1998 Volume 121 No 1–4 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE
CARDINAL PRINCIPLES
"NuUa die sine linea" (No day without a
line [of written work]). They recognized
that "repetition was the mother of all
knowledge."
How often I have seen materials presented
in book on "how to study" and I
find over and over again the
learning psychologists telling
us that mastery learning takes
time. Yes, repetition must take
place. Facts will not stick
when learned in isolation.
Study after study has shown
the necessity of meaning and
structure. A few weeks ago I
sent an order to a map company
to secure an historical
"time line" because so many
students in one of my courses
have little understanding of
how events are related over time!
I think of the Academic Resource Cen
ter at my own university where learning
professionals try to teach good study
habits and skills. How often are students
told that "all nighters" produce work of
little quality! How often do we come to
the harsh reality that cramming the night
before an exam has htde value over the
"long haul" Nothing remains for those
times when integration must take place.
The question will invariably come, "How
will all this fit together"
If academic honesty is to be
pursued, ...as an expression
of rectitude, we must do
those things that sound
learning demands...
To my way of thinking, the "fitting
together" goes back to sound learning
and rectitude. If academic honesty is a
goal to be pursued, and we certainly
hope that as Phis we wiU engage in that
pursuit as an expression of rectitude, we
must do those things that sound learning
demands: the step-by-step mastery of
our subject matter with adequate time to
integrate. What we learn has to be more
than a collection of disconnected facts. It
was with a bit of hesitation that I wrote
the following on a studenfs term paper
last semester: "What you have
presented here is a collection
of information seeking an
outline and eventual
integration."
Will we sit back for a
moment and think of the
relationship between these two
values to which we have
pledged our word Will sound
learning and rectitude mutually
influence one another
The next time we sit down
with a piece of paper or before
the word processor will we think of how
much "real work" will be involved if we
are to bring information together in an
honest and integrated way
I wish all our readers—who will willingly
"think on these things"—an experience
of joy and success in this pursuit
M E X T
They're Here!
Make 150 years come alive with
Phi Delta Thetas new history book,
IN THE BOND
What were those cold December days on the quiet
Miami University campus like How did Phi Delta
Theta survive wars, the Depression and the turbulent
1960s All this and more is in this special
book commemorating 150 years of Phi
Delta Theta. Read about the people, the
places and events that made Phi Delta
Theta great. This book, written by Ritter
Collett, Ohio '42, is available now for $30!
To order, call or write General Headquarters:
(513) 523-6345; 2 S. Campus Ave., Oxford, OH 45056
THE SCROLL SUMMER 1998