1918 February - To Dragma

To Dragma

of

Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity

JSnbit of (HanUntB

A Little Page's Song 99
A Visit W i t h the Chapter
Isabelle Henderson Stewart 100
A Catalogue of Homely Virtues f •••• 1 1 0

Editor's Report 111
Personal Feeling—How Far Should I t Go
Alpha Omicron Pi—An Investment M. K. S. 112
Report of the Business Manager Rhoda B. Kellogg 116
Children of the Lights Carolyn Fraser Pulling 117
A Letter from Halifax Mary Ellen Chase 119
A l p h a O's Prominent i n National Service
126
Editorials
Announcements 9I 2
Active Chapter Letters
Alumnae Chapter Letters 130
Alumnse Notes
133

*l f 1

178

DIRECTORY OF OFFICERS

FOUNDERS OF ALPHA OMICRON PI
Jessie Wallace Hughan, A l p h a '98, 378 Grand Ave., Brooklyn, N . Y .
Helen St. Claire M u l l a n ( M r s . George V . ) , A l p h a '90, 118 W . 183rd St., New

York.
Stella Stern Perry ( M r s . George H . ) , A l p h a '98, H o t e l M a r y l a n d , San

Francisco, Cal.
Elizabeth Heywood W y m a n , A l p h a '98, 456 Broad Street, Bloomfield, N . J .

OFFICERS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Grand President, Isabelle Henderson Stewart (Mrs. B. F., Jr.), Sierra City, Cal.
Grand Secretary, Helen N . H e n r y , 264 Boylston St., Boston, Mass.
Grand Treasurer, Lillian MacQuillin McCausland (Mrs. Norman), 5T7 Angell

St., Providence, R. I .

OTHER OFFICERS

Grand Vice-president, Jean Loomis Frame ( M r s . J. E . ) , 606 W . 122nd St.,
New York City.

Grand Historian, Stella Stern Perry ( M r s . George H . ) , Hotel Maryland, San
Francisco, Cal.

Registrar, Marie V i c k Swanson ( M r s . A . E . ) , 1926 Sherman Ave., Evanston,
111.

Assistant Registrar, Julia Fuller Crane ( M r s . R. S.), 1823 Wesley Ave.,
Evanston, 111.

A u d i t o r , Helen Dickinson Lange ( M r s . W . R . ) , 1646 F a i r Oaks Ave.,
Pasadena, Cal.

Examining Officer, Lucy R. Somerville, 509 Central Ave., Greenville, Miss.
Chairman Committee on New Chapters, V i o l a Clark Gray, 1527 S. 23rd St.,

Lincoln, Neb.
Editor-in-chief of T o D R A G M A , M a r y Ellen Chase, 1316 7th St. S. E., Minne-

apolis, Minn.
Business Manager of T o DRAGMA, Carolyn Fraser Pulling ( M r s . A r t h u r ) ,

100 Malcolm Ave., Minneapolis, M i n n .

P A N H E L L E N I C CONGRESS
Delegate, Anna Estelle Many, 1325 H e n r y Clay Ave., New Orleans, La.

EDITORIAL BOARD OF TO DRAGMA
Editor-in-chief, M a r y Ellen Chase, 1316 7th St. S. E., Minneapolis, M i n n .
Business Manager, Carolyn Fraser P u l l i n g ( M r s . A r t h u r ) , 100 Malcolm Ave.,

Minneapolis, Minn.
Chapter Letters, Margaret June Kelley, 52 Essex St., Bangor, Maine.

DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS

Eastern District ( N u , Delta, Gamma, Epsilon, Chi)
Marion Rich, 17 Lawrence St., Chelsea, Mass.

Southern District (Pi, Kappa, Omicron, N u Kappa, N u Omicron)
Lucretia Jordan Bickley ( M r s . W . E . ) , 1516 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, Tenn.

Middlewestern District (Zeta, Theta, Rho, Iota, Tau, Beta Phi, Eta, Alpha Phi)
Merva Dolsen Hennings ( M r s . A . J . ) , 817 S. 6th Ave., Maywood, 111.

Western District (Sigma, Lambda, Upsilon)
V i r g i n i a Judy Esterly ( M r s . W a r d B . ) , 244 Alvarado Rd., Berkeley, Cal.

ALUMNAE ASSISTANT EDITORS

Pi—Theodora Sumner, 1427 Delachaise St., New Orleans, L a .

Nu—not elected.
Omicron—Roberta Williams, Faust Addition, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Kappa—Augusta Stacy, Stacy, A r k .
Zeta—Jane L . Piper, 1731 D St., Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—Alice De Veuve, Larkspur, Cal.
Theta—Irene Miller McLeod (Mrs. LeRoy), Browns Valley, Ind.
Delta—Etta Phillips MacPhie ( M r s . E. T . ) , 49 Daniels St., Lowell, Mass.
Gamma—Elizabeth Hanly, Caribou, Me.
Epsilon—Clara Graeffe, 255 McDonough St., Brooklyn, N . Y .
R h o — E d i t h G. Meers, 2301 Sherman Ave., Evanston, 111.
Lambda—Harriet Maines, 439 Kingsley D r i v e , Los Angeles, Cal.
Iota—Helen W . Whitney, 628 Grace St., Chicago, 111.
Tau—Elsa Steinmetz, 1917 Emerson Ave. S., Minneapolis, M i n n .
Chi—Ruby Davis, 17 3rd Ave., Gloversville, N . Y .
Upsilon—Ruth Fosdick Davis (Mrs. A . B.), St. Maries, Idaho.
N u Kappa—Margaret Bonner Bentley ( M r s . W . P . ) , 4617 Gaston Ave., Dallas,

Tex.
Beta Phi—Vedah Covalt, 717 S. Washington St., Kokomo, I n d .
Eta—Vera Alderson, 2252 W . m t h PL, Chicago, 111.
Alpha P h i — R u t h Noble Dawson ( M r s . E . E . ) 315 n t h St. N . , Great Falls,

Mont.

ALUMNAE ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGERS
Pi—Mary Thomas Whittington (Mrs. G. P.), Alexandria, La.
Nu—Daisy Gaus, 497 Halsey St., Brooklyn, N . Y .
Omicron—Roberta Williams, Faust Addition, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Kappa—Frances Allen, 1012 Federal St., Lynchburg, Tenn.
Zeta—Jane L . Piper, 1731 D St., Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—Dorothy K . Clarke, 840 Contra Costa Ave., Berkeley, Cal.
Theta—Celia Bates, Winchester, I n d .

Delta—Etta Phillips MacPhie ( M r s . E . T . ) , 49 Daniels St., Lowell, Mass.
Gamma—Alice Farnsworth Phillips ( M r s . G. H . ) , 11 N o r f o l k St., Bangor,

Me.
Epsilon—Isabelle Stone, 27 Lincoln St., Needham, Mass.
Rho—Doris Wheeler, 639 Forest Ave., Evanston, 111.
Lambda—Hazel H a r t w e l l , 1145 21st St., San Diego, Cal.
Iota—Ethel Brooks, Beecher City, 111.
T a u — E d i t h Goldsworthy, 103 W . 52nd St., Minneapolis, M i n n .
Chi—Ethel H a r r i s , 641 Emerson St., Watertown, N . Y .
Upsilon—Carrie I . Bechen, McMinnville, Ore.
Nu Kappa—Nell Harris, Frederick, Okla.
Beta Phi—Hannah Blair, 801 N . Maple St., Bloomington, I n d .
Eta—Esther Fowler, Fithian, 111.
Alpha Phi—Grace McTver, 115 n t h St. S., Great Falls, M o n t .

CHAPTER EDITORS
Pi—Anna M c L e l l a n , 2108 Prytania St., New Orleans, L a .
N u — E d n a Rapallo, 129 E . 29th St., New Y o r k , N . Y .
Omicron—Eleanor Burke, 1635 Laurel Ave., Knoxville, Tenn.
Kappa—Frances Hardy, R.-M.W.C, Lynchburg, Va.

Zeta—Alice Sheehy, A O I I House, Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—Marion Black, 2913 Fillmore St., San Francisco, Cal.
Theta—Agnes Lakin, A 0 I I House, Greencastle, I n d .
Delta—Lorna Tasker, Tufts College, Mass.
Gamma—Barbara D u n n , 11 Bennoch St., Orono, Me.
Epsilon—Dagmar Schmidt, 308 Waite Ave., Ithaca, N . Y .
R h o — R u t h Sharer, W i l l a r d H a l l , Evanston, 111.
Lambda—Lenell Garvin, Stanford University, Cal.
I o t a — M a r y Caldwell, 706 W . H i l l St., Champlain, 111.
T a u — L i l a Kline, 328 10th Ave. S. E., Minneapolis, M i n n .
Chi—Frances Carter, 503 University PL, Syracuse, N . Y .
Upsilon—Hazel Britton, 4732 21st Ave. N . E., Seattle, Wash.
N u Kappa—Genevieve Groce, 3530 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, Tex.
Beta Phi—Mildred Begeman, A O I I House, Bloomington, I n d .
Eta—Elizabeth Pruett, 626 N . H e n r y St., Madison, W i s .
Alpha Phi—Etta Norcutt, Hamilton Hall, Bozeman, Mont.
N u Omicron—Katrina Overall, 1904 Acklen Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

A L U M N A CHAPTERS

PRESIDENTS

New York—Daisy Gaus, 497 Halsey St., Brooklyn, N . Y .
San Francisco—Daisy Mansfield Shaw ( M r s . N o r m a n ) , 3073 Bateman St.,

Berkeley, Cal.
Boston—Marion Rich, 17 Lawrence St., Chelsea, Mass.
Providence—Jennie Perry Prescott ( M r s . H . S.), 14 M a i n St., Pawtucket, R. I .
Lincoln—Annie E . Jones, 1710 B St., Lincoln, Neb.
Los Angeles—Lucile Curtis, 1933 O x f o r d Ave., Los Angeles, Cal.
Chicago—Mabel Wallace, 7000 Eggleston Ave., Chicago, 111.
Indianapolis—Ruth Ritchie, 3241 N . New Jersey St., Indianapolis, I n d .
New Orleans—Anna E . Many, 1325 Henry Clay Ave., New Orleans, L a .
Minneapolis—Carolyn Frazer P u l l i n g ( M r s . A r t h u r ) , 100 Malcolm Ave.,

Minneapolis, Minn.
Bangor—Margaret June Kelley, 52 Essex St., Bangor, Me.
Portland—Alice H . Collier, 438 E . 52d St., Portland, Ore.
Puget Sound—Cornelia Jenner, East Seattle, Wash.
Knoxville—Lucretia Jordan Bickley ( M r s . W . E . ) , 1516 Laurel Ave., K n o x -

ville, Tenn.
Lynchburg—Clara Murray Cleland (Mrs. J. E.), Norfolk Ave., Lynchburg, Va.

ACTIVE CHAPTER SECRETARIES
Pi—Evelyn Pigott, 3706 Prytania St., New Orleans, L a .
Nu—Jessie C. Buchanan, 56 E . 59th St., New Y o r k , N . Y .
Omicron—Dorothy M . Nolan, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Kappa—Linna McBride, R.-M. W. C, Lynchburg, Va.
Zeta—Edna Hathway, A O I I House, Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—Margaret Forsythe, 2721 Haste St., Berkeley, Cal.
Theta—Helen Lange, A 0 I I House, Greencastle, I n d .
Delta—Ruth Brooks, 40 Warren St., West M e d f o r d , Mass.
Gamma—Ella Wheeler, Mt. Vernon House, Orono, Me.
Epsilon—Florence Coupe, 308 Waite Ave., Ithaca, N . Y .
Rho—Margaret Ariess, 5028 N . Clark St., Chicago, 111.
Lambda—Ruth Chandler, Stanford University, Cal.
I o t a — R u t h Percival, 906 W . Green St., Urbana, 111.

Tau—Margaret Boothroyd, 328 10th Ave. S. E., Minneapolis, M i n n .

C h i — I n a Miller, 503 University PL, Syracuse, N . Y .

Upsilon—Nellie McCoIl, 4732 21st Ave. N . E., Seattle, Wash.

Nu Kappa—Rhea Burgess, 4505 Munger Ave., Dallas, Tex.

Beta Phi—Vivian Day, A 0 I I House, Bloomington, Ind.

Eta—Dorothy 'Bassett, 626 N . H e n r y St., Madison, W i s .

Alpha Phi—Harriet Arneson, Hamilton Hall, Bozeman, Mont.

