I love attending chapter anniversaries. There is nothing better than to see conversations start where they left off decades ago as if no time had transpired. When I was asked if I would speak at the 100th anniversary of the Purdue chapter of Pi Beta Phi, I respectfully declined. It happened to be the weekend after our wedding anniversary and the question was asked about the time I realized I would be away from home for my husband’s birthday. Then a dear friend, an alumna of the chapter, asked if I’d reconsider and said “why not bring Dan along.” I replied that if I could stay at a dog friendly hotel, it might actually happen. Dan just had to agree to the deal. And I am so glad she convinced me to attend.
That’s how my husband, our two dogs and I ended up at Purdue this past weekend. And we never realized that our dogs are Purdue colors. As we walked them around campus, someone said that we’d taken the colors to new heights and we silently looked at each other with “and we’re not even alums” grins.
Mary L. Matthews was an important person in the life of the chapter. She was hired in 1912 when there were 40 women attending Purdue. There’s a fascinating interview with her on a Purdue website. She taped the interview in 1956 after she retired – the mandatory retirement age was 70 – and she told the story of the school of home economics. She said that in 1905, no one wanted women at Purdue, the intention was to have it be a men’s school. Women weren’t very welcomed. Eight years after Matthews was hired, there were 200 women enrolled.
Twenty men’s fraternities were affiliated with national organizations before the first national women’s fraternity was chartered. Delta Rho, a local sorority, was organized on December 14, 1915, and because there were three faculty members who were Tri Deltas and two of the early members of Delta Rho were Tri Deltas at Franklin College, the group thought they’d try for a Tri Delta charter. But Agnes Tilson, a Home Ec instructor who was a Butler Pi Phi and Verna Weaver, a student who was a University of Washington Pi Phi, likely had influence over the women. Matthews was the Delta Rho’s faculty advisor.
In the summer of 1920 the Delta Rhos put a petition together and that fall they entertained members from the chapters in the Pi Beta Phi province. Word was received in late November that the petition was approved and the chapter would be installed after Christmas.
Anna Lytle Tannahill, Grand President, installed the chapter on January 1, 1921. The preinitiation events took place on December 31st. Can you imagine installing a chapter at that time of year! Tannahill had become a widow in 1917 when her husband of four years was killed in a car accident. After his death she took a job at Beloit College and was serving as Pi Phi’s Grand President. The holiday break was a time she could take off from work. It all came together quickly.
Members from five Pi Phi active chapters and alumnae from many chapters attended. “With the exception of the banquet and the two luncheons, given by alumnae and patronesses, all events took place at the chapter house at 217 Waldron, which had been the home of Delta Rho since its founding.”
Mary Mathews and Anna Tannahill, the Grand President, must have hit it off quite nicely. On January 2, at the first chapter meeting, the Grand President gave the chapter the privilege of asking Matthews to be a member of Pi Beta Phi and she accepted. She was initiated by the Grand President at the convention in Carlevoix, Michigan in the summer of 1921. The Arrow reported, “Those who were privileged to meet Miss Matthews at Charlevoix with her poise, her charming manner, and her eyes and face alight with happiness, felt that she would bring great honor to Pi Beta Phi.”
And great honor she did indeed bring to the chapter and the fraternity Matthews was also one of its most tireless workers. The recipe file was one of the ways the chapter raised funds for the purchase. The recipes include one from the First Lady, a Pi Phi. Matthews was a force behind this project.
Matthews loved the chapter. One of the letters sent to Dean Matthews on the 25th anniversary by Helen Rogers Frankenberry summed up Mathew’s devotion to the chapter:
It means so much to us – the charter members of Delta Rho, to celebrate our Silver Anniversary Reunion at Purdue in May. In looking back to the time in 1916, of our renting and furnishing the house at 217 Waldron Street, then following the progress made in being granted the Pi Beta Phi charter in 1921, the moving into the house on Littleton Street, and finally the building of the beautiful Chapter House on State Street, we should all feel very proud. Your wise counsel and guidance have made all of this possible and we all thank you for your loving kindness through the years.
The property purchased and house constructed on State Street, still the chapter’s home today, are testament to Mary Matthews’ dedication and loyalty. Her name still lives on in the library in the chapter house and on Matthews Hall on campus.
Dean Mary L. Matthews
