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

THE SCROLL. 277to the duty of the chapters. Their alumni deserve all the appreciationand devotion that can be lavished upon them, andno chapter can afford to appear indifferent to them. Oftenthe active members experience a timidity toward the oldermen that is unfortunate. They should rather importune themoften to visit the chapter house, attend a chapter meeting ora social function, or to indulge in the pastime the most pleasingto them—relating reminiscences. We know of one chapterthat treats its alumni truly as older brothers. Frequentlyit sends to them informal reports of chapter activities, a listof honors won or a lot of personal items. The alumni ofthis chapter do not look upon its regard for them as metcenary,but when solicited for contributions they cheerfullygive because their hearts are kept in accord with the spiritthat was written large in the Bond. Then the chapter owesthe alumni the duty of being as strong and as fruitful ofachievement as it possibly can be. It should first justify adevoted interest and then maintain an intimate relation thatexemplifies the exalted ideals upon which the relation is based.May the discussion of this question bring out all these higherduties chiefly, for in them all the material phases are involved.DURING the unexampled prosperity of the country in thelast eight years, the advancement of collegiate institutions hasbeen one of the most extraordinary developments, but theyhave advanced no faster than have the fraternities whichgather about them. As shown by "Baird's Manual," thenumber of chapters of all college fraternities for men increasedtwenty-five per cent in the years from 1898 to 1905,while the increase of chapters of fraternities for women andof professional fraternities was even greater. With the enlargedattendance at institutions in the east and the south, anumber of new chapters have been established to supply thesocial needs of the students. But it is in the west that thegreatest growth of facilities for education has been witnessed.