1953–54 Volume 78 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

Scholarship Report for 1951-1952
By DONALD M. DUSHANE, Wabash '27, Scholarship
Acollege dean, on his way to an educational
meeting, stopped at a filling station
and was engaged in conversation by
the attendant while his tank was being
filled. Learning who the dean was and
where he was headed, the attendant philosophized,
"Education is a fine thing. If you
haven't got it, you sure got to use your
brains."
This story leads naturally to the observation
that a good many of the brothers now
in school are sure going to have to be pretty
brainy fellows in the future, judging from
the education they were not getting according
to scholarship records for 1951-1952.
Phi Delta Theta scholarship was at least
no worse last year than the year before, but
since the year before represented a new low
for the post-war period there is little consolation
for us in either 1950-51 or 1951-52.
First term and first semester reports for
the 1952-53 year are encouraging but as yet
inconclusive. Our hopes for more effective
results from the new program adopted at
the French Lick Springs convention must
remain tentative until statistics are available
for the full year.
Meanwhile, 1951-52 figures are more
nearly complete than for any previous year
in history, as a result of the work of an invigorated
National Interfraternity Conference
Scholarship Committee headed by
Files M. Derby of AX A, and the invaluable
supplementary assistance of Colonel
Ralph W. Wilson, of % X, formerly N.l.C.
Scholarship Chairman.
Our standing in relation to our natural
competitors is relatively unchanged. B © *
is again far ahead, and S X, $ r A, S A E,
A T O, -$ A ©, © X, * K T, T K E, and ATA
are all grouped closely together with a variation
of not more than two chapters (see
Chart II) one way or the other from $ A ©'s
position. The other large national fraternities,
our natural competitors, range considerably
below our own (A X A, * K *,
S N, A Y, HKA, S *E, and KS, in that order).
Among all of these fraternities our net
w
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Commissioner
DONALD DUSHANE, Wabash '27
Phi Delta Theta's Scholarship Commissioner
margin of superiority is 60 chapters.
We had 40.2 per cent of our reported
chapters above the All-Men's Average, with
35 chapters not only above the All-Men's
Average but also in the top third on their
campuses. Thirty chapters were in the lowest
third, and also below the All-Men's
Average.
The accompanying charts follow the pattern
established in previous years. Chart I
being constructed in the form established
by Brother Ray Blackwell when he was
Scholarship Commissioner, and Chart II
in the pattern designed by Brother George
Tuttle when he held this office. Chart III
was first devised three years ago.
Chart I indicates the position of each
chapter among the fraternities and in relation
to the All-Men's Average on its own
campus. There is also included a column
comparing the relative position of the chapter
with its position of the year before, showing
it either as improved or worsened in
local competition.
The list shows eight campus firsts: Colorado
Beta, Indiana Delta, Kansas Beta,