Page 42 - To Dragma January 1934

80
So it is proposed to form groups, three or
four probably, membership in which shall be
determined by convenience of location of meet-
ing. T h e members in every group are invited
to attend all meetings of N e w Y o r k Alumna?
Chapter, shall be expected to pay their dues
as a member-at-large of Alpha Omicron P i ,
make a contribution yearly, even though small,
to the National Social Service work, and pay
a small amount yearly, about fifty cents for
postage, et cetera, pledge themselves to attend
Founders' Day celebration and a meeting in
the spring of the whole New Y o r k member-
ship. Other meetings of the various groups
will be held as the group desires. T h e chair-
man of each group shall be expected either to
attend A L L meetings of the Chapter, or to
send a representative, and to report to the
members of her group all important business
transacted. This plan, you see, keeps all mem-
bers of the fraternity in touch with local and
national affairs, but puts no burden on any
individual member. Through the group chair-
man, or her representative, all members will
learn of what is going on in the fraternity
and will keep in touch with it.
Because I know that this letter will go to
some who have been out of touch with their
fraternity for many years, and who know lit-
tle of the tremendous advancement of the past
few years, I am going to give some facts
which I believe they will find interesting and
perhaps astonishing.
D i d you know that today there are 7,500
members of Alpha Omicron P i ? Did you know
that we have forty-one active chapters, two
of which are in Canada, and that there are
three inactive chapters? D i d you know that
twenty-three own their own houses or lodges,
with a total investment of $893,613? D i d you
know that we have had some form of national
philanthropic w o r k since 1907, and that since
1931 our efforts have been concentrated in the
establishment of a Social Service Department
to function with the Frontier N u r s i n g S e r v - tages, surely should be willing to help where
ice in the mountains of eastern Kentucky?
And that many chapters have their own local
philanthropic activity? Did you know that
the Anniversary Endowment Fund, built up
on life subscriptions to T o D R A G M A is used
over and over again to help finance the erec-
tion or purchase of suitable chapter houses,
and to enable members to continue their col-
lege work? A n d that this fund has now
reached a total of approximately $80,000?
I have mentioned some of the reasons which
have kept people away from New Y o r k Alum-
nae. Perhaps you have others. I f so, won't
you please write me, and I shall try to remove
your objections, for I firmly believe that it is
possible to develop an organization which
every alumna of Alpha Omicron P i living in
New Y o r k can join with pleasure.
Fraternally,
J O S E P H I N E S. PRATT, A ,
District Chairman.
To D R A G MA
Ohio
DEAR OHIO A L U M N A :
I recall a time, not so many years ago, when
we AOII's at Miami complained that there
were so few of us in Ohio. M y files show
that we have quite a family now—about 500—
with three active and three alumna? chapters
so we really ought to rise in importance. Much"
depends upon the organized groups, for they
can keep fraternity interest alive among them-
selves and help the active chapters, but y o u
unorganized folk are apt to become weaned
away from sorority life from disuse. Now I
am going to send you news of interest as I
have gleaned it about our activities at home
and abroad and in return expect you to come
to me with any fraternity news and problems
you may have on your minds.
I understand Convention this summer was
quite a success: the constitution was revised
and made shorter; a fine group of officers( no
longer termed "grand") was elected; our na-
tional philanthropic program was enlivened
with possibilities by dynamic accounts of the
work given by Mrs. Mary Breckinridge, direc-
tor of the Frontier Nursing Service, and our
representative, Bland Morrow. Alpha O cer-
tainly has chosen a worthwhile field of en-
deavor. W e , who have had so many advan-
help is really needed. How many of you are
going to send me just $1—your good deed for
a needy mother?
Helen Haller, our claim among the officers,
the hard-working treasurer who has let her-
self in for another two years of hard work,
stopped here in Dayton on her way home
f r o m Washington, so we had a first-hand ac-
count of the convention and her operation
during the wind-up of events. She admitted
she expected to have one some time, but not
during a vacation.
I find that our active chapters are up and
coming this year. Cincinnati has thirteen
pledges and eighteen actives—a good group
and hard at it to make a name for themselves
on the campus. A committee from the alum-
na? group gives them effective aid. A chapter
is fortunate to have a large alumna? group at
its very door, and I'm sure the alumna? enjoy
helping them. Miami had bad luck last year
which dampened their spirits, but they came
back with plenty of fight this year, and as a
result they pledged twenty-two fine girls. T h e two offices, the State Chairmen were given
Dayton Alumna? attended their last rush party,
eight strong, and needless to say enjoyed the
occasion probably more than the actives; in
fact, one girl who hadn't been back in ten
years said she hadn't had such a grand time
in ages. It does help to know the girls per-
sonally, and since Ruth H a a s has been ap-
pointed alumna adviser, I know we shall have
much in common throughout the year. I didnt
get down to Denison, but had a very inter-
esting account of their rushing from Kathe-
rine Davis, Ohio Valley District Superintend
dent. Quoting from her letter: "Alpha Tau
has fourteen pledges; probably two more now.
