Page 14 - To Dragma January 1934

24
ticular philanthropy of their own sent in dona-
tions to the then slowly accumulating national
work fund, to be distributed wherever needed.
In 1922-23 Katherine Thomas made a study
of prospective social welfare work in which
the whole fraternity might participate. Laura
Hurd, who was the Grand Secretary then,
said, "The great need is to crystallize, to make
tangible and living, the hopes and aspirations
of the fraternity, that Alpha Omicron Pi shall
find the realization of her ideals and principles
in a work which shall not be f o r self alone."
Further, "The work should be unique, satisfy-
ing and engage in common interest the great-
est possible number of members." Again, " A l l
members in time, it is hoped, would be solidly
behind such a movement. There is a place f o r
both local and national interest."
Again in 1924 one issue of To D R A G M A was
devoted to social service. Many chapters were
well established in their local work and ap-
peals for funds went out to all members.
Josephine Pratt was n a t i o n a l philanthropic
chairman at that time. She said, "We hope
that each of you will respond to its appeal
and help us with this, one of the biggest
things your fraternity has yet attempted—the
carrying into the world about us the spirit
underlying our fraternity structure."
The trend of National Philanthropy among
college sororities was reviewed in To D R A G M A
in 1926. Then followed a few years with re-
ports on the continuance of local projects
which in the majority of cases were enlarged
and improved upon. The interest in social
service did not diminish, but continued at an
even pace.
At the 1931 Convention in Colorado, Chicago
Alumnae p r o p o s e d that Alpha Omicron Pi
should underwrite a Social Service Depart-
ment of the Frontier Nursing Service. I t was
stated that in aligning ourselves with an al-
ready established organization well known for
its health work in the remote regions of east-
ern Kentucky, we would gain a great deal
because our funds could then be put to imme-
diate use without preliminary work and inves-
tigation. Furthermore, it was pointed out that
nowhere would be found the acute need and
unlimited opportunity f o r service as in these
mountain f a s t n e s s e s where dwell a people
woefully neglected and environmentally handi-
capped to an almost unbelievable degree; a
people devoid of almost every opportunity
which we consider necessary to civilized living.
This project was enthusiastically endorsed
by the Convention. Inside of a year we had
one worker in the field. Her report in this
issue will speak f o r i t s e l f . Marion Abele
Franco-Ferreira became the Chairman of the
National Work Committee. In a message to
the membership she said, "This is our job—
the biggest we have ever attempted. We need
every Alpha O, active and alumnae, affiliated
and unaffiliated, to cooperate."
Here, then, is the crystallization of that idea, Baltimore, Md., Sun.
the outward and visible sign of the fraternity
ideals, f o r which an intensive search and study
has been made f o r over a period of nearly
twenty years. Alpha Omicron Pi is walking
T U '^ACJM*! |A>-L-ARV. 1934 25
humbly with those less favored; we give t A New Deal mm
others of our own abundance; we are unjfpj
in a great movement of national proportions* in Alumnae
in these difficult times no small thing can sue' Contacts
ceed; the work is unique and satisfying.
pha Omicron Pi, 7,500 strong, is rapidly lininp Asks Anne Jeter Nichols
up behind this our venture.
Kappa
Two Alpha O Cheer Leaders Ii
at Maryland
ANNE JETER NICHOLS
-+- C H E E R L E A D E R S in white skirts will do
their bit f o r the Old Line on Home-Com- National Secretary
ing Day Saturday, when the University of 4- I N T H E S E D A Y S of "new deals," we are try- commission on each periodical order (new or
Maryland football team meets Washington I ing an experiment which we hope you will renewal) sent in through the Central Office
and Lee here in the Byrd Stadium. [like. The member-at-large and state letters, and gives this money f o r our Kentucky Moun-
usuallv mailed to you by first-class mad are tain work. We can secure any magazine at
College Park, which f o r a number of years being included in the January issue of l o the lowest price offered by the publisher and
has had one surprise after another waiting D R A G M A which every A O I I will receive. This are glad to have attractive cards sent with
for the alumni when they made their annual is an Alumna; Number. We hope it will bring g i f t subscriptions. I t is more than gratifying
visit to the alma mater, now has something [to those of you who are not regular sub- to see the splendid response which we are
altogether new and different to startle the scribers, a stronger realization of the splendid having f r o m our members. May we urge you
u n s u s p e c t i n g grad—the soprano voices of progress that has been Alpha Omicron Pi's. to help others at no extra cost to yourself by
three coeds shrilling through their mega- To D R A G M A gives to its readers an alert, at- cooperating with us in this plan?
