ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

ALPHA EPSILON CHAPTER OF PHI UPSILON OMICRON RECORDS

COLLECTION: OGL #1337

DATES: 1923-1978

SIZE: 5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION:Alpha Epsilon Chapter Records were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by the UND Home Economics Department, August 25, 1995 (Acc.# 97-2098).

ACCESS:Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

On May 5, 1944, Nu Delta Pi, a local honorary home economics society at the University of North Dakota, reorganized as the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Phi Upsilon Omicron, the national society of Home Economics. Alpha Epsilon charter members included twenty Home Economics students and four alumnae of Nu Delta Pi.

Alpha Epsilon's goals were to help others, develop leadership, and serve and advance Home Economics. Further guidance was provided by the American Home Economics Association (AHEA). To qualify, members majoring or minoring in Home Economics must have displayed leadership and were required to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0. The average membership was 170 members, active as well as Alumnae (according to 1959 records).

The local chapter of Alpha Epsilon held annual events such as the Founder's Day Banquet, when the history of the chapter was explained to new members and the installation of officers took place. Alpha Epsilon also held fund raisers, such as annual fruit cake and steak knife sales.

Professional programs included scholarships awarded to members for excellence in academics and writing, a fifteen-minute weekly radio program, "Your Home and You," and sponsorship of PENATES, a club for all women majoring or minoring in Home Economics.

Alpha Epsilon members also participated in biennial conclave national meetings to discuss the development of chapters, new ideas, and finances of Phi Upsilon Omicron. Information concerning the national society and sister chapters was provided by The Candle, a national publication of Phi Upsilon Omicron.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Alpha Epsilon Chapter Records consist of five series: Administrative, Finances-Treasurer, Initiation and Membership, Programs and Events, and National Council. Contents of the files within each series have been arranged chronologically.

The Administrative Series includes annual reports (1949-1975), by-laws, guidelines of officers and councils, newsletters (1946- 1956), letters to The Candle, correspondence, secretary's notebooks (1950-1978), annual examinations, inspections (1949- 1974), a basic history of Alpha Epsilon, and a recipe book published in December 1973. This series also contains six Record Books containing written minutes from meetings in April 1923- January 1978. Papers interleaved with these Record Books may be found in Box 1, Folders 20-24.

The Finances-Treasurer Series contains the budget material, financial and treasurer's reports, financial statements and statements of fund transactions, bank reconciliations, national contributions, and other scholarships and awards. A record book holding all financial transactions from 1944 to 1977 and various handbooks for the treasurer and Home Economics Association treasurer's books also are included.

The Initiation and Membership Series consists of the names of members and other information about those active in Alpha Epsilon. Included are the procedures for initiation, installation, and meetings; ceremonial music; lists of members; applications of local honorary members; a membership book; and account cards for all local members. There are also three scrolls describing the initiation rituals for Alpha Epsilon that may be found in Box 2, Folder 24.

The Programs and Events Series contains information about professional programs and events. A guestbook, files contributions, information about field trips and open houses, and correspondence on Founder's Day events, fundraising and of the program chairman and conclave program for 1958 are included.

The National Council Series holds the files of the national chapter, Phi Upsilon Omicron, including information about the local chapter, Alpha Epsilon. Conclave minutes (1950-1975), minutes of the annual council meetings (1950-1972), and reports on finances, treasurer, and budget on the national level are included. The handbook and chapter manual for Phi Upsilon Omicron explain rules and rituals of the society, the national directory lists names of all members (1909-1963), what chapter they were active in, graduation dates, and addresses. Finally, the history of Phi Upsilon Omicron, beginning in 1909, consists of facts about past presidents, the national publication of The Candle, and background information about established chapters.

Materials separated from the collection include four scrapbooks that display pictures and memorabilia (1941-1972), several photographs, and issues of The Candle, volumes from 1943-1980. (See Separations Record)

BOX/FOLDER LISTING

BOX 1

SERIES I: ADMINISTRATIVE

 Folder 1 Annual Report, 1949-1966
        2 Annual Report, 1968-1975
        3 Annual Report, 1969 (carbon)
        4 By-Laws
        5 Presidential Papers, 1967-1968
        6 Secretarial Papers
        7 Vice President's Handbook
        8 Officer Responsibilities
        9 Advisory Council
       10 Alumnae Council
       11 Home Ec., AHEA
       12 Letters to The Candle
       13 Newsletters, 1946-1956
       14 Tau Chapter Newsletter, 1955
       15 President's Correspondence
       16 General Correspondence
       17 Chapter Manual of PUO, 1952
       18 Secretary's Notebooks 1950-1978
       19 History (also Recipe Book)
       20 Papers Interleaved in Record Book 1
       21 Papers Interleaved in Record Book 2
       22 Papers Interleaved in Record Book 3
       23 Papers Interleaved in Record Book 4
       24 Papers Interleaved in Record Book 6
       25 Installation of Officers (found in Sec.NB)
       26 Inspections 1949-1974
       27 Annual Examinations

