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'''Some of Delta Chapter’s Outstanding Alumnae:'''
'''Fraternity Officers:'''
==The Early Years==
Delta is the oldest continous Chapter in Kappa Kappa Gamma, and her history is in part of the history of the National Fraternity. The environment of Delta always favored the prosperity and growth of the Chapter, located at a state university, where broader, more tolerant policies prevailed. Delta very early assumed a rank of influence in the Fraternity. The Fraternity is indebted to the records of Delta concerning the early forms of the Constitution and Standing Rules, as well as to the less formal documents the earliest alumnae have been able to furnish in the search for Kappa’s early historical data.
Alpha Chapter’s influence in the extending the Fraternity was unfortunately limited to a brief span of years. Therefore, it may be said that Delta Chapter is the chief cornerstone upon which the Fraternity has been built. Today, it still holds the title of oldest continuing Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
It was early in the autumn of 1872 that two young girls at Indiana University formed a small group and applied to Alpha Chapter for a charter in Kappa Kappa Gamma. Lena Margaret Adams and Anna Mary Buskirk invited four other girls to join them: Lillie Buskirk, Ida Woodburn, Agnes and Louise Wylie, all of Bloomington. This group constituted the Founders of Delta Chapter. The name of Anna McCord also appears on the charter.
A letter written by Ida Woodburn-McMillan, ‘’Delta’’, says the following:
''“In regard to the organization of Delta, Mrs. Anna Buskirk Hill and Mrs. Lena Adams Beck were the real organizers and I was ‘taken in’ later. There was a Mr. O. G. Brockett, now a minister in the United Presbyterian church, who took his freshman year at Indiana University, and his remaining three years at Monmouth, graduating in 1875. The girls wrote to him about the fraternities at Monmouth, knowing there were two there, Kappa and I.C. Sorosis, now Pi Beta Phi. He wrote them that the Kappas had the ‘nicest girls’ and have them Anna Willits’ name, and she and Anna Buskirk did all the corresponding. After they completed all of their arrangements, they decided on the other girls for their Chapter.”''
At the time, the young girls did not travel about unattended with the freedom and frequency that are privileges of the modern woman. Therefore, no members came from Alpha Chapter to install the new Chapter. All arrangements were made by letter, and the initiation was conducted by the same means. Great caution was observed in this correspondence to safeguard the secrets of the order. The oath was sent to Delta in cipher, followed by the key to the cipher. Then the Greek words and the Greek motto were transmitted in the same manner.''
Anna Buskirk writes of the event as follows:
''“When Delta was organized, the whole procedure was very primitive. An oath was sent to us in cipher, --later a ‘key’ followed. After deciphering it, we signed it and returned it to Alpha. Then the Greek words of the name and motto were sent in cipher. Imagine the joy of untangling Greek words by cipher! The charter cost us $1.00 also. Kappa Alpha Theta was established at IU some time before Kappa, and the chapter was composed of older girls or women. Our charter members were girls of sixteen and seventeen.”… “In spite of the strength, age, and experience of Theta, we were at once recognized as a power in college life, and were very successful in gaining positions and honors. We assessed ourselves ten cents each a month for entertaining. This does not imply that Delta entertained in a mean way, for we gave some elaborate functions but there was always someone ready to pay the bills.” … “Kappa’s Record speaks of ‘dominant Delta,’ and I do think Delta’s strength and influence at this time should be given greater notice, for the whole organization as it came to us was very simple.”''
Naturally, enough matters moved somewhat slowly, as the letters from Alpha did not always arrive promptly. Although since October that had been frequent meetings of the group, the first official business meeting of the Chapter was not held until January 2, 1873. This meeting was held at the home of Ida Woodburn, and Anna Buskirk was elected as first president of the Chapter. On February 4, 1873, the girls appeared wearing their badges for the first time in public.
The so-called ''Red Book,'' which contains the minutes of the first and subsequent meetings down to December 1889, is one of the most treasured possessions of Delta Chapter. It is a large, heavy ledger, handsomely bound in leather, with the letters KKΓ stamped in gold on the cover. The book is well preserved, as it is now located in the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives in Columbus, Ohio. The ink of the earlier entries is brown and faded with age, but it is still legible. These pages constitute a priceless record of the early meetings besides shedding illumination upon the life and interest of the college woman during that time period. Yet, if at times the Delta members seemed to take themselves seriously, it is plainly written between the lines of the ''Red Book'' that they were, after all, perfectly normal, fun loving girls; as the entry reads: “all members were present this evening, and it was with great difficulty that the president preserved order.”
