1964–65 Volume 89 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE PALLADIUM SUPPLEMENTJANUARY • 1965Volume 89Number 3 • Part 2Devoted fo the private interests of ffie FraternityHAYWARD S. BIGGERS, Editorl.F.C.s—TO RESTRICT OR TO PROMOTE?By Robert J. Miller, Executive SecretaryTlie brief "editorial" wliich follows is excerpted from tlie Report of the Executive Secretary-Robert J. Miller, New Mexico' '50—to the 55th Biennial Convention in Pasadena. It represents onlya small portion of his excellent report, but we believe this commentary particularly appropriate.It is hoped that Phis who are active in I.F.C. work on campuses throughout the country will takeit to heart.Included in this issue of the Palladium-Supplement also at the suggestion of the GeneralCouncil and the Executive Secretary is the report of the editor of THE SCROLL, which also waspreprinted in an officers' reports brochure for the Convention.—ED.In each convention report we generally begindulgence while we stand up on our soap boxand make one editorial comment which we thinkmay have some validity within the fraternity systemin general and perhaps particularly within$ A 6. Two years ago we attacked student newspapereditors who have used the fraternity systemas a whipping boy and we criticized our undergraduatemembers for not exerting a greater effortto win representation on the stafEs of their campusnewspapers.This year we wish to limit our remarks to thelocal Interfratemity Council and the part it playsin the success or failure of fraternity operation ona given campus. We first want to caution that theseremarks are not intended to apply to all IFC's. Wefear, however, that a good bit of this criticismmight apply to entirely too many councils throughoutthe United States and Canada. For this discussionto be valid we must agree first of all thatthe Interfratemity Council is in existence to servethe fraternity system and not vice versa. Why then,we ask, do so many Interfratemity Councils findit necessary to adopt page after page of legislationwhich restricts rather than promotes fraternityoperation?[221]For purposes of illustration, let us consider thearea of rush. We have long contended that manyInterfratemity Councils are legislating the fraternitysystem out of business by making it toodifficult for a man to pledge. After all, many ofthese new dormitories offer pretty luxurious livingwith comfortable rooms, recreation halls, and aboveaverage food. The goal of the Interfratemity Councilshould be to make it easy for a person in thesecircumstances to pledge a fraternity.As. an analogy, suppose you were interested intrading in your 1960 model car but when you wentto see your dealer, he presented you with a list of"do's and dont's" such as the following: 1. Youmust go to the Better Business Bureau and registeras a prospective buyer. 2. You must pay a registrationfee for the privilege of examining any or allof the cars on the market. 3. In shopping for acar, you must start on a certain day at a certaintime and your shopping must be curtailed onanother special day at a specified hour. 4. You mustvisit dealers who handle at least ten differentbrands and must spend one hour (no more or less)with each dealer. 5. You must get a receipt fromeach dealer indicating that you have visited withhim. 6. You may not return for a visit with any