Happy Founders’ Day to Chi Omega! It was founded on April 5, 1895 at the University of Arkansas. Ina May Boles, Jean Vincenheller, Jobelle Holcombe, and Alice Simonds, with guidance from Fayetteville dentist, Dr. Charles Richardson, a Kappa Sigma, created the organization. Dr. Richardson was known as “Sis Doc” to generations of Psi Chapter members (the founding chapter at Arkansas is known as the Psi Chapter) and he is counted as a founder. He crafted Chi Omega’s first badge out of dental gold. I think it’s a safe bet to say that Chi Omega is the only National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) organization to have its first badge crafted out of dental gold.
While a student at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Mary Love (Collins) belonged to Omega Psi, a local organization. In 1907, it became the Delta Chapter of Chi Omega. Mary Love, as she was known to her Chi Omega and NPC friends, was initiated into Chi Omega as an alumna.
Omega Psi at Dickinson College. It came the Delta Chapter of Chi Omega in 1907. She is included in this photograph.
Although not a founder, Mary Love Collins played a major role in Chi Omega for 62 years, serving as its National President for 42 years. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She was a lawyer at a time when few women chose that profession.
Mary Love Collins at the 1913 NPC meeting. She is in the dark suit, fourth from left in the middle row. In her later years, she was often seen wearing a white suit.
Chi Omega calls her “a brilliant administrator, author, and dedicated fraternity woman.” She was also involved in the National Panhellenic Conference serving as Chairman in 1919-21 and attending NPC meetings for decades. Moreover, she was an ambassador for Chi Omega wherever she went.
Mary Love Collins, 1914
At the 1914 National Panhellenic Conference meeting, it was decided that:
every fraternity have a definite system of instruction of chapters by Council on N. P. C. matters; that all laws, ruling and agreements of the N. P. C. be codified and harmonized by Mrs. Collins of Chi Omega and Miss Hagaman of Delta Gamma, both lawyers; that the subject of secrecy be studied; that the N. P . C. encourage general fraternity extension and cooperate in the extension of all fraternities.
In 1916, she visited the Chi Omega chapter at my alma mater, Syracuse University. This was part of their chapter report following her visit:
At Thanksgiving, Upsilon Alpha sent basket dinners to five poor families of the city. Just before the close of college for Christmas, presents were sent from the chapter to the Day Nursery. Many of the girls have been working individually in visiting the College Settlement, the Orphan Asylum, and the Old Ladies’ Home.
On the afternoon of December fifth Upsilon Alpha entertained at an informal alumnae tea. We all enjoyed the opportunity of becoming better acquainted with our alumnae and professors who were present.
Mrs. Collins spent the week-end of December fifth with us. We were all so pleased with her visit, from which we gained much help and inspiration.
If she wrote a thank you letter to the Upsilon chapter, she might have signed it with this signature.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2016. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory.
