Estelle Shepard Beswick

Estelle was born in Forestville, New York and educated at Fredonia Normal School before entering Syracuse University in 1903. As Estelle was the first one to respond with any enthusiasm to the idea of a new fraternity at Syracuse, every Alpha Gamma Delta’s hat is off to her. When others were perplexed and discouraged, Estelle often set them all laughing and solved their problems. Estelle served as the first extension chairman. She is the author of “The Alpha Gamma Delta Girl” and with Emily Helen Butterfield, co-author of “The Alpha Gamma Delta Goat”, both popular songs in the early days. Estelle graduated in 1908 with Phi Beta Kappa and in the fall of 1909 became the first editor of the Alpha Gamma Delta Quarterly.

“As a founder, I am impressed with the steadfastness with which our early ideas of democracy, of scholarship and of friendliness have been preserved in our organization.”

Estelle Shepard Beswick entered Chapter Grand on January 9, 1944.