Pennsylvania gained its fifth collegiate chapter of Alpha Phi on April 17, with the installation of Epsilon Kappa at West Chester State College. Members of the Philadelphia-Main Line alumnae, Beta Chi (Bucknell) collegiates and international officers joined to welcome twenty-eight members of the former Alpha Phi Sigma local sorority as charter members.
Installation weekend activities got off to a flying start on Friday, April 16, with the arrival by bus of the entire Beta Chi chapter from Bucknell--both actives and new members. College authorities kindly granted permission for the Beta Chis to stay in campus dormitories.
The inspiration service was held Friday evening in the Philips Memorial Library on the West Chester campus. The library was also the scene of a unique double initiation ceremony on Saturday morning. In addition to serving as the installing chapter for Epsilon Kappa, Beta Chi had received permission from International to initiate their own members at the same time, thus forming a bond between the older chapter and the new. Following a box luncheon, the Beta Chis conducted a model meeting for initiates of the two chapters.
Saturday evening, Epsilon Kappa initiates were honored at an installation banquet held at Overbrook Country Club on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Irene Rose Moore (Beta Alpha-Illinois), former Executive Board member, served as toastmistress. West Chester’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Albert Filano, extended a welcome to Epsilon Kappa on behalf of the college. Dorothy Morgan Effron (Beta Chi-Bucknell), Director of Extension, gave the welcome from Alpha Phi, and Molly Stampfle, president of Beta Chi, welcomed the new chapter for the collegiates, Epsilon Kappa president Margo Casey responded.
The main address was given by LaVerne Nolan Harvey (Delta Epsilon-Iowa), Executive Secretary-Treasurer. District Governor Jinx Mulnix Matlack (Beta Psi-San Jose State) and Field Secretary Lynn Finkill (Beta Chi-Bucknell) joined in introducing the collegiate initiates, and Mary Miller Desjardins (Beta-Northwestern), Chairman of the Board of Trustees, introduced the alumnae initiates. The evening closed with the Loving Cup Ceremony, by Elizabeth Fairchild Brad (Eta-Boston), Director of Chapters-East.
On Sunday, the initiates attended church services at Calvary Lutheran Church in West Chester. In the afternoon a reception for parents and friends was held at Aronimink Country Club in Newtown Square. During the reception, the chartering ceremony was held, with the charter presented by Dorry Morgan Effron. Marian Tietz Conway (Iota-Wisconsin), former president of the Philadelphia-Main Line alumnae, served as chairman for the installation weekend.
Alpha Phi Sigma, nicknamed the “Alphites,” was formed in 1960 and accepted by the college as a service organization in 1964. With recognition of social fraternities and sororities by the college in 1967, the Alphites amended their constitution to include social as well as service and leadership functions.
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