Alpha Gamma Delta (Epsilon Gamma Chapter) Records

Alpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity and social organization founded in 1904 by eleven women at Syracuse University. The organization now has nearly 200 collegiate chapters and more than 250 alumnae groups.

The University of Denver chapter, Epsilon Gamma, began in 1927 with six original members: Muriel Yaggy, Minta Gaines, Katherine Booth, Pauline Drive, Dorothy McDonnal and Elizabeth Purse. The charter was formally granted March 3, 1928. A friend of the original six Lindsey Barbee (a Gamma Phi Beta at DU with experience in National Panhellenic Council) wrote to her friend Louise Leonard (president of Alpha Gamma Delta) to help establish the chapter at DU and get them going. When Lindsey Barbee passed away in 1951, the Epsilon Gamma chapter established a memorial award to honor her, given to outstanding undergraduate at International Reunion Day each year.

Blanche Young McNeal, who taught writing at DU and CU, became a chapter sponsor and helped the originating members to use the Denver Woman's Press Club house at 1325 Logan Street as a starting chapter house. Dorothy McDonnal was elected president of the first full year 1928-1929, during which time the group rented the recreation room at Fillmore St. house for meetings and suppers. Katherine "Trinky" Booth became the second president in the fall of 1929 and the first Epsilon Gamma delegate to the International Alpha Gamma Delta convention. At the convention, Epsilon Gamma was introduced in a baby carriage. During that second year, the chapter rented a hosue at 2000 S. Clayton.

The Epsilon Gamma chapter co-hosted the 1938 International Convention in Troutdale, Colorado with the Beta Alpha chapter from Nebraska Wesleyan University. In 1942, Epsilon Gamma built their lodge house at 2301 S. University and added a dormitory in 1960 when the University of Denver allowed live-in sorority houses. This chapter was active until 2008.