1911 May - To Dragma

164 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

real and not forced conditions. I f the student wishes to become a member of
any fraternity, let her apply secretly to the group of her choice. The student
might be placed on probation for a month or any time that might be determined,
at the end of which time the answer could be given secretly. I n this manner no
feeling need be hurt, for the black ball need never be known. This is not a
new system, but has been used for many years by the Masons and other like
fraternities. These organizations have been able to control their membership,
and we could do worse than look at their methods.

It seems almost heresy to attack the old system under which we were all
chosen, but I believe that the old system is worn out and that there must be
some new system put in its place. This plan has been suggested to alumni and
active members of some twelve fraternities, and as yet only one person has
found objections. It is proposed now merely as food for thought, and as a
beginning from which better things may come.—Kappa Alpha Theta.

T h e sorority magazines are beginning to take up the question of
the l i f e subscription plan. The Arrow and the Kappa Alpha Theta
offer l i f e subscriptions at $ 1 5 : The Lyre of A l p h a C h i O m ^ a at
$ 2 0 ; and the Trident of Delta Delta Delta at $25. Pi Bjta Phi
already has 1200 l i f e subscribers to the Arrow i n less than two years.

Fifty per cent, of the total membership of Phi Beta Phi subscribers to the
Arrow. Thirty-five per cent, of Alpha Chi Omega take The Lyre. Twenty-
one per cent, of the alumnae of Kappa Alpha Theta take the fraternity
magazine.—Anchora of Delia Gamma.

Extract from the Charter Day Address of Col. Roosevelt given at

the University of California March 23, 1911.

We have a great multitude of institutions of learning in this country.
From certain standpoints they have done astonishingly good work; from
certain other standpoints their work as yet leaves very much to be desired,
and addressing this extraordinary gathering in this great university, I want
to lay more stress upon the shortcomings in American university life than on
the successes of American university life. Our education has been very suc-
cessful along certain lines. In the field of political history, I think in Washing-
ton and Lincoln we have produced the two loftiest types of statesmanship that
the world has ever seen. I believe that there are not in all history to be found
the names of any other two great men as good, or the names of any other two
good men as great, that they were as lofty men, that they possessed the same
commanding ability, the same power to shape the destiny of the world, that Cae-
sar and Napoleon possessed, and that they used that power not in the spirit of
Caesar or Napoleon, but in the spirit of Ptolemy and John Hamilton, and what
I say to you represents my honest and sincere historic belief. In the same way
I think that in what you might call applied science, commercial or industrial
science, in the field of material achievement', we have done very well indeed.
I believe that I am saying the exact truth, that I am speaking with scientific
accuracy when I say that the canal is the greatest feat of the kind by all odds
that has ever been attempted by mankind, and that our engineers and doctors

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 165

have done their work there better than any corresponding men of any country
have ever done corresponding work. I n the field of practical achievement, in
statecraft and in such material works as that of the Panama canal, America
has done its full part. It has done more than its full part and i f you can have
only one species of achievement I believe it is better to have that species of
achievement than the other.

I have more sympathy for the Roman, the man of strong administrative
force, the man who controls and molds the world, the city-maker and law-
maker. I have more sympathy for him than the more cultured, but less virile
Greek, and I would rather see us build and produce statesmen of the type of
Washington and Lincoln and canal builders like those who are building the
Panama Canal than I would to see us produce men of letters and men of art.
But the two types of production ought not to be mutually exclusive. There is
ample room for both.

Our civilized welfare should be on a broad basis and capable of developing
all things high, deep and broad. We should want to see our educational
system based on the needs of raising the common level. There should be a
high table land of intelligent and material well-being, but we should also wish
to see the mountain peaks of exceptional endeavor high also.

I wish to see turned out from this institution of learning and other similar
institutions of learning not only the men who will be the masters of that kind
of applied science which has a direct bearing on industrial sufficiency and
success; I wish to see them turn scholars, students, men of productive schol-
arship ; men who will work in the fields of abstract learning with the same
success with which our people now work in the fields of applied industrial
learning. I wish to see us produce in this country what we do not now do,
save in exceptional cases,—men who in science, in art, in literature, will stand
abreast of the very best men in any other country.

For the first time in several years, President Benjamin Ide Wheeler of the
University of California is giving a series of lectures at the university. His
lecture course is a repetition in English of the series of addresses he gave
before the University of Berlin last spring on "American Democracy as
represented in College, School and Church." These lectures are open to the
public as well as the student body.—Sierra News.

There is only one national fraternity at the University of Wyoming, P i
Beta Phi. There are two local men's fraternities and one local sorority. The
rivalry among these secret organizations is splendid and the social life of the
university is greatly increased as a result of these organizations. The faculty
heartily approves of fraternities and endorses the idea of local societies pe-
titioning national organizations.—The Arrow of P i Beta Phi, quoted by
Alpha T a u Omega Palm.

