Convention 1894: Evanston, Illinois
November 14-16, 1894, Convention was held at Epsilon Chapter Hall at Northwestern Illinois University in Evanston and proved to be a momentous one. On Gamma Phi Beta’s 20th birthday, three members to serve as the executive board were elected for the first time. Louise Putnam (Boston, 1887) and Honta Smalley (Michigan, 1885) were elected along with Ella French (Syracuse, 1877), who was made chairman, essentially making her Gamma Phi Beta’s first Grand President. Mary Whitford (Syracuse, 1878) proudly announced that at last a printed directory was available that included names and addresses of all the members. Five hundred copies had cost her $87, a sum she planned to recoup from sales of the directory. At the close of her first year as head of the Sorority, Ella French’s report disclosed receipts of $69.85, disbursements of $40.64, and a modest balance of $29.21 in the treasury.