Nu Omicron—Katrina Overall, 1904 Acklen Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

CHAPTER ROLL
P i — H . Sophie Newcomb Memorial College, .New Orleans, La.
Nu—New York University, New York -City.
Omicron—University o f Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Kappa—Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Va.
Zetai—University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.
Sigma—University of California, Berkeley, Cal.
Theta—De Pauw 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, 111.
Lambda—Leland Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal.
Iota—University o f Illinois, Champaign, 111.
Tau—University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
Chi—Syracuse University, Syracuse, N . Y .
Upsilon—University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
Nu Kappa—Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Tex.
Beta Phi—University of Indiana, Bloomington, I n d .
Eta—University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.
Alpha Phi—Montana State College, Bozeman, Mont.
Nu Omicron—Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
New York Alumnae—New York City.
San Francisco Alumna;—San Francisco, Cal.
Providence Alumnae—Providence, R. I .
Boston Alumnae—Boston, Mass.
Los Angeles Alumnae—Los Angeles, Cal.
Lincoln Alumnce—Lincoln, Neb.
Chicago Alumna;—Chicago, 111.
Indianapolis Alumnae—Indianapolis, Ind.
New Orleans Alumnae—New Orleans, La.
Minneapolis Alumnae—Minneapolis, Minn.
Bangor Alumnae—Bangor, Me.
Portland Alumnae—Portland, Ore.
Puget Sound Alumna;—Seattle, Wash.
Knoxville Alumnae—Knoxville, Tenn.
Lynchburg Alumna;—Lynchburg, Va.

To DRAGMA

VOL. X I I I FEBRUARY, 1918 No. 2

T o D R A G M A 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, A p r i l 13, 1909, under the act o f March 3, 1897.

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

Subscription price, One Dollar per year payable i n advance; single copies,
twenty-five cents. L i f e Subscriptions, Ten Dollars.

Mary Ellen Chase, Editor-in-chief. Carolyn Fraser Pulling, Business

Manager.

A Little Pages Song

(ISth Century)

God's lark at morning I would be!
I'd set my heart within a tree
Close to His bed and sing to Him
Right merrily
A sunrise hymn.

At night I'd be God's troubadour!

Beneath His starry walls I'd pour

Across the moat such roundelays

He'd love me sure

And maybe praise!

—William Alexander Percy,
in Contemporary Verse.

100 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

A VISIT W I T H T H E CHAPTERS

Gulliver made a deep impression on me when a child. I hardly
know i f i t was because he traveled or because he met such strange and
unusual people. I have traveled now, n o r t h , south, east, and west,
a n d I feel m u c h more important than Gulliver, f o r he never was a
G r a n d President nor d i d he meet anyone like the ones I have met.
But, really, Gulliver is the only one over w h o m I feel important.
C h a m p a i g n has a n a r m o r y so l a r g e a n d a w e - i n s p i r i n g t h a t a n I o t a
girl told me when they wanted people to feel their smallness, they
were taken there. I listened to her word, I looked up at the building,
and I felt very small. I have been shrinking ever since.

M y long contemplated journey was at last to be realized, when on
September 9th, I left Sierra City f o r Oakland to make preparations.
I t was necessary to hurry i n order to reach Boston by October 10th,
on which date the Executive Committee had planned a conference.
M y w a y l e d n o r t h w i t h P o r t l a n d as t h e first s t o p .

T h e meeting of Portland Alumna; began at Salem when Mabel
Robertson, Sigma, greeted me at the train and prepared me f o r a
further meeting w i t h the girls at Portland, where a delegation met
me at the station. Have you ridden on the Columbia H i g h w a y ?
T h a t is where we went f o r miles a n d miles, a d m i r i n g its beauty a n d
picturesqueness. I rested at Ruby N o r t o n Cornish's, N u . W e went
to the hotel f o r dinner to meet more A l p h a 0:s, to talk of college and
the raising o f babies, a n d l e f t w i t h red roses a n d perfect f a i t h that
m y t r i p was to be w o n d e r f u l , the b e g i n n i n g was so d e l i g h t f u l .

I arrived at Seattle at a disadvantage to Upsilon. College had not
opened. M i n n i e Krause and Susie Paige met me at six i n the morn-
ing, and I had breakfast with them at the Krause home on the
Sound. V i r g i n i a E s t e r l y has introduced y o u to the dogs (see N o -
vember issue) and they were there; I do not mean to breakfast, not
t h a t I w o u l d have cared, t h e y were so b e a u t i f u l . K r a u s e h o s p i t a l i t y
seems to be extended to visiting A l p h a O's a n d the active U p s i l o n ,
too. B u t that is just the Krauses. I am not sure, but I had a feel-
ing that the constantly ringing telephone was due to the actives'
c o n c e r n a b o u t m e . Y o u see t h e y w e r e o p e n i n g t h e house a f t e r t h e
long summer vacation. T h a t takes time, and I had arrived soon
e n o u g h as i t was. I d i d n o t m i n d the l o n g d e l a y i n m e e t i n g the
active girls f o r Pat Krause and Susie Paige took me over the city
t o l e t me k n o w t h a t i t is as b e a u t i f u l as P o r t l a n d . A f t e r the r i d e ,
we had lunch where I met Laura Hurd, and Mildred Loring, our
first A l p h a O c h a p e r o n . A t t h e u n i v e r s i t y I h a d a l i t t l e t a l k w i t h

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 101

Dean Coldwell, whom I had known in Oakland, and then I was
taken to the house. B y this time, m y curiosity was aroused. There
was not a speck of dust i n evidence, and I suspicioned a cedar mop
i n t h e h a n d t h a t w a s n o t c l a s p i n g m i n e , b u t t h e h a n d c l a s p was w a r m .
W i t h actives and alumna;, we had an Alpha Omicron P i dinner fol-
lowed by a meeting. I wondered, when the girls spoke of my not
looking at all like Virginia Esterly, i f officers were supposed to have
a general resemblance, but learned later that they understood we
were sisters. I h a r d l y dared to think that I m i g h t rise to their
expectations of Virginia Judy Esterly, but I remembered in time that
her little A l p h a O sister and I look alike. T h a t d i d help, d i d i t not,
U p s i l o n ? Y o u are h o s p i t a b l e , U p s i l o n , a n d d e m o c r a t i c too, so the
campus says, and f o r this we are glad.

T w o days l a t e r , w h e n t h e t a x i d r i v e r a t 2 :30 A. M. c a l l e d " H o t e l
B o z e m a n , " I f o l l o w e d , r e m e m b e r i n g i t as the one where A l p h a P h i
had had their installation banquet. Later in morning, Peggy Schoppe
phoned me that Azalea Linfield was to meet me. I was aesthetically
d e l i g h t e d , f o r B o z e m a n is f a m e d f o r i t s flowers. W e t o u r e d B o z e -
man, I realized at great risk to life and limb, f o r Azalea admitted
that she had not driven the car before—but I am o f Presbyterian
ancestry. A f t e r lunch at Peggy Schoppe's, I met the girls. I am
sure that A l p h a P h i personifies the spirit o f the West. I t is the way
the f r o n t door is t h r o w n open, and the chapter comes r u n n i n g t o w a r d

one w i t h b o t h h a n d s o u t s t r e t c h e d . O n e must m e e t t h e i r f r i e n d s , t h e

p r e s i d e n t , t h e f a c u l t y , t h e w o m e n s t u d e n t s , m u s t see t h e m o u n t a i n s ,
the creeks, and all this while one is growing to know them. A t night
there was the intimate time, when they talked and I listened. One
thing I heard, " W e are the only national w i t h two locals, yet we must
not use this to our advantage i n rushing freshmen." T h a t evening
a t P e g g y Schoppe's is sweet w i t h m e m o r i e s . I s h a l l a l w a y s see t h e m
a l l w a v i n g to me a n d s i n g i n g A l p h a O songs as I l e f t .

Nebraska is not f a r f r o m Montana, is not different i n spirit, a n d
to a timorous grand president that Zeta handshake was worth leaving
California for. Viola Gray, here, needs no introduction, and I was
glad to meet her again. Annie Jones, president of the alumna; chap-
ter, opened her home f o r a d e l i g h t f u l afternoon w i t h the alumnae
and actives. W h e n I think o f Zetas, I somehow want to smile and
"reminisce," I had such a formally informal visit. T h e long rides
w i t h t h e g i r l s , t h e p l e a s a n t e v e n i n g s a t t h e fireside; t h e i r c o n s i d e r a -
tion, thoughtfulness, and love, I shall never forget.

As the universities were not all open i n the vicinity of Chicago and
as i t was necessary that I be i n Boston by the t e n t h o f October, m y

102 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

stay in Chicago was only long enough to make railroad connections.
A delegation from the alumnae chapter met me at the station, took
me to Field's for tea, and escorted me to the other station. This was
executed with incredible swiftness and efficiency, and I was grateful.

Not that I want to belittle the geographical importance of either
Epsilon or Chi, but no one on the train had ever heard of Ithaca
nor how to reach Syracuse from it. Of course, they were not Cor-
nell graduates. When I reached Ithaca, my wire had not been re-
ceived, and Epsilon felt like Upsilon, only worse for I came sooner
than I was expected. I found them at rushing teas i n which they
were endeavoring to follow out the numerous Panhellenic rules. But
rushing did not seem difficult to Epsilon as they were glorying in the
possession of a "house." They write they were exceedingly success-
f u l . I t could not have been otherwise because of the confidence they
had in the worth of their own girls.

Nor did Chi receive my wire and I was a day late there. Rushing
was over and I met nearly a dozen pledges. I n the evening, we ate
Alpha O salad and sang Alpha O songs. I met one alumna, and
with Helen Worster Cleaves, Gamma, who is living at Syracuse now,
there is the beginning of a future alumna? chapter. I still have the
habit of working up subscriptions, and wanting alumnae chapters to
grow. When the rain subsided, as it did for a space late in the after-
noon, we walked about the campus. Chi's home life is different from
that of our other chapters, for the girls themselves take charge of
all the home duties.

This is another argument against a wire. Helen Henry received
one, but not the way I had sent it. Western Union seemed to think
it best that I should arrive on Thursday and not Tuesday. I had
some difficulty in explaining over the phone to Helen that I was in
Boston. I n the confusion of it all, I shook hands with the Travelers'
A i d official, who had me spotted as a stranger, and after that she
evidently knew I was from Sierra City and did not lose sight of me
until I was in a taxi. I love Boston. I t is so patriotic and historic.
Never once did Indians leave my side, and at times quaint children
played around. Helen did not know anything about this, and it was
for her sake that I did not engage in children's games, especially
around Boylston street. One day we journeyed to Providence to meet
with Lillian and to transact fraternity business. Our conference was
held at Churchill House, the most convenient place, for Lillian was
selling Liberty Bonds there.

When I think of Tufts College, I remember the personally con-
ducted tour around the university, especially to the ivy-covered chapel

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 103

and the Barnum room i n the museum, for this was Mr. Barnum's
college, the reception where, for a few dreadful minutes, I wore my
fraternity pin on my back and Delta was too polite to criticize, evi-
dently thinking the Grand President style was one "fore and aft."
This excitement was ended by slipping my belt back into place. The
pin episode was merely an incident of the reception, its importance
was that I met the faculty wives, student body, the active girls, and
Boston Alumnae Chapter, whose strength in number and organization
makes the chapter what it is. A deep love for their Alma Mater is
seen in their guestroom in the dormitory, and in their scholarship
open to all women students. I met Helen Brown Keating, who is
president of Tufts Alumnae Association; Blanche Hooper, too, a
past Grand Secretary; and Marion Rich. She was glad to see me
for a wire to her from the active chapter read, "Mrs. Stewart unex-
pectedly alive," Western Union again showing its interest and truly
knowing what I was going through. That evening ended with an
initiation and I was loath to leave, for Delta is dear. But the train
was waiting to hurry me to Gamma.

I was awakened at an early hour by the porter explaining to some-
one that there was a lady on board from California. Gladys Reed
peeked through the curtains and told me not to hurry. But I did
hurry, for I was anxious to question the porter as to why he should
think me a Californian. "So very simple," he explained, "that is
where -you bought your shoes." Two days afterward, another porter
polished those suede tops and I had to part with them for an eastern
name. In this way I lost my Californian identity. The girls frankly
confessed that "Mrs. Stewart," as I signed the telegram, was unknown
to them until one of the mothers made a suggestion and they decided
that it must be I . After this I was very-careful to sign the three
names. Please do not doubt me, but Gamma is southern in fascinat-
ing ways, including a wonderful voice that slips over consonants and
puts some in. I just listened to the sounds forgetting to answer. I f
I had not happened to be an Alpha O, I should certainly have asked
Gamma to make me one, a way that all freshmen feel who go to
Maine. Their chief desire is to have a "house" ; at present they h o l d
meetings in a classroom. I met both active and alumnae at Barbara
Dunn's where we had a most delightful afternoon. Surely nothing
more could have possibly been squeezed into one day.

