Flowers and Colors

[SWTXBelle]

From The Legacy of Gamma Phi Beta (pg.318)
"The Tradition dearest to the hearts of members, and the one most distinictive to Gamma Phi Beta, has been that of Peanuts and Olives - which has even inspired a Sorority song! The tradition has dictated that chapters serve these two foods at events. . . As has been common for all traditions, much folklore has evolved surrounding the start of this practice. . . all these explanations have centered around an alleged social event scheduled at Alpha Chapter.
FOLKLORE #1 - has a meal - sometimes considered a rush meal, sometimes considered a meal in celebration of some occasion - that consists of a colorful spread, with the best china and silver used. The members set out the spread, then move outside to run some errands (or, based on the version, to visit some friends). I n their absence, some members of one of the local fraternities break in to the house, then eat the spread, with the exception of the peanuts and olives. The members find these sole remnants of the food theft on their return to the house.
FOLKLORE #2 - has a calm afternoon at the house. Some local friends (male or female, depending on the version) call on the members,who, of course, want to offer them refreshments. When one memberr checks the cupboards, however, she finds them bare but for the peanuts and olives. Her intuitive hostess sense tells her to make the most of the situation, so she serves these two items with the silver and in a most gracious manner.
FOLKLORE #3 - has an informal rush event scheduled, in which some members have invited friends to attend. One of the newer members is to oversee the refreshments for the event, which she intends to do - until she becomes so occupied with school work . . . that she does not remember to shop. A few minutes before the arrival of the rushees,she realizes her omission and rushes to the cupboards, where she finds the peanuts and olives. As she serves, she acts as if those were the intended treats all the time. "
As an aside, my chapter told the story that the Alpha Phis broke into the house while the Gamma Phis were conducting initiation, and stole everything but the peanuts and olives. (!)
Alas for the creative folklore - our founder Adeline Curtis and first initiate Clara Worden Wilcox told the real story in the June 1908 edition of The Crescent -"The banquets of the early days were very differrent from the twentieth century function. . . Eva Seymour '85 invited Alpha to what she termed a 'chocolatetaire'. It is easy to imagine that chocolate in many forms was served. A few weeks later another member entertained the chapter informally. It so happened that one of the features of the refreshments was peanuts and olives. This function the guests dubbed a 'peanutetaire'. The combination so captivated the fancy or the appetitite of these college women that they straightway adopted the peanut and olive spread as one of the features of their informal gatherings."

Now my question is, why not adopt the 'chocolatetaire'????

So there you go- more than you ever wanted to know about Gamma Phi and our peanuts and olives.