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→The Early Years (Excerpted from The Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity History: 1870-1976)
==The Early Years (Excerpted from The Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity History: 1870-1976)==
In June of 1928, the trustees of Denison University at Granville, Ohio gave permission to the local sororities to petition the nationals. Kappa Phi, the oldest local on campus was allowed first selection of a national sorority and chose Kappa Kappa Gamma. The petition was granted in November, 1929, with installation planned for December 6.
Kappa Phi, at the time of petitioning, was 31 years old and, according to Baird's Manual, the second oldest local sorority in the United States. Kappa Phi was founded in 1898 by six girls of Shepardson College (the women's college, distinct from Denison at that time) who wished to form a "closer bond for friendship and mutual benefit." For a year the local sorority existed sub-rose, meeting outdoors and keeping minutes in cipher. Kappa Phi flourished from its beginning, designing a badge, writing songs, and composing brief but dignified rituals for initiation and chapter meetings.
In 1901 the Denison trustees gave Kappa Phi and Chi Psi Delta (which later became Kappa Alpha Theta) official recognition as campus organizations. The Kappa Phis immediately presented an informal petition for membership to Kappa, their first and only choice among women's national fraternities. Shortly thereafter, learning that national affiliations were being contemplated, and believing it better to maintain the status quo, the university trustees forbade such affiliations. This ban was renewed several times until it was finally lifted in June, 1928.
Denied the opportunity to become a part of Kappa, the Kappa Phis contented themselves with establishing a place of leadership on the Denison campus. Feeling the need for a house of their own to take the place of rooms which they were renting in town, the 40 active and alumnae members of Kappa Phi raised the money necessary to purchase a lot on Cherry Street. For the purpose of owning property, Kappa Phi Sorority was incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio in 1905. Fortunately at that time Mr. John S. Jones, uncle of two of the Kappa Phis and interested in seeing the girls prove themselves as good business women, loaned them the money necessary to build a lodge on the lot they had purchased. The loan was to be paid in regular yearly payments over a ten-year period. At the end of the eighth year Mr. Jones was so impressed with the way the girls had met their obligation that he generously canceled the notes for the remaining two years.
The new house was completed in the fall of 1906, the first sorority house at Denison. The attractive white frame lodge served as the center of chapter activity and site of social affairs for the members, who all lived in college dormitories. It was known as the "wee white house."
The local group maintained a strong alumnae association, published a biennial bulletin which went to all alumnae, and held annual June reunions. From time to time the Kappa Phis reopened the question of national affiliation with the college trustees and maintained their deep interest in Kappa Kappa Gamma. During this period the first Panhellenic Association was formed among the three locals and rules were established for rushing and bidding.
Finally, when the ban against national sororities was removed, Gamma Omega Chapter was installed by Florence Tomlinson (Myers, Wallace), Gamma Theta- Drake, Fraternity registrar; and Clara O. Pierce, Beta Nu- Ohio State, executive secretary; assisted by members of Beta Nu, Ohio State, and Rho Deuteron, Ohio Wesleyan. One notable aspect of the installation was the initiation of nearly half of the 300 alumnae members of Kappa Phi. Altogether some 200 of these alumnae have become members of Kappa, through additional initiation ceremonies. Marian Handy (Anderson), Gamma Kappa- William and Mary, served as co-organizer (equivalent of graduate counselor) to assist the new chapter.
The transition from Kappa Phi to Kappa Kappa Gamma was easier because of the many common goals and ideals the members of each shared. Perhaps the most serious problem was indicated by one of the newly installed Gamma Omegas who was heard to muse wistfully, "How do you ever suppose I'll get the pin holes in my dress to go across instead of up and down!"
By 1930, there were four other NPC fraternities: Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Delta Delta, and Alpha Phi. Later Dela Gamma, Alpha Omicron Pi, Pi Beta Phi, and Alpha Chi Omega were granted charters at Denison as the number of women students increased.
The advent of national sororities on the Denison campus brought changes to sorority life. Pledging, which had not taken place until the beginning of the student's sophomore year, was moved back to the freshman year as the groups experimented with different rushing systems. The number of chapter members more than doubled over the years from under thirty at the time of installation.
