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

344 THE SCROLLevening the chapter held a reception for the alumni and the, fathersand mothers of the active men. On Saturday afternoon, February15, open house was held to all the fraternities and sororities atMinnesota, and the chapter dance in the evening attended by thirtyfivecouples completed the warming of Minnesota Alpha's newhome—the realization of a dream for many years past.THE OLYMPIANThe Olympian of Phi Delta Theta; Third Edition of the Manual of the Fraternity.By Walter Benjamin Palmer, Emory, 'yj: Vanderbilt, '80. Publishedby the Fraternity. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George BantaPublishing Company. igi2. Leather and cloth, pp. 316. Order from AlexPope, T. G. C, Commonwealth Building, Dallas, Texas; price postpaid:Leather binding, $r; cloth, 75 cents.The third edition of the manual of Phi Delta Theta, published bythe Fraternity, deserves and has been given a distinctive name. In"The History of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity", published in1906, Walter B. Palmer brought to a climax his years of patientand effective service for Phi Delta Theta and it did not seem possiblethat the Fraternity would require more of him. On the openingday of the recent national convention at Chicago, when copiesof "The Olympian" were placed in the hands of the officers anddelegates, the verdict came as with one voice that the new manualwas as great an achievement as a manual as the History of the Fraternitywas as a history. In a te^se and interesting way the recordof Phi Delta Theta is brought down to the last days of 1912, thepreface being dated December 7, 1912. Under appropriate headings,the author condenses history and biography in short stories inwhich each word used has a definite value. Facts and figures whichmust appeal to any fraternity man and more especially to membersof Phi Delta Theta, are grouped in tables and summaries. Seeminglynothing is omitted which could be of use. Nor could any partof the volume be spared without a distinct sense of loss. No otherfraternity has had,prepared for its use a manual which compareswith "The Olympian" and Brother Palmer is entitled to all thepraise which has come to him from within and without the Fraternityfor his notable achievements.The first edition of the manual of Phi Delta Theta was issued in1886 and was printed on 54 small pages. The edition of 1897 consistedof 47 pages and was issued as a supplement of THE SCROLL.The material for these manuals was prepared by Walter B. Palmer.The task of preparing "The Olympian" for the printers was begunnearly four years ago by Brother Palmer who was commissioned to undertakethe task by the general council, a previous national conventionhaving given the necessary authority. In compiling the third editionof the manual it was necessary to begin anew as there was little of