At New York, I was with Eve Marty, Sigma, secretary of the
reorganized New York Alumnse Chapter. I met N u Chapter in
its room that tops the roof of New York Law College. I t is the
best place in the world for them, as that is where they are i n reality.

104 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

I f I mention one of importance, I would need mention them all. We
may live for nothing else than just f o r having Nu, for they are busy
women not alone in the university, but in the world's work. Here the
following day, New York Alumnae met, and I saw old friends of
college, convention, and letter writing days. I appreciated their com-
ing to see me, for distances in New York are great. There is always
the social side. One morning, Daisy Gaus, president of the alumnae
chapter, with her sister, invited Eve and me to tour New York and
vicinity, New York University, the Bronx, the water ways, and parks.
We saw so much! I remember a sign in the park, "Red Cross sewing
in the Lions' room," I thought how nobly patriotic of Lions! Too
true, I am not consulting Eve Marty, but I feel sure it would be
all right to ask her to guide you when you go to New York City. I n
the off-hours of the day and all through two nights, she showed me
practically the whole of New York from the home of Andrew Car-
negie to "Down the Rabbit's Hole" in Greenwich Village. Perhaps
I am confused but I am very sure that I ate three meals one evening
beginning with Caruso's favorite restaurant, and ending at the Top
of the World. I could tell you much more, but you want to hear of
the chapters.

I went to West Virginia to meet my husband at his old home.
While I was there, Kappa wired me they were to have initiation and
wished me to be with them. I f asked how long it took to reach
Lynchburg, I would say a year. The forgetful porter and the hos-
pitable conductor of the slow-moving train would have carried me
on to a farther station, i f I had not, in my rude western way, inter-
rupted a lengthy conversation about a bridge spanning the river—
f o r we had already reached Lynchburg. Merely as a bystander, I
would like to look on and see all the things Kappa could have done
with a convention. I was there two days. Count these events off:
Halloween dinner in the dormitory, Halloween parade, a calathump,
a play, an initiation beginning at twelve P. M. and ending with a
banquet at four A. M., a dinner at Nan Craddock's, a visit with
Frances Allen, a meeting with Panhellenic, open house "in the Pines,"
drive to Sweet Briar, installation of Lynchburg Alumnae Chapter,
innumerable feasts at the tearoom, and a delightful breakfast in the
little house "in the Pines." Dear Kappat I am glad you chose that
spot in which to end your hospitality. Virginia memories are dear.

Now to Omicron! Lucretia Jordan Bickley entertained me at her
home. I know she is apt to read this so i t would not do for me to
say that when she wears pink, one somehow thinks of pink roses.
But what is Omicron like? I t is difficult to explain their deep earnest

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 105

purpose and soulful outlook upon life, so I cannot tell you. I came
away thoughtful. Do not for a moment think Omicron is overly
serious, for the girls are not. They heard me telling on them, f o r
they very frankly wrote to me with an exciting undercurrent, "We
have never seen a Grand President, and we are so anxious to see
one." They sat on the edges of chairs and looked at me. How like
a model Grand President I tried to be without disappointing them 1
We had an Alpha O tea and a Halloween party at the McCargo's, old
friends of Omicron's. Later in the evening, I met the newly installed
alumnae chapter with the actives. When, at the request of the dean,
Miss Carpenter, I was asked to say a few words to the women stu-
dents at Fern Chapel, I told a story to the delight of at least one per-
son, little Billy Bickley. My visits were often at the fraternity room,
one of them being on the occasion of a tea; and I met many rushees,
so that Omicron and I became well acquainted and I trust they w i l l
always remember the first Grand President they met.

A t Chattanooga, Roberta and Harriet Williams of Omicron and
Joe Pratt of Alpha were at the station where I waited between trains.
I t was pleasant to meet them, as I knew them through correspondence.

N u Omicron is the youngest of our family, but not by any means
the least in importance. Mary D. Houston is an Omicron disciple,
can I say more? She knew the spirit of her chapter and found the
girls who would keep the flame burning. The fraternity is blessed.
Nu Omicron had moved into a fraternity room, and I arrived in time
for the house-warming. I t was a tea—I might call it an "alphabet
tea," for the room being small, the women students were invited ac-
cording to the alphabet. It was one of the friendliest teas I ever
attended. I stayed at Mary D. Houston's home where the chapter
came to visit me. Sunday morning found me with them at Vander-
bilt's girls' class and in church. On Monday, there was a dinner in
town, followed by a reception given by the Kappa Alpha Thetas in
their little house. Kappa Alpha Theta knows how we appreciate her
interest in Nu Omicron.

Theta at De Pauw was my next stop. Their house is large and
roomy, which stands for hominess; add to this nearly every girl
knitting and we look about for tea and a cat. I did not see the cat,
but we did have a tea, to which some of the alumnae came. Dean
Alvord gladly accepted the girls' thoughtful invitation to dinner.
There is a dean who knows all her women students. I envied the
way the names slipped from her tongue. While the girls of the
chapters earlv visited were known by me name by name, by the time
I had reached Theta, I wished every one a "Mar}*." When Theta

106 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

presented her pledges, she stood back and smiled, for she was proud
of them. I went to chapel where the yell leaders were trying out.
I am sure more is being required of yell leaders than when I went
to college. I t was a combination of dancing, swimming, riding a
horse, and preaching a sermon—a truly wonderful exhibition.

I like Beta Phi's house; it is on Henderson Avenue. This was the
first time I heard that Isabelle Henderson Stewart was a name that
produced fear, or that I was supposed to be a really old lady. I t
seemed natural to go to a Y. M . C. A. drive the first night. I have
been to a great many, and am always pleased with the interest our
girls show. Beta Phi had a tea waiting for me where I was espe-
cially pleased to meet the faculty women, and representatives from
other fraternities. After the tea, was a meeting with the active girls.
This is a new chapter, too, and so eager for development-and a
correct knowledge of the fraternity. I was anxious to do all I could.

Indiana Alumnae Chapter had patience and I appreciated the in-
convenience I had caused by not arriving when first expected. Be-
cause of this, there was but a small number at the home of Ruth
Ritchie, president of the chapter. These I was glad to meet. Then,
too, I had a glimpse of Indianapolis and a pleasant evening with
Irene Newman and her mother.

One would think that middle western chapters would be always
visiting, they are so near. Perhaps, however, i f trains did not arrive
at four-fifteen A. M., it might be more conducive to travel. I
waited at the station, and called Iota at seven. They were ready
for me and I breakfasted with them. Throughout the day we visited
the campus and toured the two cities, whose greatest importance is
the university and men's fraternities at Champaign and the women's
fraternities at Urbana. Iota's tea was the one that turned into a
spelling bee, people with unusual names live there, and Mrs. Jones
was most conspicuous because she did not have to spell hers. This
tea was not alone for me, but also for their new chaperon, a most
charming woman. I did enjoy my stay with Iota and her pledges.

As I was to pass through Evanston twice, Rho had me divide my
visit. An invitation to a "cosy" was eagerly looked forward to, as
I had never been to one, at least I thought I hadn't, but I had been
having them all along the way and did not know it. I t is where you
eat and talk and sing. This was at the home of my husband's cousin,
whom I found to be an Alpha O; she knew it all along and deprived
me of the pleasure, because it made her nervous to think of it. Is that
correct, Esther Vincent? A tea was given for me i n the drawing-
room at Willard H a l l , where I disturbed a Kappa Alpha Theta un-

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 107

knowingly by giving her the Theta grip. Would that I knew what
I did! A l l fraternity rooms are i n the attic of one of the dormitories
and open to none but members. I t was in Rho's room where an initia-
tion was held. We are glad that Rho is capable and strong and
democratic.

The Chicago Alumnas Chapter was sewing for some orphans in
an all-day session. They were contemplating making sweaters for
one of the companies at Fort Sheridan. We paid for our coffee which
amount went towards the purchase of yarn. Much of the pleasure
of my visit was due to Marie Swanson, at whose home I stayed,
and Merva Hennings, who saw me off and on trains.

Those of you who were at Convention will remember Helen Pierce
Munro, who was only Helen Pierce then. She was one of the girls
who met me at the station at Minneapolis. As she had just returned
from her honeymoon i n the West, she told me of some of the chap-
ters she had visited. Though Tau chapter numbers twenty-two girls,
only five live in the house, the majority having their homes at Minne-
apolis and St. Paul. The house is old and charming and lent an
air of cosiness and hominess to the tea, which they gave for me. With
Mary Chase, Miss Beggs, the dean of women, a Pi Beta Phi, helped
receive. I appreciated the courtesy shown her and I am sure she did.
After the faculty women and students had left, some of the mothers re-
mained and we had a real spread, followed by a meeting with the
girls. Any chapter would be fortunate in having Mary Chase near,
so we can honestly be envious of Tau, for she can give to them per-
sonally the enthusiasm she gives to us through the magazine. From
various corners I was showered with the information that Eta was first
in scholarship at Madison. By the time I had arrived, they had come
out first in another avenue, for a silver loving cup marked "the best
decorated house at Home-coming time." Moreover, the dean said they
were forging ahead in the fraternity world, and had handed in the best
set of fraternity rules; and they were gloriously successful in their
rushing. For fear Eta might be likened to the frog, who, when ad-
mired, swelled up and burst, we'll change the conversation to a cold
day when we drove around the lakes, the town, and the university.
The university is beautiful and the fraternity houses are imposing.
There is a simpler life "in the Pines." We had a reception, too, and
with fear again about Eta's danger, I shall not tell what was poured
into my ears from the visiting fraternity girls.

Sophie Newcomb College celebrated Thanksgiving, so I ran over to
Parkersburg for dinner. I t was a delightfully warm morning when
I arrived in New Orleans on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Ann
McLellan took me home, and before I left I forgot that I was a

108 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

visiting grand officer and thought myself a friend of the family. We
toured New Orleans and to me it is as beautiful as Virginia. We
are "brand new" in California; there is a mellowness in the south.
I am coming to the chapter and the tea in the fraternity room with
the active and the alumnae and representatives from the other fra-
ternities. I could not very well leave it out, nor the initiation of a
sophomore where I met more alumnae. Anna Many had some of
us to dinner at her home, and her mother planned with much success
some indescribable southern dishes. Seeing me off at the station
was as memorable as any other event planned for me. I carried away
a box of pralines and some roses, and left—a part of myself.

My trip was pleasant as far as Alexandria; because I traveled
with a friend of Pi's and Kappa's. Then it grew pleasant again as
I drew near Dallas—it is always so when I near a chapter. Margaret
Vaughn was with the girls at the station. We can never forget her
nor the other Margaret—Margaret Bonner Bentley—both of whom
are charter members of N u Kappa. I do not want to bring that poor
frog in again, so N u Kappa cover up your ears, for I must tell the
chapters what you are. We can remember the university is as old as the
chapter, both needed material to build upon, both needed builders,
perhaps you can guess what I am going to say. I was told by one of
the faculty members that four Alpha Omicron Pi girls had done more
for the university than any other students, that N u Kappa is a force
to be counted upon. A t a tea I met the mothers, faculty, and the
students, after which we had a banquet at the hotel, a most delight-
f u l affair, so the girls all felt for all toasts were omitted. The fol-
lowing day one of the patronessess entertained at her home where
confidences were exchanged and we grew to know each other better.
I t was pleasant to meet at the dormitory, Miss Land, Editor of Chi
Omega's magazine.

The long tedious trip across the desert was shortened by my writing
this article and living over again the days spent with the chapters. A t
Long Beach, I stayed with Mae Knight, Sigma. You know her as
chairman of the song committee and together we went over the songs
that had been handed in. Saturday afternoon, I met the Los Angeles
Alumnae Chapter, at the home of Hazel Crabill, Rho. The two hours
that I spent with them were short and f u l l to overflowing and the
parting made pleasant by the g i f t of red roses. I deeply regret
there is no active chapter near them to be inspired by their enthusiasm
and interest.

