THE LAUREL OF PHI KAPPA TAU WINTER NUMBER 1936 Bookends Wall Plaques Phi Kappa Tau Coat of Arrns In Six Color Enamel Hard, Long-Lasting, Colorful Finish Bookends, heavy metal with fe lt bnse per pair $2 Wall Plaques solid walnut $3 Sold only through Phi Kappa Tau Cemral Office Oxford, Ohio THE LAUREL OF PH I KAPPA TAU EOITORIAL OFFICE : CENTRAL 0PPI(;E, THE PHI KAPJ>A TAU FRATJ:RNITY 15 NORTH CAMPUS AVENL'E, OXI' ORO, 01110 VOLUME XXIV j ANUARY, 1936 N UMBER 3 Directing Your Attention T o: Early Pictures of Founders ................................. 2 Three Decades ............... ... .... ........... .......... College Fraternity a Character-Builder ....................... 1936 Convention ........... ......... ... ................... Stephens Appointed Federal Judge .... ............ ... .... ... 7 Shideler - Alpha's Heritage ................................ <) "Dad's Day," a Poem ............................. ....... 10 T wo New Domain Chiefs Appointed .................... .... II Football Stars of 193 S' ......... ................•.....•••...•. 12 Fraternity Audit of Experience ............. .................. 16 Alumni Interest - Goal for 1936 ........................... 19 Pledge Roster Increased to 500 .............................. 21 Chapters Announce New Initiate ............................ .,~-·' Hundreds Support Loyalty Fund .............. ............. News Notes From Alumni .. ...... .. .... ................ 27 The Chapters ..... .......... .. ......... ................ Directory .... .. ......................................... T he exoteric publication of The Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. Published prior to 1917 as "Sidelights." Sduduled to appear quarterly in the months of November, Januar y, Apr:! and July, under direction and authority of the Orand Chapter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of post.nge provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 191:, Published four times a year durin:: the months of January. April, July nnd November, by The Lawhead Press, 17 West WashinZton Street, Athens. Ohio, official printers for Phi Kappa Tau Fraternit)'. Emered as second class matter at the Post Office at AthenE. Ohio. Additional entry :tt the Post Office nt Oxford. Ohio. Subscription price, S2.00 per year. Early Pictures of Founders \\I ILLI!IM H . SIIIOI!LtR CLINTON D. Bovo TAYLOR A. BORRAOA II.P DWIO ~I T T. DOliCLA S - 2 - THE LAUREL JANUARY, 1936 Three Decades M ARCH 17, 1936, marks the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Phi Kappa Tau. In the three decades which have passed since our four Honored Founders gathered in Old Main Building at Miami University great changes have been wrought in American educational institution s. College enrollment today is more than five times that of 1900; most college buildings have been constructed since L900; the course of study in 1936 is vastly different than that of a third of a century ago. Despite these changes, Phi T aus jealously cling to the Founders' ideals, which have made possible moral, spiritual, and social development of more than eight thousand men. Through the efforts of the Honored Founders and those who have followed, Phi Kappa Tau for thirty years has been a constructive adjunct to the system of education. If Phi Kappa T au is to continue an enduring part of American colleges and universities it must stand definitely and in a four-square fashion for the real objectives of the Fraternity. It must put scholarship above every phase of college I if c. It must emphasize the ideals which arouse valiant emotions, stir potential talents. It must encourage genuine culture, clean-cut living, clear business integrity. It must develop sympathetic understanding, provide a helping hand in times :lf need. It must foster wholesome fellowship, create endw·ing friendships. It must stand for sound fin ance, conservative growth, and the firm conviction that a fraternity should lead men rather than be led by them. By sincere devotion to these principles will Phi Kappa T au honor Brothers Shideler, D ouglas, Borradaile and Boyd, who established Phi Kappa T au three decades ago. - 3 - College Fraternity • • • A Character - Builder National Interfraternity* * Conference * Emphasizes Greek Influence LACING emphasis upon* the char· *nunciation * of Hell Week," he said, "or P acter-builcling influence of the college get some action. I think the time comes fraternity, representatives of 54 national occasionall y when stern enforcement is fraternities, delegates from 40 under· the only way out." graduate mterfratcrnity councils, and .n officials of colleges and universities gathered m New York on November 29 and 30 for the I 93 5 meeting of the N a t 1 on a I Interfraternity Conference. President Roland W . Maxwell, Coun· cillor P aul T. Gantt, and Secretary Richard ]. Young were Phi Kappa Tau representatives. Answering the question, "H ow can we vitali:e our fraternity life and make the fraternity more useful to the college," Dr. H enry M . Wriston, president of Lawrence College, in a stirring address recommended "an audit of experience" to prove the value of the fraternity. He declared that the college fraternity had made an mvalu,thle contribution w the American educational system and was a force for great gootl. HELL WEEK Many fraternity problems were d1s· HARO!.I> J. BAILY, Beta Theta Pt cussed during the two-day conference. Prc•tdcnt I ntcrf ratcrntty Con fcrcncc Hell \Veek, which has long been out· !awed by Phi Kappa Tau and the Inter· fraternity Conference, receivetl a sling­ "Hell W cck, college customs, hazin<Y ing indictment from Albert K. Hcck~ l . Jean of men at the University of Mis­ ~nd ~addling as a form of discipline ar~ souri. m th1s modern civilization in the same . category as stage coaches and hoop "We must ~Jthl!r d1~contmue our de- skirts," declared Wilbur M . Walden, - 4- THE L t\UREL 01' PHI KAPPt\ Tt\U 1936 CONVENTION A S THIS issue of The Laurel goes to press decision regarding the site for the 1936 Convention still is pending before the Grand Council. Unavoidable delays have been encountered, but the Grand Council expects to announce the place for next summer's meeting in the very near future. Probably the Convention will be during the days of August 27, 28 and 29. Several likely places are being considered, and indications are that the Convention will be held in central or eastern Pennsylvania. With re­ tluctlons of fares on all eastern railroads becoming effective in J une con• siderable saving will be made in travel expense. By the new regula­ tion rate schedules which have been in effect on southern and western ratl­ roads will also apply to lines in the East. As soon as the site is selected all Resident Council and Graduate Council officers will be notified, and fuil information regarding the 1936 Convention will be supplied in the Summer issue of The Law·el. Alpha Chi Rho secretary, in a paper fercnce and send a copy to all dealing with treatment of fraternity Deans of Men in institutions where chapters arc located. pledges. 3. The lnterf raternity Conference to W altlen pointcJ out the many evils urge Deans of Men to (a) have legislation adopted by Boards of of H ell W eek and said that the institu­ Trustees forbidding H ell Week, use tion persists because of indifference on of the paddle, and all forms of the part of college administrators and ha:oing; (b) urge them to hold chapter presidents personally re­ undergraduate fraternity men. As a sponsible for imtiation practices; remedy he suggested the following plan: (c) urge chapters to enforce rules against Hell Week, ha:z.ing, and I. Education campaign against H ell Week to be conducted by the College Frater­ paddli ng. mty Secretancs Assoctation and the In· Other matters considered by the con­ tcrf raternity Con f ere nee: ference included fraternity finance and I. Speakers from the Conference to add rcss student bodies al various the problem of uti l i~ing to the utmost in;,titution~. the cultural faci lities· of the fraternities. , Fraternity ma~:azines to give ade­ In chis latter regard, Sir James Colqu­ quate publicity to the campaign. houn Irvine, vice-chancellor of the Uni­ 3. The Interfraternity Conference to versity of St. ·Andrew, oldest university use nation ' wide newspaper pub· !.city against the practtce. in Scotland, founded 81 years before the discovery of America, had this to say: -1. Deans of Men to urge campaigns ag<unst Hell \Vcek in theH mstitu· "The fraternity system arose through nons. the early recognition of the fact that the IT. Lcl{iblation during progress of the cam­ student •s a human individual, not patgn: merely something into which knowledge l. Each fraternity to adopt legislation ts to be crammed. against Hell Week immediately. ., Each fraterntty to submit its legis- ·'One thing I implore of you gentlc- lation to the Interfraternity Con· men and it is: keep the dignity of life - 5- THE Lt\UREL OF PHI K t\PPA T AU M aurice D arling, Delta Kappa alive in a fraternity. Away with ha:ing, Epsilo~; 1f such there be. Away with customs secretary, Russell G. M acFall, Delta Ch~ ; which may he a lowering of dign_ity, treasurer, Lynne J. Bevan, D elta Ups•· lon· educational adviser, D. G ardner, may even in extreme cases be degradm[.t. H. of men, University of A kron; Let us keep our banner high and our dea~ members of executive committee, class honor clear." "Transmit the ideals into action and of 1937, M aurice Jacobs, Phi Epsilon P i: make the college fraternity a powerful class of 1938, H arold E. Lobdell, Ph• force for good on the American campus" Kappa Sigma: H arry S. Rogers, A lpha was the plea of H arold ]. Baily, Beta T au Omega: H ulon Capshaw, Kappa Theta Pi, newly elected chairman. H e Alpha Order. presented the following specific sugges· SECRET ARIES, EDITORS MEET tions for making undergraduates con· Current fraternity problems were dis· scious of the criteria: cussed at the annual meeting of the Col· " Require pledges to memorize the Fra· lege Fraternity Secretaries Association.