|
Gamma's founding
In 1905, the Florida Legislature abolished six state supported schools and established two institutions, one for men – Univ. of FL in Gainesville and one for women – Florida State College in Tallahassee.
In 1908 when Chi Omega was installed there were 20 faculty members and 240 students.
Chi Omega was the second NPC to be installed. (first was KD in 1904)
In 1904 a local of five years standing, Beta Rho, was organized with the purpose of petitioning Chi Omega. Dane McNeil, son of Dr. McNeil who taught biology at Tallahassee and formerly at Arkansas (the same one who Allie Simonds illustrated the grasshopper book for – Allie also lived with the McNeils for awhile), directed the local – even helping them write their ritual. Dane’s mother was acquainted with all 5 Chi Omega founders. Mrs. McNeil used her influence and the charter was granted in 1908.
The installation was conducted by May Miller, S.N.V., on May 7, 1908.
The chapter’s first G.K.A., Nita Bradford, submitted the following comments to The Eleusis:
Dear Sisters,
We are so happy to be able to call you sisters, and we thank you for the hearty welcome you have given us.
The story, I suppose, is an old one to you. The anxiety, the hope, the doubt, and, finally, the overwhelming joy when the telegram came announcing our success in our long considered application for entrance into Chi Omega.
We were all invited to attend a feast of rejoicing at Mrs. McNeil’s and how delighted we were when we looked, for the first time, on a banquet table decorated in Cardinal and Straw! A few days later a crate of strawberries came from one of our old girls who could not be here.
We rejoice greatly at being at last in the Chi Omega sisterhood, and are happy to sign ourselves,
Fraternally yours,
Nita Bradford
In the fall 1908 issue of The Eleusis, here are portions of the details regarding the new chapter:
Dear Sisters in ΧΩ,
…We have a splendid new dormitory, called Bryan Hall. Upon the dormitory are two towers. In the plan of this building these tower rooms were reserved for the fraternities, the south tower belonging to ΚΔ, and the north tower to ΧΩ. The furnishing of our rooms was an interesting task. There are two rooms, an upper and a lower, connected by a winding stair. All the woodwork and the staircase are weathered oak, so Mission furniture was the obvious thing. The walls were green, and this, of course, had to be changed. So we had them colored Straw, just a shade darker than the ceiling. Around the top, as a border, we stenciled a Greek key design, every fifth square containing the monogram ΧΩ. When this had been done, the question of seating capacity presented itself, and we solved the problem by upholstering three boxes in Cardinal design. These make nice window seats and are fine as receptacles for all sorts of things…On the walls are pictures done by the girls, and photographs of the Fraternity, pennants being scattered around everywhere. Altogether, it is a most charming little place, and we shall enjoy its coziness especially, because we have done the work on it ourselves…
Yours fraternally,
Irita Bradford, G.K.A.
__________________
XΩ Alumna --45 Year member
ΦΑΘ Alumna
ΚΔΕ Alumna
|
Linear Mode