As examination time at the University of California was set for
December 11th, I hurried from Los Angeles to be with Sigma on

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 109

the 10th, the last meeting of the year, and to tell them a little of the
chapters I had visited. May I liken Sigma to California, rich in
numbers, prosperous in the ownership of its own fine house, f u l l to
overflowing, buoyant in the success of its achievements, confident in
its resources.

A t Stanford, I should think it very likely that one would forget
the past, forget that there is a future and live in the present. The
Spanish architecture of the university buildings, the palms, and the
absence of the hurry of a bustling community, all combine to make
an atmosphere of seclusion from the world. I felt it in the two days
that I was there with Lambda. I t even crept into the house, and I
would willingly linger on indefinitely at their fireside sipping tea
served by their chaperon as is their daily custom. Elsie Ford Piper,
Zeta, who is working for her master's degree and living at the house,
took us for a long ride into the country. Lambda had recently held
initiation and very proudly introduced her new members.

I t was like coming home to meet last of all San Francisco Alumnae
chapter, which gathered at the home of Gladys Courtian Britton.
They were the ones who had sent me out on my mission over two
years ago and I sat at their feet and told them the tale of my wander-
ings. I am grateful to Sigma f o r the honor and the joy that has
been given to me.

"Thou hast made me known to friends I knew not. Thou hast
given me seats i n homes not my own. Thou hast brought the distant
near and made a brother of the stranger."

ISABELLE HENDERSON STEWART,

Grand President.

110 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

A Catalogue of Homely Virtues*

i

BEING ON TIME

There was once a girl who entered a university. She came a
few days late, being convinced there was no hurry whatsoever, by
which action she annoyed the registrar, seriously inconvenienced
her instructors, and missed several days upon which she might
have acquired some knowledge. Being somewhat attractive, she was
rushed by several fraternities, the members of which, seeing her
only while she was dancing and drinking tea, were favorably im-
pressed. Had they seen her with the eyes of her tired landlady,
they might not have been so impressed; but unfortunately, perhaps,
fraternities do not interview landladies or washwomen or teachers
or unprejudiced relatives (if such can be found). She usually
came late to the teas and the luncheons and the dances; but she was
so "perfectly darling" when she finally did come that everybody
overlooked everything but the least important thing, and when
bidding day came, she had half a dozen envelopes, all crammed
with pleas and urgings, and threats of broken hearts if she didn't
join the only fraternity in the world.

Which one she joined makes little difference to us, though it
made all the difference in the world to the fraternity. For three
days or more they crowed over their unsuccessful competitors, and
then became strangely silent. The "perfect darling" had come to
live in the house; and a relieved landlady was getting ready to rent
a vacant room, punctuating her sweeping and cleaning with fervent
prayers concerning the personality of the next occupant. Meanwhile
the "distinct addition to the chapter-house" was busy living her own
life. She never began to go to bed until the rest of the house was
asleep, never thought of getting up when she was called, never under
any circumstances was on time for breakfast. Her fraternity sisters
who took psychology in her division felt their cheeks grow hot
morning after morning as she sauntered into class late; mnd hotter
when the instructor remarked upon the occurrence. The house
chaperon tried to apologise when the "great catch" came in late for
dinner on guest night, and the chapter president tried, to keep her
temper when the "perfect wonder" was constantly late to chapter
meeting.

The "treasure" is still living her own life. There are congratula-
tions to be offered without doubt. To whom shall we tender them?

* The modern girl being quite too much occupied to take time f o r the con-
sideration of certain humble and homely virtues, we have decided to issue a
quarterly catalogue of the same. They w i l l be quite intelligible, clothed i n
story f o r m , and they might be applicable i f studied sufficiently. Please see
that this finds its way to the g i r l who needs i t . Perhaps, she is reading i t now.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 111

EDITOR'S REPORT

Instead of a Roll of Honor this time, the Editor is reporting chap-
ter editors who have been late i n sending their letters both f o r the
November and for the February number. I f the name of your chap-
ter editor appears upon this list, it may be well to investigate her
fitness for her position. Miss Kelley, Editor for the eastern letters,
thinks that the November letters were late because the editors were
waiting f o r special instructions. Instructions were given i n the
September number of T o DRAGMA, and announcement was made that
no special ones would be sent. To DRAGMA is issued to be read.

The following editors have been delinquent:

FOR NOVEMBER

Elizabeth McCausland, Upsilon. No letter. New editor has been
appointed.

Genevieve Groce, N u Kappa—late.
Agnes Lakin, Theta—late.
Frances Hardy, Kappa—late.
Edna Rapallo, Nu—late.
Barbara Dunn, Gamma—late.
Etta Phillips MacPhie, Boston Alumna;—late.
Bernice Mitchell, Indianapolis Alumna;—late.

FOR FEBRUARY

Edna Rapallo, Nu—late.
Mildred Begeman, Beta Phi—very late.

Bernice Mitchell, Indianapolis Alumnae—late. Written on note
paper.

Evelyn Cqrnish, Portland Alumnae—late.
Cornelia Jenncr, Puget Sound Alumnae—late.
Mabel Wallace—Chicago Alumnae—late.
Jane Piper, Lincoln Alumnae—late.
Genevieve Groce, N u Kappa. Small paper used.

112 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

PERSONAL FEELING—HOW F A R SHOULD IT GO?

"How far should one's personal feelings go in the choosing of a

new fraternity sister?"
This question was asked me three nights ago by a brown-eyed,

eager-faced girl, who will be an Alpha O before these words are
read. She has the enthusiasm which makes for fraternity greatness,
and the impulsiveness, which, uncontrolled, makes for something
else. But she will control her impulsiveness.

Her question was seconded by the faces of six other pledges. I
was a grand officer, an Editor; for ten years and more I had been
a fraternity woman—of course, / knew. But I am sure the fear and
indecision in my heart found its way into my faltering replies. I f
I had read the Phi Mu Aglaia before that meeting, I might have
rested upon the shoulders of some of Phi Mu's contributors to a
most excellent November number, dedicated to The Rushing Prob-
lem. I have read all the articles, and arrf saving some of them for
later use. But the one given here I have chosen to publish at once,
because I feel that it may answer several puzzling questions, and
perhaps, conversely, tell how far personal feeling should not go.

A
QUAND MEME
The necessary preliminaries had been gone through with, the old
business discussed at length (at a far greater length than usual), and
the special business of the meeting could no longer be avoided. The
high tension that had been distinctly visible in every girl for several
days leaped into one seething flame. One could feel it in the heavy
silence that followed the president's quiet: "And now shall we dis-
cuss prospective members?"
Nobody volunteered to start things. Every pair of eyes was look-
ing straight ahead into space. I n every mind was the recollection of
some heated conversation of the past few weeks, and every girl
hesitated to suggest her particular favorite among the rushees.
The President inwardly wriggled at the ordeal before her and
added slowly: "Remember that this is a very serious matter. Re-
member what it means to the girl you are passing judgment on, and
what your bid meant to you. Remember that we are not all perfect.
And please be frank and state your objections before you blackball.
Afterwards your vote cannot be questioned."

The president had never lost her beautiful ideals, although she
had unfortunately passed through a bitter experience, the year be-
fore. Her best friend had not been taken into the Bond—because
her quiet personality had been a shade too quiet for some of the girls

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 113

to explore. The president remembered, and in the pang of remem-
bering she ached to spare another the same suffering. Now she took
up the list of rushees and made the plunge.

"The first girl happens to be Bobby Graham. We will hear a dis-
cussion of her, please."

The chorus of "Oh—she's fine!" was too hearty and welcome for
her to squelch. She simply couldn't do i t ! She smiled, and was
about to pass to the next name when she noticed something. The
two Professional Blackballed had not spoken 1 So she asked, " I f
anybody has any objections to Bobby, will she speak now?"

"Or forever hold her peace" a flippant sophomore finished, half
under her breath.

No answer.
"Well,—would anybody vote her out? I f so, is she willing to tell
us her reasons?"
After a few seconds' silence P. B. No. 1 spoke up.
' % for one, think Bobby too flip. She always has a date on! 'A
heavy date,' she calls i t ! "
Indignant looks, despairing looks—but no real astonishment greeted
her little speech.
"Why—she has more B's than C's! Her record is perfectly O. K.
She can't help being popular!" burst forth from one of Bobby's loyal
supporters.
"And she is so clever in everything, besides her popularity! She
is really worth while. You don't mean vou are serious in not liking
her?"

" I am!" P. B. No. 1 could not keep a certain sense of her own
power from stealing into the two nasty little words.

Followed a long discussion.—P. B. didn't have to be Bobby's closest
chum—you couldn't like all the girls the same!—Bobby surely
wouldn't harm the chapter's honorable name?

To all of which P. B. No. 1 finally replied as a final squelcher,
" W e l l — I don't like her, can't like her, never will like her! That's
a l l ! " and settled back stubbornly in her corner.

"Doesn't the fact that so many of us want her, and that we've
rushed the poor girl to death alter your verdict any?"

"One cannot let personal feeling and appeal enter into so lasting
a proposition ! Why,—it's for all time!"

General collapse of the chapter.

The clock's hands pointed to 9 o'clock, but for once nobody had to
get home early. Gallant escorts waited without in vain. The year's
battle was on.

114 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

Tears of bitter disappointment stood in more than one pair of eyes,
P. B. No. 2's among them. Bobby surely was a favorite.

"The next name is Mary Allen." The president's voice shook,—
from what emotion nobody could tell.

There were milder words of praise for Mary. A l l were agreed
on her niceness. Evidently hers was not such a strong personality
as Bobby's. There was some show of rejoicing at the lack of op-
position to her name.

Several more followed, with similar reception. And then the
name "Ruth Sanders" fell like a challenge on the air.

"Oh! She's a peach!" wailed someone. "We must get her!"
Others echoed her, sentiments. But P. B. No. 2 was still think-
ing of Bobby Graham. The president in her deep wisdom (and how
wise and diplomatic must a chapter president be!) took mental note
of the grumpy face and set lips.
"You all seem favorably impressed? Then we may reasonably
count on Ruth's making it ?" she asked, her eyes carefully scrutinizing
the finger nails on her right hand.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. I t was time to vote.
Several minutes later the results were announced. A l l were " i n "
except Bobby—and Ruth Sanders! Blank dismay was on every face
—except the president's. Etiquette and law forbade questioning, but
the atmosphere was so electric with accusation that P. B. No. 2 felt an
insane necessity for speech.
" W e l l — I did i t ! " she defiantly. " I think she's something of a
grind, and I abhor grinds. As much as some people hate dates!"
I t was out—all the blind, foolish way of "getting back," the
bitterness, the self-justification.
"And you all needn't look at me as i f I were a criminal to be shot
at sunrise, either! Is my desire of less importance than hers? My
vote of less value? You don't accuse her outright!"
No amount of argument or pleading could change her decision.
I t was final. Whether it hurt P. B. No. 1 or not, it satisfied her own
peculiar sense of justice. Who could say where the blame lay
heaviest? Not the chapter,—with its ruffled feelings and shattered
hopes. Every girl hated in her innermost being this business of
bartering and exchanging. But Bobby and Ruth were "wonders!"
A l l was in vain, however, and the meeting closed abruptly.

No one was happy, none content. There were whispered grumb-
lings, such as "Now we'll get about two, and Delta Phi will gloat
over our Bobby and Ruth. And they're such dears— and they really
belong to us!"

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 115

Who can estimate the depth of the tragedy, oft-repeated, never
made right? The loss to spirit, ideals, and girls? And yet every
year chapters lose in this way all of the beautiful opportunity of
opening up joys of fraternity life to the eager, waiting girls of their
choice. So much is spoilt by a scene like this! Where is the love, the
spirit of true fraternity? I know that it is possible—for I lived in
the spirit of harmony for a year. I shall never cease to be thankful
for that experience. O h ! let us never cease in our efforts until every
member of every chapter is made to see things in their true light,—
to think less of self and more of "the other fellow." A Herculean
task, you say? A great one, surely, but one that we must perform
if we would not be hypocrites, "whited sepulchres." Let love rule
in our "fraternity" world!

M . K . S.

When winter walls us in, and wild winds blow,
Across the crumbling spaces of the snow,
There always will be one or two who hold
Earth's coin of less account than fairy gold,
Their treasure, not the spoil of crowds and kings,
But the dim beauty at the heart of things,
They hold more beautiful than any saith
The old, old masque of Life, and Love, and Death.

