ZETA TAU ALPHA FRED (FRATERNITY EDUCATION) The State of NOVEMBER 2003: IN AMERICA S HEARTLAND KANSAS, NEBRASKA, IOWA NE IA KS KANSAS: Note: Information regarding chapter histories is provided from The History of Zeta Tau Alpha by Shirley Kreasan Strout, 1956 Edition. Nickname Sunflower State Capital Topeka Largest City Wichita Tourist Attractions If you go 2 miles northwest of Lebanon, Kansas, you ll be at the geographic center of the United States. Dodge City, Kansas, was once home to legendary gunslingers Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson and now hosts Dodge City Days with rodeos and carnivals. Σ Sigma Baker University Baldwin, Kansas Link #19 Installed: May 23, 1912 Province XVII-B ΑΜ Alpha Mu ΑΜ Σ Washburn University Topeka, Kansas Link #37 Installed: March 3, 1922 Province XVII-B Sigma Chapter had its beginnings in the spring of 1911, when a group of young women attending Baker University organized its forerunner, Alpha Theta Nu. This local group designed a pin, adopted the colors of forest green and gold, and chose the goldenrod as its flower. A local Delta Delta Delta alumna, Mrs. F. M. Hartley, took interest in the group and, along with fellow Tri Delta alumna Ida Shaw Martin, helped the group petition to become part of a national fraternity. Zeta Tau Alpha s answer to Alpha Theta Nu was the most promising, so the group decided to seek immediate affiliation. They presented a petition and were granted the Zeta Tau Alpha Charter. Along with their petition, the Alpha Theta Nu women sent along a picture of themselves standing in front of a fireplace, over which hung their banner. The photograph was finished in sepia a brownish tint application that was considered the height of fashion in that day. The group felt (continued on next page) During Christmas vacation 1919, Louise Herrick and Marguerite McDonald (Wyman) felt the time was right for another women s group at Washburn. With faculty approval, the local group Pi Beta Tau received a charter on March 12, 1920. The local started with 16 members, pledged three more and, by the fall of 1920, surprised everyone by obtaining a chapter house. Pi Beta Tau did not think to petition a national organization until Margret Bostic (Alcott) and Veva Boeke (Wood) visited Louise Herrick at the sorority house in the fall of 1920. These young ladies Sigma Chapter Zetas were on their way home from the Installation of s Alpha Epsilon Chapter at Denver University (now called the University of Denver). They captivated the women of Pi Beta Tau, who now began to think about nationals, Zeta Tau Alpha in particular, because of the charms of these two girls from Sigma Chapter, and because of the aims and ideals of the Fraternity which they represented. In June 1921, they sent the petition to Zeta Tau Alpha and the following October, Evelyn Callicutt, the (continued on next page) 1 OF 5
sure that this stylish photograph helped make them Zetas. Years later, Sigma Chapter member Mary Congdon Hollinger said, We thought it was very fancy for that time. Grace Jordan Cook, the Grand Vice-President who had already installed several chapters, made the trip to Kansas where, on May 23, 1912, she installed Sigma Chapter at Baker University. The charter members and their Grand Vice-President posed for a picture after the services, all wearing white. Thus, Zeta Tau Alpha became the fourth national organization for women at Baker University. SIGMA CHAPTER TODAY: Sigma Chapter is known for adding to the Zeta Tau Alpha songbook; in fact, they were once known as the Singing Sigmas. Mae Galutia of Sigma authored the Initiation Song Themis, but most recently Sigma Chapter members have rewritten a Vanilla Ice song for Recruitment! SIGMA S FOUNDERS DAY PLANS: Founders Day is a part of Sigma s Initiation Week, so the collegians celebrate with a dinner alongside alumnae from Kansas City, Baldwin and Lawrence. Highlights of Sigma s festivities include a member reading the story of Zeta s founding and a skit where chapter members dress as the nine Founders. Each New Member also chooses her favorite poem, song or saying, which is read aloud to the group by her Big Sister. SIGMA S PHILANTHROPY PLANS: Along with distributing pink ribbons and chalking the sidewalks on campus and in the Baldwin community, Sigma sponsors a Jeans Day fund-raiser where employees of local businesses donate money to breast cancer awareness and research in order to dress casually in jeans for a designated work day. Participants will sport buttons that say I donated to Jeans Day! FUN FACTS ABOUT BAKER UNIVERSITY: Established: 1858 Mascot: Wildcats Enrollment: 2,900 students Web site: www.bakeru.edu Visit Sigma Chapter on the Web: www.bakeru.edu/greek_life/greeklife_zetatau.htm National Inspector, visited the Pi Beta Taus. A telegram announcing the Charter granted to this local group