About Us
The Beginning
On April 6, 1949, twelve alumnae members of Sigma Alpha Iota met at the home Lynette Blanchard to discuss possible organizing an alumnae chapter. The officers elected were:
Lynette Blanchard, President
Ethel Green, Vice President
Marian Merriman, Secretary
Evelyn Carlson, Treasurer
Plans were made to meet one Thursday night each month, beginning in October 1949, to meet the qualifications necessary for becoming an official alumnae chapter. The first meeting, held on October 6, 1949 was followed by a musicale. Each person volunteered to participate in a musicale and to act as hostess/co-hostess once during the year. At this time a petition to become an active alumnae chapter was drawn up and signed.
Chapter Installation
First chapter members
On January 19, 1950, the active initiation service and installation of the alumnae chapter took place at Harper Maybee Hall on the campus of Western Michigan College. The first chapter included fifteen members:
Dorothy Anderson
Mrs. James Bell
Margaret Beloof
Lynette Blanchard
Evelyn Carlson
Caroline Casler
Irene Davis
Mary Doty
Ethel Green
Helen Loomis
Marian Merriman
Dorothy Phillips
Margery Ruby
Dorothea Snyder
Lottie Suydam
First elected officers
The first officers elected for the newly installed Kalamazoo Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota were:
President, Lynette Blanchard
Vice President, Ethel Green
Corresponding Secretary, Dorothy Anderson
Recording Secretary, Caroline Casler
Treasurer, Evelyn Carlson
Chaplain, Dorothea Snyder
Editor, Dorothy Phillips
Magazine Chairman, Margery Ruby
Yearbook Chairman, Marian Merriman
Membership Chairman, Helen Loomis