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

326 THE SCROLLficial social life far different from what he would have in a rightly orderedhome; and I believe, gentlemen, that Phi Delta Theta stands for the selection,to fill its roll, of good, wholesome, strong, normal boys, and not stunted, prematuremen of the world.We of the Chicago alumni club look forward to another advance step, whichPhi Delta Theta is to take, and that is along a line that will make the alumninot look back on this Fraternity, as a pleasant memory of undergraduate days,but will make them feel it as a living powerful force in their lives.There is one word today, the word "service," which is drawing togetherthe strongest young men in our States to form civic organizations such asthe City Club of Chicago, and the city clubs of other places; and the wordservice, brothers, is what is to draw together the best men of Phi Delta Thetaall over the country.We in Chicago hope that before long we will have a Chicago Phi DeltaTheta headquarters, a room which is to be always open, where the younggraduate coming into Chicago may go, where he can meet men who have beenthrough the game here, where he can go and get a start, have friendly counsel,the friendly hand, the uplifting hand that will put him on his feet andstart him out as a business and professional success. And I believe when weestablish such a thing, and get the idea that there is something for us to doas graduates, we will gather into that organization most of fhe six hundredPhis who are about Chicago. And if you multiply that organization, put onesuch headquarters in the city of New York, one in Boston, one in St. Louis,and one in each of the twenty or thirty great cities of this country, you willhave an organization that will make Phi Delta Theta, among alumni, whatwe have never dreamed it would be, and will make our Fraternity a forceto be reckoned with in national life.With the history which Phi Delta Theta has had, with its strength of numbers,with the possibilities of what it is doing today, we yet do not know whatthis Fraternity can do when we get together for the one purpose of making it,not the largest, but the greatest fraternity the world has seen, as we can andas I am confident we will do. We can only do that when we have one greatpurpose.We hear very much today of progressivism, of progressiveness, particularlyin politics. That term when it is a success has always been measured by thatsuccess. Men, an organization must be progressive or retroactive. PhiDelta Theta must either take a great and healthful and helpful position in thecollege world and the world at large, or it must be considered a back number—thereare no two answers to the question—and when we do that, andonly then, will we realize the power there is among us, an4 the wonderfulinfluence that this wonderful old Fraternity has on the lives of every onewho has come into touch with it. (Great applause.)THE TOASTMASTER: Now I am called upon to introduce a universitypresident as the next speaker. I remember that when Desmostheneswas giving one of his great orations, pointing towards Athenshe said, "Every citizen of Athens is a brick in her walls." I think GuyPotter Benton is a brick, and a brick through and through, so far asour Fraternity is concerned. He will never know how much good hehas done for this Fraternity, never in this life—I doubt if he doesin the life to come. I went down to Miami University when he waspresident, and to see those boy pile into his home as if it were theirhome, and hear them as they spoke of him everywhere throughout thecollege, not only as a president that everybody loved, but as a presidentwho stood out before the whole community as a Phi that theywere proud of to the very roots of their being, was worth a longjourney. We are going to hear from our brother Dr. Guy Potter