reached the girls on Christmas Eve and they had a New Year s Eve announcement celebration at the home of a Sigma Chapter Zeta. On March 2, 1922, Helen M. Donaldson pledged 32 girls and formally installed Alpha Mu Chapter the next day. Assisting in the Installation were Zetas from Mu Chapter (Drury College) and the entire Sigma Chapter (Baker University), who had a special interest in this chapter from the beginning! The chapter recalled, We were pledged Thursday Night, and then on Friday a number of girls came from Drury and Baker and that evening we had a lovely party at the Elks Club. Saturday we spent the day and part of the night being initiated. All existing groups sent notes upon Zeta Tau Alpha s Installation, and on Sunday afternoon the new Zetas were guests at the Delta Gamma house. Zeta Tau Alpha became the fourth national sorority on Washburn University s campus. ALPHA MU CHAPTER TODAY: Alpha Mu is very active today, with 100 percent of its members involved in campus activities, including several cheerleaders and the Student Government Vice-President. Alpha Mu members have turned their chapter house into a piece of living history by allowing members to write on the walls of one basement room. Province President Darcy Russell says, The building itself is a living legend to the sisterhood that finds its home there. ALPHA MU S FOUNDERS DAY PLANS: The sisters of Alpha Mu celebrated Zeta Tau Alpha s 105 th anniversary with the Topeka Alumnae Chapter over dessert. Alumnae-collegiate relations are very important to Alpha Mu Chapter, and the October 15 th event is a long-standing date with the local alumnae. ALPHA MU S PHILANTHROPY PLANS: To raise money for the Foundation, Alpha Mu places a flock of 30 plastic pink flamingos in a local alumna s yard on October 1 st, and these birds migrate to many other and Washburn University alumni s yards throughout the rest of the month. These university alumni pay the chapter $20 to move the birds to the next yard. During THINKPINK! Week, Alpha Mu has a bowling tournament, ties pink ribbons around campus trees and sets up several booths. This service-oriented chapter was nominated by Washburn for the prestigious Shawnee County Award for Outstanding Service for their work related to breast cancer awareness and education! FUN FACTS ABOUT WASHBURN UNIVERSITY: Established: 1865 (as Lincoln College) Mascot: the Ichabod Enrollment: More than 6,000 students Web site: www.washburn.edu Visit Alpha Mu Chapter on the Web: www.washburn.edu/organizations/panhellenic/zta/ 2 OF 5
NEBRASKA: Nickname Cornhusker State Capital Lincoln Largest City Omaha Tourist Attractions Nebraska, whose state soft drink is Kool-Aid, boasts Carhenge, a sculpture made out of 36 old white-washed cars created with the same orientation and dimensions as the original Stonehenge in England. In addition to the National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln, you can also see the historic Scotts Bluff National Monument, which was a landmark for travelers on the Oregon Trail in the 1840s. ΓΜ University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, Nebraska Link #86 Installed: October 7, 1950 Province XV-A ΓΜ Gamma Mu Gamma Mu had its beginnings in a local sorority named Sigma Chi Omicron that had existed for 36 years on campus before becoming the 86 th link in Zeta Tau Alpha s Chain of Chapters. In 1914, Sigma Chi Omicron s founding members began a group whose focus was promoting service, cultural development, spiritual standards, high scholarship, and intellectual life among its members. The university recognized Sigma Chi Omicron in 1915 as the first Greek letter sorority on campus. After petitioning Zeta Tau Alpha and subsequently receiving their charter, Chapter Counselor Joan Sawyer Huber and Province President Marian Randles (Babbit) conducted formal pledging on April 30, 1950. Two other Chapter Counselors, Francine Draper (Shoemaker) and Phyllis Luvera, assisted the budding chapter with fall rushing, and Zeta s pledge class of 33 was the largest on campus. Initiation Week began on October 1, 1950, and Gamma Mu Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was formally installed on the afternoon of Saturday, October 7 th. There were 24 charter collegiate members and 24 alumnae initiated, plus four Installation Initiates. Zeta Tau Alpha became the third national group on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. About 120 Zetas and their guests celebrated this event at the White Violet Installation Banquet on the evening of October 7 th in the salon of the Omaha Athletic Club. Gamma Mu received the traditional gift from National Council a silver tea and coffee service. The culminating event of Installation Week was an afternoon reception in the Black Mirror Room of the Fontenelle Hotel. GAMMA MU CHAPTER TODAY: Gamma Mu Chapter is a frequent