phones before the grandstands one of the tractive cross-section of our sorority l i f e ; its
college yells like: many pictures, its feature articles, its personal As is customary, the Convention reports of
news will impress you with the extent of our the President, Secretary, and Treasurer are
"He-Haw-Ho-Go-Mar-y-land! growdi, the unity of our organization. You being printed, so that you will have the op-
He-Hawr-Ho-Go-Mar-y-land ! Will enjoy reading intently Mary Dee Drum- portunity to follow in detail the development
[mond's account of our Social Service W o r k ; of AOII under their administration. Since
Team ! Team ! Team !" [ft will thrill you to know that you have a these reports, Delta Phi Chapter has been in-
It was one of those inevitable developments. :part in an undertaking that brings new life to stalled at the University of South Carolina;
Maryland became a university, and that meant a forgotten j>eople and make you glad to be the revised edition of the Constitution, By-
becoming coeducational. One coed led to an- 'aible to give the dollar which we are asking Laws, and Standing Rules has been printed;
other, and they increased until now there are pf each alumna. This copy contains news of the McCausland Cup presented by Mr. L . G.
more coeds than ever before. They organized jfclose friends, too, a letter from your chapter, Balfour in memory of Lillian McQuillin Mc-
one girls' athletic team after another. And the one from your state chairman. The enclosed Causland has been awarded f o r excellence in
logical consequence was girl cheer leaders. Sheet provides f o r sending in your address, scholarship to Psi C h a p t e r ; the Graduate
A girls' cheering section was assembled re- ;your $1.50 member-at-large dues, et cetera. Fellowship f o r 1933-34 has been given to V i r -
cently, and last week three cheer leaders were (Please do not neglect returning this with your ginia Webb, M.D. (TA) ; a National Librarian,
selected f r o m among them. One Baltimore girl dues, news, and contribution to National Fay Morgan (O), has been appointed to stim-
achieved the distinction—Miss Helen IVollman Work. I f you wish to write to your state ulate interest in chapter libraries.
( I I A ) , a junior, whose home is at 2842 Guil- chairman, you will find her address in the
ford avenue. She has had previous experi- Directory in the back of the magazine. We hope that this issue will mean so much
ence leading cheers, at Eastern High School J One project on which we are placing par- to you in renewing fraternity interest that
Miss Cliarlotte Hood ( I I A ) , of Mount Airy, ticular emphasis this year is the Magazine you will want to read To D R A G M A regularly.
and Miss June Barnsley, of Olney, M d , a Subscription Fund. The fraternity receives a Please write us frankly of your reactions to
senior and sophomore, respectively, are the this medium of reaching you a l l ; tell us of
other two. They have determined that i f this your criticisms, suggestions, visions f o r AOII.
women's cheering section is not a success it
will not be their fault. These pages bring you, too, the best wishes
"We are only experiments," Miss Hood of the Executive Committee.
stated, pointing out that the institution of
coed cheer leaders may not be permanent
The school has not issued any uniforms to
them yet, but by Saturday they will have col-
lected white sweaters and white skirts. They
are practicing daily—the feminine rooters
convene each day after lunch—and Nick Car-
ter, one of the male yell conductors, gives
the leaders expert cheering lessons.
They will lead not only the girls, but the
mixed sections of the grandstands as well,
and they say they are not a bit nervous about
the prospect. I t will be impossible, moreover,
to have "dates" at the game—either for them
or the girls in the cheering section—but they
pass it off with a shrug.
And the old grad will lend his tenor to the
soprano chorus—when he gets his breath.