!► H § I L > S" » B oi .1 » % 0I1| Z^ttuug PHI 6AMMA DELTA AT Lehigh University BETHLEHEM, PA. K ))); 'Tis pleasant sure to see one's self in print; A book's a book, although there's nothing in't \r\nTHE BETA CHI ZEITUNG, Bethlehem, Pa., April, 1912. Xo, 2. Vol. n. Published every moon or so by the hiji scribers of Beta Chi Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, Lehigh University. Address all criticisms and suggestions as well as news and information to E. E. YAKE, Phi Gamma Delta House, Bethlehem, Pa. In the fall issue of the Beta Chi Zeltung we spoke of that proposi tion which is uppermost in the mind of every chapter that is not now in a home of its own, that is a new house. Since that time we have ob tained an option on what we con sider the most desirable location for a fraternity house on or near the campus, and the matter is now being taken up with several of the older alumni of the chapter with a view of closing the deal at an early date. We feel that much of the success of the movement for a new home for Beta Chi depends on the acquisition of a site, and are therefore most anxious as to the outcome of the ne gotiations now under way. From year to year there is becom ing more and more distinct in the mind of the average prospective stu dent, the classification of chapters according to the type of home which they occupy. There is, of course, little relation between the ideals and calibre of a fraternity group and the character of the house in which they live, but to convince rush men of this is a delicate task. It is to be regretted that this state of affairs is becoming prevalent, but Beta Chi must face the facts as they are. Our aim in speaking of the move ment for a new house in this issue is not to bring something definite be fore our alumni, but merely to con vince them of Phi Gamma Delta's greatest need at Lehigh and of the fact that we are attempting to do our share to satisfy it. As was said before, we shall approach you with a business proposition, and shall hope that you may all be in a posi tion to play a part in this business with your chapter. Beta Chi. All that we ask for the present is your interest, a receptive mind to what we shall say later, and a willingness to cooperate with Beta Chi's under graduate body when the definite proposition is made to you. alumni feature articles, the pages of alumni clippings from the public press, the alumni banquet news and the alumni chapter letters—in addi tion to all these, the smaller alumni notes at the end of the chapter let ters aggregate over 300 inches or 2700 lines, which is the equivalent to 20 of our own pages, and if set in the larger type and smaller pages of the other fraternity journals, would make about 40 of their pages. The pure alumni news in this issue would crowd 100 pages in the usual smaller-paged, larger-typed frater nity magazine. This issue can fur ther boast a letter from every active chapter in the Fraternity, a rare oc currence indeed, but a splendid indi cation that the management of our fraternity magazine is wide-awake. Concerning the encouraging in crease in subscriptions to THE PHI GAMMA DELTA, the March issue editorially says; "The amazing success of the sub scription campaign, running away beyond what we started out to work for, has proved a revelation to ev erybody. Even our leaders, our offi cers, never before realized that so great a degree of latent enthusiasm, loyalty and fraternity-energy existed in our midst. The remarkable im petus of this movement has served to open the eyes of other fraternities to the inherent strength and vitality of Phi Gamma Delta. They are busily trying to search out the causes of our super-strength, as partly reveal ed by this movement, that they may pattern after them and vitalize their own organizations the more. Phi Gamma Delta is coming into its own, is commanding the admiration and respect in the fraternity world that is its due. This subscription cam paign put our membership to the test, and they responded as the mem bership of no other fraternity ever did in all time—the addition of 10 per cent, of the alumni membership to the subscription roll in one colle giate year. The number of this, that and the -other in Phi Gamma Delta as compared with other fraternities —such petty methods of comparison are insignificant compared with the overwhelming enthusiasm of the thousands of members of our Frater nity as expressed in this campaign, the like of which no other Fraternity ever experienced. The enormous energy and interest behind Phi Gamma Delta, when properly directed and organized, will sweep this Fraternity so far in ad vance of other fraternities that they themselves will be forced in their embarrassment to admit our super One of the best signs that Phi Gamma Delta alumni all over the country are bestirring themselves is the remarkable increase in the sub Founders' Memorial is as good as an scription list of the fraternity maga committee has but to complete the iority. The accomplished proposed fact $100,000 already. The zine during the last few months. The details of organization and announce campaign for new subscribers during the start of the campaign, and it will be as good as done. "This editorial is not inspired by the last four months and a half has resulted in 770 new alumni sub scriptions at $2.00 each. This makes partisan enthusiasm, but is written a new record. calmly and carefully by one who has been in personal communication with The March issue of the magazine contains, in addition to the several thousands of our alumni this year \r\nand is making a weak effort to con vey some idea of the tremendous fuller measure; to be left long with an equipment inferior to theirs loyalty and enthusiasm borne toward the Fraternity by our