History

	History

	Founders

Anna Allen Smith 1870-1933
Always interested in music from earliest childhood, she was the youngest student to do advanced work at the School of Music at DePauw graduating when she was nineteen. She was a brilliant accompanist, an accomplished performer and a successful teacher in the School of Music for 10 years.

Olive Burnett Clark 1867-1956
Olive attended Indiana Asbury University and taught for two years while carrying on her studies. To quote her, “I have found no greater happiness in my life than in Alpha Chi Omega. All I have ventured to give toward the upbuilding and uplifting of our fraternity has been from the depths of my heart, and has been repaid in thousand-fold by my girls. I believe fraternity life to be a vital influence for good. I believe fraternity spirit to be the Spirit of Youth, Love, and an understanding of all things beautiful and sacred in life. This much has Alpha Chi Omega given to me; it has taught me my Faith in God, Faith in all Mankind, and Faith in my Girls everywhere.”

Bertha Deniston Cunningham 1869-1950
Bertha was musically talented and her parents thought it best that she continue her studies in the School of Music at DePauw. She had to play for Dean Howe to determine how advanced she was. She soon grew to be the envy of all the music students because of her remarkable ability to compose. Hers is the only one of the five original badges that is in existence today. It is on display at Alpha Chi Omega Headquarters. She was an accomplished performer and a successful teacher in the School of Music for 10 years.

Amy Dubois Reith 1868-1915
Amy was only 15 when she entered DePauw University. She studied both voice and piano. She was selected to sing important roles several times but all the honor and attention did not spoil her. She had a quiet and straightforward manner which endeared her to all. Her influence endured long after she left to teach music in Kansas.

Nellie Gamble Childe 1867-1960
Nellie studied piano from an early age and after much deliberation chose DePauw University. She was known for her gentle voice and manner, but was described as having a quiet influence for good. She reflected on Alpha Chi Omega as having a small beginning, but loyal girls with high standards who have achieved marvelous results.

Bessie Grooms Keenan 1866-1920
Bessie was one of three Greencastle girls among the founders. She was a small child when she began her study of music and was an accomplished pianist by the time she entered DePauw. Her daughter, Hannah, eventually became the Director of the Central Office for Alpha Chi Omega to see her mother’s dream continue.

Estelle Leonard 1860-1955
Estelle entered DePauw with the ambition of learning music as a means of livelihood. Most of her time was spent practicing or studying. She served as Dean Howe’s secretary for two years. She graduated in 1891 and taught in colleges in the area. Some of her compositions were published. She returned to Indianapolis to live out the remainder of her life, and always maintained her unbounded enthusiasm for Alpha Chi Omega.

The Founding of Alpha Chi

Alpha Chi Omega was founded on October 15, 1885 at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Professor James Hamilton Howe, Dean of the Music School, met with seven young women from the school with the purpose of forming a society. The seven women chosen were Anna Allen Smith, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard.

A Constitution and bylaws were drafted, the fraternity's name, colors, flower, and motto were chosen, the first pledges were selected, and their badge was designed.

The purpose of Alpha Chi Omega is to encourage the true spirit of sisterhood, to develop through personal effort a high moral and mental standard. Alpha Chi Omega offers lifetime membership to its members, experience in self-government, encouragement to develop to the fullest potential as an educated woman, acquaintance with many avenues of service to others, and high standards.

Alpha Chi Omega's Founders chose "Alpha," the first letter of the Greek alphabet, because they were forming the first fraternity in the school of music. Since they thought they might also be founding the last such fraternity, "Omega" seemed appropriate. "Kai," meaning "and," was added to form the beginning and the end. "Kai" was soon changed to "Chi," a letter of the Greek alphabet.

Alpha Chi's Open Motto is "Together let us seek the heights."


	Our Prized Symbols

Our Badge

The Lyre of Alpha Chi Omega was chosen by our founders after much research. James G. Campbell (an undergraduate member of Beta Theta Pi, who acted as librarian for DePauw's School of Music) made numerous drawings of possible badge designs. The one they decided upon was the replica of the harp because it stayed true to their musical interest. The founders were also delighted to find that according to Greek mythology the first instrument played by the gods on Mt. Olympus was a lyre! The original badge was purchased by Founder Bertha Deniston and is in the Fraternity archives at Headquarters.

Our Stick Pin

The stick pin, which is worn with the lyre badge, is diamond-shaped with the top half enameled in scarlet red and the bottom in olive green. It features a lyre across its face.

		Our Coat of Arms The coat of arms includes a square shield, a crest, and a scroll. The shield is red, cut by a bar of olive green. The first section of the shield displays an open book in gold; at the base is a sheaf of wheat, also in gold. The bar has three white stars. The crest, a lyre bird, is in its natural color. The scroll at the bottom bears the Greek translation of our open motto, “Together let us seek the heights.”

	Our Flower Alpha Chi Omega's flower is the red carnation, exemplifying the Fraternity's colors.

		Our Colors Alpha Chi Omega's colors of olive green and scarlet red were chosen to commemorate the Fraternity’s autumn founding in Greencastle, Indiana.

	Our Symphony
	To see beauty even in the common things of life to shed the light of love and friendship round me to keep my life in tune with the world that I shall make no discords in the harmony of life to strike on the lyre of the universe only the notes of happiness, of joy, of peace to appreciate every little service rendered to see and appreciate all that is noble in another be her badge what it mayand to let my lyre send forth the chords of love, unselfishness, sincerity. This is to be my symphony. *By Celia McClure*