SERIES II: FINANCES-TREASURER

       28 Budget 1944-1973
       29 Financial Report, 1957-1958
       30 Treasurer's Report, 1948-1972
       31 Statement of Fund Transactions, 1969-1972
       32 Financial Statements, May 1961-May 1963
       33 Bank Reconciliation 1956-1960
       34 National Professional Contributions, 1949-50
       35 Scholarships and Awards
       36 Income Tax Forms
       37 Financial Record Book, 1944-1977
       38 Treasurer's Correspondence
       39 HEA Treasurer's Book 1960-1977
       40 HEA Treasurer's Book 1976-1978
       41 Treasurer's Book 1978-1981
       42 Handbook for Treasurer
       43 Treasurer's Handbook, Revised 1978
       44 Miscellaneous and Public Forms
       45 Miscellaneous Stats of National (Local) Chap.
       46 Checkbook and Passbook, First Natl. Bank
       47 Blank Order Forms, Cards, Envelopes

SERIES III: INITIATION AND MEMBERSHIP

       48 Initiation, Installation, and Meeting Proc.
       49 Music
       50 Local Honorary Member Applications 1944, 1955
       51 Membership List and Additions, 1975-1976
       52 Book of Member's Signatures 1944-1978
       53 Account with Members, A-F
       54 Account with Members, G-L

BOX 2

SERIES III (cont.): INITIATION AND MEMBERSHIP

 Folder 1 Account with Members, M-R
        2 Account with Members, S-Z

BOX 2 (cont.)

SERIES IV: PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

        3 Guestbook for PUO Special Events, 1946-75
        4 Founder's Day Events
        5 Fundraising and Contributions
        6 Correspondence of Conclave Program, 1958
        7 Professional Work
        8 Program Chairman Correspondence, 1958
        9 Professional Programs, 1972-1973
       10 Field Trip to Minneapolis, March 28-30, 1974
       11 Open House, 1977

SERIES V: NATIONAL COUNCIL

       12 Conclave Minutes, 1950-1960
       13 Conclave Minutes, 1962-1972
       14 Conclave Minutes, 1973-1975
       15 Minutes of Annual Council Meetings, 1950-1961
       16 Minutes of Annual Council Meetings, 1962-1972
       17 Report of Finances, Treasurer, Budget
       18 Finance Reports, 1971-1974
       19 Handbook of PUO (Revised 1970, 1973)
       20 Chapter Manual of PUO
       21 National Directory, 1909-1963
       22 History, 1909-1944
       23 Initiation Rituals (Scrolls)  

SEPARATIONS RECORD

The following materials have been separated and placed on shelves adjacent to the collection:

          Record Book 1 (APR 1923-APR 1940)
          Record Book 2 (APR 1941-MAY 1944)
          Record Book 3 (OCT 1946-APR 1947)
          Record Book 4 (FEB 1950-DEC 1952)
          Record Book 5 (MAR 1953-APR 1968)
          Record Book 6 (OCT 1968-JAN 1978)
          Scrapbook (1941-1943)
          Scrapbook  (1944-1971)
          Scrapbook  (1966-1976)
          Scrapbook  (1971-1972)

The following issues of The Candle have been separated and cataloged for the Department's North Dakota Book Collection:

          APR, 1943    SPRING, 1956  FALL, 1964
          MAY, 1945    FALL, 1956  SPRING, 1965
          DEC, 1945    SPRING, 1957  FALL, 1965
          SPRING, 1947  FALL, 1957  SPRING, 1966
          SPRING, 1948  SPRING, 1958  FALL, 1966
          SPRING, 1950  FALL, 1958  SPRING, 1967
          FALL, 1950  SPRING, 1959  FALL, 1967
          FALL, 1951  FALL, 1959  SPRING, 1969
          SPRING, 1952  SPRING, 1960  SPRING, 1972
          FALL, 1952  FALL, 1960  FALL, 1972
          SPRING, 1953  SPRING, 1961  SPRING, 1973
          FALL, 1953  FALL, 1961  FALL, 1974
          SPRING, 1954  FALL, 1963  FALL, 1979
          FALL, 1955  SPRING, 1964  SPRING, 1980

The following photographs have been separated and placed within the Orin G. Libby Photographic Collection:

          OGL#1337-1 Women gathering in line at a buffet style  luncheon while meeting to learn the Heimlich  Maneuver,
ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-2  Two women practicing Heimlich Maneuver,ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-3  Women preparing table for the buffet, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-4  One woman in the buffet line, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-5  Two women watching the demonstration, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-6  Two women practicing Heimlich Maneuver (same women as in UA88 - 21,992), ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-7  Woman performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a doll, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-8  Woman performing CPR on a doll, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-9  Woman performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a baby, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-10 Women eating from the buffet, ca. 1975
          OGL#1337-11 (Alpha Epsilon Members?), ca. 1963

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