CLIO LITERARY SOCIETY TO OBSERVE CENTENNIAL

On Jan. 28, 1894, the Clio Literary Society adopted a constitution that called for the promotion of literature, virtue and friendship.

On that date Ruth Ella Browning and 14 other young women attending the Third District Normal School in Cape Girardeau pledged to uphold such noble causes.

Some of the members who kept that tradition alive and went on to form the Delta Delta Delta sorority at Southeast Missouri State University will celebrate the society's 100th anniversary during Southeast's 1994 Homecoming.

When it was still the Third District Normal School, all students were required to participate in societies and attend chapel. In addition to Clio and Benton, there were the Sorosis Literary Society for women and the Webster Literary Society for men.

There will be an all-society party at the Show Me Center Friday from 5-7 p.m.

Dr. Melvin Kasten will be one of the hosts for the party representing the Mark Twain Society. Joy Hahs Johnston will serve as host for the Hesperians. Leta Lewis Bahn will host the Clios, Marian Pruesse Tenkhoff the Sorosis Society, Jack Behrens the Webster Society and Kenny Bender the Benton Society.

Although the Clios are no longer known by that name, which refers to the use of history in Greek mythology, they have kept the friendships and time-honored tradition of their organization alive.

Some of the Clios who participated in the society's 50th anniversary will perform a mini concert at the International Marketplace luncheon at noon Saturday at the Show Me Center.

Songs selected for the concert were composed for a pageant in April 1944. The pageant depicted the history of the Clios. The 50th anniversary celebration included a Coke party, a baby show and an informal breakfast at the Marquette Hotel.

Some of the songs in the Clio mini concert may have been performed at one of the annual Benton-Clio Follies. Benton was the men's literary society named after Missouri artist Thomas Hart Benton.

From 3-5 p.m. Saturday, members of the Tri-Delta sorority will host an open house for the Clio alumni. The Tri-Delts will display some of the scrapbooks and mementos that date back to the Clio days. They will also host a tour of the Delta Delta Delta headquarters in Greek housing.