A golden anniversary

 Saturday, March 13, was the 50th anniversary of my initiation into Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity.  That date in 1971 was a Saturday, too.  I've kept in touch with some of my pledge sisters and other chapter sisters all these years.  Facebook has renewed connections with many others. 

(I realize that this picture of Alex and me was taken a different year. Her dress and my hair are different. At spring break, 1973, I got my hair cut short, so this was most likely May of '73.  I made my initiation dress. It had six-button cuffs that fastened through corded loops. What a pain those were to sew!) 

A banquet . . . 

, , ,  and, of course, a party!  (Off-campus, of course.) 

 My search for photos from initiation day went from the handy archives (=front hall closet) to the deeper archives (=boxes in the attic).  I found that freshman year scrapbook and a whole lot more that included high school scrapbooks, grade school class pictures, and junior high yearbooks.  I brought a lot of stuff down and will go through it soon.  ("Soon" is a relative term. And I will probably copy some pictures, share some letters and papers, and then box everything up once again.) 

Saddle shoes were a short-lived revival fad  my junior year.  After 45+ years in storage the uppers and soles on this pair have separated.  The striped shirt ("Levis for Gals") was a just-before-college purchase that I wore all four years.  Poly/cotton will last forever. 

Jogging was new in the 70's.  Several us jogged a couple of evenings a week wearing our Alpha Gam-personalized sweatpants.   The "cool" Greek-letter windbreakers were nylon with yellow appliqued letters. I could only afford a poplin jacket with ironed-on letters.  

  

In 1973 I repurposed a pair of overalls into a tote bag and added some groovy embroidery. 

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane!