The Delta Phi Sorority

"We believe in true friendship with our fellowmen."

Rushing the sororities was certainly making it easier to adjust, Adelaide might have thought, perhaps fingering the Sib, Sigma, and Dorian invites she had proudly received before entering them in her book. She would have known about these Greek societies from at least the beginning of the school year, and probably even earlier, since most had now been at Hope for almost 10 years, some longer. Even the top right corner of her book, the inside page, was stamped with an emblem of hands shaking, two male and two female, over the words “my sorority, my fraternity.” Almost all the girls rushed, and even the second Anchor talked about rushing. Adelaide must have read with interest, the warnings about “rush and pledge,” the article concluding that “We believe the girls have the right method to reach the better standard of societies,” a “method” Adelaide and Geraldine were doubtless enjoying immensely, in the fun dinners and social events planned for the new girls, and recorded on a series of pages in the memory book, each invite and program grouped with each respective society.

By the end of October, cordially invited to “Delphi Society at Home” on October 27, 1922, Adelaide received her first Delphi invite. In what must have seemed an eternity, but proved really just three short weeks later, Adelaide might have stood on her front stair, again grasping the mail in her hand, in mid-November, the fall semester rapidly approaching its end. The invitation was written on thick white stationary, folded in half, with thin, looping hand writing and a society symbol in the upper left corner, the Greek letter Phi inside of a larger Delta. It read, “The Delphi Society cordially invites you to become one its members, and to be present at its next meeting. Grace Spies, Pres. Mabel Van Dyke, Secy.” On November 18^th, 1922, Adelaide was officially invited to become a member of one of Hope College’s most desired sororities, Delta Phi.