116 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

ALPHA OMICRON PI—AN INVESTMENT

There are so many things to be done in this world that it is no
wonder that all the work and play are not evenly distributed among
us. I t is hard for the young person to know just what he should do
or should not do. One of the best things that college does for men
or women is to train them in choosing their work. There is so much
to do in college, so much, in fact, that one wants to do, that it is
almost impossible to know which things are most worth while. The
authorities say that our lessons must come first. The fatal disaster
of those who do not agree with the administration in this respect
are familiar to all of us—though not too much so, I hope.

As to how I spend my time is not of great importance here. I
choose to spend quite a few hours each week at work unconnected with
college life. My participation in college activities is therefore some-
what less than it should be; but when I choose to do anything which
takes much of my time I ask myself two questions? What can that
thing do for me? What can I do for that particular organization?
For after all, not college alone, but life itself gives us only what we
put into it.

Therefore, when I was asked to become an Alpha Omicron Pi, I
felt the matter needed no small amount of consideration. For me
it was an important matter, to be treated very seriously. I still think
it a serious matter; and I believe, too, the girl who does not weigh the
question with utmost care fails to realize the importance of the
step she is taking.

I intend to get much out of Alpha Omicron Pi. For me, it is an
enormous investment. I shall give the best I have, which is very
little, to this fraternity—the best in scholarship, in character, in ser-
vice. Did I not think that what I can contribute to the fraternity
world can best be done through Alpha Omicron Pi, I should not
now be wearing the gold sheaf. I n college, I am going to give all the
time, the thought, and the energy that I can. After I leave college
I shall give more than those. There is no need to tell you what I ex-
pect in return for my investment. You who have made similar ones
know that the principal is paid back with heavy interest. Those who
are in the same position as myself must pay their own daily install-
ments to a life investment.

I can only say that already I love Alpha Omicron Pi, and that I
do truly consider it a life investment.

RHODA B KELLOGG,

Tau Pledge, 1920.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 117

REPORT OF T H E BUSINESS MANAGER

The Business Manager begs to submit the report which you find
below. I t is indeed a pleasure to record one hundred per cent for
two chapters, Eta and Alpha Phi. The promptness and loyalty
shown by these chapters make us proud of them, while the lack of
enthusiasm and interest shown by some others make us most regretful
and not a little concerned. We now have seven life subscribers.
Don't forget that ten dollars will put your name on our roll of honor.

Oh that you all might share the business managership—its joys are
so many! I t is a fine thing to work with our Editor; not many of you
realize the service she is rendering our fraternity and the inspira-
tion she is to her associates. I t is encouraging to have working with
you a corps of assistants who with few exceptions attend to their
duties in a thorough, businesslike fashion. Such friendly, enthusiastic
letters they do write! Finally, it is gratifying to get your subscrip-
tions—to know that you are loyal to Alpha Omicron Pi and i n -
terested in her progress. You may be sure that a silent "thank you"
is sent you-ward when your money and nice notes are received. The
Business Manager thanks you one and a l l !

CAROLYN FRASER PULLING.

L I F E SUBSCRIBERS

Isabelle Henderson Stewart, Sigma.
Edith Goldsworthy, Tau.
Mary Rust, Omicron.
Merva Dolsen Hennings, Rho.
Mary Wills Scholl. Iota.
Clara A. Graeffe, Epsilon.
Grace Lawton Hubbard, Beta.

CHAPTER ALUMNiE SUBSCRIBERS PER CENT

Alpha Phi . . | 4 4 100
8 8 100
Beta I 12 7 58
39 22 56
Tau | 68 30 44
109 38
Rho | 67 24 36
132 47
Gamma . . . . j 37 36
58 13 35
Iota j | 35
77 19 33
Upsilon . . . . j 21 | 27
|
Epsilon . . . . |

?L_^- 1

118 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

CHAPTER ALUMNiE SUBSCRIBERS PER CENT

Chi 41 11 27
Omicron • • 51 11 22
Zeta 112 18 16
Theta 121 17 14
Delta 139 20 14
63 15
Nu 98 8 13
Kappa • • 71 | 13 11
Lambda . . 86 •8
Alpha .•• 7
Beta Phi . 9 6 0
N u Kappa 3 I0

0

She doeth little kindnesses,
Which most leave undone, or despise;
For naught that sets one heart at ease,
And giveth happiness or peace,

Is low-esteemed in her eyes.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 119

CHILDREN OF T H E LIGHTS

To every lover of children has there come in these last years that
p i t i f u l picture of French and Flemish plains crossed by long lines of
straggling, tired folk, trundling, dragging, or carrying those some-
times doubtful blessings—their children. We have seen them, boys
and girls big-eyed from fear and wonder, red-cheeked babies in white
caps, holding close in their arms some treasure which they could not
leave behind; and we have said, one to another. "We live in
America, thank God! And even though this most awful of wars
comes to us, our children can never know such loneliness and separa-
tion as that!"

Thus far our predictions have seemed true. Our children have
not known such sadness as that, and yet this nation-wide Gethsemane
through which we are passing has not spared them all. There are
little war-sufferers, not indeed on our coasts, but off them—children
living on the rocky islands which form our light-stations—children
whose lives are sadly different from the lives of your boys and girls.
They are the little patriots, too slightly known and honored, who are
helping to defend our coasts in order that you and I may not only
live in safety, but that we may also receive unimpaired the provi-
sions brought overseas. More than any of us whom they protect have
they felt the hardships and privations of this war which has forced
upon them the utmost loneliness and separation.

It has always been lonely at the light-stations, but never as it is
today. The children, who for years have welcomed white-clad
"summer folks" with strange accents, proudly showed them the great
light, and talked about them for days afterward, no longer have those
pleasures. They can only watch the boats sail by and wave a shy
greeting from the rocks. The fisherman, who used to land f o r a
neighborly call now and then, cannot break Uncle Sam's command
that no one stop at the light-station, and they, too, chug past. Rela-
tives and friends are not exempt. They cannot land even though
sickness and death may come to those in the lighthouses.

And so, although our children are not called upon to look back
across a brown, dust-covered plain to the smoke of burning villages,
some of them are today gazing from surf-beaten, tide-worn rocks
across a gray sea, patrolled here and there by the grim, lead-colored
boats of our coast defense, to a mainland hazy in the distance or to no
mainland at all. Are they not learning what war means more than
you and I , even though we perhaps have sent our sons to training
camps?

120 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

I want you to know something of the lives of these children—lives
so meagre when compared with those of our own boys and girls; and
I have chosen to tell you of those who live at the Maine light-stations,
partly because of a l l our coastlines that of Maine requires the most
lights, and largely because through the kindness of Rev. Alexander
MacDonald of the Maine Seacoast Mission I was so fortunate as to
be one of a party of five who this summer on a wondrous voyage
of discovery learned to know something of these especial light-
children, and to understand a little the increased loneliness of their
narrow lives. We could not go to them because of the war regula-
tions, but, the sea permitting, they could row out to the Sunbeam and
to us where we lay at anchor, and forget for an hour that every day
was the same while they listened to our stories, our songs, and our
"little fiddler."

Maine has seventy-three lights in a l l . Their great, wide-open,
watchful eyes sweep the sea from Boone Island Light near York
Beach, whose great shaft of 210 feet is the highest on the coast, to
Avery Rock off Machiasport, whose half acre of land affords all too
little space for the children who must play thereon. Some, like Bass
Harbor Light, stand upon great, surf-beaten headlands; others, like
Petit-Manan, arc built upon islands of a few acres in extent, islands
often so barren that not even a sturdy jack-pine can withstand the
rocky soil and fearful winds; still others, like Mt. Desert Rock, are
erected by wonderful feats of engineering upon veritable mountains of
rock, many miles from shore, where there is no land at all, and where
the children must be tied f o r safety. Not all, however, like Mt.
Desert Rock and Matinicus are from twenty to thirty miles from the
mainland. Many are within a few miles of shore, but those few
miles might as well be scores when the winter's cold and storms
begin.

The light-families, men, women, and children, though on some
lights there are, perhaps fortunately, no children, are uniformly a fine
group of people. The keepers themselves are sturdy men, keen and
intelligent, possessed of a judgment both clear and quick. Their
wives are, for the most part, calm, self-possessed women, who are
accustomed to share their husbands' work as well as to do their own,
and many of them could keep the lights quite as well. Three years
ago Eagle Island Light had such a captain when its keeper died of
pneumonia, contracted during a hard siege of balping a disabled
schooner. There were eight small children left for the mother to
support, and for eight months she kept the light whose warning
beams were thrown across the waters just as before. But the govern-

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 121

ment could start no precedent, and in due course of time there was
another keeper.

For the most part, the minds of the light-children are as quick and
capable as are their hands which so often help in caring for the great
lamps. And just here comes the sad problem. The school privileges
of these children of the lights are so poor as to be almost negligible.
I t was not until two years ago when the State of Maine appointed
a light-teacher that any educational opportunities, other than those
which the keepers themselves could give, and the help and encourage-
ment given by the Seacoast Mission, were afforded the children. The
keepers are all too poorly paid, the average salary being about sixty
dollars a month. Many of them are obliged to fish in addition to
their duties about the light, but even with such help, i t is almost
impossible, especially in these days of increased prices, to board and
educate children in the nearest mainland towns. Daily trips by
motor boats are quite out of the question, even from those lights
nearest shore, as the weather and sea are not trustworthy and as the
winters are so cold.

I f the children of school age could but leave the lights for even
six months of the year, they would not feel so deeply the loneliness
and isolation, so increased in these war times, nor would they be
forced to realize later that they are vastly inferior in an educational
sense to mainland children of their own age.

I t is this sad condition of affairs which the Seacoast Mission under
its able leader is trying to alleviate, and in which it is to be hoped,
when days are brighter for us all, our national government will take
a greater interest.

There are two persons to whom the light-stations are open even in
time of war—the Seacoast Missionary and the light-teacher. Though
with the former, we did not share his "open sesame"; but we were so
fortunate as to meet Miss Severance one Sunday afternoon in August
off Moose Peak Light, whose seventy-two foot shaft looks down
upon as wonderful a surf scene as the coast of Maine can boast.

The sea was an Italian blue that afternoon as we waited on the
deck of the Sunbeam for the keeper, his wife, and family to row out
to us for a service, and the shaft of Moose Peak was as white as
the countless gulls ever encircling it, or as the surf which broke at
its feet. The teacher came, too, in the boat which brought the light
family. She was spending her allotted one week in eight with the
four Moose Peak children. We were glad to see her, for we had
heard much of her and of her service among the lights. She is a
slight, eager-faced girl, still in her twenties; and after the captain

122 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

of the Sunbeam had read about some fishermen who once fished long
ago on the Sea of Galilee, after he had prayed for the lonely light-
children and for other lonely children f a r across the seas, after we
had sung and told stories and "fiddled," she told us of her work. *

She is the sole member of her profession in America, and she has
held the position of state light-teacher since July, 1915, when the
Maine Board of Education, prompted and encouraged by the Sea-
coast Mission which had been investigating light conditions, decided
that some educational privileges, however slight, were due the chil-
dren of the lights. She is on duty from March 1 to December 30
of each year, and unlike most teachers she does not experience the
joys of Saturdays. Eight of the lights where there are several chil-
dren of school age, she visits regularly, once in eight weeks, thus
according to each child a scant six weeks of school during the entire
year. But, although she leaves tasks for the children to do in her
absence, much can be forgotten i n eight weeks, and the six yearly
visits to each station are often shortened by bad weather or impass-
able seas, or by necessary visits to other lights not on the regular
route. W i l l you try to feel for a moment the anxiety which would
be yours i f your boy and girl had but six weeks of school for the
year?

There were many things which she did not tell us, but which we
learned later from the captain of the Sunbeam—tales of long winter
journeys from one light to another in an open boat when the spray
froze, almost as it dashed against one, and when the waves were great
mountains above one's head; stories of "line-gales" which kept her
far longer in one light than she had planned while eager children
watched from the windows of another f a r distant; stories of lone-
liness and sickness and sorrow where even sympathy and comfort
seemed helpless and inactive. For the one light-teacher in America
must be far more than just a teacher as she journeys from light to
light.

Sad indeed are the chronicles indelibly written upon the life pages
of those who guard our coasts from danger and our ships from
disaster. I t was not many years ago that the mother of Avery Rock
Light saw her child fall into one of the great fissures which cut that
tiny, rocky island, and was powerless to save i t ; and i t was only
last winter that the fine, clear-eyed keeper of Petit-Manan Light was
lost while crossing to the mainland five miles away for his wife and
two little girls. But f a r more pathetic even than those things, as
life is so often sadder than death, are the little girl on one tiny
rocky island far out at sea, who every spring and summer cares

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 123

tenderly for some yellow rag-weed growing i n a cleft of the rock, and
calls it her "garden"; and the boy of six on another light who has
never in all his life seen a tree!

