Chapter History

The Psi Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta began as a social club called "Entre Nous". This social club was then installed as Psi Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta on January 14th, 1916, by Lena Gradin Baldwin, the National President.

The campus had no sorority houses at the time, but each group had a small suite of rooms, comprising two rooms and a kitchenette, above Long's Bookstore (now Barnes & Noble). Psi Chapter rented a house in the 1920's and began to save money in a candy box for the "House Fund". Pauline Hershey, the chapter treasurer, was in charge of the box, and she eventually led in the incorporation of the Alpha Xi Delta Building Company. Pauline served as Secretary Treasurer of the Building Company until illness forced her to resign. She was one of the charter members of the Alumnae chapter and the first recipient of the chapter's Alumnae Award, which has borne her name since her death in 1965. Pauline Hershey's pin is given to the Psi Chapter Treasurer to wear during her term in office.

Psi Chapter's dream of their own chapter house became a reality in 1926 when the Alpha Xi Delta Building Company purchased a house at our present location, 76 East 15th Avenue. This house was enlarged in 1936 and in 1941 was destroyed almost entirely in order to build the present house- the first on campus to have a very modern architectural style.

In 1960, the large terrace room (now called the Florida Room) was added with a new chapter room below it on the ground floor. The Florida Room is currently an amazing workout room located right in the house! The old chapter room is now our "Town Girls Room".

Further expansion in 1978 added new bedrooms on the second and third floors. Our house currently accommodates 41 girls, providing comfortable rooms for one, two, three, and four girls. The first floor has a formal living room, informal living room, Florida room (workout room), kitchen, dining room, and ladies' powder room. The second floor has nine bedrooms, a large bathroom, and a housemother's suite. The third floor has ten bedrooms, a large bathroom. The basement includes our chapter room, "hard study", Town Girls' room, and laundry and bathroom facilities.