Alpha of Clovia

In 1932 Roosevelt was President and closed all the banks. Since no one had money, things grew pretty hectic until banks reopened. As Jessie Dean Thackrey sums up that period, "In spite of it all we were pretty successful. After all, we were 4-H club gals, and we had learned to be resourceful."

The school year 1932-33, Mrs. R. W. West became Clovia's second housemother. Many of the Clovia rituals were written that year. May, 1933, Mabel Smith was initiated as the first honorary member. During the summer of '33 the house stayed open and it cost each girl $25.00 for the entire nine weeks.

In 1933-34, with Mrs. Hulda Taylor as housemother, big sisters were appointed for the first time from the active group to aid the pledges. Klovia Kappers was a newsletter created that year by the actives to send to the alums prior to annual meeting.

Clovia started to become well known, in the spring of '34, as hostesses for Extension open house and for Farm & Home Week. Edith Painter Wallace was installed as the second honorary member. In May '34 the girls organized a mother's club and elected Mrs. Meier as the first president.

As Clovia grew, there was need to rent a different house, and 1521 Leavenworth was the address of Clovia the 1934-35 school year. That spring the alumnae of Clovia met May 26 to organize an alumnae association. Ellen Blair was elected president, vice president was Edith Painter, secretary was Mary Jordan, and the treasurer was Mabel Smith. At that time the alumnae association began to consider buying a house for Clovia's own, but took no action then. That year it was put into the constitution that the fall alumnae meeting was to be held preferably at homecoming. The alumnae association then was responsible for monitoring the active policies and conducting business matters in regards to the house.

That year the alumnae choose Miss Gertrude Alien, K- State Extension staff member, as the third honorary member of Clovia. In 1937 Mary Elsie Border, who was on the State 4-H Club staff and who has been seen at Clovia functions throughout its history, was selected as honorary member. Mrs. Kate Mason of Olathe became housemother in the fall of '37.

The house had only one bathroom and the girls had to sign up for turns in it on Saturdays or before social events. Ironically, the two bathrooms at the current house on Pioneer Lane contain eight showers, two tubs, and numerous stools and sinks, but a sign-up sheet for the tub prior to social events is still a Clovia practice.

Tuesday evenings at the Clovia house were reserved for culture meetings. Following dinner from seven until eight o'clock etiquette was discussed. Wednesday evenings were for house dinners and Thursday evenings dinner guests could be invited.

In the late 30's there were about 4,000 students on campus. The chemistry building just north of Anderson burned. When the next legislature met, there were people parading with placards urging that appropriations be made for a new building. Elsenhower Hall now stands on that spot. Home Economics was in Calvin Hall, and that is where the majority of Clovias could be found at that time; Waters Hall had a west and east wing with a livestock arena between. Basketball was held in Nichols Gym, and every enrollment fee automatically included game admission. There was no smoking on campus or at Clovia either, for that matter. At campus gates there were mounds of cigarette butts.

During the fall meeting of 1937 there was talk of perhaps beginning Clovia's in Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. It was decided at this meeting that the Manhattan bunch would send a delegation to install the chapter in Minnesota if one were to be created.

Three Minnesota University girls stayed at the house during Rural Life Conference, 1938, and asked all kinds of questions about the house. They seemed very interested in the Clovia organization, and visited with actives and alumnae about it. Twenty-four attended their first organizational meeting back in Minnesota, and the Beta chapter of Clovia was born. The Beta's drew up a constitution, and had the idea to form a national constitution based on the two chapter constitutions. The Beta's went by Sigma Phi Eta for two years.

Clovia was established as a national organization, Sunday, May 7, 1939, with the installation of the Beta Chapter at the University of Minnesota. The group had sixteen actives, five pledges and three alumnae at that time, and Miss Mildred Schenk, assistant state 4-H club leader, was their advisor.

The Beta's adopted the Alpha's Clovia name, active pin and crest. The Alpha's adopted the Beta pledge pin and guard. First national officers were: Audrey Fox, president from Minn.; Leona Ochsner, vice president from Kansas; Barbara Nelson, secretary from Minn.; Ruby Corr Truax, treasurer, Kansas; Peggy Lind, hostorian from Minn.; and Mary Jordan Regnier, chaplain, from Kansas.

Two significant events took place the summer of 1938. The previous year four girls lived at 121 N. 17th, because the house Clovia was renting was full. That summer a contract was drawn up to purchase a house at 303 N. 16th. from H. H. Kinney for $7500.00. The alumnae agreed to pay $1200 per year, $750.00 to be rent and $450.00 to apply to the house purchase. The active chapter moved into the new house July 1938, according to alumnae meeting minutes.