"Do you like to live on the light?" I asked a little girl of twelve,
a girl who last year saved her brother from drowning.

"Oh, yes'm," she told me. "I've lived here f o r ten years, and I
don't remember the other light where I was born. I came away
when I was so little. I wouldn't know how to live anywhere else,
I guess, but 1 wish the war would stop so that folks could come to
us again. It's awful lonesome away out here just by ourselves."

Yes, it is "awful lonesome" away out there. We, who during
those August days cruised past light after light, some half hidden
in fog and sounding a hoarse, warning note as lonesome as their
children, some mirrored in smooth, blue water and reflecting the sun
on their great lamps,—we began to realize something of that lone-
liness. We knew, too, because the Sunbeam's captain had told us,
that the past summer has meant a tattered dream to many of the
light-children. Early i n the spring dozens of girls, who also wanted
"to discover Maine" had volunteered to go on the light islands, stay
for the summer, and teach the children. They would have come
fresh from college and glowing with enthusiasm; and they would
have brought books and stories and long-to-be-cherished glimpses of
another life to children, many of whom have never seen a village
street, a horse, or a train of cars. But the light-stations were closed
to a l l visitors, and with them were closed the doors of many imagina-
tions, which had for a little time gazed expectantly into another
land.

The seven children on Nash Island Light were perhaps most dis-
appointed of all, for they had been told at Christmas time that two
of us were coming to them for the summer months They are such
bright boys and girls, but only the oldest, a lad of seventeen, has
ever been on the mainland f o r even a brief term of school. The
knowledge that we were coming was quite a Christmas g i f t to chil-
dren whose imagination must be very rampant to imagine a Santa
Claus driving his reindeer across a wind-swept sea. They would
learn well, they promised their mother, who was even more happy
than they. But the chance to learn did not come, and the morning
we passed Nash Island, the sea was too stormy for the little family
there to row out to us even f o r an hour.

We saw them waving to us on the rocks by the shore, dim figures
in the fog, and the lonesome sound of their great bell followed us
far out to sea.

124 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON I'I

"What do you do all day?" we asked a little boy from one of the
loneliest of stations.

"Oh, nothin' much!" he answered in real boy fashion, as he vainly
tried to dig his bare toe into the brown rock.

But I am sure that boyish answer never rang so true as when he
said it.

They need some compensation for loneliness—some compensation
for doing "nothin' much" all day long—do these children of the
lights, which are helping to keep our coasts clear of a possible invader.
Shall we not, i n the brighter days that are to come, when the gray
coast patrol boats shall be needed no longer, and when the visitors
to the lights may again be made welcome, shall we not see what we, as
fraternity women of America, can do to give them more light-teachers
and better opportunities to go to the mainland schools?

I f those who represent you and me i n Congress knew more of light
conditions, of the absence of educational privileges which cannot
be enjoyed by the children because of the insufficient salaries paid
their fathers, they would be glad to turn their attention, when such
time shall come, to the possible betterment of such conditions.

I have thought, too, of the splendid field for national alumnae work
afforded by the conditions existing not only on the light-islands, but
by conditions far more sad because of ignorance, intermarriage, and
isolation which exist on the outer islands off the Maine Coast. The
Seacoast Missionary, who is a second Dr. Grenfell in his bigness
of spirit and in his unselfish, splendid service, welcomes help in any
form, whether it comes i n volunteer service for one or more of the
summer months, or whether it takes the perhaps more valuable form
of contributions, which can be expended where they are most needed.

" I am going to tell my fraternity about the islands and the light,"
I told him as we cruised homeward one September day last summer.
We had been living for two weeks upon an island—a friend and I —
doing what we could as .entertainers, mothers, "preachers," nurses,
and companions to bring a little new happiness—a better kind, let
us hope than has existed there—into the lives of the island children.

" I am glad," he said. " I t really after all is just letting people
know. I f they all knew, of course, they would help."

Such faith has been and should be productive of good. There
is wonderful lighthouse work in France of a different, perhaps more
wonderful kind. We are proud to claim one who has a part i n it.
But for us who cannot be in France there is work here for our own
children as well as for those across the sea. Shall we not think about

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 125

it as a possible chance for Alpha Omicron Pi, and perhaps for her

S5S5T ' *110 PROVETHATTHEYEXIST FIRST OF T O MAKETHE

MARY E L L E N CHASE.

Surely, whoever speaks to me in the right voice,
Him or her I shall follow
As the water follows the moon silently with fluid steps
Anywhere around the globe.

WHITMAN.

126 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA 0MICRON PI

A LETTER FROM HALIFAX

We hope in an early number of To DRAGMA to publish an article by-
Mary Rust, written especially for us. Meanwhile we are very glad
to print this clipping from the Minneapolis Journal. Mary Rust is
a member of Omicron Chapter, and one of To DRAGMA'S life sub-
scribers.

Gratefulness and a non-complaining attitude by the Halifax dis-
aster sufferers were outstanding features especially noted by Miss
Mary Rust, who lives near Halifax, i n a letter to her uncle, C. B .
Westfall, 2440 Garfield Avenue, in which she tells of her experiences
as an emergency nurse during the aftermath of the explosion. *

"The people were so grateful for everything that was done for
them. One woman kissed my hand and when I stooped down over
her she kissed my forehead. None of them ever complained about
anything, they seemed so thankful to have a roof over their heads and
to be warm. Another thing that struck me was that I never saw any-
one crying, no matter how much sorrow had come to them. Another
thing, no one seemed to be the least bit panic-stricken at any time.
Everyone seemed to be stunned. I think the first thought that came
to everyone was that the Germans were either raiding or shelling
Halifax. Everyone seemed to think his house was the only one hit.

D E T E R M I N E D TO G O , ANYHOW

"When the call came for nurses and helpers I decided that I would
go along with the nurse from the school. When we went to go on
the train the conductor said, 'No Halifax passengers allowed.' We
were determined to get on that train i f there was any possible way
to do it, but fortunately we did not have to display a determined spirit,
for some gentleman, who was either a railway official or a relief
worker, stepped up and told us to get on the train and that he would
instruct us later about what to do, etc. The train did not expect to
get any nearer than a half hour's ride from the city, but we did get
as far as Rockingham, which is about ten minutes' ride.

"When we reached that point 'our' gentleman came and told us he
had a machine waiting to take us to the city hall where we could
register. As soon as we had reached the city hall we were sent to
the Y . M . C. A., where we started to work. There seemed to be
plenty of helpers there so we were sent to Camp H i l l , a hospital for
returned wounded soldiers. The people were crowded into both
of these places, and at Camp H i l l they were lying all over the floor
and sitting i n chairs.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 127

T A K E N DOWN TO BOAT

"We had just gotten inside the doors here when a naval officer
stopped us and asked i f two nurses would come down to the American
hospital ship, that they simply had to have help. The word American
caught me and I said I would go provided Miss Saunders (the school
nurse) would go. She agreed, and so we were dumped bag and
baggage into another car and taken down to the boat.

"This ship, Old Colony, has been sold to the British government
to be made over into a hospital ship and the Americans were just
delivering her. She used to run between Boston and New York ^nd
is not a sea-going vessel at all. On the way up from Boston, I guess
they rolled all over the ocean, so none of the crew were very bright
about the prospect of crossing. She had been out in the stream for
about two weeks and the boys were getting very anxious to dock.
Only the day before the explosion the tug was to have come and
pulled her to dock, but failed, which was most fortunate, as they
would have docked at the navy yard and would have been right in
the path of the explosion and been blown into a thousand bits.

113 PATIENTS ON BOARD

"There were 113 patients on board and only three nurses to look
after them at first, and, believe me, we did work some. 1 hardly
closed my eyes for sixty hours and when I did try I could not sleep.
There was absolutely no organization to anything in Halifax. No
one had time to stop long enough to organize anything. We had all
kinds and classes of people as patients, white and black; women and
children, with all kinds of injuries. After the first few days I was
in the operating room all the time and I did see and learn a lot.

"One of the doctors had been at the front and he was so nice
about explaining everything as he went along. He was good on
improvising, which was another help, f o r we had so much of that
thing to do. I can't begin to describe the horrors of i t all. Even
yet they are finding bodies that were buried under the debris, and I
suppose they w i l l never be able to find all of them, f o r some were
burned to death and others, I guess, were cut to pieces.

T A K E ROUNDABOUT ROUTE

"The night we went into Halifax the city was burning and we
were forced to take a roundabout route on that account. On one
side of the road you would see a hous.e burning, and silhouetted
against the flames would be a group of people watching their last
possession burning. Others would be frantically digging in the
debris in an endeavor to locate some missing member of the family.

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI
"Window glass was out everywhere. The glass was simply pow-
dered by the force of the explosion, not broken into large pieces.
" I am certainly proud of the Americans, for they have responded
nobly As soon as they arrived organization began, and then they
brought so many things with them that were necessary before much
operating could be done.

O a trouble's a ton, a trouble's an ounce,
A trouble is what you make i t ;

And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts,
But only—how did you take it?

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 129

A L P H A O'S P R O M I N E N T I N N A T I O N A L S E R V I C E

Our Grand President is serving on the Grand Jury. She says it
is "extremely ludicrous" but the rest of us can imagine it quite
easily, and not as a "ludicrous" situation either.

Mary Rust, of Omicron Chapter, is doing relief work on a hospital
ship near Halifax. We are glad to be able to give some account of
her work and of Halifax conditions in this number.

Helen Ranlett, Nu, '07, is doing an interesting piece of work in
connection with Miss Winifred Holt's "Lighthouse" in Paris. We
hope for an article from her later. Just now she is enjoying a short
furlough at home.

The following is clipped from a July, 1917, number of Life.
"The woman who has lately done the most for the cause of Woman
Suffrage is Mrs. Grace Humiston, who taught the Police Department
of New York a great lesson in efficiency.
The women who have lately done the most against the cause of
Woman Suffrage are those pickets and banner carriers in Washing-
ton who have tried to weaken the hands of our President and Govern-
ment in the great fight with Kaiser B i l l . "
Mrs. Grace Humiston is a member of N u Chapter.

Lillian MacQuillin McCausland has been doing much speaking
and organizing in connection with the National Council of Defense
in Rhode Island.

The work of Joanna Colcord, District Superintendent of the New
York Associated Charities, is more vitally important than ever in these
war times. Gamma Chapter is proud to claim "Nan" Colcord.

130 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA 0MICRON PI

EDITORIALS

TT H E SONG NUMBER POSTPONED
H E Editor is sorry that she was unable to f u l f i l l her promise,
and make this number of T o DRAGMA a Song Number. The
chairman of our Song Committee found the work of arranging
and compiling the songs impossible at just this time, and moreover
considers it best to wait for this number until more of the songs in
her possession have been tried out. A Convention is, of course, the
best place at which to try them, but i f in the opinion of Grand Council
it is best to postpone again the Convention on account of present war
conditions, we shall be tempted to rely upon Miss Knight's judgment,
ably assisted by the members of the Song Committee, and issue the
Song Number in November, 1918. Meanwhile, let us sing the songs
we have. The Editor especially recommends the Alpha 0 Toast and
Loyalty both of which may be found in the chapter's files of T o
DRAGMA. Alpha Phi and Tau second her recommendation by the
way in which they sing these songs. I t will be exceedingly difficult
for any chapter to surpass either of them in tone or volume!

T H E MAY NUMBER

W E H A V E already begun to dream of the May number, even in
a place where dreams are far more impossible than their f u l -
fillment. But in rare moments when we indulge in the dis-
tinct luxury of a relaxed frame and receptive mind, visions of this
next number come upon us. I t is to be called The Senior Number,
is to be issued two weeks earlier than usual because of prevalent early
commencements, and is to be dedicated to the Alpha O seniors of the
various chapters. The articles are to be commencement articles in the
biggest sense of the word; the Editorials, several of which, take
heart! will not be written by the Editor, will be devoted to the
interests and problems of seniors; the pictures—let us trust the To
DRAGMA treasury will allow pictures—will be those of the most
prominent seniors of the chapters, each chapter contributing one pic-
ture. Material for this number must be in the hands of the Editor
not later than April L Please read the Announcements for further
and more detailed information.

