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

90 THE SCROLL.School has now been running a week, and things are beginning totake once more their natural aspect after the distraction of the summermonths. But there is one innovation in fraternity life that ishard to reconcile with our past experience. At the corresponding timeof previous sessions there has been a scramble for the proper men,and great excitement as to whether we should take a certain man ornot. But this has all been done away with through an agreementbetween the fraternities not to spike or pledge men until the i6thday of January. So now, instead of the fast rushing of previous years,there is calm deliberation and time for forming definite opinions.A marked improvement has been made in the appearance of ournew chapter home since last session. The lawn has been well keptduring the summer, and is still green and fresh. Besides this, manyflowers have been planted, and these improvements go to make ourcomfortable house appear inviting and homelike upon the outsideas well as within. A handsome billiard table has been added to thecommodious common room of the house.Bro. Steger has returned to accept a fellowship in Greek andLatin. Bro. Teagarden, who stayed out last session to accept a positionunder his father, is back again, and Bro. Hunt, who is a graduateof the academic department, has returned to pursue work in law.Bros. Kimball and Howard, of our last year's chapter, have gone toWest Point and Annapolis, respectively.Austin, October 3, 1903.CLARENCE W. WELLER.TEXAS QAMMA, SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.Southwestern entered upon its thirty-first year with all indicationspointing to the most successful year in the history of the institution.The academic department opened on September 17 with an increasedenrolment of 25 per cent, over last year. The number of youngladies enrolled is over 50 per cent, in excess of last year's number.The new medical department, which was established at Dallasduring the summer, will open October i. The faculty of this department,numbering 29, is exceptionally strong. The faculty in the academicdepartment has also been materially strengthened this year.Miss Bowen again has charge of the elocution department; she hasbeen away the past year studying in New York, and we are indeedglad to have her back. The university is particularly fortunate insecuring Prof. J. C. Hardy, Ph. D. [Vanderbilt], and Prof.Tinsley, A.M. {University oj Virginia); the former has been elected to thechair of German and the latter to the chair of chemistry.There is a marked manifestation of renewed activities along alllines this year, and enthusiasm and college spirit is more in evidencenow than ever before. The faculty and student body are pullingtogether to try to revive the university in every way, and make thisa school such as we are capable of having.Texas Gamma broke her record this year by returning thirteenmen out of a possible fourteen. We were all shocked and grievedthis summer when we received the news of the untimely death ofBro. Dave Dickinson, of the class of '06. He was one of our bestmen, and was loved and respected by us all. Not only will he bemissed by Texas Gamma, but all the school and everybody whoknew him will feel his loss inexpressibly.We are in a chapterhouse this year for the first time, and we have