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1998 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 202
Commending Zeta Tau Alpha on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding at Longwood College.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 5, 1998
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 15, 1998

WHEREAS, on October 15, 1898, Zeta Tau Alpha was organized as a women's fraternity at the State Female Normal School, which later became Longwood College in Farmville, Virginia; and

WHEREAS, Zeta Tau Alpha was founded "to intensify friendship, to foster a spirit of love, to create such sentiments, perform such deeds, and mold such opinions as will conduce to the building up of a purer and nobler womanhood in the world"; and

WHEREAS, Zeta Tau Alpha's founders were Maud Jones Horner (the first president), Alice Bland Coleman, Ethel Coleman Van Name, Ruby Leigh Orgain, Frances Yancey Smith, Della Lewis Hundley, Helen May Crafford, Alice Grey Welsh, and Mary Campbell Jones Batte, and the first three pledges were Odelle Warren, Ellen Baxter Armstrong, and Grace Elcan; and

WHEREAS, in 1902, Alpha Chapter was joined by three additional chapters, Richmond Woman's College in Richmond, Virginia; Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia; and Hanna More Academy in Reisterstown, Maryland; and

WHEREAS, across the United States and Canada, Zeta Tau Alpha has granted 225 charters to collegiate chapters and 260 charters to alumnae chapters; and

WHEREAS, today, there are seven collegiate and eight alumnae chapters in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, since 1898, Zeta Tau Alpha's membership has included 155,000 women and in recent times, approximately 5,000 young women pledge each year; and

WHEREAS, Zeta Tau Alpha is one of the largest fraternities in the United States; and

WHEREAS, since 1992, Zeta Tau Alpha has adopted breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment as its national philanthropy; and

WHEREAS, to support its national philanthropy, Zeta Tau Alpha distributes one million waterproof shower cards each year which describe how to perform life-saving, monthly breast self-examinations; volunteers at more than 86 "Race for the Cure" five-kilometer events throughout the country; and supports, through financial contributions and service efforts, community organizations committed to breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment; and

WHEREAS, in addition to its national philanthropy, Zeta Tau Alpha supports a variety of award-winning educational programs for collegians, alumnae, and their communities, including awareness and prevention of alcohol abuse, HIV and AIDS infection, eating disorders, and date rape; and

WHEREAS, some notable Zetas include Lynda Byrd Johnson Robb (daughter of former President Lyndon Johnson and wife of Virginia Senator Charles Robb); Susan Ford Bales (daughter of former President Gerald Ford); Virginia Krauer (consumer affairs advisor to three United States Presidents); Rosalyn Wallace (first woman awarded a Science Achievement Award for her work in developing two anti-cancer agents); Margaret Brewer (first woman general in the United States Marine Corps); Faith Daniels (television journalist and reporter); Dr. Ellen Zwilich (first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in music and composer of the symphony "Peanuts Gallery"); Faith Baldwin (romance novelist); former Miss America Phyllis George Brown and Elizabeth Ward; and actresses Betty Buckley ("Eight is Enough" and 1983 Tony Award winner) and Rebecca Holden ("Knight Rider"); and

WHEREAS, Zeta Tau Alpha will commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding with a gala celebration at the Marriott Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, from June 25-30, 1998; and

WHEREAS, the anniversary celebration, "A Century of Sisterhood," will provide hundreds of collegians, alumnae, and friends an opportunity to experience Zeta Tau Alpha's heritage, sisterhood, and accomplishments, all of which began in the great Commonwealth of Virginia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly congratulate Zeta Tau Alpha on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding at Longwood College; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the National President of Zeta Tau Alpha and the Board of Trustees of Longwood College in honor of the 100th anniversary of this historic and celebratory event.