JANUARY, 1934
<r},ey are all fine girls and should keep up
Alpha Tau's fine standing. T h e chapter as a
whole is top-notch in my opinion." Our Cleve-
land Alumnae Chapter seems to cater to Deni-
son, so we seem evenly paired. Cleveland has
the disadvantage of a large, scattered member-
shiPi but they plan to work hard to stimulate
interest. A l l of you who live near Cleveland
should try to attend several meetings a year;
I know you would enjoy it.
I am interested especially in forming new
alumna? groups. T h e constitution requires
seven members to apply for a charter. I f you
have the required number in your community,
write me for the details of organization.
I have had some most interesting letters
during the past two years, and I have enjoyed
my new acquaintances. I hope more of you
w i l l feel free to write to me about anything—
criticism, recommendations, suggestions, per-
sonal griefs and so forth. I shall appreciate
your cooperation.
Fraternally,
R U T H SEGAR COX (MRS. W I L L I A M ) , Q
State Chairman.
Oklahoma
DEAR A I . U M N . E OF A L P H A OMICRON P I :
Those of you who are members of X i have
shared with me similar emotions in our recent
bereavement. However, it is a source of con-
solation to know that our destiny was in the
hands of a sympathetic Grand Council and
an understanding Executive Committee. Past
assistance from them can leave no doubt in
our minds of that fact. Surely we can trust
again their wisdom in the solution of the
iproblem. T h e y have been wrestling with an
impossible situation. I hope in some later let-
ter to go into that with you, for I know that
some of X i alumna? are not fully acquainted
with the obstacles that prevented the further
development of the chapter at this time.
At Convention this year the office of dis-
trict alumna? superintendent was a b o l i s h e d
and the State Chairman assigned the duties
of both. Because of the additional work of
smaller units to oversee. In this redisrict-
ing, Oklahoma was placed alone, which makes
me feel that I am talking with people I actu-
ally know and whose attitudes I can under-
stand. Y o u will be sent letters from time to
time much more p e r s o n a l and intimate in
nature. Just how interesting they will be de-
pends upon how much information you send
me regarding yourselves and fellow AOLT's.
F o r the present, I wish to remind you that
We are first of all members of a national or-
ganization and that we owe certain obligations
to it. Since we are no longer promoting the
growth of a local group, I feel we should
enter wholeheartedly into our national work.
No doubt you share this desire with me. It
is our only means now of identifying our-
selves a c t i v e l y with the sorority. W e can
show by the shouldering of our share of the
81
national program our eagerness to participate
in the work.
W e are directly under the control of Muriel
Turner McKinney, Vice P r e s i d e n t , one of
whose duties is direction of alumna? organiza-
tion. I had the pleasure of meeting her two
years ago at Convention in Colorado. Some
of the rest of you who also know her will
agree with me that we should make much
progress under efficient management and in-
herent ability for organization. Incidentally,
she is a most pleasant person with whom to
be associated. T h e Second V i c e President,
Mary Dee Drummond, is in charge of the
National Social Service Work, and I think
you will find her equally efficient in her work
and extremely enthusiastic.
Although we all regret the failure of the
fulfillment of our plan undertaken in 1922, it
is with somewhat of a feeling of relief and
renewed hope we now turn from combating
impossible and unfair institution administra-
tive authority to a project in which our efforts
will be purely unselfish and f r o m which we
shall reap d i v i d e n d s of a more permanent
quality.
T o quote from Wah-Kon-Tah written by
John Joseph Mathews of our own university:
See if your heart doesn't feel this way if
you do or don't contribute to our social serv-
ice fund.
"Sometime when I go hunting I kill deer.
I come back and I am very happy. I see
there will be plenty of venison. But soon I
pass a lodge of woman. This woman had lost
his man. This woman has some small children
and there is no man to hunt for him. I stop
at lodge of woman who has lost his man and
I cut off big piece of this venison. I say I
have brought you something to eat. A s I walk
away my heart swells. I put my hand on my
heart and I can feel it swell. I feel happy
and I am glad to see anybody. I feel of my
head but I cannot feel any change in my head.
It feels same. My heart is only thing that
changes. T h e n I go out hunting again and
I kill deer. I am happy. Soon I pass this
lodge of woman who has no man. I see my
heart is happy for this woman. I look at
venison and I say we need all this venison.
I walk on and I do not cut off a piece of
this venison f o r woman. M y heart seems to
become very small. I put my hand on my
heart and it seems to have gone away. I can
feel nothing there. I do not want to see any-
one. I am not happy. When I put my hand
to my head I do not feel anything. It has
not changed. This is what I think about this
thing. Home of the spirit is in heart. This
I believe. I would like to know what white
man thinks about this thing."
See if your heart doesn't feel this way if
you do or don't contribute to our social serv-
ice fund.
Fraternally,
P A U L I N E MILLS EDWARDS (MRS. WARREN C ) ,
State Chairman.