Chapter History: The Early Years (1958 - 1970)
The Beginning
Nu Chapter was established on the University of Alabama campus at Tuscaloosa on June 21, 1958. It was the 12th chapter to be chartered in the United States and was the first chapter in the state of Alabama. Nu, the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet, was assigned as its Chapter's name. The initial idea for a chapter came from a small group of registered nurses that were pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. They were looking for an organization that would reflect their interests in scholarly activities. Dean Hixson, the first Dean of the University of Alabama School of Nursing, was supportive of their values and encouraged them to contact a faculty member at Vanderbilt School of Nursing who had been involved with a National Honorary Society of Nursing called Sigma Theta Tau. After creating a Preliminary Committee and developing Bylaws, the group's application for a chapter charter was approved (based on a poll of active chapters and national officers) on May 11, 1958.
The Preliminary Committee was composed of undergraduate students, graduate students (masters), alumni, and faculty. Miss Gwendolene Howell, a former President of the Student Nurse Association, was elected Chairperson. Other members of the Preliminary Committee were Elizabeth Cleino, Faye Godwin, Judith Marqua, Marie O'Koren, Cynthia Rector, and Helen Winslow. Miss Lyndon McCarroll served as Faculty Advisor. Miss McCarroll was a dynamic force in the founding of Nu Chapter.
Inductions
The first chapter induction was held June 21, 1958 in the School of Nursing building on the campus in Tuscaloosa. A total of 39 alumni, students, faculty, and nursing leaders in the state were inducted as charter members. Dr. Lois Austin, national president of Sigma Theta Tau, served as the chartering officer. (She came to Birmingham by train from Philadelphia.) The chapter received several "Western Union telegrams", and a special greeting was received from Iota chapter at Vanderbilt (the nearest other chapter). Four chapter members from Vanderbilt attended the chartering ceremony. Nu chapter was the first chapter in Alabama. In the beginning, the Initiation Fee was $10 and the Membership Fee $5. The establishment of a chapter of a national nursing honor society was a distinct recognition for the School of Nursing and gave it prestige.
The first chapter President was Margaret Millsap. She is shown here with the other officers who were from left to right:
 | - President - Margaret Millsap
- Vice President - Faye Godwin
- Secretary - Dorothy Hart
- National President - Dr. Austin
- Treasurer - Jean Ackerman
- Archivist - Laurene Gilmore
- Faculty Counselor - Lyndon McCarroll
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In the early years, the term for officers was primarily one year in length. Inductions were held annually (sometimes twice a year) for a relatively small number of inductees, between 5-15, until 1968 when the number of new inductees jumped to over 20 per group, representing the corresponding increase in the number of enrolled students in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Inductees were required to attend the induction in order to become a member. Following an induction, the chapter customarily held a banquet to honor its new members.
Programs & Activities
Besides sponsoring educational programs, a major chapter activity in the early years was hosting a Founder's Day Tea each Fall for all new nursing students on campus. The chapter also produced an annual publication of a yearbook that highlighted member activities. A simple newsletter was distributed called Nu Chapter. Other significant activities during the early years were Nu Chapter's participation in the celebration of the School of Nursing's 10th anniversary (1960) and 50th anniversary of the Alabama State Nurses Association in 1963. The Chapter played a growing and valued role in the development of scholarship and leadership in nursing in the state of Alabama.
One of the earliest reports of Nu chapter's involvement at the national level was the sending of a delegate to the 14th Biennial convention in 1959. One of the chapter delegate who attended the 17th Biennial convention in Nashville in 1963 recalls how impressed she was with the lobster Newburg and flaming cherry jubilee that was served at the banquet for all attendees!
At the 1965 Biennial convention, Jean Kelley, the Nu chapter president from 1961-62, was elected to serve as National Secretary of the Society and Elizabeth Cleino, also a Nu chapter member, was elected to serve on the national Research Fund Committee. Later, Dr. Cleino was appointed chair of the Research Fund Committee (1965-1969). Both of these individuals were re-elected for a second term. Because of their national offices, these two individuals brought a wealth of visibility and prestige to the chapter. One of the things they were able to do was to get Mrs. Carolyn Widmer, the national second Vice President of Sigma Theta Tau at the time, to come for an official chapter visit in April 1967. Mrs. Widmer spoke at the induction ceremony on the topic of "What it Means to be a Member of an Honor Society". Mrs. Widmer later became the first (part-time) National Executive Secretary (Officer) of Sigma Theta Tau in 1967.
A major contributing factor in the growth of the chapter was the move of the School of Nursing from the Tuscaloosa campus to the Birmingham campus in 1967. Until that time attendance at meetings had been a problem since they were held in Tuscaloosa while many members lived in Birmingham. Dr. McCarroll who had been instrumental in the founding of the Chapter was given a lifetime membership by the Chapter in honor for her efforts for Nu Chapter as well as her service to the nursing profession.
In addition to Margaret Millsap (1958-59), other chapter presidents who served during these early years were: Gwendolene Howell Mitchell (1959-60), Linda Falls Drummond (1960-61), Jean Kelley (1961-62), Sarah Johnston (1962-63), Emma Bodine Clark (1963-64), Elizabeth Cleino (1964-65), Lois Hayden (1965-66), Elizabeth Cleino (1966-67), and Florence Baker (1967-69).
Transition
In 1970, Dr. Hixson retired after 20 years of service as Dean. Upon her retirement, Nu chapter honored her with life membership in the chapter. Dr. Marie O'Koren, who had been a charter member of Nu chapter, succeeded her. Dean Hixson's leadership in combination with the diligent and persistent work of a small group of registered nurses created a chapter that was destined to be an active, productive, and growing force within the state of Alabama.