winner of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Homecoming Spirit Cup. Among many other local activities and honors, the chapter was recognized for donating over 1,000 items to a local shelter called the Open Door Mission. GAMMA MU S FOUNDERS DAY PLANS: For a second year, collegiate members of Gamma Mu will celebrate Founders Day with their local Omaha Alumnae Chapter. GAMMA MU S PHILANTHROPY PLANS: Members assisted with the October 5 th Omaha Race for the Cure, working with survivors in attendance and yelling encouraging words along the race course. Gamma Mu will be piloting a new fund-raiser this year a Best Legs competition, where each fraternity and sorority will choose one member whose legs will be photographed. Voting for the best legs will consist of dropping money in jars, and the legs that raise the most money win! A benefit concert featuring five bands is in the works for November fundraising, too. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FUN FACTS: Established: 1908 Mascot: Mavericks Enrollment: 14,100 Web site: www.unomaha.edu Visit Gamma Mu Chapter on the Web: www.unomaha.edu/~zeta/ 3 OF 5
IOWA: Nickname Hawkeye State Capital Des Moines Largest City Des Moines Tourist Attractions Iowa is home to Madison County, whose historic covered bridges were made famous in the novel and movie The Bridges of Madison County. Near Iowa City the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site can be found, as well as the Hoover Presidential Library/Museum. ΑΟ University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Link #40 Installed: December 9, 1922 Province XV-A ΑΟ Alpha Omicron On February 17, 1919, a group of young women met in Room 216 of Currier Hall, the women s dormitory, with the purpose of creating a local sorority and later petitioning a national group. They named their local sorority Kalo, with each letter of the name representing a characteristic of each girl who was to become a member of the group. Soon after its founding, in March of 1919, the university s social committee recognized Kalo, which had regular meetings in Currier Hall. Upon returning for the 1919-1920 school year, the group found no suitable houses in Iowa City, so they were unable to settle into a house together until the next year. In the meantime, they held rushing events in the form of luncheons, theatre, dinner and dancing. The next fall, Kalo settled at 14 Burlington Street. In order to petition a national group, Kalo adopted the Greek name Kappa Omega and soon became interested in Zeta Tau Alpha from the president of the local Panhellenic Association. In February 1922, they submitted a petition to s Grand Chapter (National Council) and, on March 19 th, National Secretary Helen M. Donaldson arrived for a formal inspection of Kappa Omega. In August 1922, Grand Chapter notified the women that their petition was favorably received, but it was not until a fall pledge tea that Kappa Omega received a Western Union call indicating that the charter was granted. The members were so excited that the tea guests were able to interpret the good news and no announcement was necessary. The National Editor-Historian, Shirley Kreason Strout, arrived to install the chapter on Wednesday, December 6, 1922. After a dinner at the sorority house, the young women were formally pledged to Zeta Tau Alpha, and they were able to wear their carpenters square pledge pins for two days on campus. After written examinations, Mrs. Strout initiated the 25 Kappa Omega members into Zeta Tau Alpha on Saturday morning. After the long but rewarding day, the new Zetas met at the Hotel Jefferson for the Installation Banquet, with tables decorated in blue and silver. The 45 Zetas in attendance listened to a speech on The Page, The Knight, His Shield and Its Gleam presumably referring to the story of s crest and badge. became the 12 th national women s group at what would become the University of Iowa in Iowa City. ALPHA OMICRON TODAY: Alpha Omicron stands out among the 14 sororities on campus, boasting two members of the college Panhellenic Council, plus sisters involved in many other activities. This chapter has produced Traveling Leadership Consultants for the past two years; currently Alpha Omicron alumna Brooke Anderson travels for the Fraternity. ALPHA OMICRON S FOUNDERS DAY PLANS: At the chapter meeting before Founders Day, Alpha Omicron held a sisterhood event and performed the Founders Day Ceremony followed by a formal dinner. Members of the newly founded Iowa City Alumnae Chapter joined in the chapter s celebration of s history. ALPHA OMICRON S PHILANTHROPY PLANS: At the National Leadership Conference, Alpha Omicron received a Founders Club plaque, given to chapters donating more than $10,000 to the Foundation during the biennium. However, Alpha Omicron donated their amount in just one year, thanks to their wildly successful 5K run in October. Last year, the event raised over $13,000 and the chapter hopes to see even better results this year. Alpha Omicron will also host an educational session on breast cancer issues for the campus and community. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FUN FACTS: Established: 1847 Mascot: Hawkeyes Enrollment: 29,000 students Web site: www.uiowa.edu Visit Alpha Omicron Chapter on the Web: www.uiowa.edu/~zta 4 OF 5
