Grace Lasher Berry

Recollections from The Crescent, 1933:

The year 1908-09 was an important epoch in the life of Gamma Phi Beta, for it marks the close of the old intimate association of the chapters and the beginning of a bigger and broader group which has now become an international Sorority. For the Convention at Berkeley in the fall of 1909 was the last annual Convention, the much discussed question of ‘biennials’ having been successfully passed during the year. With this change came many others which will more properly be covered by my successor in office. The most important events of this period were the installation of Nu Chapter (Oregon) and the granting of a charter to a local group at Idaho University. It is as a real sisterhood that Gamma Phi Beta has always made its appeal to me, for I have truly found it such, not only in my home of chapters at Northwestern and Chicago alumnae, but also when I crossed the continent to make my home on the Pacific Coast. I found a group of loyal sisters awaiting me here. So my message to the Sorority today would be: Let us bend every effort – as we grow in size and strength – to preserve the loving, loyal, sisterly spirit which characterized the early days and so prove that we are a sisterhood in deed as in name.

Grace Lasher Berry served as Grand President from 1908-09.