BETA SIGMA PHI SORORITY CELEBRATES 70 YEARS

This week at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau, members of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority celebrated 70 years strong.

President of Laureate Alpha Rho chapter, Loretta Atkins, said there are 11 chapters in the immediate area; 10 in Cape and one in Jackson. The Laureate Alpha Rho Chapter was the host of the celebration this year.

Those who received Golden Circle 50-year pins were Mrs. Paul Miles and Patricia Taylor.

The organization's objective is to provide the opportunity for the sisterhood to learn leadership skills and organizational skills to accomplish good works, such as raising money for scholarships, breast cancer research and assistance for sisters in need.

The organization was founded by Walter W. Ross in 1931 at a time when people had difficulty feeding and clothing their families and keeping a roof over their heads.

Those who joined then sacrificed a great deal in material things to pay for their membership in the sorority. The organization boasts that its membership fee is the same as it was 25 years ago, but with much more to offer its members.

In the 1940s and 1950s Beta Sigma Phi supported World War II efforts, started an international loan fund and helped stamp out polio by raising funds for research. This year, 19 philanthropic organizations benefit from the International Endowment Fund, started in 1947 by Beta Sigma Phi's.

The sorority's Greek letters originated from three Greek words meaning life, learning and friendship. The symbol of black and gold colors originated when in 1958, international staff member Elsie Guenther had planned a trip to see the Great Barrier Reef off Australia's coastline.

She had plans of organizing a new chapter there, but when her ship docked, she got a bad case of the jitters. As she disembarked, a person waving black and gold ribbons caught her eye. That person turned out to be a member at large who had learned of Elsie's visit and planned to make her feel welcome.

This is an example of the loyalty and friendship that exists between sorority members. The yellow rose, another symbol of the sisterhood, has taken on a special significance for Beta Sigma Phi's because of its vibrant color. The flower's bright hue signifies the sun and light or "light of learning." The yellow rose closely resembles the color of gold, a precious metal used in our badges to make the "golden circle of friendship."