Category Archives: Women’s Fraternities

Old Newspapers, a Mentor, a Golf Tournament, and Jeopardy!

I chuckle when people say they want to return to the “good old days.” As one who looks at old newspapers on a regular basis, it’s evident that bad things happened in the “good old days.” One of these events … Continue reading

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Decorating With Candy Day? A Cookie Shine Shout Out, No Doubt!

Decorating with Candy Day? Yes, it is a very real thing and it happens to fall on February 1. And if I told you that I could link this dubious celebration to GLO history, would you even believe me? Well, … Continue reading

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Kappa Alpha Theta and the First Phi Beta Kappa Women at Vermont

Kappa Alpha Theta was founded at Indiana Asbury University (now DePauw University) in Greencastle, Indiana. The force behind the founding was one of the first women admitted to the college. Her name was Bettie Locke. On January 27, 1870, Bettie Locke (Hamilton) stood … Continue reading

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An Accidental Pi Phi, 40 Years Later

When I went through rush at Syracuse University four decades ago, it was on a whim. All I wanted to do was go on house tours and be done with it. I remember walking around Walnut Park on the day … Continue reading

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Phi Beta Sigma, Lou Brock, Richard Nixon, and Carrie Chapman Catt

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity was founded on January 9, 1914, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by three African American students, A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown. Happy Founders’ Day, Phi Beta Sigma! A goodly number of sports … Continue reading

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Calvin Coolidge and Kappa Alpha Psi Share January 5th

Two days after her 54th birthday, Grace Goodhue Coolidge became a widow. The 30th President died suddenly on the morning of January 5, 1933. Calvin Coolidge was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta chapter at Amherst College. His wife was … Continue reading

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Grace Coolidge, Loyal Pi Beta Phi

January 3 is the birthday of Grace Goodhue Coolidge. Gracious and humble, she was a dedicated member of Pi Beta Phi, having been a charter member of the chapter at the University of Vermont. She also served as Alpha Province … Continue reading

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Madeleine Z. Doty, Prison Reformer and Alpha Omicron Pi

Alpha Omicron Pi was founded on January 2, 1897. One of AOPi’s early members was Madeleine Zabriskie Doty. In 1900, she earned a B.L. from Smith College. She then enrolled in law school at New York University. There she became a charter … Continue reading

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2015 – GLOing, GLOing, Gone

2015 is almost a memory. Less than 16 hours separates 2015 from 2016. Time flies! Greek-Letter Organizations (GLO) continue to exist on college campuses despite efforts to the contrary. Done well, GLO membership is one of the most valuable experiences of … Continue reading

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Phi Delta Theta’s 167th on Boxing Day

The previous post focused on the disappointment of three young women, Eva Webb, Anna Boyd, and Mary Comfort, who were unable to travel from the Lewis School in Oxford, Mississippi, to their homes about 100 miles away in Kosciusko during … Continue reading

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