NPC "War Work" during World War I
 

World War I opened the doors to greater philanthropic efforts by the NPC groups. The war began in 1914 and although America did not enter it until 1917, the NPC magazines of that era tell about the hasty departures of members who were traveling or studying in Europe when the war started. There are also stories from members, including Zeta Tau Alpha’s Grand President, Dr. May Agness Hopkins, who went abroad to be of service in any way they could – as nurses, canteen workers, phone operators, and even at least one surgeon, Kappa Kappa Gamma Dr. Mary Crawford.

To read more:

http://circleofsisterhoodfoundation....res-our-cause/

Here is an article about DG's involvement in WWI from the January 1945 copy of the ANCHORA, our Fraternity magazine. - the involvement primarily included raising funds to help Belgium children and acquiring a house (known as the Delta Gamma house) in Holland, where "destitute and ailing children" were taken in. We also had sisters serving in France, Canada, and the US as nurses, red cross workers, interpreters, canteen workers, and reconstruction aides.

The fraternity magazines of the World War I era contain so much information. The men's magazines can be heartbreaking to read - stories from the front and obituaries of members lost. My favorite saga of that time is the effort undertaken by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, a Kappa Kappa Gamma. The war work efforts by the women's groups would make for a fascinating thesis or dissertation.

nyapbp, Thank you so much for this fascinating read. I completed a WWI history course last semester, so I fully understand what an impact these acts of kindness had on the people who were served.

I agree, that this would make an intriguing dissertation.

I "stole" this from our national website; I thought it was interesting!

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Stars in Our Service Flag
Delta Zeta's Service During World War I

World War I (1914-1918), the first major conflict to involve all of the world's great powers, brought Delta Zetas to the front with the United States' entry in 1917. Many alumnae were directly involved through Red Cross knitting units, purchasing Liberty Bonds and War Saving Stamps, and forming food conservation units. Others served with the Salvation Army Nursing units, many overseas. When the 1918 flu epidemic swept the country, they served as emergency nurses.

Americans learned that there were things they could live without. "Meatless, wheatless, heatless" became the watch words for the eight chapters whose members lived in chapter houses, as they joined thousands of others whose efforts supported those doing the actual fighting.

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Martha Railsback, DePauw - Delta, Grand President, whose war-related work left no time for Sorority business, resigned. During World War I, she worked for the Council of National Defense, a wartime organization that coordinated the work of state and local defense councils and women's organizations.


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Georgia Lee Chandler Hornung, Indiana - Epsilon, who would later serve as Delta Zeta's National Vice President, 1924-1926 and 1934-1936, traveled overseas with the National War Work Council under the Y.W.C.A. to serve the war effort in England, France, Germany and Spain. She also worked with the Rockefeller Foundation during this time, which, in 1918, provided more than $22 million in war relief efforts.


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Flora Ruth, Indiana - Epsilon, was the first Delta Zeta to die while serving as an army nurse in World War I.

Later, during World War II, Delta Zeta's Service Flag would become a regular feature in The LAMP, listing the names of members serving their country in a uniformed service.
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"Stars in Our Service Flag" is still a feature in every issue of our magazine, "The Lamp". I am so proud of my sisters who joined the War effort way back when and the ones who are active today as well!

[QUOTE=KillarneyRose;2201104]I "stole" this from our national website; I thought it was interesting!]

Thank you so much for the interesting info from DZ's web-site! Dr. May Agness Hopkins, Zeta Tau Alpha's National President, also volunteered. I wonder if there are other Grand Council members who went to serve (and at a time when women did not yet have the right to vote!).

I'd love to know that, too. I hope other GreekChatters have information on their sisters' service!

Know what else I'd love to know? If greek women were a higher percentage of those who served than (for lack of a better word) "regular" women?