1905 Songbook!!!!!
 

Hi Ladies,
So a sister's fiancee (sp) has me hooked on ebay so I can spend more money....ugh! BUT I got an Alpha Xi Delta songbook souvenir from the 1905 Third National Convention and I want to share some of these songs with you guys as they are completely new to me!!! I'll be sharing these over the course of a few days. I cannot find a date for the third convention, but the following chapters were in existance at the time...some are referenced in the songs...Alpha 1893, Beta 1902, Gamma 1903, Delta 1903, Epsilon 1903, Zeta 1904, Eta 1904 - these may have been around by convention..Theta, Iota and Kappa, all 1905.

OUR SORORITY
Air: "Lombard"
B.F. Stacy, Sigma Nu

1. There's a tie that binds us closely
To our dear Sorority,
In the classic halls of Lombard
Or wherever be may be;
Tis the tho't of loving friendships
Pure and honest, tried and true,
And the pleasant recollections
Centered round two shades of blue.

Chorus:
Let us greet the "Alpha Banner" banner with a
voice that's full and free,
Let our hearts be ever loyal to our cur dear
Sorority.

2. Let her many worthy daughters
For their Alma Mater stand,
And move ever on and upward
In one brave united band;
Let us ever guard her honor,
May it ever brighter be
and the name forever cherish
Of our dear old "Alpha Xi."

3. Let us gather round her alter
And again our vows renew,
Let us pledge our sacred honor
To each other to be true;
And whenever duty calls us,
May our friendships ever be
Pure as those now we cherish
In our dear Sorority.

I want to point out one telling item that could possibly date this song to pre-nationalization.....it references 2 shades of blue....no gold!!! Also, since it was written by a Sigma Nu, you can see his devotion in the song to Alpha chapter.

Here's another
 

ALPHA, STRONG AND TRUE
Air: Yankee Doodle
Ina Duncan, Beta Chapter

1. Of All the Greek sororities (It says Geek, typos then too!)
In all the halls of learning,
It's to our dear Alpha Xi
That every eye is turning.

Chorus:
Then here's to Alpha strong and true
Who proudly holds her station;
Here's to gold and double blue
The fairest in creation.

2. With others Greeks she took her place
Who did her far outnumber
And now our Alpha sets the pace,
We neither sleep nor slumber.

3. She ever stands for truth and right,
Sincerity and honor,
And with her motto in her sight,
Bright victory will crown her.

Alpha Delta
 

Hi All,
OK, here's another round. The interesting tidbit is that many of these songs reference Alpha Xi Delta as "Alpha Delta." I'm not sure if perhaps they took this from Pi Phi who was at Monmouth? I'm totally speculating, but that's the only thing I can think of...

A SONG OF PRAISE
Air: Teasing
Gamma Chapter

1. We sing with joy and praise,
And every Alpha's banner raise.
We stand united and ever true
To Alpha Xi Delta and the gold and blue.
Oh! let your voices ring,
And always truth and sunshine bring!
By our dear chapter let us stand,
And our truth and honor be known o'er
all the land.

CHORUS
Alpha Delta, by thy side we'll always stand!
Alpha Delta! thy fame is known thro' all
the land!
And we will always love and praise thee.
Alpha Delta, Alpha Delta we love thee,
Alpha Delta, we will ever loyal be.

2. Of oure chapter now we'll sing
And of peace and honor that it brings.
All the girls are staunch and brave
And the way for new chapters they will pave.
We love our sisters all,
And we see that Alpha does not fall.
We stand by it thro' danger and strife
And pledge to it a noble life.

THE TIES WHICH BIND
Air: Annie Laurie
Alpha Chapter

1. Strong are the ties which bind us
And the tender eyes are sweet,
Which within our royal chapter
Our glad hearts always greet,
Our glad hearts always greet,
Bright as the joy they give
And for dear old Alpha Delta,
We shall ever proudly live.

2. Our chapter is the dearest,
Our rose is sweet and fair,
To keep our name unsullied
Shall be our fondest care,
Shall be our fondest care,
Pure as the heaven above,
And to dear old Alpha Delta
We shall give our sweetest love.

3. With the balm of tenderness resting
On all bitter pain and strife,
Here we pledge to Alpha Delta
A brave and noble life,
A brave and noble life,
Which ever shall be true,
And for dear old Alpha Delta
We shall wear the gold and blue.

Goat?!?!?
 

THE ALPHA GOAT
Air: Mary Had A Little Lamb
Gamma Chapter

1. Alpha has a nanny goat, nanny goat, nanny goat,
Alpha has a nanny goat and she feeds it well.

CHORUS
Whoop te doodle doodle do, doodle do, doodle do,
Whoop te doodle doodle do and she feeds it well.

2. Just a year ago tonight, go tonight, go tonight,
Just a year ago tonight I took that awful ride.

3. It took me up the mountain top, mountain top, mountain top,
It took me up the mountain top and down the other side.

4. In Galesburg, Ill, so I've been told, I've been told, I've been told,
Alpha Xi Delta started out three colors to unfold.

5. To Iowa state she made her way, made her way, made her way,
To Iowa State she made her way and settled there to stay.

6. Eastward then she turned her eyes, turned her eyes, turned her eyes,
Eastward then she turned her eyes and Mt. Union won a prize.

7. Bethany College then joined the crowd, joined the crown, joined the crowd,
Bethany College then joined the crowd and of Delta we are proud.

8. Out on the windy western plain, western plain, western plain,
Out on the windy western plain a chapter she did gain.

9. Back to the Buckeye state once more, state once more, state once more,
Back to the Buckeye state once more and found Alphas true to the core.

10. Way up north in Syracuse, Syracuse, Syracuse,
Way up north in Syracuse, the frats she does abuse.

11. In the Badger State our war cry's heard, war cry's heard, war cry's heard,
In the Badger State our war cray's heard and Alpha Xi Delta's the word.

12. Not an Iota of Spirit less, spirit less, Spirit less
Not an Iota of spirit less in North Virginia, you may guess.

Okay, I don't know what a goat has to do w/ anything...but I like the song! It's cute!

Don't forget -- Pi Phi was also at Lombard, so that's probably all they knew.

That's true! I hadn't thought about that!