely piney woods. We haven't

had any rushing parties—just bring the freshmen down informally

and make good friends of them. Sophomore pledging is such a new

thing and we have to determine whether it is the best move or not.

Some of the frats are going to discuss changing this to a mid-year

pledge day—but it is too early too know how it will turn out.

Kappa has had one larger reception, to the faculty—in which

greatest gratitude and thanks is due to Mrs. Laure, Leland's mother,

for taking the entire burden of the refreshments upon her shoulders.

Needless to say we were dressed in our best and things went off

beautifully.

And of our girls, Annie Kate Gilbert made us all proud when she

was elected junior class president. Nannie Vaden is one of the

sophomore class officers. We miss Juno Wright who was to have

been a senior, but she has promised to visit us before Christmas—and

Mary Craig—without them our parties and good times don't seem

complete.

Basketball and tennis have started in. Several of our girls are

working for class teams.

I n this first letter of the new school year we want to extend our

best love and good wishes to all our sister chapters.

38 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

ZETA. NEBRASKA UNIVERSITY

Gisela Birkner Mabel Ritchie
Hazel Williams Leila Gilcrest
Helen Steiner Ruth Wheelock
Grace Gannon Lourene Bratt
Georgiana Jeffreys Mathilde Stenger
Elsie Fitzgerald Grace Burr
Helen Fitzgerald Meda Nunemaker
Stella Butler Essabel Rohman
Mel lie Waters LoU Chace
Edith Hall Helen Harper
Anabel Good Eloise Harper
Martha Walton

We finished our last school year with the annual banquet, which
was given at the Lincoln Hotel, June ninth. Sixty of the girls
were here for it, including Olive Brain of Theta chapter. The
strenuous activities of rush week are over, but owing to a mistake
at the registrar's office only a part of the invitations to rushees
could be sent out. As a result the list is not complete, but a
complete list will be sent in our next letter. The prospects for
new Alpha Omicrons are unusually promising and we feel sure
that our list well be a very good one.

The new college year is well started and we are glad to state
that Zeta has started out with a very strong active chapter. We
have twenty-three active girls including Lou Chace of Northwestern,
Anabel Good who has spent the past two years at Smith College,
and Helen and Eloise Harper who spent last year in California.

The house girls are very pleased with our new chaperone, Mrs.
Wiebe, who promises to be all that a chaperone should be to the
girls. Our house looks very nice this year—the owner has painted
it, papered the second and third stories and fixed all of the floors.
At present we are looking forward to our annual Hallowe'en dance,
which we will give at the house for the freshmen. Zeta sends love
and best wishes to all of the chapters, and hopes that their prospects
for the year are as bright and promising as her own.

TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 39

SIGMA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Rose Gardner, ' i l Hertha Herrmann, '14
Blanche Ahlers, ' n Rita Keane, '14
Olive Cutter, ' I I Phyllis Maguire, '14
Jennette Miller, ' i l Dorothy Richardson, '14
Leona Mudgett, ' i l Helen Thayer, '14
Grace Weeks, '12 Pearl Pierce, '14
Elaine Standish, '12 Mary Agnes Cameron '14
Irene Flanagan, '12 Claudia Massa, '14
Margaret Hurley, '12 Margaret Weeks, '15
Ethel Porter, '13 Mabel Lothrope, '15
Mildred Hunter, '13 Clare Hart, '15
Mary de Witt, '13 Alice Freuler, '15
Emma Black, '13 Edith Dickinson, '15
Dorothy Clark, '14 Beth Johnson, '15
Charlotte Cowie, '14 Alice de Veuve, '15
Georgie Meredith, '14 Savory Ford, '15
Wynne Meredith, '14 Juanita Judy, '15
Myrtle Anderson, '14

We are very glad to let you know what a happy ending our

rushing season has had. We have taken in twelve new girls—one

graduate, Leona Mudgett, from Pomona College; two sophomores,

Charlott Cowie and Dorothy Clark; and nine freshman, Margaret

Weeks, Mabel Lothrope, Clare Hart, Alice Freuler, Edith Dickinson,

Beth Johnson, Alice de Veuve, Savory Ford, and Juanita Judy.

