CHAPTER HISTORY
History of Omicron Chapter
of
Alpha Beta State
of
Delta Kappa Gamma
1960 – 1966
of
Alpha Beta State
of
Delta Kappa Gamma
1960 – 1966
Omicron Chapter, of Alpha Beta State, of Delta Kappa Gamma was organized on Saturday, June 4, 1960 at Gambrill State Park, Frederick County. The organization was an outgrowth of the division of Gamma Chapter into three chapters on a geographical basis. Carroll County members of Gamma made up the new chapter membership of Omicron.
The seventeen charter members included:
Clara Cox – Elementary Teacher, Baltimore County
Ruth Devore – Supervisor, Carroll County
Mrs. Mildred Harris – Home Economics, Carroll County
Mrs. Helen Hoffman – Guidance, Baltimore County
Helen Howery – Dean of Women, Western Maryland College
Mrs. Mary Hunter – Music Education, Peabody Conservatory
Mrs. Leone LaMotte – Elementary Teacher, Baltimore County
Mrs. Ruth Maus – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Margaret Murray – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Mrs. Emma Myers – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Mrs. Elizabeth Peregoy – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Mrs. Urith Shipley – Guidance, Baltimore County
Mrs. Mabel Shoff – French Teacher, Carroll County
Virginia Troxell – Guidance
Mary Weagley – Retired Elementary
Dr. Levinia Wenger – Notre Dame, School of Education
One honorary member, Mrs. Eugenia Culwell (initiated April 1959) was included in Omicron’s
membership from our Gamma division.
B. Ella Copes, State Executive Secretary assisted in the ceremony of the organization.
Clara Cox – Elementary Teacher, Baltimore County
Ruth Devore – Supervisor, Carroll County
Mrs. Mildred Harris – Home Economics, Carroll County
Mrs. Helen Hoffman – Guidance, Baltimore County
Helen Howery – Dean of Women, Western Maryland College
Mrs. Mary Hunter – Music Education, Peabody Conservatory
Mrs. Leone LaMotte – Elementary Teacher, Baltimore County
Mrs. Ruth Maus – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Margaret Murray – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Mrs. Emma Myers – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Mrs. Elizabeth Peregoy – Elementary Teacher, Carroll County
Mrs. Urith Shipley – Guidance, Baltimore County
Mrs. Mabel Shoff – French Teacher, Carroll County
Virginia Troxell – Guidance
Mary Weagley – Retired Elementary
Dr. Levinia Wenger – Notre Dame, School of Education
One honorary member, Mrs. Eugenia Culwell (initiated April 1959) was included in Omicron’s
membership from our Gamma division.
B. Ella Copes, State Executive Secretary assisted in the ceremony of the organization.
The following officers served the club for the years 1960-1962: president, Margaret Murray; first vice president, Mrs. Leone LaMotte; second vice president, Helen Hoffman; recording secretary, Mrs Urith Shipley; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Mabel Shoff; treasurer, Dr. Lavinia Wenger; and parliamentarian, Dean Helen Howery.
A workshop held at Clear Spring School, Washington County, on June 24, 1960, was conducted by Mrs. Elizabeth Peragoy, past president of Gamma Chapter for the purpose of assisting in the instruction of new officers of the three chapters, resulting from the division of Gamma, namely, Gamma, Pi, and Omicron.
Omicron Chapter was represented at the International Convention of Delta Kappa Gamma at Bal-Harbour, Florida, on August 10-13, 1960, by their president, Mrs. Margaret Murray.
Meetings during 1960 included: a joint initiation meeting with Pi and Gamma at Rus-Joy Inn near Manchester. Omicron initiated six new members, namely; Mrs. Viva Engle, Mrs. Rebecca Harmon, Mrs. Virginia Murray, Mrs. Maitland Lippy, Mrs. Dolores Snyder and Miss Sarah Williams. The highlight of this meeting was Miss Myrtle Eckhardt’s presentation of “Contributions to Western Civilization” as seen through slides of her jet trip around the world.
Much of the work of Omicron during 1960-1961 centered on our share of the responsibility for the State Convention which we shared with Pi and Gamma Chapter. Omicron took care of banquet arrangements. The convention was held at the Francis Scott Key Hotel April 21, 22, 23, 1961. Omicron was represented at the Regional Convention at French Lick, Indiana, July 31-August 3, 1961 by Miss Sarah Williams and Miss Margaret Murray.
The November 11, 1961 Tri-County initiation brought three new members into Omicron chapter. They were: Mrs. Mildred Garrett, Manchester Elementary; Mrs. Louise Haifley, North Carroll High School; and Mrs. Ellen Peck.
On April 7, 1962, a tea for Future Teachers’ association members was highlighted by foreign students presenting segments of their culture through Japanese traditional dance, Korean songs, and life in Greece contrasted with America. American Field Service Students from Franklin High School related their experiences in Austria and Columbia.
