P.E.O. Sisterhood devoted to educational opportunities for women

January 12, 2007
Santa Paula News

P.EO. Sisterhood is known for secrecy as well as its devotion to education, but the organization of women working together for the advancement of women was considered radical when it was founded on January 21, 1869.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesP.EO. Sisterhood is known for secrecy as well as its devotion to education, but the organization of women working together for the advancement of women was considered radical when it was founded on January 21, 1869. Seven students on the campus of Iowa Wesleyan College were intrigued by their new concept in a century just awakening to the tremendous potential to be tapped by educational opportunities for women.Originally a small college society, P.E.O. now has more than 250,000 members worldwide. Friendship is the unique cornerstone the founders laid for the sisterhood, and today education continues to be the primary P.E.O. philanthropy.There are five international projects to assist women, with those receiving grants, loans and awards not required to be P.E.O. members. It’s an impressive list: as P.E.O. entered the 21st century, more than 54,000 women had benefited from its educational projects, recipients had received more than $59 million in Educational Loan Fund dollars, and International Peace Scholarships exceeded $11 million. In addition, the P.E.O. program for Continuing Education grants topped $12 million, and Scholar Awards were in excess of $2 million.And that’s not counting the more than 9,000 graduates of Cottey College, a two-year independent liberal arts and sciences college for women located in Nevada, MO. Virginia Alice Cottey founded the college in 1884, and when she became a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood she realized that the organization paralleled her own goals and ideals about higher education for women.... Cottey gifted the college to P.E.O. in 1927.The first P.E.O. Sisterhood in California was established in 1889, and Santa Paula’s Chapter was founded on April 18,1947, according to Gretchen Frey, who last year celebrated her 60th year of P.E.O membership. There is still some secrecy surrounding the name: Just what does P.E.O. stand for?“Philanthropic Educational Organization, that’s what we tell ‘em,” said Frey. Multiple published sources claim that P.E.O. means “Protect Each Other.”In 2005, the sisterhood unveiled a new logo and a campaign centered on “It’s Okay to Talk About P.E.O” to raise public awareness, while still maintaining an element of mystery.
Frey’s involvement began as a college student living in South Dakota whose mother and grandmother were P.E.O. members. One aspect of P.E.O. that particularly appeals to Frey is “continuing education... someone who decides in mid-life to return to school” is eligible for a one-year P.E.O. grant. In years past, the college loan program had an interesting quirk: “It used to be that you could never marry until the loan was paid,” noted Frey.The P.E.O. state organization funds larger grants to women entering law or medicine. P.E.O. also has a retirement home in Alhambra... former longtime Santa Paula resident June Mason is a resident.The local P.E.O. Chapter has about 25 members who meet twice a month. P.E.O.’s 2007 theme is “Loving Regard,” opening the door wide for programs centered on appreciation for “other people, art, music, books... there’s much” that would reflect the year’s theme.A Santa Paula resident since 1960, Frey has served as the president of the local and other P.E.O. Chapters. She noted that the Santa Paula group is looking forward to entertaining the countywide P.E.O. Chapters in April.P.E.O. President Millie Korth joined several years ago after her husband, Bill, passed away. “I joined because I knew who some of the members were and thought, ‘Gosh, anything they’re involved in can’t be that bad!’ It’s a very friendly, nice group of women who do some good, as much as we possibly can.”P.E.O. meetings always “feature a program” that is informational and entertaining. “It’s a nice camaraderie,” said Korth.For more information about P.E.O., contact Korth at 525-7248.



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