COPY 1503 33rd Street, N.W. Washington 7, D.C. November 27, 1945 Registered Letter This letter is to be read aloud by President of Chapter at first chapter meeting after it is received. Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Burlington, Vermont Dear Alpha Xi Deltas; It has been brought to my attention that Upsilon Chapter on or about November 1, 1945, pledged Crystal Malone, '47, who is to be known in her record for admission to the University of Vermont as a negro. Will you please inform me, Cay, by return of mail, if this was known to the chapter when you invited her to become a pledge. Will you send me immediately a copy of Crystal's recommendation blank and copies of all recommendations you had for her. Please do not delay in furnishing this information. The National Council is unanimously agreed that many problems are presented by your unprecedented action in pledging a member of the negro race. It will be necessary for us to give these problems serious consideration before the chapter can go further with its plans. The National Council, therefore, enjoins Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta from initiating Crystal Malone or any other member of the negro race until we can complete an investigation of the wishes of the fraternity as a whole in this matter. (See Sec. 9, Clause b-1, Page 8, National Constitution and ByLaws.) Realising since my visit to the chapter in October, your desire to foster the growth and development of Upsilon Chapter, I am sure that none of the present college chapter will wish to do anything to jeopardize the future of Alpha Xi Delta. You eill be aware, I am sure, of the serious implications of this order I am sending the chapter from the National Council. You girls have acted in friendliness and admiration toward a girl whom you must all like very much and in a manner I am told that is accepted and natural and right on your campus. But has it occured to you that you have offered Crystal something which is perhaps not yours to offer--that is, a general acceptance of a negro member by your whole fraternity? This acceptance is implied when we offer a Quill. This matter goes far beyond the confines of your own campus. Cay recently punctiliously inquired of me the proper procedure for depledging one of your holdover pledges who has indicated that she wishes to be released. Cay has also recently written me for advice as to liberalising your Catholic quota. But, on this far more important question of the pledging of a negro girl, neither the Province President nor I were consulted. Did you consult your alumnae advisers? Did you talk this matter over with your parents? No, a group of thirteen or fourteen college girls, limited in their experience in life and still seeking an education, have attempted without counsel to make a decision affecting hundreds of other members, in fact, affecting the entire social fraternity field. Does that seem a little presumptious and egotistical to you? It does to me. Does it seem democratic to you to attempt to force such a decision on the entire fraternity without consulting any of your local and national advisers? You probably have not thought of this side of the picture. Therefore, I suggest you do so now. The National Council will proceed to consider the wishes of the fraternity on this matter. We have already directed an inquiry to National Panhellenic Congress to discover what our status would be in NPC if we permitted this step. Inquiry has been directed to the legal counsel of National Interfraternity Council and National Panhellenic Congress for information as to whether negroes have ever been initiated in other social fraternities. The reply indicates that this has never been done by any men's or women's social group, although some negroes belong to honorary and professional fraternities and there is at least one negro social fraternity being accepted into college panhellenics at some colleges. The question Upsilon Chapter has raised by their preci[itate and ill-considered action will receive serious study by a number of people. Any decision given you will reflect the thought of the responsible national officers of the fraternity and not that of any individual. Alpha Xi Delta does not belong just to you or to me. You and I are only a few members among thousands to whom the National Council is responsible for the development and advancement of the fraternity. Let me call your attention again to the order given in paragraph 5 of this letter and remind Upsilon's President to forward the information request in Paragraph 2 at once. With continued good wishes that Upsilon Chapter may make progress in rebuilding their chapter, I am, Fraternally, Mrs. Beverly Robinson National President Copies to: National Council, Mrs. Rufe, General Office, and Miss Dawn Nichol, Chairman of Advisers at Upsilon