1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

194 THE SCROLLIt appears, therefore, that each active member pays to the general fraternityeach year $8—$3.20 for the "equalization tax" and $4.80 for the "chapter tax"—that is, if he pays it promptly enough to secure the 20 per cent discount. Thoseinitiated during the year pay $2 more.Out of the receipts from the "chapter tax", $1 for each active member ispaid into the Quarterly fund for its publication; and, the present active membershipbeing 1,200, the sum of $1,200 is so paid. In addition are paid a salaryof $700 to the Quarterly editor and a salary of $300 to the treasurer. Out ofthe "chapter tax" fund is paid $1,200 to the chapter that entertains the annualnational convention, which compensates that chapter "for the lodging andboard of the undergraduate delegates, their banquet tickets and the specialfeatures gotten up in their honor". Other expenses paid out of this fund arethe cost of meetings of the executive council (limited to $400), the expense ofmaintaining the catalogue bureau, which gathers material for the fraternity'scatalogue, the expense of maintaining the fraternity library, and miscellaneousexpenses, such as for postage, telegrams, printing, typewriting, engrossing certificatesof membership, etc.VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS TO CHAPTERS.THE SCROLL wishes to endorse very earnestly the following paragraph clippedfrom an article by Mr. James Anderson Hawes, general secretary of AKE,published in the AKE Quarterly:Do not be so short-sighted during the rushing season and throughout the year as torefuse to consider for election desirable men who did not become members of fraternitiesin the rush of last fall. Break away from any local custom to the contrary, and thusyou will not only strengthen your own chapter, but will help to remove one of thearguments effectively used against fraternities, that they are undemocratic and do notrecognize real character by ignoring strong men who prove their worth during theircollege course, if they are not showy when they first enter or for any one of many reasonsmay not be elected to fraternities during their first year. When a man has provedhis worth during freshman or sophomore year, or even later in his college course, heshould be given first chance as one tried and proved, before filling up the total membershipby taking young men who may make good and who on the other hand may failabsolutely.Mr. Hawes has visited forty of the forty-fou^ chapters of A K E in the lasttwo or three years, and states some of his conclusions in the Quarterly. Belongingto the Yale chapter, he "naturally took the favorable view of a largechapter at first", but his "view on this matter has entirely changed". He saysAKE has "five chapters, all in New England, which have averaged for yearsabout forty men", and, Yale excepted, all "in relatively small institutions, threeof the five being at colleges of an average of 300 students". When talking tosome chapters, he has felt as if he "were addressing the entire college", but hedoes not believe they are "ideal" chapters. He says that "no chapter which isvery small and exclusive can fill its real purpose", but, on the other hand, "thetrue idea of a fraternity cannot be instilled in a chapter which has too largea membership", and his opinion is that a chapter of over thirty members cannotgive them the proper training. The following paragraphs are quoted from hisarticle:In regard to chapter houses in general I suggest that increased care in the appearanceand condition of their houses be urged upon the chapters, to the end that visitorsand alumni in particular may receive a favorable impression of the chapter efficiencyin management, and that the men may receive the benefit which comes from living inclean and well-kept quarters. In visiting chapters I have been often favorably struckwith the appearance of the chapter houses where a matron, or someone holding a positionabove the servants, has been regularly employed. In several chapters the plan ofhaving a matron has proved very successful, but in some cases I think the plan of havinga proctor or resident graduate is better. By this latter plan one' of our own members,usually a recent graduate of the particular chapter, is given free rent and boardin return for having a general oversight of the house, keeping the accounts, and alsoacting as a sort of intermediary between the active members and the graduates.I desire to call the attention of the chapters to the question of prevention of fire inthe houses. Several of our chapter houses are still scandalously .unprovided with meansto fight fire, or even any facilities for safety. At several institutions, notably at Cornell,fires in fraternity houses have not only caused an enoi-mous money loss, but also thu