CRESCENTS & CLUBSGraceland College, Lamoni, Iowa |
| Crescents |
|
The Crescent Club was organized as an honor organization for women
during the spring of 1922 under the dean of women, Vida Smith. The group
was designed to be a club symbolic of “womanly womanhood” and the
members were expected to help provide assistance and to promote the
development of womanly graces for all of the women of the college.
Originally, membership was determined by the vote of the female
students. Eight women were elected annually in the spring for membership
the following fall. After the first year, the tradition of passing a
white rose and a red rose to each incoming member was introduced into
the initiation service. The first Crescent president was Dorothy Briggs. Other original Crescents were Mary Steele, Nancy Powell, Lora Gamet, Addie Brown, Nita Vandel, Ramona Judson and Thelma Lane. Honorary members were Mrs. Smith and her assistant Hazel Putnam. The club's flowers were red and white roses, their colors were red and white; and, the club's symbol was the crescent. The Crescents selected as their motto: “Count that day lost, Whose low descending sun, Views from they hand, No worthy action done.” Over the years the Crescents have evolved into an honor society organization with two representatives from each residence hall house. Crescents promote the spirit of kindness and helpfulness, greet incoming freshmen women and recognize the birthdays of house members. In 1987, the Crescents revived the tradition of homecoming royalty and have since overseen the election and coronation of the students who are selected as homecoming queen and king. Past and present Crescents meet for an annual Crescent breakfast during homecoming. |
| Debate Teams |
|
In the fall of 1907 the Graceland Debating League was organized with
Frank Jones as the leader and members W. R. Dexter and Max Carmichael.
The team won their first debate which was against Amity College of
College Springs, Iowa. Lamoni audiences attended debates in great numbers when Graceland debated either Simpson or Tabor College. Graceland had separate intercollegiate teams for the academy, college women and college men. The last debate team pictured in the Acacia was in 1924, then not again until the 1941 Acacia with a notation that a debate team had been organized the year before under coach William Gould. The debate program was revived once again in the fall of 1961 under the leadership of Mr. Lynn Osborn. This team had more than 20 members and participated in intercollegiate debates. The last debate team pictured in the Acacia was in 1964. |
| Chess Club |
|
A Chess Club was organized in the fall of 1943 but existed for only that
school year. Officers were president Nora Moser, vice-president Bob Carr
and secretary-treasurer Lois Van Hoesen. On September 24, 1965 a new Chess Club was organized from a meeting held in room #102 at Platz-Mortimore Hall. Dennis Steele was the advisor and the following officers were elected for the first year: captain Jim Menzies and secretary David Jensen. During the men's intramural chess tournament, co-sponsored by the club in 1965-66, Dave Condit won the championship title. The Chess Club was last pictured in the 1967 Acacia. |
| SOURCE: Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” Pp. 50-1, 68-9, 71. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997. Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, February 2017. NOTE: Graceland University expressly granted permission to Decatur County IAGenWeb to use photographs and materials for the sole purpose of this website. Please, extend courtesy toward Graceland University and Decatur County IAGenWeb ~ ask before you "borrow" from this site. Thank you. These pages have been updated and reformatted by Conni McDaniel Hall, October 2019 |
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