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Chapter History
Organized November 3, 1909
In recognition of Andrew Carruthers service at
the Battle of Kings Mountain and using the colonial spelling of his name, this
chapter was named in his honor and in compliment to Mrs. Neil Carothers, by
whom it was organized on November 3, 1909.
Mrs. Carothers conceived the idea of the chapter as a
means of stimulating patriotism in university girls so they could take the
ideals of DAR home with them, and also as a means of furthering the ambitions
of girls faced with struggles and privations to obtain a college education.
According to the original bylaws, only students and
ex-students of the University of Texas were eligible for chapter membership.
This special requirement for eligibility was later expanded to include members
and wives of the university staff, as well as women who had completed two years
of university work. In current times, any woman eligible for membership in the
National Society is eligible for local membership.
The chief purpose of formation was the founding of a
scholarship for girls attending the University of Texas. Mrs. Carothers is
credited with the vision, untiring zeal, and enthusiasm which led to the
achievement of this goal. She preferred a scholarship to a loan fund because
she saw many girls leave college burdened with debt.
Mrs. Caruthers established the annual statement of
renewed devotion in the belief: "Looking backward with pride to the
accomplishments of our ancestors and pointing forward with zeal and hope!"
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Registrar
Muriel Parker, regent Kelly O'Shieles, honorary regent and historian Susan
Gettman and lineage research chair Sharyl Burshnick placed the DAR insignia on
Mrs. Carother's grave in Starkville, MS. Hic-A-Sha-Ba-Ha regent Patsy Stuart
and Mississippi state first vice regent Hellen Polk facilitated cleaning the
tombstone and attended the ceremony. |
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