Page 44 - 1917 May - To Dragma

270 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI
The house had not been occupied recently on account of the poor
furnace, and before we moved in a new hot water furnace was
installed. This made it necessary for us to live out in town until
February 26th. A t present fourteen girls are staying at the house,
and two more hope to come in when the spring term opens, April
10th.
We held initiation Saturday afternoon, March 3rd, and initiated
seven of our pledges. They were: Ruth Clapper, Lei ah Whitted,
Beatrice Coombs, Mae Shumaker, Mary Duncan, Mabel Lewis, and
Ethel Heitman. We felt as i f we were initiating our new home
and new sisters at the same time. A dinner was given at the house
for the girls, and after dinner each initiate sang an original Alpha
O song.
The Panhellenic gives a reception March 24th, for the Alpha
O's, and also for the T r i Deltas, who have been recently installed
here.
We are all counting the days to our Easter vacation, which is
from A p r i l 5th to the 10th. Our dance is to be given in the
women's gymnasium A p r i l 13th, the Friday after we return. We are
hoping to have as our guests some girls from Theta Chapter.
The girls of Beta Phi join in wishing the coming Convention the
greatest success and hope to be represented.
VIVIAN DAY, Chapter Editor.
ETA, UNIVERSITY O F WISCONSIN
CHAPTER OFFICERS
President—Ruth Nicely, '17, A O I I House, Madison, Wis.
Vice-president—Winifred Ingles, '18, A 0 I I House, Madison, Wis.
Corresponding Secretary—Vera Alderson, '17, A O I I House, Madison, Wis. •
Recording Secretary—Margaret Nehrlick, '18, 312 N . Mills St., Madison, W i s .
Treasurer—Esther Fowler, '17, A 0 I I House, Madison, Wis.
To D R A G M A Editor—Elizabeth Pruett, '18, A 0 I I House, Madison, Wis.
Vera Alderson CHAPTER ROLL
Julia Johnson
Dorothy Bassett Marion McCabe
Helen Borversox Clara Nehrlick
Eddina Douma Margaret Nehrlick
Esther Fowler Ruth Nicely
Mary Fowler Elizabeth Pruett
Rose Harloff Ruth Tufts
Winifred Ingles
Eta is two months old, but is walking, talking, and making a lot
of noise at Wisconsin. The fairy dream is realized. We are one of
the recognized Greek fraternities in this university. Despite the
fact that many of the sororities here were founded between 1870
TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 271
and 1890, we are neck to neck in the race with them. Kappa Alpha
Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma have the largest chapters with over
sixty active members. Pi Phi, Alpha Phi. Gamma Phi, and Delta
Gamma are practically as large. With their numbers and years of
establishment, we felt it almost an impossibility to make ourselves
even known in the beginning. On the contrary (we beg to be
modest) there is not a person in Wisconsin University who does not
know of Eta Chapter.
Immediately upon our installation, we set about to secure ourselves
a home. We realized the necessity of living together to pull
together. I t seemed almost as though a fairy godmother brought to
our very doors the house we are now in, already furnished.
At the beginning of the new semester, February 12th, central was
informed to list Alpha Omicron Pi among her fraternity numbers.
Soon afterward, at the breakfast table, we read in black headlines
on the front page of our university paper, The Paily Cardinal, a
story about our new home and our progress here. This is to say
nothing of the front-page story the day after our installation. A l l
of this tended to lend prestige to our existence.
The hearty cooperation we have received from the sororities can
never be too fully recognized by us. A l l of them have entertained
us royally. They have insisted on helping us in every possible way.
They have already offered us their rushing lists for next fall. I t
was with reluctance that one of the Kappas said she fully realized
that we would be a danger to them in rushing from now on.
The day of our installation flowers from some of our sister fra-
ternities reminded us of their best wishes.
For many years Wisconsin has needed just such a new chapter
as we are going to strive to make Eta. Mrs. Matthews, our dean
of women, and a l l the sororities have realized and wished for this.
It is with open arms that they have greeted us. Now we feel we
are one of them, and this is the great incentive to keep our standard
high.
We are few in number, nineteen in all. This makes us one large
family. As some of these nineteen are the most active women in the
university, we have great hopes for next year. One of our new ini-
tiates is captain of the junior swimming team, which class won in the
swimming meet.
Our next thought to getting strong women, is a permanent home.
We realize the necessity of a good, well-furnished home to acquire
the desired prestige here. To that end we have set our brains and
fingers. We are going to have it next fall, too.