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

THE SCROLL. 489us, here and now, resolve to cut out for the future all horseplay from our initiations. Let us conduct the ceremony ofushering new members into our field in an orderly, decorousand dignified way, quite relieved from all hazing and roughingtactics. Antics of this kind are dangerous, even, as here,homicidal. In addition, they have the further element ofbeing as utterly inappropriate as it is possible to be imagined.Let us now have done with them. Boisterous fun is- ratherdear at the price of a good man's life, and it's a poor waythat seeks to show a man the value of fraternity life by killinghim on the threshold of it. Let us conduct our initiationswith dignity, as befits the occasion; wholly within our ownwalls, as the private nature of the ceremony demands; andso spare ourselves the horror and the stain of a tragedy likethis at Kenyon.—2 A E Record.We believe the customs in vogue in nearly every fraternityopen the way for accidents differing only in their antecedentsfrom the one at Kenyon College; and in view of what seemsto be a growing disposition on the part of many chapters togo beyond the bounds of reason in the introduction of featuresforeign to the ritual in connection with initiations, thetime has come when reform in these matters must be institutedIt is hoped that the lessons to be drawnfrom the sad experience of a sister fraternity may have theirlasting effect on every 2 X in favor of reform in connectionwith methods of initiation. It goes without saying that theintroduction of tests involving the element of roughness ordanger is foreign to the spirit of the ritual of our order,and, therefore, have no place in the initiatory ceremony. Itnaturally follows that it is the duty of the fraternity to putforth every possible effort in the prevention of any act on thepart of a chapter which will place the life or limb of any ofits candidates in jeopardy. It is our own opinion that itwould be a desirable thing for the fraternity officially to declarethat all initiatory ceremonies shall be conducted on thepremises of the chapter. This could easily be done, whethera house, lodge or hall is occupied. By following, this plan,many of the serious accidents which have befallen fraternitiesin connection with initiations in the past would have beenavoided. We believe that all wanton so-called "horse play,"which now holds such a prominent place in initiations, andwhich is often carried on in public, should be eliminated entirely,and that the time has come when the national organizationsof all fraternities must join hands in an attempt to re-