Phi Mu was founded on January 4, 1852 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. Originally known as the Philomathean Society, it and Alpha Delta Pi, also founded at Wesleyan College, are known as the “Macon Magnolias.” Phi Mu was founded by Mary DuPont (Lines), Mary Myrick (Daniel) and Martha Hardaway (Redding). The founding was publicly announced on March 4, 1852, the day that is celebrated as Founders’ Day. On August 1, 1904, the group received a charter from the state of Georgia and was established as Phi Mu Fraternity. The second chapter was founded at Hollins College in 1904. Phi Mu joined the National Panhellenic Conference in 1911.
Jean Messecar Caldwell was born on July 20, 1927 in Owosso, Michigan. She was born before her fraternal twin brother. A graduate of Alma College, she began law school at the University of Detroit. When her parents moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, she moved too, and began her studies at the University of Tulsa Law School.
She became a Phi Mu at the University of Tulsa. In 1952, she became a member of the Alpha Omicron chapter of Phi Delta Delta law fraternity for women. She was just one of four women in her law school class and the only woman at the Bar exam.
Tulsa Tribune, May 27, 1952
On November 12, 1953, she became Mrs. Robert E. Caldwell. She first worked at a small law firm and then became one of the first women to be hired as an attorney in the Tulsa County District Attorney’s office. When she became pregnant with the first of the couple’s six children, she was relieved of her position in the D.A.’s office.
Caldwell was an active volunteer in her children’s activities as well as in her church community. She served on many Catholic and ecumenical committees in Tulsa. Caldwell began the first Diocese pre-school education program. Along with the Holy Family Cathedral Choir, she sang at the Vatican in Rome.
In 1989, she earned a master’s degree in theological studies from Loyola University Pastoral Studies program in 1989.
She died on July 13, 2019 at the age of 91.
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