Please read the following items to prepare for lesson four of Real Merit and Worth: The New Member Program.
Old Main at Lombard College
In the 1890s, Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, admitted women students, but provided little for them other than academic programming. Physical facilities for women were limited and only a few cultural and spiritual programs were offered for them. In 1873, a local sorority named I.C. Sorosis had become a chapter of Pi Beta Phi National Fraternity, becoming the only organized women’s group on campus. Chapters of Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Nu provided fraternal life for the men on campus. Social activities and a nucleus of friendship were available to their members.
Harriet Luella McCollum had attended Lombard Preparatory School for two years, and in 1893 was a student at the college. Along with Cora Bollinger, she wanted to form a local sorority to encourage personal friendships, promote friendlier contacts with the entire student body, and be of active service to the college. Harriet and Cora shared rooms, one of them a sitting room sparsely furnished with a few straight-backed chairs, two low rockers and a small table. Harriet and Cora met in these rooms behind drawn shades with Lucy Gilmer, Eliza Curtis, and Frances and Almira Cheney. Before long, Bertha Cook, Julia Maude Foster and Lewie Strong joined them and their secret planning became intense.
Alice Bartlett, the youngest at only 15, completed the circle of ten. Attempts by other groups to organize societies had failed, so secrecy was vital until the official announcement of their plans was to be made. Never more than two girls at a time would arrive at the rooms for a meeting, spacing their arrivals to avoid suspicion. When they saw each other on campus, they were very casual.
Lucy Gilmer and Lewie Strong lived in rooms at Mrs. Hadley’s Boarding Hall. Most of the other girls living there were Pi Phis, so Lucy and Lewie ignored each other for fear of giving away their plans. Years later, Lucy and Lewie talked about ducking below the windows of the trolley on their way to planning sessions so that no Pi Phis would see them.
Lewie Strong Taylor’s original Quill badge. It is the only Founders’ badge in possession of Fraternity Headquarters and is on display in the National Headquarters office located in Indianapolis, IN.
Since the Pi Phis and Phi Delts had been closely aligned, the idea of another women’s group was enthusiastically welcomed by the Sigma Nus.
Several Sigma Nus assisted the fledgling group with organizational ideas. The Constitution and Bylaws were drafted and signed in Julia Maude Foster’s room because it was far from the campus and thought to be safe. A service had been written and a song, whistle, and yell composed. Inspired by the familiar quote, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” Lewie Strong had designed the badge, a Quill. The design was given to a local jeweler in anticipation that the Quills would be ready for the girls to wear when they made their first public appearance and announcement. In case the sorority chose to affiliate with Kappa Kappa Gamma when it “went national,” the colors chosen were double blue.
Cora and Lucy chose the pink rose as a complement to the white rose of Sigma Nu. A committee chaired by Cora Bollinger called upon Professor John C. Lee, acting president of Lombard College, to present their plans. They received not only approval but also assurances that the faculty would be pleased to have a second women’s fraternity on the campus. Richard Brown, a leader of independent students, was told of the plans and also lent encouragement to their cause.
Although their badges were not ready, they set the date of April 17 to make their new Fraternity public. A few minutes before chapel time, the Founders met in the room of the Zetecalian Literary Society to pin on knots of double blue ribbon and pink roses, which had been smuggled into the room.
With sparkling eyes, flushed cheeks, and proud postures, the ten young women entered the chapel after the faculty and students had been seated. They quietly sat near the back of the room. After a moment of startled silence, the Sigma Nus led congratulatory applause. After Chapel, the girls showed their spirit with the yell they had composed, with emphasis on the last two lines.
Delta! Delta! Alpha Xi Delta!
Anig Banan geefen way! (A collection of Anglo- Saxon syllables, not a sentence, pronounce as it looks.)
Sprechen sie wohl, Alpha Xi Delta! (German, meaning “You say well.” Pronounce spreck’en zie vohl.) Avons L’intention rester! (French, indicating the intention of being a long-lasting group. Pronounce ah-vohn’ laan-tawn’see-ohn’ ress-tay’.)
Members of the Alpha Chapter in 1895. Founders shown are: Alice Bartlett Bruner is 4th from the left in the back row; Almira Lowry Cheney is 2nd from the right in the back row; and Frances Elisabeth Cheney is 3rd from the left in the front row.
