Sigma Alpha Iota

P A N P I P E S Spring 2021 11 11 SISTERHOOD used to meet there during the day. Christine was a big influence in my life as far as SAI is concerned. She eventually became National Second Vice President in charge of college chapters [known as Director of Extension]. Every time somebody had a birthday, we'd gather in Christine's office and sing Happy Birthday and have a piece of birthday cake. We ate a lot of cake! One year, Kathleen Davidson, National President, decided to visit every chapter in the United States. She came to San Diego while I was president. Of course, we were scared to death! We were in awe of the national officers; they were superhuman. We reserved a room for her at a hotel but had no car to get there from campus, so I took her back to her hotel on the bus. She was really nice, very sweet, and put us very much at ease. Getting ready for that visit was the big thing in SAI that year. Because we didn't have any TV or means of entertainment, we had to make our entertainment. Everybody had a piano in their home. We did a lot of singing, and we sang every song in that songbook. ere was one song we really hammed up, and the next time they printed the songbook, it was gone. We don't know whether they took it away because of us or not! We had nowhere to meet [on campus], so we had to meet in each other's homes. is was during the war, and very few people had cars. We used the transit system, and it wasn't easy to get to those meetings. But we got to know each other a lot better. We were very close. Life was simpler. You were a charter member of the San Diego Alumnae Chapter (now the San Diego County Alumnae Chapter) in June of 1944, just after you graduated. How did you get involved? (laughing) I had nothing to do with it! I was still in college when they were thinking about it. I didn't get active with the alumnae chapter right away — I was out of town from 1946-1947, back east. en I was president of the Alumnae Chapter three times [1955-1957; 1972-1973; and 1987- 1991]. In the 1960s, I was Province Vice President for five years. e vice president oversaw the alumnae chapters, and the president oversaw the collegiate chapters. So as vice president, I visited each of the ten alumnae chapters in the province. en they needed a Province President. I tried it for one year, but it was impossible for my schedule. We're required to visit the music chair or dean at each college with a chapter, and I couldn't do that as a classroom teacher. But it was fun, and I loved it. What are some of your memories of SAI as an alumna? Oh, the parties! We had a Groundhog Day party one time. We had a reader's theater; we did this murder mystery and involved our husbands. We typed up a script and they could hold it while they read it. It was at my house. We had a big 'applause' sign and 'boo' sign for the audience. We just had a ball. And nearly every party had a sing-along. We sang the songs we knew. ey were really special. [In 1956] we got our National Achievement Award. I got to go back to Washington, D.C. to accept it [as the chapter president]. at was a wonderful experience. e reason I think we got it is because Iota Delta was just getting going again, and we were trying to help them. ey managed to pledge several girls, but didn't have enough people to do an initiation. We did a complete initiation for them, showed them how to do it. We were really close with Iota Delta. One time the National Executive Board met in San Diego for a spring meeting. is was probably the 1960s, while I was a province officer and knew the board. ey were at a hotel, and ended up coming up to my home and having a daytime meeting. My two apricot trees were in bloom, loaded with fruit. I remember we went out and two of the ladies had never picked fresh fruit off a tree. e whole board was out there picking apricots and eating them! Which National Conventions did you attend? What were they like? I think I've been to six National Conventions over the years. We had one in Los Angeles [in 1941]. I attended several at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. I really remember the centennial. at was a wonderful experience we had. We all went on buses out to where we were installed in Ann Arbor. We sang the Chorale. at was touching. What is your favorite SAI song? I like "e Musical Pipes of Pan." We used to jazz that one up a lot! We had a lot of fun with it. And the Chorale is almost sacred. To me, an SAI meeting without some kind of music just isn't SAI. It's the thing that made it different from other groups. Singing SAI songs really brings a chapter together. At least I think it did for us. I knew loads of them by memory. Not anymore, but I still remember quite a few! What would you like everyone to know about SAI? SAI builds strong lifetime friendships. And of course, it does so much good through Philanthropies in the way of scholarships and benefits to music students throughout the world. Philanthropies didn't exist when I first joined; that was organized later. Pan's Cottage does a lot for budding composers and musicians. We do a lot of good and bring music into people's lives. One of the great things it did for me was give me an opportunity to learn to be a leader. I had always been very shy, and SAI gave me leadership. A lot of the roles I took on I really felt inadequate, but I did them, and I grew tremendously, so I was happy for that opportunity. e important thing to remember is that [your membership in SAI] is a lifetime. You can come and go. ere are times in your life you can't be active, and it's difficult to get away when you have a young family. But there's always the thought of 'I can get back to it later.' If you have it strongly enough embedded in you, you will come back. Interview conducted by Laura Williams, an initiate of the Kappa Psi chapter at Fresno State. She is the Choral and General Music Resource Teacher for San Diego Unified School District, and also teaches at nearby San Diego State University. She is the Editor for the San Diego County Alumnae Chapter. The Iota Delta chapter at San Diego State College in The Iota Delta chapter at San Diego State College in 1941, when Genevieve (far right of the back row) was 1941, when Genevieve (far right of the back row) was initiated. Christine Springston is at the piano. initiated. Christine Springston is at the piano.

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