Pledge Formal

Barbara Wishmeyer, the Dean of Women for the Academic Year 1962-1963, included photographs of her female students in her scrapbook of their pledge formal attire during the sorority rush/pledge spring season. Women had the opportunity to pledge Chi Omega, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, and Zeta Tau Alpha. In these photographs from top to bottom are:

Peggy McBee

Doris Detweiler '66

Carol Frey '66

Ann Davis

Elisabeth Lane '66

Lori Shimer

In 1958, Chi Omega members contributed to the Tri-County-Crippled Children's Home and supported Christmas and Easter Seal envelopes. According to the Microcosm entry, Chi Omegas had a "heavily laden" social calendar involving activities such as Frisbee matches against Sigma Chi, hockey games against Phi Kaps during the fall sports season, dessert parties, "raking" parties, and other socials with men's fraternities. Seniors were honored at their "High Society" formal, and pledges at the pledge formal dance.

The 1957 Microcosm noted that the women of Phi Mu "strive for the founder's ideals of high scholarship, close sisterhood and noble womanhood." The sisters aimed to follow these goals by volunteering at the Carlisle Hospital and Children's Home and through hosting social events such as pledge and senior formals and "parties in the rooms." The officers of Phi Mu were Pat Anderson, President; Jo Ann Rothermel, Vice President; Elizabeth Elderdice, Secretary; and Joyce Roberts, Treasurer.

According to its entry in the Microcosm, in 1955 the women of Pi Beta Phi encouraged all members to participate in campus activities and to maintain high scholarship.  They held a number of social events including a formal in honor of the seniors, a pledge formal, and a pledge tea.  In 1955, the officers of Pi Beta Phi were Susan J. Marquardt, president; Suzanne S. Ruggles, vice-president; Susan D. Epley, secretary; and Alma M. Balla, treasurer.

In 1955, the women of Zeta Tau Alpha were active members of the Dickinson community.  They held a song festival to raise funds for a cerebral palsy organization and invited all members of the greek community to participate.  Their social calendar included Sunday morning breakfasts, teas for faculty and fraternity representatives, and the Pledge and Winter Formals.  A picture in the Microcosm also documents the women of Zeta Tau Alpha supporting athletics on campus.  The officers of the organization in 1955 were Wilma V. Hatter, president; Barbara L. Burket, vice-president; Barbara J.

Chi Omega's officers included Jacquieline A. Smith, president; Jean E. DeLong, vice president; Patricia L. Anderson, secretary; and Gail K. Bruce, treasurer. Their activities in 1954 included providing CARE packages to wartorn countries, and as in years past, the Pledge Formal, Pledge Tea, and Winter Formal.

The members of Phi Mu continued to maintain a full schedule of philanthropic and social activities. They held their annual Pledge Tea and Pledge Formal, intended to present the new members, as well as their Spring Formal, held in honor of the graduating seniors. They contributed to their philanthropies by sponsoring cake bakes and rummage sales, and they visited the Carlisle Hospital weekly with a toy cart. In addition, the members of Phi Mu have embarked upon a mission of friendship with other local Phi Mu chapters, in an effort to bring together members founded on the same ideals.

In 1953, Pi Beta Phi members held a full schedule of scholastic, social, and philanthropic activities. They continued to support their settlement school in Tennessee and they also assisted a struggling German family through connections with one member who was studying abroad there. They also sponsored the annual Pledge Formal, Pledge Tea, Spring Formal, and Spring Tea. The group was led by Ann L. Prescott, president; Shirley J. Chase, vice president; Julia T. Yoshizaki, secretary; and Caroline T. Rhodes, treasurer.