Page 61 - 1908 November - To Dragma

36 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

to attend. An acceptance involves the payment of a small tax col-
lected at the meeting with which the expense of the dinner is de-
frayed. Any one, failing to announce her coming, but appearing for
the dinner, is obliged to pay a fine, as a forfeit for carelessness. There
is much rivalry in the preparation of the menu. A bride is always
sure to have a large meeting as the interest in sampling her domestic
achievements is keen.

The main object of our organization has been to keep in touch
with one another, with the active chapter and with the college, and
to keep alive by reminiscence the spirit of those joyous days, when we
"rushed" and "were rushed," when we knew the world was glorious
and the goal a golden thing. And what have been our successes?
And why? A glance at our membership roll will answer this in
part. But this is not all. There are a few traditions which count
for something as a factor i n our success. I n and out of college, good
fellowship has been a fundamental element in our life. From the
time a freshman is initiated, yes, even pledged, she is taught the
meaning of fellowship, both by precept and example. Girls, who
can attend no more than one meeting a year, return with the same
zest and interest which manifested itself at the first reunion. On the
other hand girls who are within easy distance of college and to whom
a return would be no novelty whatsoever, are constant in their attend-
ance solely for the sake of fellowship. 'Tis a rendezvous where one
is sure to see some one who is companionable. The attendance is
not confined to the "old girls" or to the younger set, but is very
evenly distributed through all the classes from 1896 to 1908. Con-
sidering that we are so widely scattered and that marriage, which so
often interferes with previous interests of girls, has distracted the
attendance of a goodly number, we are rather proud of the size and
strength of our alumnae association.

The average attendance at meetings may be roughly estimated
from eighteen to twenty. At Christmas meetings, it has reached as
high as forty-five. I t often taxes the capacity of some of the houses
at our disposal. This added to the fact that the labor of prepara-
tion is considerable, has lead to the proposal, at frequent intervals,
to hold the meetings three times a year or quarterly at some caf6 or
hotel in Boston. This plan has always been voted down, as most of
the girls contend that the home atmosphere of the meetings is one
of the secrets of our success. I n time with the gradual increase in
numbers, some new scheme must be devised which will f u l f i l l our
sentimental as well as our physical needs.

From our early freshman days, a few cardinal virtues were im-
pressed upon us with reference to our relation with the outside world.
We must incur no indebtedness, which we were not prepared to meet;
and we must pay our bills promptly; we must circulate no scandal;