Because the Sigma Nus wanted to do something nice for their new Greek sisters to mark this special occasion, two of them outraced two Phi Delts to buy up the box seats for a performance of “Othello,” being presented at the Auditorium on April 25. The Alphas and the Sigs enjoyed the play immensely. The Quills were finally ready on April 26, and one of the Founders noted on the card to which these stickpin badges were attached, “too late for ‘Othello’.” Bertha Cook Evans recalled years later that the badges cost $1.25 each, dues were 25 cents a term, and each girl paid an equal share of expenses for parties. The parties were usually held at Alice Bartlett’s home because she was the only town girl in the group.
Bertha also told about a serenade at a Sigma Nu meeting, which was after 6 o’clock one evening. Young ladies were not permitted to be on campus at this hour. The next morning, telltale footprints made by the Alpha Xis in a patch of bare ground were noticed by a member looking out from the window of a classroom. A friendly Sig enlisted a kindly janitor to rake the ground before the footprints could be discovered by a faculty member. The Alpha Xis’ terrible crime remained a secret.
The ages of the Founders ranged from 15 to 26 years. It may be this diversity that explains the youthful enthusiasm coupled with mature wisdom displayed in the development of the enduring purpose, goals and organization of Alpha Xi Delta. In later years, Almira Cheney wrote that the Founders felt that the Universalist-Unitarian philosophy which seven of them embraced, and which stressed the individual worth of each human being, including women, had great bearing on the formation of the fraternity ideals, which have been enduring with the passage of time.
Only seven members returned to Lombard in the fall of 1893. Discussions were held about adding to their members and all agreed that they must choose carefully to assure that the ideals of the group would be maintained. Three new members were initiated that fall. Chapter growth was slow, with the chapter reaching a membership of only 23 even years later. The relationships of the young women were intense, primarily a sharing of friendship and pride. At the beginning of each school year, the Alpha Xi Deltas sponsored a party for all students at the college so that everyone could get acquainted, but especially to help the freshmen become comfortable in their new environment. The idea of joining a national organization was considered, but the members felt that they wanted to perpetuate the name of Alpha Xi Delta and the qualities that they felt were important for its members.
Alpha Chapter in 1905
During the next several years, the chapter continued to grow in membership. Then in 1902, several women did the extraordinary thing of transforming a small local sorority into a national fraternity that would one day be known from coast to coast.
Edna Epperson Brinkman and Marion Wrigley Fischer had the vision and the ability to succeed in nationalizing Alpha Xi Delta. During these early years, there always were a few members who thought that the group should join an existing national fraternity. But Marion Wrigley, who had come to Lombard from Chicago, believed that the Alpha Xis had so much to give girls that they should share it by becoming a national organization.
In September 1901, she returned to school determined that Alpha Xi Delta should nationalize. As president of the group, Edna Epperson was startled by Marion’s stand and frequently asked her how the nationalization was to be accomplished. Marion wasn’t sure about the “how,” but continued to press for action.
Edna Epperson realized that plans should be kept under cover if they were to be successful. She asked her father who among his group of attorney friends could be trusted to help. He referred her to J.J. Welsh, a Sigma Nu. Alice Bartlett was chosen to assist in the effort. During the fall, winter and spring of 1901-1902, the two young women visited Mr. Welsh about ten times to build the plans and write the preliminary constitution.
In February, Edna and Alice submitted their plans. Later, contacts began with the girls in the PEO chapter in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. They had indicated they were interested in becoming the second chapter in a new women’s Greek letter organization.
The founding members of Gamma Chapter.
Marion recalled the thrill that she felt when she learned that Iowa Wesleyan had decided to become the Alpha Xi Delta’s Beta Chapter. “What a lucky break that was for us! This group was one of a widely known organization, and had the experiences we sadly lacked. Their enthusiasm was unbounded and their loyalty unquestionable.” It was with the addition of Beta Chapter that a gold ribbon was added to the double blue.
Gamma Chapter at Mt. Union College soon followed, holding their own with the other groups on their campus and having the respect and support of faculty members. With the cooperation of these two new chapters, the young women from Lombard felt that nothing could prevent even further growth.
If you’re interested in learning more about Alpha Xi Delta’s early history and founding, here are some things to check out from our digital archives:
There are times of great celebration—when the Fraternity expanded across the nation to truly create a national Sisterhood. We’ve also celebrated raising millions of dollars for causes we care about–not to mention the individual member and chapter accomplishments! Alpha Xi Delta, as members and as an organization, has much to be proud of.
However, there are times in Alpha Xi Delta’s history that remain a stain on our organization–times that we need to learn about and talk about so we understand their implications, times that we need to reflect on so that we are careful as to not recreate them.