To welcome them into the fraternity we gave an informal dance

night before last. I t was an added pleasure to entertain in our

new home, which is considered the most attractive place on the

campus. I t really is an ideal California home, covered with vines

and climbing roses.

One of our sophomores, Rita Keane, was elected to membership

in Treble Clef, the musical organization for women.

We are quite elated over the fact that Phyllis Maguire, '15, is

to take leading part in the production of the club, "When Johnny

Comes Marching Home."

We have started the custom of having an informal tea every two

weeks for our college friends, and all seem to enjoy them immensely.

Last, but by no means least, Alice Barber, '14, has decided to

leave the college world, for she has announced her engagement.

40 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

THETA, DEPAUW UNIVERSITY

Fern Thompson Maro Beck
Flora Frazier Nina Maple
Ruby Jones Daisy Coons
Celia Bates Olive Young
Iva Smith Helen Sharp
Belle McCready Iva Beeson
Lura Wallace Nell Leachman
Delia Antrim

Theta was well represented in the social functions given last

spring. One of our girls had the leading character in the senior

class play. Two of the girls had the leading characters in the play

given on May Day, and one of our girls, Olive Langwith, was the

May Queen.

There are fifteen members of Theta, who have returned this fall.

We are now in the midst of a very strenuous four weeks rush.

Yet, despite the fact that the rush requires much time and energy

and that we may sometimes be obliged to hover near the door of a

popular freshman from the wee hours of the morning in order to

get her dates, we are quite elated for we have splendid prospects

for a fine lot of new girls.

Each sorority is permitted to give one "spiking" stunt. Ours was

a six course progressive dinner at which we entertained twenty of

the new girls.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 41

DELTA, JACKSON COLLEGE

Beatrice S. Davis, '12 Ruth E. Penniman, '13
Frances W. Huntington, '12 Etta M. Phillips, '13
Pauline A. Samprey, '12 Edith M. Sanborn, '13
Pearle E. Longley, '12 Helen R. Scammon, '13
Alice J. Spear, '12 Alma G. Wiley, '13
Edith M. Vande Bogart, '12 Emily Eveleth, '14
Edna C. Woodbury, '12 A. Leslie Hooper, '14
Octavia Chapin, '13 Annette McKnight, '14
Isabelle G. Owler, '13 Ruth P. Wedge, '14

Delta felt very sorry, indeed, not to have a letter in the May
number because she had marvelous (?) tales to tell. Perhaps we
weren't proud to have one "Mary Ann" receive the highest honor

in college—that of representing Jackson College on the commence-

ment platform. She and Zilpah, too, were the only girls to make
Phi Beta Kappa.

To come back to this year and rushing, for it has begun with a

vengeance. To be sure there is absolutely no rushing this year, but

how much can be done by sweet smiles and a word here and there,
so it seems to us when the girls do it. As usual we are experimenting
again this year with Pan-Hellenic rules. The bids go out November
fourteenth and up to then we have no social intercourse whatsoever

with the freshmen. Each fraternity may have her large "hoodang,"

but apart from that there are to be no parties. We have yet to
determine how they will work out.

Ruth Penniman has again been chosen president of her class and
Etta is class marshall. Etta is also chairman of the athletic com-
mittee. As for the sophomores Leslie was as popular as Ruth for
she received a unanimous re-election and Ruth Wedge is again elected.

In A l l Around Club "Edith Van" is president and Pearle Longley
treasurer as well as secretary of the Student Government Board.

Let me tell Sigma how happy Delta has been to have Helen

and Evelyn Bancroft with us in the East. We had glorious times

before they went abroad and now we are so glad to welcome them
back. Of course we have heard all about your fire and how bravely
you have worked to recover yourselves.