Omicron was represented at the State Convention at Easton on April 27, 1962, by Mrs. Leone LaMotte, Mrs. Mildred Harris, Miss Sarah Williams, Miss Margaret Murray, Mrs. Viva Engle, Mrs. Virginia Murray, and Mrs. Elizabeth Peregoy. Sarah Williams, Leone LeMotte and Elizabeth Peregoy represented Omicron at the International Convention in Philadelphia, August 9-13.
Officers for the term of 1962-64 were elected at the June 9, 1962 meeting of Omicron. They were chosen as follows:
President-Mrs. Leone LaMotte
First Vice President-Mrs. Helen Hoffman
Second Vice President-Miss Sarah Williams
Recording Secretary-Mrs. Virginia Murray
Corresponding Secretary-Mrs. Maitland Lippy
Treasurer-Mrs. Mildred Harris
Parliamentarian-Dean Helen Howery
A joint picnic with Gamma and Pi at Fort Frederick with Pi being the hostess chapter, completed the fiscal year’s activities.
Activities under President Leone LaMotte were set in motion at an organizational meeting on August 29, 1962, called by program chairman Helen Hoffman, for the purpose of setting up the year’s program along the lines of the international theme “The Achievement of Women in the World Today”.
Members of Omicron participated in two joint meetings with Pi and Gamma during the year 1962-63. A joint initiation was held at the Woman’s Club in Hagerstown on Saturday, November 10, 1962, at 11 a.m. Omicron initiated five members, namely, Mrs. Helene Bankert, Elementary Teacher, Hampstead School; Mrs. Helen Billingslea, Elementary Teacher, East End School; Mrs. June Hale, Guidance, North Carroll High School; Mrs Florence Wargny, Elementary Teacher, Taneytown School; and Sheila Young, Counselor at Westminster Junior High School. Mrs. Doris Porterfield of Gamma Chapter gave an inspirational talk entitled “Getting to Know All About You”.
The second joint meeting with Pi and Omicron was a social occasion to end the year’s work with a picnic at the Forest and Stream Club at Detour, Maryland. Omicron was the hostess club.
Omicron received inspiration and help by being represented at the workshop conducted by Alpha Beta State at Frederick on Saturday, September 22, at the Francis Scott Key Hotel with six Omicron members participating; three members represented Omicron at the International Convention in Philadelphia, August 9-13, 1962; five members attended the State Breakfast on October 19, 1962, at 7:45 a.m.; and a large number of our members attended some part of the State Convention held at the Sheraton Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore, April 5-7, 1963.
Omicron’s outstanding meeting of 1962 was held on December 1. At this meeting twenty-two women of Carroll County were recognized for their outstanding contributions in the fields of education, medicine, nursing, art, journalism, politics, music, women’s clubs, church and community work and hospital services. Individually honored was Miss Mary Stansbury, a Hampstead teacher, now retired. President Leone LaMotte presented each honored guest with a silver book-mark.
Another outstanding meeting on the year’s theme was a luncheon meeting at the home of Mrs. Dolores Snyder, on March 2, 1963. Mrs. Induk Pahk, a native Korean spoke on “Borea in Korea” a five-year plan for creating a boy’s vocational school in Korea. Mrs. Pahk has been the originator of this plan and is helping support it through the sale of her book “September Monkey”.
Omicron had representatives attend the Southeast Regional Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on July 28-August1, 1963. Sarah Williams and Margaret Murray participated in leadership training workshops. Leone LaMotte and Clara Cox attended the Northeast Regional Conference at Greenbriar Hotel, White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.
Omicron placed a memorial book in the Davis Library, Westminster, in memoriam to Mary Susa Weagley entitled America and Women by Marjorie R. Longwell
The meetings for 1963-64 were planned to carry out the international theme “Changing Patterns in Our Culture”. On Saturday, November 9, 1963, at a joint meeting of Pi, Gamma and Omicron, our Attorney General of Maryland, Mr. Thomas B. Finan enlarged on our topic with a presentation entitled “The Future of Women as Political Office Holders” or “Are Women Suitable for Political Careers?”
On May 9, 1964, we were exposed to another aspect of women’s contributions to our changing culture by being guests of the Italian artist Erminia Locatelli Rodgers, at her Carroll County home and studio, Millstone near Uniontown.
Omicron’s six new members initiated at the November 9, 1963 meeting at the Westminster Riding Club included: Mrs. Alethea Carlson, Mrs. Winifred Keck, Mrs. Ruth Rinehart, Mrs. Helen Ruby, Miss Josephine Stutter, and Mrs. Ethel Welker. Barbara Rohrbaugh became a member by transfer. Alpha Beta State’s president Naomi England was our guest for this meeting.
Our joint picnic with Pi and Gamma was held at the Tea House at Gambrill State Park on June 13, 1964, as guests of Gamma Chapter.
