In the early 1900s, the magazines of the National Panhellenic Conference organizations would often contain an “Exchanges” section. The editors would chose items from the other NPC and men’s fraternity magazines and publish them. The May 1915 issue of the Themis of Zeta Tau Alpha contains an excerpt from the Anchora of Delta Gamma. It is entitled “The Convention Delegate.” Had I not known the date of the issue (and I ignored the use of “girl” and opted to read it as “woman”), I’d say that the advice could been written today and it still hits the mark.
“Pick the girl best able to represent our chapter to send to convention. Do not send a girl because she has been no other office and deserves something. This is no place for reward of merit. Do not pass over a girl because she has had many chapter honors. If she has filled these offices well she may be the one best fitted to send. Do not send a girl because she has pretty clothes. Do not send one because she has not. Do not send one who has given all her time to her books and gained nothing else from college life. Do not send a senior or girl who will not be in college next year.
“Send the girl who knows best what is good for your chapter. Send the girl who is willing to devote a great deal of time to preparing herself for convention. Send the girl who will not merely ‘second the motion’ but will make it and will have a good statement for her reasons for wanting it passed. Send the girl who can hold her own in both a business and a social way. Send the girl who will make an impression by her way of doing things. Send the girl who will be so well remembered in after years that she will be sought as an officer.”
