Page 34 - 1917 November - To Dragma

64 TO DRAG MA Of ALPHA O MICROS PI
Once more hack to the university and to Alpha O! Yes, I know
that is a very trite way of starting a letter. But I want to warn you
at the outset—I am not a person of the least literary ability. This
is my fifth year of college and A l p h a O l i f e , and I was congratulating
myself that I never had heen forced upon the T o D R A G M A readers as
a chapter contrihutor—and then the blow came! But be patient,
and I think I can improve.
Our first two weeks—as it was w i t h most of you—were b r i m f u l of
rushing, and hard rushing, too. But it was surely worth i t ! As a
result of our strenuous two weeks, we pledged ten girls: Esther Van
Doren, '21, Eliza Garmen. '21, Muriel Thompson, '19, Ora Williams,
'21, May Brady, '19, Ellen Kittinger. '21, Edith Davis, '19, Lrmina
Smith, '19, Ruth Terwiliger, '21, and Ina Hotermann, '19. We feel
that they are girls of different types—and thus w i l l be a broadening
influence f o r us, and at the same time they a l l have the essential some-
thing which w i l l make them good A l p h a O's.
We believe that our rushing was helped—as indeed we believe our
whole year w i l l be helped—by the w o n d e r f u l influence of our new
housemother, M r s . V a n Deman, who comes to us f r o m Dayton, Ohio.
She is a woman o f such strong capabilities, and at the same time
such refined personality that her presence is a l l that one could wish
f o r i n a housemother. I t is so easy to take our personal troubles to
her—and how much that means to us!
Our usual hilarious and j o y f u l meeting after a summer's vacation
was saddened when Grace Gantz received word that her brother had
been severely i n j u r e d in a train accident. Dorothy I w i g went w i t h
her to her home and returned the next morning. Grace feels that i t
is impossible f o r her to return to college. She came back f o r a f e w
days, and her sweet, unselfish bravery was lovely to see.
I presume you are a l l as interested i n k n i t t i n g as we are. One can- factory. We feel the need of a place we can truly call our own,
not step into the house without seeing knitting bags on the backs of
the chairs, on top of the piano, or on the mantlepiece. Our meetings
are a combination of business and knitting. Some of the girls have
become so proficient that they can k n i t , talk business, and pass judg-
ment on an insurance policy all at once.
I believe this is all the news this time. Rushing obscures every-
thing else. Best wishes f o r a successful and serviceable vear.
M A R Y L . C A L D W E L L , Chapter Editor.
ALUMN/E NEWS
GENERAL
Mabel Jackson, '15, who has been teaching in the Normal School at Los
Angeles, Cal-, has been taking work at the University of Illinois during the
summeT term. She will return to Los Angeles in the fall.
TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI (.5
Mate Giddings, '17, has been teaching household science in the Normal
School at St. Cloud, Minn., during the summer and will probably continue
her work there in the fall.
Barbara Minard, '14, who completed her nurse's training at St. Luke's Hos-
pital, Chicago, in June, 1916, expects to go to France in September to take
up Red Cross work.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. F. Ebert (Margaret Goiham, '11), Champaign, 111.,
a boy, Edward Dorwin, on June 16th, 1917.
TAU—UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Where is your chapter roll, Tau?
Dear Sisters in Alpha O :
War time has brought so many changes i n the spirit of everything
here at Minnesota, and above a l l the patriotic interests are so pre-
dominant, that it seems a new era i n the affairs of T a u has been i n -
augurated since the writing of our last letter to T o DRAGMA.
T h e second Liberty Loan campaign f o u n d us in the busiest part o f
our rushing season; but Leta Nelson, our president, took an active
part in the "drive" f o r subscriptions among the women of the univer-
sity, rushing notwithstanding. Pledging of freshmen has been de-
layed this year on account of the late opening of the academic year.
I n spite of the many distractions of war activities, readjustment to
classes, and last, but not at a l l the least, getting established i n a new
home, we have carried on what we hope to be a most decisive campaign
f o r f u t u r e A l p h a O's. A n unusually fine group of freshman girls has
been recommended to us this year and we expect to b i d fourteen girls.
T h e alumnae have been of great assistance at our teas and afternoon
affairs.
I must t e l l you of our new home, that is, I should say our newly
adopted home, not wishing to give you an erroneous impression. I t
is a fine o l d home w i t h spacious living-rooms and the cleverest pos-
sible little nooks i n which to improvise unexpected "cosy corners."
Dark panelling and attractive archways give the entire place a most
effective appearance. T h e " t o w n g i r l s , " as we call our sisters o f
Minneapolis and St. Paul, did wonderful things with the draperies
before college opened. On the whole, we are quite proud of the
results of our search f o r a house, although firm i n our hope that an-
other year may see T a u permanently situated i n its o w n home w i t h
a l l its wanderings at an end. Temporary places are so unsatis-
"where the wicked (meaning landladies, et cetera) cease f r o m troub-
ling and the weary are at rest." So much f o r our hopes. I must
tell you that Kappa Kappa Gamma and Delta Delta Delta are our