The early members of Delta Chapter were young girls, sixteen and seventeen years of age. They were of keen intelligence and aware of the advantages afforded to them by the opportunity to secure a college education, then a newly acquired privilege of the women of the state. It was only five years previous to the founding of the Chapter that the Board of Trustees had granted admission of women to the university. It was by the narrow margin of four votes to three that the doors were opened to women in 1868, and Indian University was the first state university in the Union to take this revolutionary step.
In their weekly meetings, held at the home of the various members, emphasis was placed upon the literary programs. Essays, declamations, debates, and select readings occupied most of the time. Certain members were appointed to criticize the performances. During these years, the literary clubs in college played an important part in Greek letter life, particularly the one for women called The Hesperian. Delta had a by-law to the effect that all performances which were to be given in public, in oratorical contests, should be rehearsed previously in Chapter meetings where they were listened to attentively and criticized when necessary. The subjects chosen for essays were diverse and comprehensive. At one time, the Chapter seriously contemplated the writing of the constitution and initiatory service in Greek, but this ambitious project was abandoned.
The girls paid one dollar for their charter, and their initiation fee was also one dollar. Members were assessed ten cents a month for chapter expenses. The initiation fee remained one dollar until September, 1891, when it was increased to five dollars.
It was the anti-fraternity legislation which crippled the life of Alpha Chapter, despite all the loyalty and ambition of the brave young founders. It was not strange, therefore, that the reins of the government and the power of greater influence fell from the hands of Alpha to Delta in the Convention of 1876. Delta was the Grand Chapter from 1876 to 1878.
In October, 1876, a general Fraternity meeting was convened in Greencastle, Indiana, under the auspices of Iota Chapter. This Convention, commonly called the second, really was the first Convention of the Fraternity. Anna Buskirk, ‘’Delta’’, presided as Grand President. Only a handful of young, inexperienced girls met, totally ignorant of parliamentary law. They must have been divinely guided, for now they began to realize the meaning of the Fraternity in its deeper, truer sense. At that Convention, the Constitution and By-Laws were practically reconstructed and an initiation ceremony, offered by Delta, was adopted.
The minutes of September 6, 1878, record the vote to have a monthly paper called ''The Golden Key''. Not to be confused with the official publication of the Fraternity, it was on February 7, 1879, before “The Kappas listened with sisterly pride” to the first number. The ''Spectator'', a term paper, contributed by all of the girls, was first issued in January, 1884. Its appearance became an established practice with Delta Chapter.
In 1881, Delta has the honor of entertaining the fourth National Convention, held in nearby French Lick. Delta selected and proposed the two blues for the Fraternity colors, and they were accepted nationally. These colors are typical of the “true blue” character and noble womanhood of Kappa. Delta’s design for the Fraternity official seal was also accepted.
Individual members of Delta wrote several songs which are still in the Kappa Song Book. ''Knocking Song,'' has stood the test of time, as has the ''Greeting Song.'' Members of Delta Chapter helped install Iota and Mu Chapters, their Indiana neighbors.
==Highlights of the 1910s:==
Delta has outgrown her living quarters several times over the years. The first Chapter house was rented in 1892. In 1912, a Chapter house was purchased, and the final payment was made on the property in 1919. In this same year, the Chapter was awarded the Scholarship Cup by the Panhellenic Association.
==Highlights of the 1920s:==
In July, 1922, Delta Chapter realized that she had outgrown her home again. Backed by a loyal body of alumnae, Delta set out to build a new castle. The new home was ready for its homecoming by Thanksgiving, 1925. It is of English Gothic architecture in light brick and stone. Standing on a hill, one hundred feet back from the street, it makes an imposing appearance. The house was built, furnished, and landscaped at the cost of eighty thousand dollars.
A number of traditions had grown, including four social events—a fall dance during the football season, a lovely “Snowball Formal” at the end of Christmas vacation, a costume of feature dance put on by the new members before spring vacation, and a spring rush formal in May. The “Snowball Formal” was the most elaborate, and always followed the same decorative scheme—the reception hall dripping with silver icicles, and a huge snowball, which was shattered during the evening to release myriads of tiny snowballs with which the dancers pelted one another.
During the spring semester of 1929, a scholarship banquet was instituted at the suggestion Virginia Rodefer, former National Vice-President and national scholarship chairman, who was present at the first banquet. Guests of honor are the four girls whose names are engraved on the four loving cups, one for each of the classes, as having the highest average for the preceding semester, and the active with the highest average, who wore the scholarship key of Delta.
The scholarship key has an interesting history. It is a beautiful old key, of the period when the badge was exceptionally large and thin, which belonged to a member of Epsilon Chapter. It was rescued from a sale after the death of its owner, Nellie Baldwin, ''Indiana'', of Greenfield, Indiana. Mrs. Beck bought the key from Mrs. Baldwin and presented it to Delta as a scholarship award. The first awarding was made during the visit of National President, Georgia Hayden, “Wisconsin”, in 1928. She also presented the Chapter with a golden “Delta” guard to make the heirloom safe.
