The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) usually meets in the fall. However, there have been some exceptions. The 21st NPC meeting took place from February 23-28, 1930 at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, Colorado. It is likely most of the delegates traveled to the meeting by train.
Amy Burnham Onken, Pi Beta Phi’s Grand President, served as its delegate. She wrote an Arrow article about the meeting, “To the friendships formed between officers of different fraternities through the personal contacts of National Panhellenic Congress has come much of the mutual understanding and appreciation which mark the relations between present day fraternities. As active chapters gain for the college interfraternity relationships the respect and friendliness which, almost without exception, are so apparent in national relationships, we shall find fewer and more easily solved college Panhellenic problems.”
She also described the social events that took place at the meeting, “For Pi Beta Phis, it is a most pleasing coincidence that the president of the Denver City Panhellenic for this year is Laura Louise Clough White, Ohio Beta (Ohio State) and Colorado A (University of Colorado). Under the direction of Mrs. White and the very efficient committees from the city Panhellenic, a social program of unusual completeness provided many enjoyable contacts. On Monday evening, a ‘Round Up’ gave delegates an opportunity to enjoy a clever program and to visit with local representatives of their own and other fraternities. Tuesday evening found everyone en route to Boulder where they were the guests of the University of Colorado Panhellenic for a delightful buffet supper, served at the Kappa Kappa Gamma house, after which they were free to visit at their own or other fraternity houses. Wednesday evening was left open for an opportunity to meet with one’s own Denver members, while on Thursday afternoon, the Denver University Panhellenic was hostess for a sightseeing drive and for a charming tea at the Shrine Temple. The banquet, which marks the social close of each Congress, was held this year at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and brought together seven hundred fraternity women for the greatest Panhellenic banquet ever held. Since there were a hundred Pi Phis present, it was perhaps a little selfish to regret that for the first time the fraternity roll call was omitted from the banquet program!”
NPC Chairman Irma Tapp, Alpha Delta Pi, served as toastmistress at the banquet. The evening’s speaker was James Grafton Rogers, dean of the Law School of the University of Colorado. According to Onken, he “spoke most interestingly and inspiringly of the place of the college fraternity in campus life. A chorus added much to the enjoyment of the banquet through its singing of fraternity songs.”
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Amy Burnham Onken, Pi Beta Phi’s Grand President and NPC Delegate at the 1930 meeting. She chaired the 1947 NPC meeting.