ALUMNAE SUBSCRIBERS TO T O DRAGMA

E L S E W H E R E in this number you have read, or may read, the
report of the Business Manager. The percentage of subscribers
from some of our chapters is not only discouraging, it is, to
speak frankly, disgraceful. For a chapter which has over one

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OM1CRON PI 131

hundred alumnae to maintain at the present time but some thirty-five
subscribers speaks poorly for the loyalty of its alumna?. The Editorial
Board of To DRAGMA is doing its best to give you a magazine wliich
is worth while, up to date, prompt i n its appearance, and pleasurable
in its material. We feel that we deserve greater support. Without
doubt the demands upon us all at this time are many, but the day
has not come when we can afford to economize on loyalty. I t never
will come! I f the Editor were sure that those alumna? who cannot
afford a dollar for a yearly subscription were likewise economizing in
other matters, she would be inclined to be less candid. But doubtless
our alumna? who are too poor to take To DRAGMA will enjoy new
spring hats, and who knows what delicate shade of footwear? The
next statement will sound like a Rally Day at Sunday school or a
Week of Prayer slogan of a New England church, but nevertheless we
say it with Billy Sunday decision. You subscriber, bring another!
Go out and seek him, and receive thereupon the everlasting gratitude
of an expectant Business Manager and a persistent Editor.

TC H E C K E X C H A N G E
O D R A G M A ' S treasury has been somewhat depleted of late by
payment of exchange upon checks. I t may be a prosaic sub-
ject for an editorial; it is indeed a most prosaic matter to the
Business Manager. I f you are sending*eastern or western checks to
cover subscriptions, you are asked to add the exchange, five cents
for a one dollar check on a state or national bank, and ten cents for
a check on a private corporation, such as the Union Trust Co., the
Merchants Loan and Trust, etc. Please do not neglect this courtesy.

DEAD TIMBER

I N O N E of the best of our fraternity exchanges there appeared
recently an article on the subject of Dead Timber. We w i l l
interpret this somewhat enigmatical phrase. Dead Timber
means that timber of our fraternity structure which is useless, dan-
gerous to the strength of the structure as a whole, and should be cut
out—in other more simple words, dead timber means the chapters on
our roll which are weakening our structure.

I t may be well for us to pause in this twentieth year of our growth
as a national fraternity, and overhaul our structure. The best way
to do it is to have each chapter perform the task for itself. Are you
dead timber? Are you a chapter which is taking its place in college
and university life as a definite force, which has at least one-half its
membership prominent in college activities, which stands for the best

132 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA UMICRON PI

of social life, whose members are not only prominent but attractive,
wide-awake women, whose scholarship is high, whose chapter-house
is attractive? Are you a chapter which demands that its girls be
well-mannered at all times, that exacts a high standard of personal
conduct, that will not countenance conspicuous or loud behavior?
Do you have a reputation on and off the campus for being alive and
active and attractive, or for being dead and passive and unattractive?
Are you rushing against the best fraternities on the campus? Are
you one of the best? Yes, to these questions means that you are not
dead timber, that you are indispensable to the national standing of
Alpha Omicron Pi. No, means that something is radically wrong.
Perhaps we do not need you after all. Why not take an account of
stock right away? Dead timber is always dangerous.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 133

ANNOUNCEMENTS

There are no chapter rolls in this number although such rolls, as
announced, should always head chapter letters. Cost of eight point
print advised that they be cut out. However, they will *be used in
the May number and all chapter editors are now informed of that
fact. The Editor dislikes to be personal, but she feels that the fol-
lowing facts must be made known.

Nu Kappa in two letters has had no chapter roll. Chapter rolls
were definitely asked for in the instructions to chapter editors.
Genevieve Oroce is the chapter editor for N u Kappa.

Zeta's last letter was minus its chapter roll, as was Tau's November
letter. The Zeta chapter editor is Edna Hathway, and the Tau
editor, who has now been changed, was Muriel Fairbanks.

Paper 8x11, or approximately that size is requested. N u Kappa
failed in this requirement.

I f the members of Omicron Chapter do not know their own names
when they appear in print, they should blame the editor, Eleanor
Burke, and please suggest that she persuade somebody to copy her
letter and save the Editor from nervous breakdown.

Is your chapter dead timber? Read the Editorial in this number,
and try to see yourselves as others see you.

A l l chapter letter editors are asked to continue to send alumna?
notes with their regular letters. This request, they will remember,
was withdrawn in the last number because the Editor wished to make
a special plea to the alumnae assistant editors. I t seems, however,
that the plea was unsuccessful, without doubt partly due to the fact
that many alumna- assistant editors are too far away from their chap-
ters to know many of the happenings of the members, active or
alumnae. W i l l chapter letter editors please try to have especially f u l l
notes next time?

Happy birthdays from us all, Iota, Kappa, Delta, Omicron,
Gamma, Epsilon, and N u Omicron! Are you stronger than you
were last year?

A l l chapter presidents are asked to have the chapter select by vote
the most prominent of their seniors. Very likely she may be the presi-
dent herself though not of necessity at all. The chapter is also asked to
select someone to write a brief account of the senior selected, an

134 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

account not to exceed two or three hundred words. This account
together with the picture of the senior, preferably in cap and gown,
must reach the Editor April ist. A l l chapter presidents are asked to
be exceedingly careful that this request is carried out. Owing to the
increased cost in postage, no other notice will be given. I f your
chapter therefore does not take pride enough in its seniors to have the
picture and account sent to the Editor, we shall take it for granted
that you have no seniors worthy of such distinction. Pictures may be
of any size, and kodak pictures, i f clear, are acceptable.

On February 9th at three P. M. a special Grand Council meeting
was held at the College Club in Boston, Massachusetts. We shall
hope to publish in the May number the proceedings and results of
this meeting.

We shall be very glad of any voluntary material for the Senior
Number. I f you have a thought worth giving, send it on.

Much to the amusement of 7th Street S.E., the Editor of T o
DRAGMA moved across the street some weeks ago, quite by hand. Her
address is now 1316 7th S.E., Minneapolis. Chapter editors please
take notice!

Please do not write about the weather unless you can do i t most
originally. Some chapter editors may find their letters more or less
depleted. I f you had a blizzard and sat around the fire all day, tell
us about it so we shall wish we were there, but please don't chronicle
the thermometer!

Active chapter corresponding secretaries are asked to send to the
Editor on or before April 1st a list of those girls, active or alumnae,
who have brothers, fathers, husbands, or nances in the service. Please
do not neglect this, chapter secretaries. Begin the list now! Arrange
it in this form, and make the information as f u l l as possible.

Mary Smith, brother—Lieut. John Smith, France.
Jane Jones, fiance—James H i l l , Camp Green, N . C.
Other magazines are publishing these Honor Rolls, and we wish
to follow their good example. Please remember to have the material
in the hands of the Editor by April 1st. Make your list as f u l l as
you can. No other notice will be given.

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI us

The Lynchburg Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi was
installed on October 29th, 1917, by Isabelle Henderson Stewart, 2 ,
'05. She was assisted by the members of Kappa Chapter.

Eight alumnae were installed: Clara Murray Celand, K, ex-'08;
Laura Radford Yates, K , ex-'06; Ella L . Butler, K, ex-'06; Eliza-
beth Webber Payne, K, '12; Nan Atkinson Craddock, K, '13; Susie
Mann Gannaway, K , '16; Virginia Allen, K, '16; Virginia Strother,
K. '17.

The following were petitioners for the chapter but were unable to
be present at the installation: Frances Allen, K, ex-'13; Margaret
Atkinson, K, '16; Helen Hardy, K. '17; Clara Smith, K, '17.

At the first meeting of the chapter after its installation, the follow-
ing officers were elected: Clara Murray Cleland, president; Virginia
Allen, secretary; and Ella Butler, treasurer.

Kappa Chapter is delighted over having the alumnae chapter near.

LINNA MCBRIDE, K, '19.

136 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

ACTIVE CHAPTER LETTERS

PI—H. SOPHIE NEWCOMB MEMORIAL COLLEGE

That the Christmas holidays have come and gone is hard to realize,
for Pi has been too busy to even think of time. Rushing this year
has been more strenuous than ever, owing to the new rules adopted
by the local Panhellenic. One of these rules, that there shall be no
rushing off the campus, means much time and energy devoted to
obtaining "dates" during study hours with the freshmen; another
rule, that there shall be no money spent on rushing, means that we
must think harder than ever to devise parties at which the absence
of refreshments will not be noticed. I n accordance with the latter.
Pi entertained the freshmen some time ago with a "stirring melo-
drama" entitled Starvation, the chief actors in which were a soldier
hero (Fay) and the leading lady (Evelyn). There were also a
villain and a vampire remarkably portrayed by Helen and Ellen,
respectively. This presentation was such a success that we followed
it a month later with "Thf Pink Slip: a musical comedy without any
plot." Fay (who was also the author of our first play) had parodied
eight or nine popular songs, and the absence of a plot was made up
for by the presence of a chorus of ladies and "gentlemen" who did
their best to make it a howling success.

With the Thanksgiving holidays came our long expected visit from
our Grand President, and very interested we were to hear her accounts
of all the other chapters and what they are doing. We were sorry
that Mrs. Stewart had so little time to give us, but we found a chance
during her stay to initiate Jessie Roane, whose initiation we had
postponed until Mrs. Stewart's arrival. Jessie is a sophomore and
a splendid girl who, we know, will be a credit to Alpha Omicron Pi.

Just before the holidays the chapter turned out, one might almost
say in a body, to aid in the Red Cross membership drive. Jessie and
Corinne in one morning made seventy-five dollars between them.
Many of the girls also sold Red Cross stamps, and there is hardly a
one of us who is not knitting for the Red Cross, the Washington
Artillery, or the Navy League.

A few days before Christmas the Newcomb Y. W. C. A. gave a
Christmas tree for the orphans of a nearby "home." Alpha Omicron
Pi was well represented in this, for Marjorie Fell. Jessie Roane, and
Ruth Kastler worked untiringly for days ahead to make it a success.
Some of us have decided each to "adopt" an orphan, and pay semi-
monthly visits to our "children" or take them occasionally to a picture-

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 137

show, for we think this is a good way to spread a little happiness to
those who are less fortunate than we.

During the holidays we had a most enjoyable reunion in the frater-
nity rooms, when not only our last year's seniors but many of our
other alumna? were present, and the exchanging of experiences was
the order of the evening.

And now Pi is looking forward (not with any great amount of
pleasure it must be confessed) to mid-term examinations. We are
praying that we may be as successful in the coming fray as we hope
to be, for though last year the interfratemity scholarship cup was
won by Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Omicron Pi followed with a
close second, and we are hoping fervently to win first place this time.

To all our chapters Pi extends best wishes for a most successful
year.

ANNA M C L E L L A N , Chapter Editor-

NU—NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

N u Chapter has two new members to report, Helen Walker, '19,
and Marjory Langley Ryan (Mrs. Ryan), '19. They were asked to
join us last year, but as it was then very near the end of the college
year their initiation had to be put off until this autumn. After the
initiation we had a supper in our chapter-room to which so many
alumna: came that we had to spread out to two tables. We had a
very pleasant evening and a very interesting one, too, as Miss Ranlett,
who has just came back from France, was with us and gave us a talk
about her work among the blind French soldiers. She told us of
the many difficulties of printing and binding the Braille publications,
and brought some of the magazines to show us. They are printed
a large sheets of very thick paper, as that retains the indentations
better. The type looks something like the Morse code; it is a bewil-
dering maze of dots arranged in groups and seemed very confusing,
but Miss Ranlett assured us that it was not at all hard to learn. Miss
Rembaugh, Miss Fowle, Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley, and many more
alumna: were also at the supper, and it was such a success that we all
wished we might have meetings like it more frequently. The trouble
is, however, that Nu Chapter, always busy, is more than every busy
this year. Many of the active members have regular occupations beside
the law school work; Mabel Shaw, Jessie Buchanan, and Edna
Rapallo are working in law offices, several of the other members
are teaching or studying something outside, and all of us are busy
with war work. Nearly one-third of the students of New York Uni-
versity are i n active service, and N u Chapter has been knitting

138 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

mufflers and wristlets for them and contributing money to buy the

much-needed blankets. Editor.
With best wishes to you all from Nu.
Fraternally,
E D N A R A P A L L O , Chapter

OMICRON—UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

Our rushing season was more quiet than usual. We had two big
parties, one of which was given by our alumna? and the other by a

patroness. Instead of having the third allowed us by Panhellenic
we gave twenty-five dollars to the Y. W. C. A . War Fund. I n our

little parties, also, the alumnae helped us out greatly. We have six
pledges and one new member, and we are as proud as we can be. Our

new member is Johnetta Hancock, a junior this year, and our pledges
are Grace Ware, Elizabeth Ware Donald, Helen Shea, Melba Braly,

Eula Scott, and Mary Bryant.