And now we are busy planning for our hoodang which comes

next week and I know all our sister chapters will anxiously await
the results of November but not half so solicitously as we. So with
best wishes for the success of all our chapters and especially of the
younger ones who have had little experience in rushing but Delta

knows that you will all do Alpha Omicron Pi credit.

42 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

GAMMA. UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
From the beautiful Maine campus in the "Pine Tree State" to all
her sisters in Alpha Omicron Pi, Gamma sends her heartiest greetings.
I t certainly does seem good to be back on the dear old campus,
ready for the work and jolly good times of another happy college
year.

By graduation last spring we expected to lose four of our best
and strongest girls, Mildred Prentiss, Florence Brown, Margaret
McManus and Irene Cousins. We are delighted to say that we
shall not lose all four for Margaret could not bear to tear herself
away from us and is returning for a year of post-graduate work.
We feel highly honored because Florence Brown and Mildred Pren-
tiss made the honorary society of Phi Kappa Phi. You may be
sure Gamma is proud of her girls.

We are now beginning the year with eighteen active members
in our chapter. There is an unusually large number of girls in the
entering class this fall, and certainly some splendid material from
which to choose our new members. We are already looking forward
to our rushing party and when our next letter goes to To DRAGMA
we w i l l be able to tell you all about it, and perhaps we will know
by then, who our new sisters are to be.

Mrs. Aley, our president's wife again gave us the use of the large
room on the top floor of her house. You may be sure we were de-
lighted for we had come to regard the beautiful, cozy room as our
own private property. A t our second meeting of the year we pledged
Alice Whitten '14. Alice is one of the best and dearest girls in
college and Gamma is certainly proud to have her as a member.
We celebrated initiation by a little, informal banquet in our chapter
room. Nearly all of our senior girls were back and it seemed quite
like the good old times of our freshman days as we sat on the floor
and feasted by candle-light. You certainly would have envied
us i f you could have seen us sitting in a circle eating sandwiches
and candy, telling stories and singing A O I I songs. How we did
enjoy Marion's "divinity" and all the rest of the good things!

Gamma chapter recently learned that a great honor had come to
one of her alumnae. Lennie P. Copeland '04 has been awarded a
fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the only
woman to have won a fellowship in mathematics and Gamma has
every reason to be proud of her.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 43

EPSILON. CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Marian Darville, 'ia Laura Fish, '14
Mabel de Forest, '12 Merle Mosier, '14
Katharine Donlon. '12 Charlotte Sherman, '14
Elsa Guerdrura, 'ia Ethel Cornell, '14
Agnes Dobbins, '13 Clara Koepke, '14
EIna Merrick, '13 Ruby Madson, '14
Dorothea Kielland, '13 Natalie Thompson, '14

Since this letter must reach California by October first and since
we have just returned to college and consequently are in the midst
of wild confusion, my sisters will pardon me i f this letter is some-
what deficient in news and incoherent in expression. We have had
just about enough time to marvel over the changes in the dormitory
and on the campus and to relate a few of our summer experiences.
Those of us who live in the vicinity of New York City were fortunate
this summer. Ethel Cornell and Mildred Mosier held week end
parties at their country homes, and Melita Skillen, Ruby Madsen,
Marion Darville, and Agnes Dobbins all entertained the New York
girls on various occasions.

But summer events fade into insignificance before the all-engrossing
and ever interesting subjects of freshmen and rushing. As far as
we have observed at this early date the freshman class is a promising
one. Rushing, as such, has not commenced. Until classes begin
on September 28th, we have free intercourse with the members of
1915—provided we do not make any engagements. After that date
regular rules will be enforced. They will be much the same as
last year's—rushing five days a week between the hours of two and
eight, with no "feeding" except at "Chacona's," the confectionary
store of Ithaca. Each fraternity will give one large party, the dates
of which will be decided by lot. Pledge day is to be just before
Christmas vacation, as we all felt that the rushing season was too
long-drawn out last year. Perhaps you do not like our rules, indeed.
Delta has expressed her disapproval—but they worked fairly well
last year, that is, as well as any rules ever work.

