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

240 THE SCROLL.and index of the second ten volumes of THE SCROLL, 1896;author of the manual, second edition, 1897; co-editor of thesong book, 1902; assistant editor of THE SCROLL, 1904-06.Several editions of the constitution and ritual have beenissued under his supervision, a large part of the changes andadditions being the result of his study and investigation. Hewas president of the general council from 1896 to 1898, andduring the last twenty-five years has been the most activemember of our national conventions in siiggesting improvementsand in making his influence felt in legislation. Atthese conventions, however, and in his editorial work, hehas always shown himself the unprejudiced seeker after truthand improvement that a reader of his history will find him tobe. He is anxious to hear suggestions and is always readyto accept any plan or proposition which can show better reasonsfor adoption or more prospects for usefulness than hisown.Readers of THE SCROLL during the past two decades havebecome familiar with Brother Palmer's ' Old Fraternity Records,"consisting of old letters, quotations from early documentsand reminiscences of the surviving founders and otherearly members. These covered particularly that portion ofthe history of the fraternity which preceded the establishmentof THE SCROLL, and which was in danger of being lost withevery passing year, because it was to be found only in manyletters, diaries and memories, all of which were disappearingand failing as time went by.In his, preface Bro. Palmer gives a full and absorbingaccount of the progress of his work and the sources of hismaterial. He searched the archives of the chapters, securedcopies of every publication of the generalfraternity or the chapters,corresponded with the old alumni, and especially withthose who had helped in the establishment of chapters or wereacquainted with other important events early and late. Heexamined old letters and newspaper files, college cataloguesand government records. He was particularly fortunate inhaving for many years the co-operation of the survivingfounders, three of whom (the three still living when thiswork commenced) aided him with information and criticismat every stage. Robert Morrison was especially active iuhis assistance, as, from the circumstances of his life, he wasmore familiar with the early history of the fraternity than anyone else and was a most active factor in the growth of PhiDelta Theta. Father Morrison reviewed the manuscript