On October 13, 1870 six women marched into chapel at Monmouth College wearing small golden keys. This signaled the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Today Founder's Day, honoring Mary Louise Bennett, Hannah Jeannette Boyd, Martha Louisa Stevenson, Mary Moore Stewart, Susan Burley Walker, and Anna Elizabeth Willits, is still celebrated by all Kappas.
The Gamma Beta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma was inducted April 5, 1918 at the University of New Mexico by the Grand President and members of the Beta Mu chapter. The services were held in the local Sigma Chi house with receptions following at a hotel. Originally Gamma Beta was a local sorority called Alpha Gamma. The sixteen members formally petitioned to become Kappas in 1918 after a visit by the Grand Secretary their request was granted.
In 1922, many of the industries were failing, and because of financial loss, the membership of our chapter was reduced to three girls. Two of the banks closed their doors, and the savings account and the building fund were lost. The three girls who were left to assume the responsibility of the chapter challenged the circumstances and preserved the high standards of Kappa on this campus.
For a period of three years, the members of Gamma Beta lived in a rental chapter house arrangement in Albuquerque. The plan proved impractical because of the heavy per capita cost of upkeep ( only a small number of the girls lived away from Albuquerque). The other women's fraternities, which before 1920 numbered 3, were also forced to abandon the plan for maintaining houses. It became the custom for each group to rent a chapter room in the women's residential hall at the University. The dorm parlors were the nucleus for the recruitment activities, and informal chapter and formal entertaining. Initiation was usually held at the houses of town members.
During the school years 1928-1930 four different houses were rented. All four were eventually abandoned because of size, campus proximity and other difficulties.
In 1934, our first chapter house was built. Because the chapter members were minors and could not hold title to property and because ownership and management of a chapter house entailed a knowledge of business, a corporation was formed. The trustees of this corporation are known as the House Board.
The newest history of Gamma Beta concerns the end of 1966 when we moved from 221 University to our present address of 1620 Mesa Vista. In the past year furniture and carpeting has been replaced in the 29 dorm rooms!
- Historically Speaking Monthly articles written by the Fraternity History Chairman
- Voyage of Discovery
- Kappa Firsts
Accomplishments that Kappa has distinguished itself as being the first to achieve among women's fraternities