Chi Omega - Kansas State University

Fall 2014 Newsletter

Kappa Alpha Chapter of Chi Omega Fraternity at Kansas State University

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Χ Ω The Cardinal and Straw Keeping Close with Kappa Alpha Fall 2014 Jean Underwood Robinson '38 Growing up in a small Kansas town, I was an only child. Joining Chi Omega gave me a wonderful opportunity to experience a community of sisters, a sisterhood that carried me through a lifetime. My most memorable college moment was being elected by the student body to become the first Homecoming queen at K-State! Janora Grove Plumb '42 I'm almost 92 years old, graduated in 1943. That's a lot of years gone by! Back then we were not allowed to wear slacks on campus. Why that was I do not know. Since that was during the war years, our group did our "war duty" by helping to entertain the troops. I recall that we were asked to a couple of dances at the Fort Riley Officers Club with the units stationed there, which of course we enjoyed. So, since I was song leader of the Chapter, we put together a show for them later. We loved our Owl Hoots and had some good voices so we did some. I remember we knew the "Hawaiian War Chant" words so we did that with an accompanying hula dancer; she was great! That was also the time that the troops were housed on campus and we could see and hear them drilling most of the time. It was a unique experience to go through that period of time. Mary Riddle Patterson '46 I have such wonderful memories of my time in Chi Omega at K-State. We learned so much from our sisters and were always made aware of the importance of being ladies. Our housemother, Mother Groody, grew up in the South and served as a wonderful example. One of my fondest memories was taking her to church and dinner on Sundays. I remember it always being so much fun there! There was an annual event called the Y Orpheum, a talent show where fraternities and sororities put on skits, danced, sang, etc. The Chi O's were singing "Dancing in the Dark." I donated a beautiful silk net dress with a full skirt to my friend Blythe Taylor '45 to wear as she danced with her partner (and future husband). The skirt had tiny lights sewn through it, and attached to Blythe's hands and palm were small buttons that, when pressed lightly would allow the lights to twinkle as she danced. As we were singing behind the curtain while they danced, we suddenly heard the audience gasp and call out. As we peeked from behind the curtain, we saw that when her partner dipped her, she clutched her hands so tightly that the entire dress lit up! We won 1st prize! Another memory is of a Homecoming game when we played KU. The fraternity we were partnered with came up with the theme of "Watch Cow College Give KU the Bird!" We built a mechanical cow that when the ropes were pulled from the barn window of our house on Laramie the cow would kick the Jayhawk in our front lawn! I made the cow's head from mud and paper mache in our basement. Mary has three Chi Omega daughters, two Chi O granddaughters, and her Aunt Ruby Phillips Bramwell, Lambda 1905, traveled from KU in 1915 to help with the installation of our Kappa Alpha Chapter! She also remembers one of our charter members, Dr. Mary Hartman, coming to dinners when she was a collegian. Marcia Marie Throckmorton Wright '49 It was in late '30s or early '40s and I remember a garden party, all were there in floor length pastel gowns— floating to my eyes—in our shady backyard and around the fish pond at 825 Houston. There was punch and heavenly sweets. My sister, Celeste Jane Throckmorton Logan '38, was a member and then I became a pledge and active in 1949-50 as a junior transfer. My pledge mother was Cynthia Morrish Casebolt '48. Many years later I got a phone call from her. "I knew you were alive." Cynthia tracked me down! We moved many times and when possible I met some great Chi Omegas in Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. It is easy to spot the gracious ladies without a badge in sight. At this time I live in a retirement set-up; yes Chi O's are here also. Jo Schwanke Heinz '68 Sharing rooms was such an experience, like the day one of our sisters who was smoking (yes, we did have a smoking wing back then) and teasing her hair. When she used the can of hairspray, her hair caught on fire. We covered her immediately in a towel and did minimize any injury, but the smell of burning hair was really memorable. I also recall the critical studying for finals as getting top grades was your key to room selections. Everyone wanted to be in a position to choose their room and their roommate, and of course if you landed a 4.0 the possibility existed you could be in a room all by yourself. The ultimate payback for great grades. And then there was the barbequed brisket that was the highlight of our week. Our chef delighted sisters and houseboys alike with this amazing recipe. When you smelled that amazing fragrance coming from the kitchen, no one missed dinner on those nights. Memories through the Decades Sisters Share Treasured Experiences from Their Kappa Alpha Days (Continued on page 2) Homecoming Queen Jeanne Underwood and her retinue.

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