Evening star., 1938-02-13

washington should have q large
Greek letter" population, for both
Government work and the famous
academic atmosphere Of the city at
tract many college graduates, among
whom are many sorority and fraternity
members
:. 1t Is this collegiate group that will
meet next Saturday at the Shoreham
for luncheon, which is the principal
Panhellenic event of the year The
speaker will be Mrs. Georgette Ross
Howard, who was member Of Tau
Kappa Pi when she was an undergrad
uate at Goucher. This group subse-
Quently became a part of Kappa
Kappa Gamma. Although Mrs. How
ard Is known best as a commentator
on current events, she has selected as
her subject. The Gravity of Humor."
The committee in charge of the
luncheon consists Of Mrs. John F.
Warlick, Zeta Gamma Alpha; Mrs
Joseph Roney, Phi Mu; Mrs. Harrison
Lingo. Pi Beta Phi; Miss Emily Mitch
ell, Alpha Omicron Pi; Miss Miriam
johnson, Beta Chi Alpha; Mrs. James
Bradley Powell Phi Omega Pi and
Mrs. Ina L. Price, Theta Upsilon, of
1917 Lyman place NE, who is in
charge of reservations.
=, History of Pan Hellenic Group.
The Washington Pan-Hellenic Asso-
citation is logical development. The
first alumnae chapter was established
In 1893 and though the increase IN
sorority groups has been gradual, 1t
has been continuous since that time.
Like other similar clubs, they event.
uany formed federation.
Pi Beta Phi was the first to form an
alumnae group. In 1898 sorority
women were a comparative rarity out
side of college towns and it is little
surprising that there were enough Pi
Phis in Washington at that time to
establish a chapter. This was not only
the first alunnnae chapter to be formed
in Washington, but also the first in
the United States. Its creation gave
an impetus to alumnae chapters all
over the country. Ten years later, the
alumnae club of Chi Omega was estab-
lished and this was followed in 1906
Delta alumnae made up Of Goucher
graduates. Phi Omega Pi alumnae
formed the next chapter and this group
will soon celebrate the 25th anniver-
sary of its organization.
The war period. when so many COL
lege girls and recent graduates we're
attracted to washington, gave strong
impetus to sorority clubs. Records
indicate that this was a period of spo-
radio bourgeoning. Several groups
formed during this time languished
when the war work was finished, only
to be formed again within the next
decade. Another sort of stimulus was
provided at that time, by the installa-
tiop of active chapters in the local uni
versities. During the war time, Kappa
Kappa Gamma and Delta Gamma
established fraternity houses for the
convenience of their members. who
found it difficult to find place to live.
Delta Gamma, had a house at 1440
Belmont road NV. and the Kappa
Kappa Gamma house was on Massa-
chusetts avenue just above Thomas
Circle.
Clubs With a Difference.
Most of these groups began as clubs
and later applied for charters as
elumnae chapters. Essentially they are
clubs. but with a difference In addi-
ton to their cultural and philanthropic
activities, they provide members with
continuing personal contact with
sorority and collegiate interests. Many
of them list helping the active
chapter" as one of their principal
activities.
When the members were under
graduates, they worked and studied
'for the honor of the frat" As alum
nae, they honor their fraternities in
the breadth and quality of their in
terests Almost all of them have
philanthropic objectives.
A surprising number are interested
in welfare work in Kentucky. Pi Beta
Phi maintains high school and
grade school specializing in handicraft,
near Gatlinburg, KY. Alpha XII Delta
takes part in the support Of school
at Carcassone, KY. Alpha Omicron Pi
includes among its several phiian-
thropies, support for the Frontier
Nursing project directed by Mrs. Mary
Breckenridge. Beta Sigma Omicron
assists in supporting the Pine Noun
tain School, also in Kentucky. Phi
Omega Pi contributes funds to be used
for the prevention of blindness among
indigent Kentucky families. Delta
Zeta co-operates in the support Of a
community center at Vest, KY.
i Forms of Philanthropy.
Other forms of sorority philan-
thropy are contributions to the Maine
eeacoast Mission made by Sigma
Kappa, aid in maintaining summer
camps given by Gamma Phi Beta
and Alpha Gamma Delta and scholar
ships raised for training teachers of
social work by Alpha Delta Phi Delta
Gamma aids work with the blind. Chi
Omega supplies milk for needy fam
lily throughout the year Alpha Chi
Omega gives children's parties at set
tlement houses and Kappa Delta con-
tributes its funds to the support of
six beds and a dental clinic in the
Crippled Children's Hospital at Rich
lnond, Va.
: Many of the groups also support
scholarships and fellowships for COL
lege students and graduates.
Among the many well-known So
fority women who have lived in WASH
ington, or are living here now. are
Mrs Calvin Coolidge, ri Beta Phi;
Mrs. Herbert Hoover, Kappa Kappa
Gamma; Mrs. Ruth Bryan Rohde,
Delta Gamma; Mrs. Henry Wallace.
Delta Delta Delta; Mrs. John Boet-
tiger, Alpha Phi; Mrs. Arthur Van
denberg, Delta Gamma; Mrs Emil
Hurja. Delta Delta Delta, and Mrs.
Roberta Campbell Lawson, Alpha
Delta Theta.
Il X
- More than 300 children were out
ihtted and 286 were provided with