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

THE SCROLL 215OPEN SESSIONSOpen sessions of a fraternity convention are ordinarily of little interesteither to the fraternity or to the public at large. Howeverthe Chicago meeting was as remarkable in its open sessions—as fullof interest to Phi Delta Theta—as any of the business meetings;though they were full of interest and as notable in constructive workas any in the history of the order.The convention was formally opened on Monday morning, when, inspite of the absence of the whole "Hook Worm" contingent, probablythree hundred Phis, with numerous ladies and visitors, heard theformal calling to order. Brother James Stuart Morrison, MissouriBeta, '93, (nephew of our beloved Father Morrison) led in devotionalexercises, reading the 112th and 133rd Psalms and offeringprayer. The learned and distinguished president of the ChicagoAlumni Club, Judge Frederick A. Smith, then gave a most delightfuladdress of welcome. Rarely has any convention been so happy inhaving such a cordial welcome, expressed in such courteous andbeautiful language. The memory of Judge Smith and his gracefulgreeting is one of the most pleasant we carried from Chicago.The formal replies to the address of welcome were not delivereduntil Tuesday when, before a crowded hall, Alex Pope, T. G. C,eloquently replied for the general council and R. T. Carrithers ofIndiana Beta most happily spoke for the undergraduates. At WashingtonBrother Pope first charmed a Phi Delta Theta convention byhis eloquence—his address at Chicago was worthy of his reputationand bears witness to his ability as an orator and a man; and BrotherCarrithers bids fair to follow in Pope's footsteps as one of our mostpleasing and eloquent speakers.The convention had a most unique and enjoyable experience inhaving Professor Francis W. Shepardson, secretary of the Beta ThetaPi and Honorable William A. Trimpe, Grand Tribune of the SigmaChi, speak on Interfraternity Relations. It was the first time inhistory that one of the three fraternities founded at Miami was honoredby addresses in convention by officials of both the others. Therewas nothing more enjoyable, more noteworthy, at Chicago thanthese two eloquent and scholarly addresses—it was the climax ofthe convention. No undergraduate could fail to be moved by the sentimentsexpressed by these gentlemen and no officer or alumnus wasfree from a deep feeling of gratitude and joy that the days of bitternessand strife between Phi Delta Theta and her rivals. BetaTheta Pi and Sigma Chi, were over, and that in the new era, justdawning, our rivalries and strife should be toward the attainment ofbetter things rather than in petty politics—^that we would join inlabor for the service of the state.If the opening session was filled with eloquence—if the Shephardson-Trimpesession was the climax of the meeting—the hour we