Page 32 - 1914 February - To Dragma

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 143

learned that Alpha Omicron Pi was going to take in our whole
alumna; chapter! We numbered between fifty and sixty at that time,
a goodly number to be assimilated by the new fraternity.

One of the first changes we made soon after our admission was
giving up holding our meetings at the girls' homes. Our numbers
had now so increased that it was getting to be too much of an under-
taking for one of the girls each month to prepare for so many, so we
decided to find some other way of meeting. I n the f a l l of 1909 we
began to hold our meetings in Boston at the Delft Tea Room. As
these meetings were substantially the same as we now hold, I will
describe them.

We meet just before six o'clock the last Saturday of each month
from September to May inclusive. Dinner at fifty cents a plate is
served promptly at six o'clock, after we have had an opportunity
for social greetings. After the tables are cleared we hold our busi-
ness meeting, which lasts usually until about half past eight, when
there is a further chance for greetings, and after a short time the
girls slowly depart.

I n the spring of 1909 we voted to give an annual scholarship of
$50 to the college, to be awarded each year to that senior—not neces-
sarily an Alpha Omicron Pi girl—who at the end of her junior year
has completed her prescribed work with the highest standing. We
hope to be able to increase this amount to a full scholarship before
very long.

About the same time we started a students' aid fund to help girls
in our active chapter. About $100 was subscribed by our alumna?
to this fund. I n our college where the tuition alone irrespective of
any other expense is $125 this fund has proved of great assistance
to many of our girls, and it has been managed in such a way that
none of the girls except one or two of the officers ever know to whom
any of it is loaned. This acts as a permanent fund, as it has been
loaned and returned in small amounts many times, and at present
is almost entirely repaid.

We also in January 1909 contributed two dollars to the National
Child Labor Committee, which we have done every year since then.

In 1912 when a new house dormitory was opened at college, we
furnished one of the rooms as a guest-room in memory of our de-
ceased members, Georgia Hodgdon, '97, Grace Lane. '99, Kate
Cousens Hodges, '99, Myrtle Hanson, '02, and Alice Priest, '05.
This is distinctly an Alpha Omicron Pi room. I t is adorned with
numerous fraternity banners, all the linen is embroidered with the
fraternity letters, and there is to be a plate inscribed with the names