At National Convention in 1947, an alumnae motion from the floor changed Alpha Xi Delta’s National Constitution to state, “members shall be selected from women students of white race whether graduate students or undergraduates of any college or university having a chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity.” The following National Conventions—the only time when our Constitution can be changed—were then cancelled until 1953 due to World War II and its aftermath. In the intervening years, a groundswell of opposition to the Constitutional race restriction adopted in 1947 had formed within the Alpha Xi Delta membership, particularly among the collegiate members, and at that very next Convention in 1953 the race restriction was eliminated. The language was changed to read “members shall be selected from duly qualified women students, either graduate students or undergraduates, of any college or university having a chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity.” Today, Alpha Xi Delta’s Constitution provides that “Members shall be selected from qualified women.”
The presence of this discriminatory policy in our National Constitution for six years is woefully regrettable. Alpha Xi Delta is poorer for having excluded women by implementing the Constitutional change in 1947. It is truly a period of time in our history that Alpha Xi Delta is sorry ever happened and to the women it impacted.
It is critical that we explore our past so our future can remain bright. Alpha Xi Delta strives to be a home for all women to feel safe and welcomed. choose.
Alpha Xi Delta’s Founders taught us the value of education because it frees us to achieve our goals and gives us the power to be whatever we choose.
They taught us to support one another through shared experiences and understanding, and to serve others to better the lives of those less fortunate. Because of them, Alpha Xi Delta continues to inspire countless bold and talented women to realize their potential.
You can learn more detailed information about each Founder here.
The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Crest
We, as Undergraduate Members of women’s fraternities, stand for good scholarship, for guarding of good health, for maintenance of fine standards, and for serving, to the best of our ability, our college community. Cooperation for furthering fraternity life, in harmony with its bets possibilities, is the ideal that shall guide our fraternity activities.
We, as Fraternity Women, stand for service through the development of character, inspired by the close contact and deep friendship of individual fraternity and Panhellenic life. The opportunity for wide and wise human service, through mutual respect and helpfulness, is the tenet by which we strive to live.
Since the beginning of our sorority existence, Alpha Xi Delta has fondly thought of Sigma Nu as our “brother” fraternity. Of course, it is an unofficial relationship, but Sigma Nu played a significant part in our founding and for that reason, you will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Nine years after the founding, the decision was made to extend our Sisterhood beyond Lombard and the large task of making Alpha Xi Delta into a national sorority began. Again, as in the beginning, counsel was taken with Sigma Nu in the person of J.J. Welsh, a Galesburg attorney, and alumnus of the Lombard chapter. His unlimited service and good advice aided us tremendously during that time. We also conferred many times with Charles W. Jones, Sigma Nu, during the writing of our National Constitution.
Still another Sigma Nu with an interest in Alpha Xi Delta was Albert H. Wilson, the “Brother Bert” of Sigma’s Hall of Honor. His association began in 1902 at Mt. Union College when the S.L.C. Society made out a petition for a charter to become Gamma Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta. He recalled being on Miss Emily Kay’s front porch, helping to write that petition. He wrote, “Long may the beautiful roses, pink and white, bring prosperity and kindly living into the ways of our fraternities.”
Even our first National Convention in 1903 was enlivened by our Sigma Nu friends. According to our magazine, then called The Alpha Xi Delta, by arrangement, our first convention was held at Lombard the same time as Sigma Nu’s Fifth Division convention, and it proved to be a pleasant idea. A joint reception was held in the Lombard gymnasium, with an orchestra providing music for dancing. Following the reception, cars were waiting to take the groups downtown to their respective banquets. The girls’ car ran off the track and forced all to join together in the boys’ car, enlivening the trip with “frat songs and yells.”
Naturally romance also brought Alpha Xi and Sigma Nu together. Alice Bartlett Bruner recalled that they were “very, very attentive . . . and one year every Alpha Xi had a Sigma Nu beau . . .” Of our ten Founders, only six ever married. Five married Sigma Nus. Julia Maude Foster once said, “Five of the ten married Sigma Nus. The other five of us failed.” The romantic ties between Alpha Xi Delta and Sigma Nu proved to be very special ones, but of course, our relationship went far beyond that.
The invaluable support and assistance Sigma Nu gave us during the struggle for recognition and a place in the fraternity world at Lombard are something we will never forget. And you will always remain a “brother” fraternity to us.
