Lewis and Clark College Amicans collection, 1940-1977

The Amicans were a Junior Women's Honorary Society dedicated to performing acts of service at Lewis and Clark College. The society's name stood "for friendliness," originating in the French noun "amie," or friend, and the French verb "aimer," or to love. From the 1940s to the mid-1970s the Amicans undertook many service projects, including ushering at commencement, welcoming people at freshman orientation, ushering at chapel, organizing used book exchanges, giving campus tours, organizing high school senior preview days, and garnering new members. In 1976, The Amicans merged with several other service chapters on campus to create a larger, coed groups consisting of members from each of the four grade levels.

This collection was donated by Alice Hartness-Reichle in memory of Dr. Helen Hartness, Amican Advisor, (Lewis and Clark College 1949 - 1979).