Iota Mu - Wichita - One of Kansas ESA's original chapters
Iota Mu closes an ESA Chapter and rich and long history of 79 years with ESA. "Just A Little Bit of History & A Little Bit of Tooting Our Own Horn!” (as written by Clarene Weaver)
ESA was founded in 1929 and chartered into a national sorority in Feb 1930. In May 1930 Pauline Cowger started the first chapter Salina, Kansas and we are still going. She said the 1st year membership was $99.00 which included a set of 20 books “The Writings of Mankind” and was the basis of their weekly study. Fay Jordan of Iota Mu said they were extremely happy when that stopped in May 1935 and they had programs. Then Initiation fee was $5.00 with $3.50 annually.
Iota Kappa and Iota Mu were the first chapters in Wichita, chartered April of 1933. They were the only chapters for 13 years before Iota Kappa formed two sister chapters in 1946.Their also the only two remaining chapters of the original 8 which formed Wichita City Council in February 1949. Delta Beta joined immediately after and we grew to 14 chapters.
ESA was founded in 1929 and chartered into a national sorority in Feb 1930. In May 1930 Pauline Cowger started the first chapter Salina, Kansas and we are still going. She said the 1st year membership was $99.00 which included a set of 20 books “The Writings of Mankind” and was the basis of their weekly study. Fay Jordan of Iota Mu said they were extremely happy when that stopped in May 1935 and they had programs. Then Initiation fee was $5.00 with $3.50 annually.
Iota Kappa and Iota Mu were the first chapters in Wichita, chartered April of 1933. They were the only chapters for 13 years before Iota Kappa formed two sister chapters in 1946.Their also the only two remaining chapters of the original 8 which formed Wichita City Council in February 1949. Delta Beta joined immediately after and we grew to 14 chapters.
Wichita City Council turned into Zone 5, and now District D. Some of you newer members probably think of us as “has beens,” BUT I would like to let you know that in our day BOTH chapters were something to be reckoned with. I (Clarene Weaver) joined Alpha Psi in McPherson in 1946 and Iota Mu in 1950. My member # is 493. Iota Mu was large enough we limited our chapter to 30 members for many years. We chartered 2 chapters Delta Psi 1956, Kappa Chi 1976 where Roberta Bailey started in ESA. In 1967 eight of our members split off and formed Sigma Tau.
We have had two State Presidents Fay Jordan and Katy Tyler Mills, five District D Presidents. In 1956 we were honored to have the first Kansas Outstanding Sister, Joan Ault and later Evelyn Goldinger and five District D Outstanding Sisters. We received the First Philanthropic Jimmy Award in both 1961 and 1962, which in 1963 became the Outstanding Chapter Award which we won in 1966 and stayed in the first ten outstanding Chapters until a few years ago. In 1968 we were the International 2nd place Outstanding Chapter. I won the first State Outstanding Educational Director Award in 1971. We continued to receive our share of awards at convention. All our husbands were Men of ESA and enjoyed the conventions as much as we did.
In 1970 we sponsored a “Spring Fling Style Show” giving the money to Multiple Sclerosis as one of our members Wilma Krug had MS. One of our models landed on the Cover of Jonquil. This is how the News and Views used to look, a typed newsletter. Later “New & Views.” Zone 5 at one time had a Newsletter. This is a commerative 1930-31 Jonquil published in 1986 about the Founders of ESA and other interesting facts. This is a picture of the 1st National ESA Convention in Kansas City, Mo. in June 1938. 53 attended, about half as many as Kansas will have at the Convention in Norman. I have been in ESA almost 65 years and attended the First Kansas State Convention in Hutchinson in 1946 and the First National Post War Convention in Oklahoma City in 1946. Dorothy Hawk has been in almost 65 and Dot Sawyer 60 years, Janis Lollar 40 and Norma Snyder 35. Dorothy Hawk and I are Life Members which was offered in mid-seventies. Iota Kappa and Iota Mu have both had quite an interesting history. Iota Mu is dissolving our chapter after 79 exciting & rewarding years and we want to urge you all to continue your many philanthropic activities and proudly keep District D the best District in the State. To us you are each an Outstanding Sister, and we wish you all the best. Thanks for indulging an old ESA chapter a few of our memories. Clarene Weaver, Iota Mu ESA
In 2011-2012 they continued to sell pecans for their fund raising project. They also participate in all District D activities.
We have had two State Presidents Fay Jordan and Katy Tyler Mills, five District D Presidents. In 1956 we were honored to have the first Kansas Outstanding Sister, Joan Ault and later Evelyn Goldinger and five District D Outstanding Sisters. We received the First Philanthropic Jimmy Award in both 1961 and 1962, which in 1963 became the Outstanding Chapter Award which we won in 1966 and stayed in the first ten outstanding Chapters until a few years ago. In 1968 we were the International 2nd place Outstanding Chapter. I won the first State Outstanding Educational Director Award in 1971. We continued to receive our share of awards at convention. All our husbands were Men of ESA and enjoyed the conventions as much as we did.
In 1970 we sponsored a “Spring Fling Style Show” giving the money to Multiple Sclerosis as one of our members Wilma Krug had MS. One of our models landed on the Cover of Jonquil. This is how the News and Views used to look, a typed newsletter. Later “New & Views.” Zone 5 at one time had a Newsletter. This is a commerative 1930-31 Jonquil published in 1986 about the Founders of ESA and other interesting facts. This is a picture of the 1st National ESA Convention in Kansas City, Mo. in June 1938. 53 attended, about half as many as Kansas will have at the Convention in Norman. I have been in ESA almost 65 years and attended the First Kansas State Convention in Hutchinson in 1946 and the First National Post War Convention in Oklahoma City in 1946. Dorothy Hawk has been in almost 65 and Dot Sawyer 60 years, Janis Lollar 40 and Norma Snyder 35. Dorothy Hawk and I are Life Members which was offered in mid-seventies. Iota Kappa and Iota Mu have both had quite an interesting history. Iota Mu is dissolving our chapter after 79 exciting & rewarding years and we want to urge you all to continue your many philanthropic activities and proudly keep District D the best District in the State. To us you are each an Outstanding Sister, and we wish you all the best. Thanks for indulging an old ESA chapter a few of our memories. Clarene Weaver, Iota Mu ESA
In 2011-2012 they continued to sell pecans for their fund raising project. They also participate in all District D activities.