Fifty years ago: graduation and new beginnings

 

Fifty years ago last Friday I graduated with a Master's Degree in library science.  A real librarian!

But I didn't go to work as a librarian right away. 

Fifty years ago yesterday (August 8, 1974) I began my new job as a Chapter Consultant for Alpha Gamma Delta.  

Now called Leadership Consultants, LCs are recent  graduates who travel to the sorority's collegiate chapters to assist with recruitment (rush) and chapter management.

The appointment letter came in April . . .

But I was tipped off.

There were four in the LC class of 74-75.  We had one-year appointment.  (Nowadays there are 8-10 and most serve for two years.) 

 I had two huge American Tourister suitcases. One was a fold-over 'wardrobe' bag.  Back then suitcases did not have wheels.  I also had a big gold corduroy tote bag to hold the files and notebooks.  

We sewed AGD crests to the pockets of our pantsuits. Mine was tan because I already had a dark green pantsuit. (I spent a lot of the summer sewing.) 

The international officers were old, or so we thought. (They were younger then than we are now!) 

The international headquarters is still in Indianapolis but it is now in an office building rather than a house.  I'll need to ask if they still have the clock. 

Each of us   carried those three big ring binders. 

I went to two chapters for rush visits and to two other for organization visits. Then I began a new assignment as the first LC for extension. That meant I visited campuses where we did not have chapters to see if they were open for extension.    

Fall term I was in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina.  I also visited Michigan and Wisconsin.   In the spring I went to Texas A & M University and spent two and a half months on the organization of a chapter, with several side visits to other prospective campuses.    TAMU had only recently gone coeducational after decades as a men's school with an extremely strong military component.  There was no existing Greek (sorority/fraternity) system so it was quite a challenge.    

While I was working on that I was applying for library jobs.  I met with Hazel Adams Richardson, the director of the Bryan Public Library (Bryan and College Station are one metro area).  I made a good impression on her and when the library board in Brenham, Texas, asked her advice when they needed a new head librarian she gave them my resume. I rented a car and drove to Brenham (40 miles), had the interview, and they hired me . . . but that is a 50th anniversary story for next year. 

My LC year was life-changing and more importantly life-course-determining.  I would not have become a public library administrator.  I would not have thought about living in a small city in rural Texas.  I would not have thought about Pittsburg, Kansas, for my second job (see the LC schedule, above) which is where I met Stevens.   I am so grateful that Alpha Gamma Delta took a chance on me!