Between snow storms, Linda Hart Stapleton (Delta Eta-Adrian), District I Alumnae Chairman and Acting District Governor, called out of the woods a handful of southern New Hampshire alumnae. The enthusiastic new chapter formerly called themselves the “Stardusters.” The Stardusters had petitioned Alpha Phi and their petition was approved. They were to be charter members of the first national sorority at New Hampshire College and the first Alpha Phi collegians ever in the State of New Hampshire.
New members were welcomed by Linda; Joan Kelly (Epsilon Kappa-West Chester), Field Representative; Sheri O’Boyle, president of Zeta Theta (Tufts), and Jill Blumenthal (Zeta Theta-Tufts), on December 10, 1978.
A letter was composed and mailed to all ninety-four Alpha Phi alumnae in the State of New Hampshire. The first official program of the New Hampshire Alumnae Chapter, a salad buffet lunch, served also as a welcome to International officers in town for the installation of Zeta Lambda, Mary Carr Boyd (Omicron-Missouri), International President, and Nancy Wittgen Burks DeVoe (Gamma-DePauw), Vice President-Extension. Irma Thompson Miller (Gamma Sigma-Wisconsin Stout), president of the New Hampshire alumnae and hostess of the buffet, was presented with the charter for the new alumnae group by Mary Boyd. It was the first Alpha Phi alumnae chapter ever to be chartered in the state.
Many alumnae attended the Court of Ivy ceremonies at the Shapiro Memorial Library on the New Hampshire College campus. It was beautifully conducted by twenty Tufts University collegians, themselves newly installed in November 1978.
The weekend before initiation, Joan Kelly, Field Representative, arrived by Inspiration Week. Five lovely collegians of Xi (Toronto), added an authentic international flavor when they arrived speaking French only.
The Alpha Phi new members drove to Nashua to serenade chapter adviser Barbara Bajkowski Peppard (Alpha-Syracuse), and installation chairman Anita Lorah Hinkle (Gamma Rho-Penn State). The young Hinkle daughters got a close look at Alpha Phi in action and a good recruitment that evening.
Saturday evening, March 31, the Terrace Room of the Sheraton Wayfarer Inn, Manchester, was converted nimbly and ably by Joan Kelly, Linda Stapleton, and Mollie Seibert Ziegler (Beta Iota-West Virginia), financial adviser, into a lovely initiation room. Initiation was superbly conducted by Pam McArthur president of Xi (Toronto), and the Toronto collegians and Sheri O’Boyle, president of Zeta Theta (Tufts). Thirty-three New Hampshire College women and two Tufts new members, Debbie Perkins and Linda Snow, were initiated.
Congratulations and coffee followed with a sheet cake decorated by an authentic Greek baker exhibiting the Alpha Phi crest.
Sunday morning a continental breakfast was held, followed by a model meeting. The Alpha Phis were then transported to the Sheraton Wayfarer Convention Center for the installation luncheon with 160 attending--99% of the initiates’ parents were present! The grandmother of initiate Denise Bourbeau, Mrs. Marion Bouchard, who was the first teacher in the Secretarial Division of New Hampshire College, was among those attending.
Welcoming the new chapter were Dean and Mrs. George J. Larkin, Jr., and Dr. and Mrs. Burton S. Kaliski, faculty adviser. Mary Carr Boyd, gave an inspiring main address. Nancy DeVoe was the charming toastmistress. Sheri O’Boyle led the Alpha Phi grace.
A tradition began by Delta Nu-Maine, the “Sister of the Week” pin, was adopted by Zeta Theta at the installation, and Sheri O’Boyle presented a similar gold pin to Zeta Lambda, with Lynn Butler the first recipient. Pat McArthur gave a delightful welcome in french; the Torontonians then read Xi’s original “Ode to Zeta Lambda.”
A very special welcome from District I was given by Marjorie Ann Marshall. This was followed by the presentation of a President’s Pin to Zeta Lambda from the Boston alumnae. It was the restored pin of Rosetta Munson (Eta-Boston), 1890.
Barbara Painter Buzzelli – 2020 Michaelanean Award Winner
