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

46 THE SCROLL.And we firmly believe it to be to the fraternity's welfare togrant a new char-ter. only when the chapters themselves enthusiasticallyfavor it; when in truth, the chapters reallywant the new chapter, after a full investigation of the application.Admission on any other basis will not addstrength, however promising the institution or applicants,but, on the contrary, will sap our vitality. When we admita new chapter, we are not merely admitting new members;we are adding new brothers. And we cannot acquire truebrothers hurriedly or otherwise than warmly. We mustremember that sixty-eight chapters is a large list, and thatit cannot readily be moved. To add to it any new chaptersother than those it itself enthusiastically wants and asksfor, is surely to weaken the bond which binds them. Thesame may be said of our alumni members, constituting, asDr. BROWN points out, more than nine-tenths of our membership—belonging,however, to the various chapters, andprobably on the whole reflecting their views. What weaim at; what we believe we have, and what we desire toperpetuate is a closely-knit brotherhood of college men,united in the Bond of Phi Delta Theta, with chapters inrepresentative institutions in every section of our country.It is not our purpose to seek great numbers, but specificallyto avoid any step calculated to render less close the tie whichnow binds us. In plain terms, we are led to the conclusionthat we cannot afford to admit new chapters which are notwarmly endorsed by practically the entire fraternity.WE extend the hand of fellowship to the entering class,and wish them joy and good-luck. We trust that all havesurvived the riding of the goat, except, of course, thosedocketed for a later day—and are full into their new year'swork. We hope they will soon be well acquainted withTHE SCROLL and Palladium, the Constitution and Code, theRitual and the Song-book. When that occurs they will beready for examination, by which to be qualified for chapteroffice. It is in this way only that creditable chapter officersare made.