1903-04 Volume 28 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

i68 THE SCROLL.heartily to wish for improvement. Very little of the socalled'hazing' is necessary to accomplish this result. Moralforce is the weapon; though it depends for effectiveness ona muscular delegation of sophomores.Freshmen well disciplined will forever through collegerealize the need of cohesion and control; they will be mostcapable of guiding the future classes. A chapter is neveras weak as its weakest member. The men support eachother by his strongest quality. A chapter can assimilateand develop men who are deficient in one point or another.A Carlyle could be endured for the sake of his literarywork. The non-grammar of Jones is coaxed out of himwhile he teaches the others to box.The influence of the chapter is not merely negative andrepressive. There is a profound stimulus, a pressure forward.Every man encourages the next man's talent. Theentire chapter will work and hope steadily for each member'ssuccess; whether he be football player, musician, chemist,or journalist. Every freshman is ordered to come outfor something, be it Phi Beta Kappa, the hurdles, or themandolin club.'Lambda Nu is everything, and every Lambda Nu issomething,' is the sort of motto that a good chapter is aptto have.At no place can discussions be more frank, sincere andwell meant than in a chapterhouse talk. Men may comefrom opposite sides of the continent, men differing in experience,in political, social, religious views. College alonemight not reconcile such elements. The largest colleges ofAmerica have as many circles, creeds and antagonistic unitsas the world itself. But when these elements occur in asmall coterie founded on friendship and equality, and blendas they can blend in a good chapterhouse, the result isbroadening, and uplifting to every individual. One knowssomething of the Southern planter from living with hisson three years, something of the boy from the West and. the young Vermonter that can never be learned in casualmeeting for study, business or society.Chapter life means years of family life and of businesspartnership at the same time. The fraternity man acquiresexecutive power. As a freshman he learns to obey, as anupper classman to command. He learns the work of committees,and he may in turn serve as a treasurer, steward