At the Commencement of 1929 Lena Adams Beck, Delta’s beloved charter member, was given one of the highest honors ever accorded an alumna of Indian University. At the annual alumnae breakfast, an announcement was made of the establishment of the Lena Adams Beck scholarship loan fund, as a tribute to Mrs. Beck’s interest in the cause of education of women.
==Highlights of the 1930s:==
Convention Awards: 1936: Standards Cup
==Highlights of the 1940s:==
==Highlights of 1950s:==
In an article about Delta in ''The Key'', 1955, Dr. Herman B. Wells, then president of Indiana University, wrote about the Chapter’s traditionally high scholarship, its participation in extracurricular activities, and its leadership on campus. The associate dean of students mentioned Delta’s participation, cooperation, and spirit.
Convention Awards: 1954: Efficiency Cup
==Highlights of the 1960s:==
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==Highlights of the 1970s:==
Delta celebrated its centennial in October of 1972, which marked 100 years of leadership standing at Indiana University. Actives and alumnae joined over a year in advance to plan Delta’s 100th birthday. Centennial activities were reported in ''The Key'Housing:', Winter, 1972. At the banquet, a $3,000 scholarship in rehabilitation was presented by Marjorie Matson Converse, '' '''Philanthropy:''' '''Chapter Convention Awards:'Purdue'', then Vice-President of the Fraternity, on behalf of the Fraternity. It was accepted by John W. Ryan, president of Indiana University, who noted, “the integral function of Kappa Kappa Gamma has played in the history of this university.” Other gifts included $2,500 to the Indiana University Art Museum and $1,500 to the Department of Speech and Audiology.
The 1972 Convention, held in Hollywood, Florida, opened with a special tribute to Delta. At the close of Convention, the Chapter received the Pledge Training Award and the May Whiting Westermann Efficiency Award.
==2012==
'''Philanthropic Involvement:'''
Last spring we went to Rodgers Elementary School in Bloomington and read to some of the children there. We will also be doing that in the upcoming weeks. Kappa Kickoff was a flag football tournament hosted this past fall, and was a new event for Delta chapter. Since our big annual philanthropy event is always in the fall, we are brainstorming new ideas now, and figuring out whether we want to expand on Kappa Kickoff, or go with an entirely new idea. At our fall retreat, each member brought a book and we did a book drive for reading is fundamental. We will do another one this spring before the year ends. Members of the Delta chpater Chapter also participated in Indiana University Dance Marathon in October, helping to raise over $2,100,000 for Riley Children's Hospital.
'''Scholarships:'''
'''Challenges and How They Were Overcome:'''
We have been working toward improving our house GPA by holding kappa kappachino on Sundays which include snacks along with a set four hour period to do work in the formal dining room or the chapter room at Kappa. We have also worked toward improving our risk with a buddy system and maintaining a positive standards. When brought down to standards, girls are given a way to make their mistakes into a positive learning experience for the house as a whole. Girls are also called down to standards for various acheivements achievements or noticeably good behavior.
Another way that our chapter tried to overcome challenges that we faced last spring and fall was the Leadership Action Plan. Under this program, there were four different focus levels each coded by a different color. Yellow represented self discovery and intellectual development, red was interpersonal development, green included leadership and skill building, and blue represented understanding and appreciation of Kappa. During the spring semester, the color yellow's actions were to plan two academicaly academically focused chapters, to instate "Smarty-Pantsof Pants of the Week" to recognize academic achievements, and to plan a presentation at the beginning of the semester on Chapter Budget. Under the color red the plan included to reach out to local alumnae to help with our next recruitment, to host an alumni brunch, and to plan one large sisterhood event each month and small weekly activities. Under the color green, we worked to reorganize committees to mobilize members and enhance Delta's efficiency and have white board sign-ups for announcements at chapter. Finally, under the color blue, we conducted a ritual workshop at the beginning of the semester and reveiwed reviewed one piece of Kappa History or Ritual each chapter meeting.
For the fall semester of 2012, under the color yellow we planned a academically focused chapter that semester, provided assistance for members who are not staying academically focused, and emphasized academeics academics during recruitment by setting a standard GPA limit. For red, we reached out once again to local alumnae to help with our next recruitment, planned one large sisterhood event each month with small weekly activities, and held a recruitment oriented sophomore and junior bonding activity. For green, we worked to assiste assist the philanthropy chair in outlining ways to improve philanthropy project for next term and did a presentation on chapter motivation. Lastly, under the color bllueblue, we reviewed one piece of Kappa history or ritual at each chapter meeting. Under the Leadership Action Plan, we successfully overcame the challenges we were having extra difficulty with and we are continuing this effort to ensure the success of our chapter.
'''Initiation:'''