Leone LaMotte represented Omicron at the International Convention at San Francisco, August 10-13. Omicron was represented at the State Convention in Washington D. C. on April 1964.
New officers were installed for the two year term of 1964-1966, following the picnic. The new officers elected were:
President-Mrs. Helen Hoffman
Vice President-Miss Sarah Williams
Second Vice President-Miss Urith Shipley
Corresponding Secretary-Miss Virginia Proxell
Recording Secretary-Mrs. June Hale
Treasurer-Mrs. Mildred Harris
Parliamentarian-Miss Margaret Myerly
1964 – 1966
Omicron chapter carried out the international program theme in 1964-1965 “Changing Patterns in Other Cultures” in our meeting March 27, 1965 by hearing Raphael Mayamona point out the aspects of Congolese culture that contrast with our way of life. Raphael was a college student attending Western Maryland College. Reverend Zepp gave his point of view concerning our problems in Selma, Alabama. His was an eye-witness account.
Participation in the Embassy Tour in Washinton on May 8, 1965 gave further insight into other cultures.
Two new members were initiated on November 7, 1964, at the Francis Scott Key Hotel in Frederick. They were: Mrs. Mildred Ecker, Mathematics, North Carroll High School; Mrs. Esther Wilt, Acting principal, New Windsor.
Omicron members attended the State Convention held at the Venice Hotel, Hagerstown.
A joint picnic with Pi as hostess was held at the City Park, Hagerstown, on June 12, 1965.
During 1965-66 Omicron’s efforts were turned toward utilizing its own members in programs to develop the year’s theme “The Nature and Nurture of Creativity.” Member participation led to increased interest. Our first meeting, September 11, 1965, on this theme was an enlightening panel discussion on “How Teachers Promote Creative Vision and Expression.”
Our December 4, 1965 meeting drew out the creative talents of every member by participation in expressing creativity through the media of art that we heard in a musical selection. Aleatha Carlson was chairman for this program.
Dolores Snyder as chairman for our meeting April 25, 1966, discussed values and then gave each member the Allport test of a Study of Values. Our profiles pictured our theoretical, economic, aesthetic, social, political, and religious values.
The joint initiation meeting at Hagerstown, November 6, 1965, furthered our thinking by using the theme “Creativity of Hawaiian Culture” with slides of crafts of that country.
New members initiated at the November 6, 1965 meeting included:
Mrs. Jewell Makolin
Mrs. Virginia Reese—Westminster Elementary School
Mrs. Beatrice Shockley
Miss Chrystelle Trump—Physical Education Department, Goucher College
Miss Mary Ann Redding—Reisterstown Elementary School
Baltimore County
Miss Barbara Yingling—Business Education, North Carroll High School
Omicron has sponsored these projects the past six years:
- Clothing to New Windsor World Church Center
- Eye glasses donated to the Lion’s Club collection
- New 4-yard lengths of cotton dress material, used nylons canceled postage stamps, and used Christmas cards have been collected and handled by the Personal Growth and Community Services Committee.
Katherine Stump, from Hampstead, a Frostburg State College student, has been the recipient for three years. The 1966-1967 award of $50 will be used by Gladys Elaine Greene of Union Bridge. A contribution of $5.00 to the Carroll County Scholarship Fund has been another of our pledges that assists a future teacher each year.
Omicron members who have applied for and received the Esther Crooks State Scholarship are:
Mrs. Dolores Snyder, 1961
Mrs. Elizabeth Peregoy, 1963
Mrs. Virginia Murray, 1965
Mrs. Helen Hoffman was the first State Scholarship Awardee.
Omicron has lost two of its highly esteemed charter members by death, namely,
Miss Mary Susan Weagley, deceased May 10, 1965
Dear Helen Howery, deceased November 18, 1965
Members of Omicron who have gained distinction by their contributions to other facets of education, include:
Mrs. Virginia Murray, nominated to Who’s Who in American Women, 1963
Miss Mary Weagley, Religious publications
Miss Urith Shipley, article on Social Studies Teaching, Maryland Teacher
Mrs. Ruth Maus and Mrs. Ethel Welker, National Science Foundation
Grants
Mrs. Elizabeth Peregoy, National Defense Education Act-Summer Institute
In Geography Grant, 1965
Mrs. Esther Wilt, Secretary of Carroll County Teachers’ Association
Miss Sarah Williams, Member of Executive Committee, Department of
Elementary Teachers, Maryland State Teachers’ Association
Mrs. Josephine West, President of Maryland Vocational Association
and treasurer of Maryland Home Economics Association.
Omicron members who have served Alpha Beta State of Delta Kappa Gamma include:
Mrs. Leone LaMotte—State Nomination Chairman, 1963-64
Miss Clara Cox—State Necrology Chairman 1960-62
Mrs. Elizabeth Peregoy—State Initiation Chairman, 1960-62, State
Parliamentarian, 1966-67.
Omicron membership numbers forty-eight members as of May, , 1966.