Report of the High Priestess of the Rho chapter of the Phi Delta Delta Legal Fraternity, June 1, 1947 (2 pages)

R E P O R-T


of High Priestess, Rho Chapter

as of June 1, 1947


Rho ghapter'was reactivated with the initiation on May 1, 1945, of Martha H. Atwater,
Mrs. R. Barbara Durranoe, Mrs. Madie Dutton Wyatt, Ophelia T. Lester, Martha Metoalf, and
Jessie L. Wilder. The installation officers graduated soon afterwards and left these
novices to carry on as best they could.

This enthusiatio group was desirous of carrying out each detail of the fraternity's
traditions and triAd to make plans to become closer aligned with themen's honorary legal
fraternities and to become better known on the campus but found their group too small to
do much. It wad discussed that a chapter may be requested for this University but nothing
definite was planned. Several members secured pins and soon awakened much interest on the
campus and elsewhere as to what pins they were. Pledge pins were bought for the future
use of the Chapter and these too when later used created quite a stir.

The Chapter made arrangements to have a page in the Seminole, the University of Florida
year book, for 1946-47 which will set out pictures of all the members and names of the
officers and of the Patron and Patron e of Rho Chapter. Phi Delta Delta did not appear
in the previous year Seminole but inasmuch as all members wish the orgeiMzation to become
better known and more active on the campus, the Chancellor was given as one of her primary
duties that arrangements be made each year for an appearance of the fraternity in the
Seminole. A picture of our formal initiation banquet in November will appear on that page
as one of our activities.

The previous members had written several ladies asking them to become honorary members
and they had accepted. On checking the requirements and waiting national, it was determined
they were not eligible and since over a year had passed with nothing having been done, it
was decided not to pursue the matter further.

The Chapter by-laws were rewritten with the cooperation of the High Priestess, Priestess,
and Registrar so as to more completely cover every phase of the activities of this Chapter.

At one of the first meetings after the installation of the new officers the members
selected Professor and Mrs. James W. Day as Patron and Patroness. Mr. Day is one of the
outstanding professors in Law College. Both have been most cooperative in counselling each
member of the Chapter and'assisting in its social efforts.

Our Province Director, Mrs. Catherine H. Garter, very kindly came up from DeLand for ini-
tiation of the Chapter's sole new member after summer school of 1946, Miss Mary Brigham of
Winter Haven. The initiation was formal and very impressive. Afterwards a banquet was held
at which the members and all the other girls in Law College were present, thus affording
them an opportunity to acquaint themselves with Phi Delta Delta. Well-loved Mrs. Ila R.
Pridgen, law graduate and an inactive Phi Delta Delta, who is Administrative Assistant at
the Law College and Law-Librarian, attended and gave a short talk on the history of the
fraternity since it came to the University of Florida. The Chater's new Patron and Patron-
ess were presented to the group and each made a delightful response. Our Province Director
Mrs. Cater made the principal address of the evening in which she explained to the girls
how one can successfully practice law and still be a good mother and wife, all three of
which Mrsb Carter does admirably.

A contribution toward purchasing a scrapbook was received from Miss Patricia Whitmore,
former High Priestess of Rho Chapter, who is now practicing in Miami Florida. The High
Priestess appointed the Priestess, Registrar and Chancellor to select an appropriate scrap-
book.

The written request of Miss Jessie L. Wilder to become inactive was voted upon and ac-
cepted by the Chapter.








A committee was appointed to send Mrs. Josie Paine, who as Priestess of Rho Chapter
was a most loyal member, a potted plant at Emory University hospital where she was most
desperately ill.

The suggestion was made that the Phi Delta Deltas who are practicing in Gainesville
be. asked to become active and that other women lawyers who have accounted for themselves
admirably and who graduated before the Chapter came to the University of Florida be asked
to join the fraternity as graduate members. This. step is needed to strengthen the organi-
zation especially since so many members will be graduated shortly and will return to
their home towns elsewhere to practice.

In February 1947 each member pinned a "daughter" and several days later at formal
pledging the Misses Frederika Oooke, Salleye Cooksey, Erlynne Douglas and Gladys White
were.presented pledge pins. After informal initiation of these members in March a lovely
reception was held at the home of our Patron and Patroness with the able assistance of
Mre. Day. At this reception the certificate indicating Professor and Mrs. Day' s official
capacity with the Chapter was presented to them and Mrs. Delphene 0. Strickland, past
High Priestess of the Chapter addressed the group on the pitfalls one encounters on
entering practice as did also Mrs. Doris H. Householder, another recent graduate who had
acted as Ohaplain of Rho Chapter while an undergraduate. During the month of April
these new members were elected to offices and were indoctrinated and at the May regular
meeting they were sworn in by Chaplain Madie Dutton Wyatt. Outgoing officers were re-
quested to make their annual reports as soon as practicable.

At the close of the May 1947 meeting the gavel was turned over to incoming High Priestess
Frederika Cooke by outgoing High Priestess Ophelia T. Lester.