1932–33 Volume 57 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

24 The SCROLL of Phi Delta Theta jor November, 1932Judge W. R. BayesBanquet SpeakerElmer C. HendersonBanquet ToastmasterHilton U. BrownBanquet SpeakerMy third point is this: that * A 0, interpretingits deathless Bond, not only calls personalityto develop, not only binds men In that mysticbrotherhood that calls to mind a David and aJonathan, a Damon and a Pythias, and the gentleMaster who looked around at his table companionsthat last night and said, with exquisitetenderness, "Henceforth I call you friends"—notonly that, but * A 0 stands for RADIANT SERVICE.It does not care to develop personalities thatthey may be "cribbed, cabined, and confined" toselfish use, but there comes in that other bigword, not only the centripetal force that gathersthem, but the centrifugal force that sends themout to make them radiate what they have. Itstands for freedom, a freedom which goes intoreligion and makes a man so free and broad thathe dares not be narrow and sectarian. It goesinto politics and dares a man to be a mere partisan,and makes a patriotism which is abovepartisanship as the stars are above our little lights.It is poisonous to prejudice, it is the enemy ofselfishness, it is gloriously alive.I love our name, "$ A 0." I am so gladthat those beautiful, symmetrical Greek letters,that are talismanic in the exquisite magic of their- power, mean something. I am glad our Fraternityisn't an A.M. or S.O.S. or any other Anglicizedabomination. It is the Greek-letter fraternity.Don't misunderstand me. I love mybrother Greeks. We have learned to throwinto the discard that ancient adage "when Greekmeets Greek then comes the tug of war." No!When Greek meets Greek on that fine Panhellenicplane, we catch step and march forth todo battle against the "barbarians" of error andignorance, prejudice and Intolerance. I am gladwe are Greeks. It seems but yesterday, and yet itwas thirty-four years ago, that I stood on theAcropolis at Athens. I still feel the intojycation ofthat glorious week, looking through the opalescentair and seeing the groves where Socrates andPlato and Aristotle had their disciples gather,looking down where Demosthenes made a newmusic in the symphony of human speech, andlooking away to those storied quarries whence theParian and Pentelic marbles came, from whichPhidias and Praxiteles wooed their dreams ofbeauty. But back of us was that marvelous Parthenon,alike the dream, ideal, and despair ofall succeeding architects. I saw a little templethat I had never heard of. May I liken it toa $ A 0 chapter house? It was the beautifullittle temple of Nike Apteros. Nike Apteros wasthe wingless victory. Oh, Athens dreamed that awingless victory might never soar away fromthem, but would abide there. Every ^ A 0 chapterhouse should be a temple of the winglessvictory, and in that spirit of optimism that makesme tonight look toward you young men, I askwhat if three score years and ten are mine? Iam young with you. I love with you. I conquerwith you. I invoke a wingless victory that shallalways give us the triumph over wrong andignorance, over intolerance and prejudice. Let thedays to come be the days that shall carry furtherour dreams, and let us sing:"Others may sing the song.Others may ri^ht the wrong.Finish what I begin.And what I fail of, win.What matter I, or they.Mine or another's day,So the right word be said.And life the sweeter made.Ring bells, in unreared steeples.The joy of unborn peoples.Sound, trumps, your blasts far-borne,Your joy is all my own."Ladies Banquet,Too—WHILE the men were enjoying theirsplendid convention banquet, the ladies, inanother part of the hotel, had a fine dinnerwith menus, toasts and much enthusiasm.