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

THE CARDINAL PRINCIPLES
sity in North Carolina. The book was a result of Willimon's
four-month journey on the Duke Campus "meeting hundreds
of students, attending parties, [spending] a number of nights
wandering about or sleeping in the dorms." Willimon stated
that when his report was issued some feculty complained:
"Kbu have not been tough enough on firatemities.Fraternities
are the source of most of our problems."
Dr. Willimon disagreed! He came
to the conclusion that loneliness,
detachment, and isolation were
greater problems. He stresses the
need for friendship in education!
Perhaps it is here that we look for
solutions to our problems. What
and who are real friends Again,
reflecting back on our signing of
the Bond, what kind of commitment
was made relative to protecting one
another's good name That good
name, obviously, has to be rooted in
the truth, in honesty, in integrity.
My own doctoral research was in
the area of modeling behavior. I read great quantities of literature
that dealt with an "observer" seeing a model behaving
in a particular way. The observer then learned the behavior.
Three years after completing the degree, I taught as a visiting
professor during a summer session at the University of
57 percent of young
people reported they had
cheated on an exam in the
previous year, though over
85 percent said such
cheating was wrong! Do
ideals match behavior
Are we 'Valking the talk"
Illinois. After teaching two classes in the morning, I met Phi
Brother Scott Laidlaw in the University's Olympic-sized pool
where the good "coach" turned me firom a non-swinuner into a
swinamer (at the age of 39!). Scott's success was that he told me
to hold my breath and (with my goggles on) watch him do the
stroke firomunder the water. It worked like a charm!
Now, how about "imitation behavior"
when it comes to honesty,
integrity or "our word" What
should we expect of our chapter
officers, our leaders, the brothers
who are part of the initiation teams
in our chapters "Let your signature
to The Bond..." What examples will
we be for a world that seems to
thrive on the dishonest behaviors of
others Does the headline, "Everyone
else is lying" mean that I throw
integrity to the winds WiU my
"word" given to firiendship,sound
learning, and moral rectitude be
something the world will recognize
and know that we are different Perhaps
our "Living Bond" program aimounced at last summer's
Leadership Conference will challenge us to more than scholarship
funds. Those fimds will simply help us prepare Brothers
who will let the world know there are people whose word truly
is their bond.
Make 150 years
come alive!
With Phi Delta Theta's
new history bool(
GENERAL
CONVENTION
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 wil
be in a special history 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, will be shipped this spring and the author will be at Convention in Cincinnati
to autograph copies.
To order this book, call or write General Headquarters to request an order form:
(513) 523-6345; 2 South Campus Ave., Oxford, OH 45056; or fax (513) 523-9200. The order
form is also available at Phi Delta Theta's web site: httpy/wv^Aw.phidelt-ghq.com.
THE SCROLL WINTER 1998 http://www.phidelt-ghq. com