HERSTORY IN S HISTORY: Sigma Chapter member Kate Badenoch is a senior at Baker University, majoring in Mass Communication with an Art minor. She works for KNBU, a Baldwin City radio station, and plays women s soccer for Baker. In the spring of 2003, Kate had the opportunity to attend a semester at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England, a sister college to Baker University. While there, she had some very interesting Zeta Tau Alpha experiences and saw firsthand that is Forever. First, Kate met several sisters from both the University of Wisconsin at Eau-Claire and from William Jewell College who were also Harlaxton students. One of the William Jewell Zetas told Kate about the upcoming first London Alumnae Chapter s meeting, giving Kate the rare opportunity of witnessing the meeting of Zeta Tau Alpha s first overseas international alumnae chapter. Alumna Vianna Renaud gave Kate directions to a small French café in London and Kate took the one-hour train ride into town to find Zetas of all ages from all over the U.S., sitting in a room that Ms. Renaud had decorated in turquoise blue and steel gray. Although various commitments brought these women to London, Kate quickly noted how supportive and welcoming they were toward one another, extending that welcome to Kate herself although she was still a collegian. Although separated by years and an ocean from their Zeta Tau Alpha origins, Kate said, We talked about each chapter and they swapped memories while I spoke of present day parties and rules. All the women were great and so proud to be Zetas! I had never been so proud to be a member of this organization, this sisterhood, as I was when I got to see what happens when I graduate. Kate s own Sigma Chapter sisters wrote to her while she was in England via e-mail and classic post mail and it comforted her to know that they would be waiting for her return in August. Kate sums up her international experience: My time in England showed me that being a member of Zeta Tau Alpha is not just a college experience, but a life-long bond. I had been told that from the beginning, but I never realized it until I got the chance to meet the London Alumnae and see how loving they were to each other, even though they had never met before. COUNTDOWN TO CONVENTION: Each month, FRED will highlight Collegiate Convention Awards as Zetas gear up for this summer s national gathering in Denver, Colorado. These awards are only presented at Convention and represent achievements during the biennium (the two years since the last Convention). ACTIVITIES AWARDS Silver trays first presented at the 1952 Convention, these rotating awards are given to three chapters on three different-sized campuses for outstanding leadership in activities for the biennium. ALUMNAE-COLLEGIATE RELATIONS AWARD This award is given to an alumnae and collegiate chapter that have, through communication and joint activities, service projects, recruitment support, social gatherings and emphasis on sisterhood, developed and/or maintained a strong commitment to connecting collegians and alumnae. This is a rotating award presented to one alumnae chapter and one collegiate chapter. It is possible for an alumnae chapter and a collegiate chapter in the same town to be recognized, but it is not necessary. ANNE WINNES REDMOND SERVICE AWARD This rotating award, a silver tray, was named at the 1998 Convention and honors Anne Winnes Redmond for her many years of service to, including serving as National Service Chairman for more than fifty years. It recognizes a chapter s philanthropic efforts. Consideration of volunteer hours to service and fund-raising for a variety of campus and community efforts is the criteria for the award. *Collegiate Convention Award information was taken from the 2003 Zeta Tau Alpha General Manual.* DESTINATION UNKNOWN: Next month we ll visit a state where you might just hear Zetas say, Laissez les bon temps roullez! Our other destination state was once called home by President Bill Clinton. Can you guess where FRED will take you next? Do you think your chapter has a neat founding history? Is there a sister in your chapter who has an interesting story to tell? Has your chapter made history recently? If you d like to contribute to The State of, please e-mail FRED Chairman Andrea Porter at zetataualpha@zetataualpha.org under the subject heading FRED. 5 OF 5