By 1931, the little Kappa lodge had become too small for the growing chapter, and a major remodeling project greatly increased the floor space. Well aware that even this enlargement would not serve indefinitely, the trustees of the alumnae association, aided by the generosity of Jean Moore Montgomery, eventually acquired a choice lot on Broadway at the entrance to Sorority Circle. Construction of the present Kappa house was begun in 1950, with the aid of a loan from the Fraternity, and in the spring of 1952 Gamma Omega moved into its new home, built of Williamsburg rose brick with white trim. Even this house proved inadequate to accommodate the growing membership. In 1964 a large chapter and recreation room, kitchen, powder room and porch were added. The house serves the important function of unifying a chapter whose members are scattered throughout six separate college dormitories.
Many Gamma Omega traditions have their roots in the local sorority, but some have been established since the installation of the chapter. Incorporated into formal pledging and into the ceremony of the initiation banquet are some of Kappa Phi's traditions; many of the old songs are still sung in the chapter, with only slight alterations. Active-alumnae relations are kept warm and friendly by several annual events: the buffet supper at which the pledges are entertained by Newark-Granville alumnae and, in turn, present entertainment for their hostesses; the senior breakfast with the seniors as guest of the alumnae, an occasion for their induction into the ranks of Kappa alumnae; the initiation breakfast, when local alumnae entertain initiates immediately after the ceremony; the Christmas party at which the actives are hostesses to the Newark-Granville alumnae and both present gifts to the Kappa house.
Yearly chapter events include the Dad's Day luncheon, with a luncheon taking place simultaneously for Kappa mothers who accompany Kappa dads to the campus, and the May Day-Mothers' Weekend with its luncheon honoring mothers. Kappa enjoys social events with other sororities in a variety of ways. For example, for many years the Kappa-Delta Gamma touch football game has brought enthusiastic rooters to the field on a fall Saturday morning and exhausted players and supporters back to the Kappa house afterwards for food and fun. The Kappas and Pi Phis join for the Monmouth Duo each spring, and usually at least one other major party a year is held jointly with another group.
A long list of Gamma Omega May Queens, Homecoming Queens, Adytum (Denison's yearbook) Queens, and Military Ball Queens gives evidence of the fact that Denison Kappas combine beauty with brains. In fact, even the Kappas themselves were impressed when Kappa queens reigned supreme from Homecoming to Junior Prom to May Day in 1954-55.
Denison Kappas have had as their particular social service project the entertainment of children from the Newark Children's Home. Kappas regularly go to the home for games and story-telling or bring some of the children to Granville to attend football and basketball games or to be entertained at the Kappa house. Kappas also aid in other service projects sponsored by the Denison Christian Association.
Scholastically, Denison Kappas have usually rated near the top, although it is difficult to try to maintain or to top the record established by the chapter in 1959 when six Kappas were elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Gamma Omega has been hostess for the Gamma Province Convention several times since it first entertained other chapters in the provinces with fear and trembling in 1932, just three years after its installation. In June of 1948 the Kappa Jubilee, a reunion to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Kappa Phi, was a rousing success, bringing about 75 Kappas back for a three-day stay on campus.
Many Kappas have served and continue to serve Denison from positions of leadership in campus organizations such as Denison Campus Government, Denison Christian Association, WRA, Mortar Board, Crossed Keys (junior honorary), publication staffs, Denison Theatre, and deparmental clubs and honoraries. Each year Kappas are among those chosen as junior advisers in freshman dormitories.
Members of Gamma Omega who have won Graduate Counselor Scholarships are: Rebecca Galloway (Clark), 1940-41; Margery Lawrence (Hetherington) 1948-49; Martha Jones (Phillips), 1949-50; Jessie Pflager, 1974-75. Martha Jones became a field secretary the year after she had gone to Delta Beta, as a graduate counselor.
In 1971 faced with the problem of not being able to find a new house director, Gamma Omega asked for and received permission to allow two senior girls to occupy the housemother's apartment and fulfill her duties. The chapter was the first to try this practice and found it to work well with the assistance of local alumnae. Gamma Omega was also first to submit a plan to the Fraternity Council for liquor privileges in the house after passage of the new policy at the 1974 Convention. The chapter was always been eager to accept new responsibility.
In an academic atmosphere where there is keen competition and a living situation that sometimes makes it easier to know one's suitemates better than one's sorority sisters, Kappa Kappa Gamma fills the need for lasting friendships, provides a place for development of the individual's talents and distinctiveness, and serves as a home where its members find stimulation, loyalty, and understanding during their college days.
== '''History''' ==
