Changes

Greek membership was very low at the University of Wisconsin in the early 1970s. During the Vietnam War, there were many campus protests, tear gassing, and riots. Sterling Hall was bombed and a physics professor killed in 1969. Members of Greek organizations did not wear their letters or badges in public. It was a time of campus unrest. Eta's House Mother was tear gassed on the front lawn of the Kappa House, forcing her to retire after many years. Eta hired Houses Parents for the first time and had a man living in the house. The first House Couple did not work out well, as the male tried to run tings not only for the house but also for the chapter. A second House Couple (Rick and Peggy Daluge) were hired in 1973 and quickly became Kappa favorites. They spent several years there. One of the best ideas was having a different chapter member each week sit down with the House Parents and the cook and help to prepare menus. Kappas were even allowed to bring their favorite recipes from home. For the few who chose to join sororities and fraternities, they found a safe haven.  Recruitment was held all during the school year with formal recruitment in both September and January. Informal recruitment was ongoing. In 1971, Kappa Kappa Gamma was down to 33 active members, and the beautiful large chapter house was forced to take on borders. Several other sororities had to shut down or sell their chapter houses and recruit from apartments. Pledge classes ranged from 1 member to about 8 members with informal pledges added as quickly as possible. Then Eta began to implement many of their recruitment ideas that Barbara Gerlinger brought from Miami University, and things began to turn around in 1973, and by . By the spring of 1974, Eta had 120 active members! Eta and the rest of the sororities left still on campus continued to strengthen and grow. The Sally Levis Gerlinger Scholarship was established for Eta sophomores by the Milwaukee Alumnae Association and the Parkinson/Levis/Gerlinger families in 1978.  In spite of the campus issues, Eta had two formals each year with pre-parties at local members' homes. The drinking age in Wisconsin was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1972, so things were different then. Buses were always hired for events, so that no one ever had to drive. Eta also held 2 "Activation" dances each year, Parents' Weekend celebrations, as well as many socials with different fraternities. In 1974 Eta and Theta Chi were partnered and won "Best Homecoming Float". They also hired a bus to take Kappas and Theta Chis to the University of Michigan for the Wisconsin/Michigan football game. All of the Eta women stayed overnight in the basement of the Beta Delta Chapter House of Kappa at the University of Michigan. Many fraternity pinnings and engagements were celebrated with Candle Passing circles! One memorable evening while Kappas were in the basement chapter room holding a meeting, the Betas snuck into the Kappa House and placed limburger cheese under the radiators and then let mice loose in the house! The screaming was unbelievable! Men were not allowed above the first floor, and they had to use a system of Morse Code (ex. long, short, short, long) on a buzzer to let the women know that they were there. Women did not have phones in their rooms, and there was a "House Phone". Pledges took turns being on phone duty in the "lemon room" to answer the phones and to find the Kappa being called.