Page 74 - 1930 October - To Dragma

OCTOBER 1930 73

zjtlumnae 'Problems Overcome

by ingenious ^Methods

EVERY alumnae chapter has its problems of reaching its members, of getting
sizable crowds to meetings, of providing a meeting time convenient to the
greatest number. Different chapters have attacked these by different methods
with success so we are endeavoring to pass their advice on to others who may be
Interested.

_ Margaret Ritter (Alpha), alumnae chapter editor, gives Los Angeles' method of
giving first aid to the secretary and their way of getting acquainted—a good sug-
gestion to use in getting the recent graduates as well as the newcomers interested
in your alumna; chapter.

"Among the problems most surely calculated to try the patience of even the
sweetest tempered secretary is the handling of luncheon reservations for alumna;
chapter meetings. In the wicked old days before we of Los Angeles chapter put
our minds to the subject, our poor secretary mailed about two hundred announce-
ments every month, requesting telephone reservations. Then she waited a week,
ten days, twelve days, three weeks, becoming more and more agitated, while the
luncheon committee clamored to know whether to order food for one hundred and
fifty or for fifteen. By the day before the meeting the telephone began ringing.
The reservations numbered twenty. To be quite sure the committee provided
luncheon for twenty-five and thirty-five arrived, causing the cooks to tear their
hair, resort to tin cans, and spread the mayonnaise very thin. But now we seem
to have solved the difficulty, at least partially. Our secretary has a permanent
rescrvation list of members who come to meetings regularly, barring sudden illness
°r national calamity. The cards giving the date of the meeting are sent as usual,
°Ut only to paid-up members. Those on the permanent list are automatically
checked unless they cancel the reservation, and the uncertain few are instructed
to phone by a certain date. In this way the number of telephone calls is diminished,
"Jth considerable saving of time for both the secretary and the members. Of
course, a few of those on the permanent list may be prevented at the last minute
from coming, or some of the uncertain few may come without phoning, but at least
the margin of uncertainty is small. Rarely are too few luncheons provided, and,
" there is a superfluity, it can usually be disposed of at cost to members, thus
f°'.vmK the problem of tonight's dinner, or of tomorrow's luncheon, the proceeds
^'ng added to the luncheon money turned into the treasury. Do try the system,
^ u let us know how it works with you.

"Do you chapters with a large membership find yourselves collecting into little
j^oups and cliques at meetings? We do. Of course, we are all fond of each other,

"t you know how it is; we naturally gravitate to those of about our own age,
whose beaux, husbands, babies, homes, and activities we know. The youngsters
JUst out of college have their community of interest, and find the older members