Page 21 - 1926 February - To Dragma

184 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMIC RON PI

FOUNDERS' DAY IN CHICAGO

N EARLY ONE HUNDRED Alpha Os met on December 10, at the
Parkway Hotel, to celebrate the founding of our fraternity.
Stella George Stern Perry, one of our four beloved Found-
ers, was so gracious as to accept the invitation of Rho chapter
and of the Chicago Alumnae Association to be our guest on that
occasion. For many of us it was the first opportunity to receive
the inspiration of her personality and love.

Julia Fuller Crane, toast-mistress, before introducing the
first speaker, mentioned the three persons most responsible f o r
Mrs. Perry's joining us at this time—Lola Busian, president of
Rho chapter, Marion Abele, president of the North Side Alum-
nae chapter, and Vera Riebel, president of the South Side Alum-
nae chapter. Dorothy Tinley was awarded the freshman cup
for excellence in scholarship and all-around participation in
campus activities, by Marion Abele.

Stella George Stern Perry, in an opening message to the
pledges, \ congratulated them and Alpha Omicron Pi on their
acceptance of each other. She assured them of happiness in
their fraternity life i f they had chosen Alpha O f o r her ideals.

Melita Skillen, of Epsilon chapter, district superintendent and
past Grand Secretary of the fraternity, paid a tribute to Mrs. Perry
for living the ideals upon which Alpha Omicron Pi is founded.

Merva Dolsen Hennings, past president of Rho, of the Chi-
cago Alumnae Association, and past Grand President of the fra-
ternity, addressed the active chapter in her usual cordial way.

Mrs. Crane then asked Mrs. Perry to tell us something of
the early history of the fraternity, together with incidents per-
tinent to its founding. Mrs. Perry described the other Founders
so vividly, and with such respect and affection, that those of us
who have not had the advantage of knowing them almost felt
their presence. She also praised Lillian McQuillan McCausland
for the fineness of her character and her work in Alpha Omicron
Pi. She made us feel anew our loss, as well as the loss felt in
the entire fraternity world.

Mrs. Crane introduced the following prominent Alpha Os:
Betty Bond. Editor of To DRAGMA, Grace Gilbert, past district