A local sorority at the University of Arkansas is petitioning Kappa Alpha
Theta.

The Friars Club at the Louisiana State University is petitioning Delta
Kappa Epsilon.

Locals at Virginia Polytechnic Institute are said to be petitioning Kappa
Alpha ( S ) and Delta T a u Delta.

A local at Dartmouth is petitioning Zeta Psi.
Several locals have been formed at the University of South Carolina with

166 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

the view of petitioning National fraternities should the anti-fraternity re-
strictions be removed.

The anti-fraternity laws have been lifted at the Kansas State College, Man-
hattan, Kan., and if is said several strong locals are petitioning national
organizations.—Alpha T a u Omega Palm.

Wellesley College girls are planning a secret fraternity to be known as
"Wellesley Granddaughters," which will include only those girls whose
mothers were Wellesley graduates. There are about fifty students who enjoy
the honor in the college, and the organization of this secret fraternity is apt
to create considerable commotion, as the faculty has but recently placed under
ban the six secret fraternities here and notified them that their official life
depends on their democracy.

The new organization, on account of its exclusiveness, is expected to cause
much social dissension.—New York American, quoted by the Arrow P i Beta
Phi.

Phi Beta Kappa began in November the publication of a magazine, the
Phi Beta Kappa Key. At the recent convention in New York charters were
granted to West Virginia University, Beloit College, Denison University,
Indiana University, Washington and Lee, and Miami University. Phi Beta
Kappa has established an annual scholarship sufficient to defray the tuition
fee of "some worthy son or daughter" of a member of Phi Beta Kappa at the
College of William and Mary.—Arrow of Pi Beta Phi.

A n estimate of the social expenditures of the fraternities and sororities was
made at Northwestern University and it was found that on an average of
$6,000 to $7,000 a year was spent for parties. The faculty are now planning
to make some re-adjustment.—Alpha T a u Omega Palm.

The annual report of the scholarship committee has just been issued. The
standing is now: Delta Gamma first, Pi Beta Phi second, Kappa Alpha Theta
third, and Kappa Kappa Gamma fourth. We hope by next year to hold first
place as we did last year.—From a chapter letter in the Arrow of P i Beta Phi,
quoted by the Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

T o enable the new girl to get the most from our ritual, we must impress
her with the dignity of it, our own reverence for it, and then make it vitally
her own by the most sympathetic cooperation and mutual discussion.—Themis
of Zeta Tau Alpha.

Fraternities should be active, each in its own affairs, but they should also
be as an organized unit with a part to play in the affairs of the Alma Mater.
Linked with the primal purpose of helpfulness to their individual members
should coexist the broader purpose of a larger usefulness as a factor in uni-
versity life. And the strength that is in the union of Greeks, if made a con-
structive power, would bring the Pan-Hellenic Council into the position it
should hold—a position of import in the vital affairs of student life. Such a
Pan-Hellenic would not only solve all "Frat Questions," but would establish
fraternities on unquestionable ground in their relation to educational work.
In such a way could fraternities not only meet their responsibilities but
strengthen their stakes.—Eleusis of Chi Omega.

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 167

I f the matter of congeniality alone is considered, fraternity ceases to be
inherently a college institution. Is it not a severe arraignment of any chapter
for any member to admit that because she was a fraternity girl the benefit of
contact with great minds in the college was lessened? D i d association with
those of her own kind make her less sensitive to greater and nobler influences?
For a girl to say: "Because I must maintain for my chapter a certain social
standing, attend a certain rather excessive number of parties, belong to the
basketball or some other team, I had to sacrifice an acquaintance with Anti-
gone, Plato, Spencer," really doesn't sound right, does it?

We grant that fraternity must mean congeniality among other things.
Congeniality in fraternity presupposes that at some time there was established
a standard for congeniality. There is congeniality on various levels of living
and thinking. We Thetas give grateful and loving recognition to the Foun-
ders of our fraternity, who laid so sturdily and well the foundations on which
we are still building. We know- that we are builded on a rock. But what of
the superstructure? Let us take care that our materials are still of the best!
—Kappa Alpha Theta.

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Alpha Omicron Pi

Song Book

Ever loyal member of the fraternity should have one.
It contains the songs used by all our chapters.

NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST

All our members should know these words and tunes.
Ten copies sent to one address for $5.00. Club to-
gether and send money order to A . H . Burd,
5 Nassau Street, New York City, and the book will be
immediately forwarded by express.

T o Dragma

of

Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity

Alpha ..... . . 173
Pi ..... . 176
Nu . 178
Omicron . . . .... 180
Kappa 182
Zeta 185
Sigma 190
Theta 193
Delta 197
Gamma . . . 201
Epsilon 205
Rho 207
Lambda 208
Iota 210
Providence Alumnae . 212