THE THETA FIJI Volume II. Theta Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. Number 4. AUGUST 1909. EKKLESIA EXTRA. Here's your News! All About the Convention! Phi Gamma Delta, Bigger and Better than Ever! ALABAMA LEAVES. Detroit, Mich., Aug. 6, 1909.—(Special to the Fiji)—At four o'clock this after noon the Convention Hall was thrown into an uproar by the persistent rumor that the Alabama delegation, consisting of Wood, Collier and Ned Brantly, was about to leave. At 4:10 a message as follows was read from the platform: "Alabama sends farewells. Best wishes to all. Alabama." The Alabama bunch escaped by the back door and took the D. & B. boat for Buffalo. PAJAMA PARADE. The sea-ventilated streets of the town of Cadillac were given a rude shock Thursday night from an unexpected source. At about twelve midnight a band of a hundred Fijis, in robes de nuit, left the Cadillac Hotel and visited the newspaper offices, hotels and other places. Collier shone in an indescribable. Brantly ex cited much comment in a six foot night shirt. Wood's pale blue pajamas were the envy of everyone. THE TRIP. Monday, August 2nd, at 8:45 p. m., Clement R. Wood, B. T. Collier and J. E. Brantly, duly accredited delegates from Theta, and Section chief, boarded the L. & N. for (Cincinnati, for a memorable trip. They spent one day at the Cincinnati Zoo. Wednesday the Convention opened, and here Alabama looked intelligent at times, and voted regularly. Friday by boat to Buffalo and Niagara went the Alabamians, and on Sunday Collier and Ned sailed down the Hudson, that most beauti ful American river. Clement spent Monday in New Haven, where he intends studying law next year. At New York the boys stayed at the Phi Gamma Delta club and report that the Waldorf can't compare with it. Coney—0, you Coney!— the Jardin du Paris and other things were taken in. Wednesday the party left via ■ the Old Dominion steamers to Old Point Comfort, where a day was spent. From Washington, where the next stop was made, the party split and drifted home via Cincinnati. Yes, they rode Pullmans most of the way, but Clement rode in a chair car the last hundred miles. Total resources at the end of the trip, $3.62. THE CONVENTION. CONDITION. The fraternity showed a gross gain of nineteen for the year. The total mem bership was 1381, of whom 508 were initiates. Think of it, more than half a thousand little Fijis born in one year! Our chapter showed a gain of eight. There are fifty-seven chapters in forty-seven houses, a very high per cent. The largest chapter was at Yale, with 44 men; the average was 24.22. Our chapter had 18, about the average at Alabama. EXTENSION. Last year marked the birth of several new graduate chapters, including one located at Knoxville, Tenn. Petitions were before the convention from eleven in stitutions, namely, Universities of New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio Northern, North Dakota, Toronto and Pittsburg; Kenyon College, Chapel Hill College, College of the City of New York, Beloit College, Alabama Polytechnic Institute, at Auburn. Of these all were postponed for a year except two. Pittsburg was fought over and lost by a few votes, but will undoubtedly pass next Ekklesia. The C. C. N. Y. charter was restored to the graduates of the chapter, to renew that chapter. CHAPTER HOUSES. The house gains were two rented, one owned, three changed from rented to owned. Theta expects to be in a house in a very short time, and to own one within the next few years. NEXT CONVENTION. Invitations for the next Ekklesia were received from Atlantic City, the favor ite St. Louis, Cincinnati, Put in Bay, Niagara Falls, Cedar Point, Rochester, Buffalo, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and from the boat from Buffalo to Mackinaw. The Board of Archons will decide. OFFICERS. Newton D. Baker was reelected as National President, Wilmer Christian as Treasurer, Thomas L. Pogue, of Cincinnati, as Secretary, and Chamberlain and Cheney on the Board. Wm. F. Chamberlain was elected Fraternity Historian, a new office, with instrnctions to get out the history by 1912, and Leon P. Lewis will be Editor of the Phi Gamma Delta magazine for 1909-1910. Bro. Collier was urged to run again for section chief, but declined, and Hugh M. Tate, of Morristown, Tenn., was elected as the Chief of Section Ten. ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS. A motion was passed that Alumni Associations with five or more members, five of whom get the Fraternity Journal, could be organized and reorganized by the fraternity. They further could put the name of their secretary in the Frater nity Journal. MISCELLANEOUS. Our fraternity leads undisputably in chapter papers, having 46 chapters who issue them, and 11 who issue chapter letters. The last of the graves of the foun ders that of Daniel Webster Crofts, was found by Bro. Chamberlain, and has been suitably marked. The New York Phi Gamma Delta Club, the Mecca of traveling Fiiis is the greatest step, probably, the fraternity has taken the past y^r, and is a magnificent monument to the perseverance of the New York Fijis. Be sure to visit it, if you get a chance. 34 W. 44th St. P S We almost forgot the Spark Plug Club. Say it fast, then grin. Ask any of the delegates about it. 0, by the way, Clement was made assistant secre tary of the Ekklesia. and sat on the platform. He says he enjoyed it. A LAST WORD. Next year is on us, and we are ready for it. Be sure to be at the University bv Tuesday of opening week, and lets have all the graduates and old men there who can come Send the sinews of war, as promised, to E. C. Brantly, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and let's do things with a rush, as we did last year. With best wishes until we meet next. Yours fraternally, in Phi Gamma Delta, Clement R. Wood. Bernard T. Collier. J. Edward Brantly.