Nu Chapter (Oregon)
Nu Chapter was installed at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, on December 18, 1908.
Tau Pi, a local group organized in 1904, petitioned Gamma Phi Beta three years after it was installed. The group was inspected by Marion Dean (Boston, 1901), Alma Delaney (University of Washington, 1903), Edith Prosch (University of Washington, 1904), Ruth Guppy (Michigan, 1894) and Gertrude Ross (Wisconsin-Madison, 1892). Their report was enthusiastic, and a large group of collegians and Tau Pi alumnae were initiated by Edith Prosch, Alice Benson (California-Berkeley, 1902), Theresa Preston McCarthy (University of Washington, 1908) and Caroline Benson Unander (Stanford, 1905). Gamma Phi Beta was the first sorority on campus.
Nu Chapter Turns 100
Nu Chapter on the University of Oregon campus pulled out all the stops in making their 100th birthday party one for the history books. The weekend-long celebration included more than 350 alumnae and collegians who gathered to connect, impact and shine for Gamma Phi Beta.
Guests were greeted with a chronological display of chapter memorabilia and offered tours of Nu Chapter's majestic Tudor-style house, an eye-opening experience for some alumnae. An extensive renovation that took place in the 1950s significantly altered the floor plan. The dining room and kitchen were expanded and a huge second floor sleeping porch was built.
The Nu Chapter facility as shown in The Story of Gamma Phi Beta, 1921.
Linda Daniel Johnson (Vanderbilt), former International President, eloquently addressed the collegians at the chapter house, inspiring them to take full advantages of the benefits of membership in Gamma Phi Beta.
"There are many opportunities with Gamma Phi Beta whether you stay right here at Nu Chapter or you move to another part of the country. There are Gamma Phis ready to welcome you and be your friend," Linda said.
To prove her point, generous alumnae awarded four deserving collegians with $500 scholarships in honor of the anniversary.
An elegant banquet highlighting the chapter's history since 1908 was the main event. Alumnae speakers who graduated over the past 10 decades shared anecdotes as collegians modeled clothing from years past. A professional audio-visual presentation highlighted photos gathered from scrapbooks and university yearbooks and served to stoke the pride Nu Chapter members and alumnae have for their heritage.
The above excerpt is from the fall 2008 issue of The Crescent, page 14. To learn more about Nu Chapter, visit GPBArchives.org > 1900-1929 > 1909 > March (pages 72-75).