Foyer of Firsts Your journey begins in the Beta Epsilon-Arizona Foyer of Firsts, a space dedicated to our Founders. They laid the foundation for a legacy of groundbreaking achievements that continue to shape Alpha Phi today. All our “firsts” are housed here — from our first publication and first alumnae initiate to our first chapter house and first traveling delegate. These “firsts” are the building blocks of the organization we know and love today.
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First Publication Exhibit Next, you enter the First Publication Exhibit. Our Founders and earliest members were deeply committed to scholarship, holding weekly meetings filled with orations, declamations, mock trials and spelling schools. Perhaps because the university newspaper barred women from serving on its editorial board, they took matters into their own hands and launched their own literary journal, The Literary Cabinet , shortly after founding Alpha Phi. As Alpha Phi grew, so did its need for a broader exchange of information. After five years of discussion and planning, the Quarterly was approved at Convention in 1888 and made its debut shortly thereafter. Our award-winning magazine has been published continuously since that time. This exhibit displays the covers of our earliest issues as well as editions commemorating significant milestones in our history. Since 1888, the Quarterly has served as a central hub for Fraternity news and communication, with issues showcased throughout the entire Executive Office. Across from this exhibit, in a drawer carefully protecting it from light, rests an incredibly special piece of our collection: a handwritten issue of The Literary Cabinet . Founders Jane Sara Higham and Louise Viola Shepard Hancock were the editors, and while the issue has faded over time, you can still make out their beautiful handwriting on its pages.
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