When I began this letter I determined not to talk about rushing
exclusively; but the air is f u l l of it, and I simply could not help it.
No doubt you are all affected the same way—Epsilon wishes you
all success.

44 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA 0 MIC RON PI

RHO, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Coila Anderson Geraldine Kindig
Edna Betts Edith Meers
Anne Curry • Pauline Pearson
Julia Fuller Carolyn Power
Elizabeth Hiestand Ruby Rapp
Arie Kenner Helen Shipman

Well, school commenced last week, and we were all glad to get
back—all who came back—and that was only eleven actives. But
we have nine girls—nine of the finest girls at Northwestern—
pledged to Alpha. They are Cora Hollen, Irene Henderson, Mabel

Gastfield, Iora Johnson, Frances McNair, Stella Olston, Jean Rich-

ardson, Florine Sefton, and Edith Shultz. . Our rushing season,
which was a strenuous, though a happy one, was f u l l of events
characterized by daintiness, effectiveness, and the red rose. We
greatly appreciated the help of some of the Iota girls, Louise Blood,

Elva Pettigrew and Mrs. McDonald, as well as Audre Walker of Pi.

Marie Veck and Mae Barlow,- '11, were back for rushing.

Several of the '11 girls are teaching: Merle Anderson, Edith
Moody, Avaline Kendig and Margaret Wyne. Fay Smith, '10, is
teaching at Knoxville, 111. Marie Veck is in the registrar's office at

New York.

Merva Dolsen is now Mrs. A. J. Hennings. Louise and Julia
Norton have recently announced their engagements.

With one week of school behind us, f u l l of happiness and success,

we are looking forward to 35 weeks of great prosperity for Alpha.

May our "looking' be not in vain, and all our fondest wishes f u l -
filled.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 45

LAMBDA, LELAND STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Ruth Crippen, '12 Madge Kemp, '12
Virginia Moore, '12 Beatrice Freuler, '13
Chetanna Nesbitt, '12 Petra Johnston, '13
Sheda Lowman, '12 Irene Cuneo, '14
Marjorie Sayre, '12 May Chandler, '14
Helene Montague, '13 Louise Curtice, '14
Lois Walton, '13 Eileen Everett, '14
Alice Weyse, '13

First, let me tell you of the house party at Alamitos Bay near

Los Angeles, at which Lambda and Sigma joined forces to about

twenty strong. The girls who were present tell us it was a huge

success and are never done talking of their two weeks of continual

fun. We hope these summer house parties will continue because

they are splendid opportunities for Lambda and Sigma to become

better acquainted, as well as for rushing prospective freshmen, and

the general good times.

As usual everyone was glad to be back, and fourteen strong, we
commenced rushing with a w i l l . I t has been a strenuous month,
of teas, dinners, and drives, but we feel well satisfied so far and
hope to be able to say the same on bidding day next Saturday.
Our alumnae have been more than good in helping us out. A t
present we have Lu Beeger. '10, and Ella Cates, ex-'13, with us,
and several San Francisco alumnae have asked to have entire charge
of our last date. Sigma also has shown her sisterly spirit, and
last week end we had Jeannette Miller, '11, Elaine Standish, '12,
Emma Black, '13, and Charlotte Cowie, '13, with us.

Besides rushing we have been busy with plans for our new house.
The plans themselves please us greatly, and with a little more
money, we shall be ready to break ground. With Lambda in a
house of her very own—well, just watch her.

As for committees, Ruth Crippen, '12, made the senior Jolly-Up,
Lois Walton, '12, the Junior Jolly-Up, and Helene Montague, '13,
the Junior Opera.

The semester is young, so we have not had many college functions
as yet. The first play "The World and His Wife" produced by
Sword and Sandals, the dramatic society, comes off Friday evening.
Football is becoming an engrossing topic as the time for the big
game with California approaches.

Lambda sends greetings to her sisters far and^ near and wishes a
most successful year for each and all of the chapters of Alpha
Omicron Pi.

Since writing this bidding day has come and gone, and we are