Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-12
STARS ASSEMBLE
IN CONVENTION
p. e. o. LADIES GATHER AT ALBA
IN GRAND CHAPTER FOR
THREE DAYS.
OTTUMwANs ATTEND

OTTUMWANS ATTEND
Delegates Leave Today and Visitors
Go Thursday to Meet Their Sis
ters-Organization an
Iowa Product.
All P e. O. members have their
eyes focused on the star that shines
above Abba, and which will continue
to shine for three days and nights this
week. 1t is not the stellar attraction
that has caused worry to some and the
loss of sleep in the wee small hours OF
the morning to others, which one Hal
ley is credited with having had much
to do. No indeed, nothing like thai.
but a star or convention Of stars the
background Of each being one OF
Iowa's women. Ottumwa women Will
be among those golden stars for two
Of them leave today for the seat OF
the convention and will lend their
presence and counsel to the delibera-
lions. President Mae CRUDE and
Miss Harriet Parsons will represent
the Ottumwa chapter of the P. E. 0.
sisterhood which meets in grand
chapter today, Wednesday and Thurs
day. Half a dozen more have ex-
pressed their intention of attending
as visitors and Thursday the Ottum-
vans present will include Mrs. George
Porter, Mrs. J. w. Neasham, Mrs. j..
K. Dysart, Mrs. George Haw Jr.. Mrs.
Laura Jordan and Mrs. Nellie Brown
Hughes Others may be unable TO
withstand the magnetic influence OF
the star and like the "Magi" be led
Albiaward before the chapter con-
cludes it's deliberations, for the P. E.
o. members are a wonderfully loyal
bunch Of womankind and are awfullv
enthusiastic about the work of their
society.
An Iowa Product.
Iowa is the home of P. E. O., the
birthplace, originating as it did in
Mount Pleasant. At the time Of the
supreme convention held there in Oc-
tober of last year, it was an Iowa
woman, Mrs. Winona Evans Reeves
of Keokuk one we'll known, not only
for her pleasing personality, but
likewise for her rare executive ability,
who was chosen supreme president. 1t
was an Iowa woman, also, Miss Edith
Prouty, successful practicing lawyer
Of Humboldt Ia, who was made SUI
preme organizer. From the very first
P. E. o. possessed all the elements OF
growth, and to the members, the fact
that there are in the United States
361 chapters in seventeen states,
with an active membership of 1873 is
highly gratifying, but not at all sur
prising.
Decide to Organize.
The story of the P. E. O. is full OF
interest and fascination. In imagina.
ton one can see old Iowa Wesleyan
college with it's happy throng of boys
and girls; can see the Beta party civ
en- at Hallowells restaurant, late in
the winter of 1869. At this party each
man took his own particular lady-love
and fancy the sensation created when
a few of the girls appeared wearing
new badges, tiny golden arrows with
the mystic letters I. c. upon them
How they flourished those pins! Can
you blame them, for they were only
school girls and part of that great
body Of l. C's just then so prominent
in many colleges? Does it take a
vivid imagination to picture those
seven other girls gathered around the
stove that same night deciding that
a new society must be formed They
were Alice Bird (Babb), Mary Allen
10 (ponfioIn(
Alice Coffin, Ella Stewart, Hattie
Briggs (Bosquet), and Franc Roads
(Elliott).
Mrs. Babb's Idea.
Mrs. Babb's name Is mentioned
first because the original plan was
hers. 1t had been in her mind many
months and she in turn communicated
it to her six dearest friends. That
was the very beginning. On January
81. 1869, an informal meeting was held
in the old music room of the college.
From the start these girls had no in
tention of making the new society en-
tirely a college affair, and as they
dreamed dreams and thought Thoughts
the dignity and responsibility they
were placing upon their own shoulders
became apparent to them, and each
step was taken with due elaboration.
They realized that this was no
frivolous order, and the suggestion or
Miss Coffin that a star be used for
the emblem, met with unanimous ap-
prevail.
Grows and Expands.
A great idea always enlarges itself,
and as they planned the idea broaden
ed. The object primarily was mutual
protection and pleasure to those I'M.
mediately concerned, but this proved
the nucleus for an ever widening
sphere of usefulness. AS the wise
men Of the east were guided by the
star, so have the P. e. O's followed
the star until it's five points have come
to mean to them, faith, love, purity,
Justice and truth. While the idea IS
universal sisterhood, yet the actual
membership is confined to women OF
like thoughts and desires. OF equal
social status. P. e. 0. Is conceded to
be the largest social order In ex-
istence, which Is not auxiliary to any