Mrs. Stewart's too short visit came just when we were in the midst

of rushing, and we are sorry we didn't see more of her. We hope
she w i l l return soon, for we all fell in love with her, of course. You

all know by now what a source of inspiration and help she is.
We have not done any Red Cross work as a chapter, but several

of the girls have been knitting and one or two sewing. The class in
freshman sewing, by the way, has been making hospital shirts. As

for other work, several of the girls are interested in settlement work,
and have classes at the Henetry Settlement.

We must tell you that our president is one of seven girls to make
Phi Kappa Phi, and the only sorority girl. We are all very proud

of her, especially as she is completing her course in three years.

Thanksgiving has become a time of reunion for us, i t seems. This

year we had about ten visitors, including those girls whose homes are
here, but who are teaching somewhere else this year. Mrs. Morris,

one of our patronesses, gave us a delightful party. You can hardly
imagine what a delight it is to the members of the active chapter to

have such visits from the older girls.

Omicron sends love and best wishes f o r a happy and prosperous

new year to each and every one of you. Editor.
E L E A N O R B U R K E , Chapter

KAPPA—RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN'S COLLEGE

Since our last letter Kappa has six new members, and Mrs. Stewart
was here for initiation too! We were rather surprised when a tele-
gram announced that she would soon arrive. I t was Halloween

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 139

when she came and just in time for the senior pumpkin parade, the
"calithump," and the party down on the athletic field. A t some
unearthly hour, after everything else was over, we went down to the
Pines and had initiation. Not one of us will ever forget Mrs. Stew-
art, and how proud we were to have her with us! Since her visit
Lynchburg Alumna; has been in existence. After every regular meeting
the Lynchburg News announces the growing importance of Alpha
Omicron Pi alumnae.

Clara Smith, Fannie Butterfield, and Helen Hardy have visited us
lately. Katherine Gordon was here i n college with us about a month
this fall. She filled a vacancy in the French Department until she
found a better vacancy. Now she is Mrs. John Cary. Elizabeth
Bryan Williams has filled a vacancy also. She and Captain Williams
paid us a short visit last week.

The even classes challenged the odds to a snow fight last week.
Between 10:15 and 10:30 P. M. sister classes assembled behind forts
and snowballs rained from every direction. This was the first time
that seniors and juniors have had a chance to fight since their sopho-
more days, and very few missed their last opportunity to hit their
mostly deadly enemy.

Annie Moore has just been elected as a delegate to the Student
Volunteer Conference which meets at Northfield, Massachusetts, after
the Christmas holidays.

Our pledges' g i f t this f a l l was a surprise. I n fact the goats gave
us two gifts. We think the library lamp is mighty fine, but best of
all is the mahogany tea-wagon. We were rather unfortunate when
they decided at Panhellenic to do away with refreshments on Sunday
nights. Now an empty tea-wagon is rolled in for our guests to look
at.

With all good wishes f o r a very happy Christmas. Editor.
F R A N C E S HARDY, Chapter

ZETA—UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

The close of another year finds our group busy, and therefore
happy. Since we last wrote to you several important events in our
college life have taken place. For instance, we have acquired a door-
plate, the g i f t of our freshmen. They gave us something else too,
that we shall never forget—the Potter-Barnett circus. There were
tight-rope walkers, clowns, chariot races, and a "December-pole"
dance (the pole was the chandelier). This was the program at our
Christmas party.

There was a heavily loaded tree out i n the sun parlor, where Santa
Claus Gillilan found everything from false teeth and lanterns to

140 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA 0 MIC RON PI

Mother Goose rhymes, and insect powder. The toys went to the
children at the Orthopedic Hospital. One cannot f a i l to be impressed
with the resourcefulness and ability of an average group of girls when
they get together for a good time. The alumnas brought down all
sorts of good things to eat, and we had a great party.

We, with students at several other universities, have had a Red
Triangle drive, and raised over $25,000. We expected at the time
to wear old clothes the rest of the year, but I think our bread has
returned buttered this time, for I have not noticed any signs of
financial embarrassment.

Most of our girls helped in that and in the recent Red Cross
campaign. Lorene Hendricks was chairman of one of the ten com-
mittees in the latter. And you should see the girls knit! Margaret
Perry has six sweaters to her credit, and Helen Eckles, seven.

Ruth Scheryinger was married last month to Lawson Wehrman,
and is now at home at Superior, Nebraska.

That is a summary of the news from Zeta during the last three
months. Oh we did not tell you about the smallpox! We had a
"swell" time—and swell arms, too, but we did not get it, anyway.

Happy New Year to all of our girls.
Lovingly,
E D N A M . H A T H W A Y , Chapter Editor.

SIGMA—UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Our To DRAGMAS arrived two or three days ago, and I have been
reading the many chapter letters with much interest. I t seems so
good to hear of Alpha O throughout the whole country, and to
realize our national importance. You know we western chapters feel
a bit stranded at times.

Well, college here closed on the twenty-first of December. That
is, that was the last day of our final examinations. Most of the girls
finished earlier, however, and one by one they left and with their
departure the house grew more and more dismal. I don't know what
could be more deserted than a chapter-house with all the girls gone;
a sorority house is so typically a place of talking and laughing, hurry
and fun.

A l l in all, the semester has been a very successful one, i n spite of
the fact that college is a mighty changed place. There has not been
as much excitement, but everyone has worked all the harder. Red
Cross work and knitting have taken up all of our spare time. Nearly
everything that has been done in the way of activities on the campus
has been either for Red Cross or National Service. Mask and

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 141

Dagger, the dramatic honor society, and the English Club each gave
a series of four one-act plays and the proceeds were turned over to
National Service. So too, the money from the very clever junior
farce and curtain raiser which were given i n November. Most
things at the University of California have gone on as usual, only
on a much simplified scale. We had our big football game with
Washington on November 3rd, and what was most remarkable, we
won—a fact of which we are duly proud.

There hasn't been as much entertaining as usual. Most of the
houses gave up their formals, and we had only two small dances,
both of them for the freshmen. The Kappa Sigmas gave a very
clever war party the other night. As we went in, we all had to
register as to our name, height, age, weight, and i f we claimed exemp-
tion. Of course, everyone gave the most foolish answers possible.
Then, i n the middle of the party, there was a regular draft dance.
A girl's number and a man's number were drawn at the same time,
the numbers being i n capsules just as the official draft. The man and
the girl had to appear before the exemption board; all claims were
denied and they had to dance. They were ordered to report immedi-
ately to Fort Scud, Camp Creep, or Camp Crawl, which were the
various recruiting camps around the living-room. The bugle sounded
and we all started off. The whole idea was well carried out f o r
there were funny signs all over the house. The kitchen was "Hoover's
H u t " ; the balcony outside, "the dug-out." On the way upstairs was
a sign "To the Cantonment." The bathroom was labeled "Submarine
Zone"—most appropriate for a fraternity house. The girl's dressing-
room was "No Man's Land" and "Dressing Station" and inside was
the "Powder Magazine." So you see we really have had f u n in spite
of the war.

The girls have taken part in lots of the entertaining for the men
of the service. During the second U . S. T . C. at the Presidio of San
Franciso, there was a party given every Saturday night at one of the
homes in the city, and our girls were invited to become members of
the "Flying Squadron" which was composed of the girls who went
regularly to help give these men a good time. There is a school for
the "Flying Cadet" in Berkeley, and we have had about thirty of
them over twice just to dance for a little while, f o r they haven't much
time off.

Three of the Alpha O's, Catharine Cox, Esther Caldwell, and
Marion Black, have been taking part every Thursday night for several
weeks in some one-act plays, which have been given for the soldiers
and sailors at the various camps and forts around the bay. These

142 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

plays were under the auspices of the Y. M . C. A., and the Mask and
Dagger Society of the university. The work has been very interesting
and the girls really felt that in a small way they were doing their bit.

We have had a formal faculty dinner and also a faculty reception
this semester. Every November we have a Christmas fair for which
all the girls, active and alumnae, give things. Usually the money goes
to our house fund, but this year we were very proud to turn over some-
what over $ 2 5 0 to National Service. Our girls here were very much
interested i n that drive and individually we gave about $400. A
Liberty Bond, too, is our worthy possession.

We are very proud of Bernice Hubbard, one of our seniors. She
has just made Prytanean, the women's honor society here, and has
been elected women's editor of the Daily Calif omian.

The last Monday before finals, we had formal meeting when
Isabelle Henderson Stewart came to see us on her tour of inspection.
We haven't seen her half as much as we would have liked for you
know she is a Sigma lady. She talked for over an hour, telling us
of all the girls and the different chapters and houses throughout the
country. I wish I could tell you some of the nice things she said
about you, but it would never do to have every Alpha O strutting
around, all conceited and puffed up. But really, we were so glad to
hear about a l l of you and what you are doing; i t made us feel that
we are truly a part of a great national union. We celebrated Foun-
ders' Day on the ninth of December, this year. We were so fortunate
in having dear Mrs. Perry with us to tell us all about the first Alpha
O's, and their many sacrifices and struggles.

Next semester promises to be a happy one for Sigma. We expect
to have twenty-seven living in the house. We are not quite sure what
is to be done with a l l of us, but we must fit i n somewhere; it will
surely be a merry household! College opens again on the fourteenth
of January and we w i l l have a few rushing parties during the first
week. I hope by the time you hear from us again, we can report
and tell you all about some new little Alpha Omicron Pi's.

I t is now two days before Christmas and we're hoping it will be a
merry one for everyone. Of course, this w i l l look funny when read
in February, but at least it w i l l bring back pleasant recollections.
Here's for success and happiness i n the New Year!

Love to you all from Sigma.

MARION A. B L A C K , '20, Chapter Editor.

THETA—DE PAUW UNIVERSITY

Theta is quite busy just now; what with preparations for Christ-
mas, Red Cross work, parties for next year's freshmen, and college

TO DRA GMA OF ALPHA OMICR ON PI 143

activities, we hardly have time to sleep or eat. By the way, I suppose
you are a l l observing meatless and wheatless days?

The girls here seem more interested in college activities this year
than ever before, and we are quite proud to tell you that Merle
Huckleberry, one of our seniors, and Wilhelmina Hedde, a junior,
have both been chosen as members of "Tusitala," an honorary frater-
nity connected with the English Composition Department. We also
have some very good athletes, and expect to enter all the athletic
tournaments.

Women a l l over the university are very enthusiastic about Red
Cross work, and here at the house practically every girl is knitting
and most of us have filled Christmas boxes for De Pauw men who
are either i n France or in training camps here in America. Our
faculty dinners have been very successful, so far, and we are really
becoming much better acquainted with some of our professors.

The afternoon of December 15th we gave a reception for our
chaperon, Mrs. Stella Stockbarger. We had the parlors decorated
in red and green, the shades drawn, and the lights slightly dimmed,
then some sprigs of mistletoe, some poinsettias, and an open fire gave
a real suggestion of Christmas. I n the dining-room we placed a
square table in the center, then gave it the appearance of a chimney
of the room by hanging "chimney" crepe paper from the edges to
the floor. We then covered the top with cotton, sprinkled with glis-
tening imitation snow, and on top of this placed a big hollowed-out
cake of ice from which two of the girls served lemon ice. Little
cakes iced, i n white with A O I I written in red across the top were
also a part of the refreshments. We gave sweet peas as favors.

The house looked very pretty and Christmas-like so we used the
same decorations for a little dance which we gave that night for some
girls whom we expect to rush next year. Our programs were white,
with A O I I painted i n red on the front, and red pencils. We
changed the cake of ice on the table for a big punch-bowl filled with
green punch in which red and green maraschino cherries were floating
about on top. For further refreshments we served green and white
brick ice cream with little green and white iced cakes. The party
was very successful and we met some very fine girls.

We are going to initiate Mary Thompson the eighteenth, and have
planned an inexpensive Christmas party afterward.

Now although we realize that Christmas f o r many of us will not
be a time of happy rejoicing as it has been heretofore, we send Christ-
mas greetings and best wishes for the coming year.

E D N A - J A N E GLENDINING, Chapter Editor.