Exhibit
Bessie Grooms Keenan
(1866-1920)
“How glad I am to … raise my voice in praise and love for the Fraternity that made possible so fine and strong a sisterhood as has been growing and developing so splendidly in the last quarter century … As I look back to the activities of those first days, I find many of the ‘little things’ brightly remembered, such as our first party, when we invited everybody out to the tables and nothing was in sight but a cracker and a hickory nut, which for some time we allowed them to think was all that was forthcoming … and how my father insisted on membership in our ranks or many services cheerfully performed, all of which were compensated by a piece of green ribbon only!”
Something to know about Bessie:
Bessie’s daughter, Hannah, became an Alpha Chi Omega at DePauw University and went on to serve the Fraternity as director of central office and archivist.
