1905-06 Volume 30 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

ii8THE SCROLL.conventions which assembled there on that occasion, and thelarge number of venerable divines, learned scholars, renownedstatesmen, and men knownto military fame, who gathered fromall parts of the country and world totake part in them, indelibly impressone with their importance and significance.All those who were presentupon the occasion feltand realized this,and went away with the conviction thatthey had witnessed an event of unusualmoment in the educational world.The state legislature at its last sessionset aside an ample sum to defray theexpenses of the inaugural exercises andentertain the guests of the university,in a manner befitting its station amongother universities. Responding with alacrity to this generousassistance from the state, the university authorities began earlyto make plans and organize committees to handle the big affair.One not having some experience with an event of this kindcan scarcely realize the vast amount of work there is attachedto it. A member of the faculty informed the writer of this articleevery one of the four hundred members of the faculty was thatdrafted to do service on some committee and in some instanceson several different committees. During InstallationWeek the student body also was drawn on freely for aid onthe reception committees.One of the greatest problems that confronted the generalcommittee in charge of the installation exercises was to findplaces for the entertainment of the large number of guestswho were expected to overflow the twin cities the week of theinstallation. In their trouble the committee found ready helpfrom the fraternities and the people of Champaign and Urbana.Nearly all the fraternities opened wide their doors and welcomedthe strangers from abroad into their chapter homes.Not to be outdone, the people of the two towns placed theirhomes at the disposal of the committee on entertainment.Installation Week commenced October 15 and lasted untilthe following Friday. Among the many interesting and instructivethings on the programme were several national conventionswhich met for the consideration of questions bearingupon religion, education and commerce. Of these themost important were the conference on religious education instate universities and colleges, the national conference of