splendid body means a serious loss to us. of alumni men." is an immediate notification of the We rejoice in the surprising and gratifying success of the subscription campaign, and our only regret in this connection is the small part that the alumni of Beta Chi have played in boosting the subscription list. Beta Chi now has 138 alumni. Sep tember 1st, 1911, Beta Chi had 3 alumni subscribers, and chiefly through the efforts of the magazine this number by Feb. 15th, 1912, was increased to 14. In other words, even after waging a successful cam paign, only 10 per cent, of the alumni of Beta Chi are receiving the magazine published by their Fra ternity. Arranged according to the number of alumni subscriptions from each chapter, Lehigh stands 36th in the list of the 57 chapters of Phi Gamma Delta. This is far from be ing a creditable showing for Beta Chi, and we feel that our alumni so clearly understand their position that merely calling their attention to the above facts will remedy the What we ask, then, of our alumni name and standing of any men who are contemplating entering Lehigh, and we will do the rest. It is seldom that we "lose" a man when we know of him in time, and therefore we feel that the cooperation of our alumni has meant and will continue to mean a great deal in the maintenance of a fair standard in the chapter. SECTION CONVENTION. The annual Section Convention of Phule IV, held at the University of Pennsyivania on February 16th, with the Beta Chapter acting in the capacity of host, proved a rousing success. Individually the chapters responded dutifully with the excep tion of Lafaj'ette, who, owing to an unfortunate confliction with their Junior Week festivities, was unable to have but three men present. At the commencement of the afternoon's which no Fiji can afford to miss. It's a real effort for something worth business section. Section Chief Bro. Leon Downing appointed former chief of Section IV, Bro. Shafer of Pennsylvania, as temporary chair man. Among those present were Brothers Watson, of Yale, and Lynch, of Johns Hopkins, the former an earnest and enthusiastic worker in while. dollars to E. B. Phi Gamma Delta for many years, Hulley, Commonwealth Building, Pittsburg, Pa., for one year's sub scription. gave several very interesting talks on the fraternity conditions in gen matter. THE PHI GAMMA live, DELTA up-to-the-minute Send two is a periodical PROSPECTIVE LEHIGH STUDENTS. If there is any single phase of the life of the active chapter in which all its alumni can show an equal in terest, it is in the matter of recom mending men who expect to enter Lehigh. It is needless to point out to our alumni, who are past-masters in the art of "rushing," the tre mendous advantage of knowing be forehand the calibre of certain men who expect to enter here. The cha otic conditions under which men are strenuously rushed every fall make alumni cooperation a vital factor in the attainment of success in this eral and those of the New York Phi Gamma Delta Club in particular. He desired above all to know whether the aspect of the Club came up to the expectations of the visiting bro thers. A joint convention with Sec tion HI was talked of as a possibility next year, and the matter was left to the discretion of the Hopkins chapter, who will act as our host in Baltimore next spring. An elaborate banquet was ten dered the visiting brothers at Hotel Majestic that evening. A high spirit of good fellowship and kindred feel ing was prevalent, and after the usual routine of toasts and songs was passed over, the jolly gathering broke up, each certain in his mind that Pennsylvania had performed her part nobly. work. In fact, we are forced to be lieve that the chapter which has the closest cooperation of its alumni is TO OUR ALUMNI. the one that has the most successful We desire at this time to bring to the immediate attention of our alum rushing season. It is of the utmost importance that the active chapter receive the notice of a prospective student at the earliest possible moment. The rushing is by no means confined to the fall after the men have arrived on the ground, but a great deal of the effective work is done the pre vious spring. In order that Beta Chi may accomplish something defi nite during each spring and summer, it is more necessary than ever that she have the active assistance of her alumni. It should be remembered that most of our competitors already have what we are asking for in a ni an anticipated reunion of those whose undergraduate days in Beta Chi have become a matter of history. Our Alumni Day falls due this year on June 8th, and we contemplate having with us all those who can spare the time and money to jour ney to Bethlehem to renew their fellowships and acquaintances of un dergraduate days. With the occa sional exception of infrequent visits during the year, the active chapter sees very little of her alumni after graduation, and it is with the sole purpose in view that we recall this matter to your mind. From you. \r\nBrother Alumnus, we would urgent ly request an atfirmative response to a post card which will soon be forth coming regarding this reunion. We trust that you will honor us by your presence at this time, smoke with us a cool pipe of fellowship and enjoy with us that true spirit of kindred feeling worthy of all loyal Fijis, in order that we may better know you and that you in turn may learn something of the active chapter and her work. THE CHAPTER HISTORY. As everyone who read the Secret Number of the Phi Gamma Delta magazine knows. Brother Chamber lain, our national historian, is at present engaged in compiling a com plete and accurate history of our fraternity from the date of its founding. In so doing he needs the cooperative assistance of each chap ter in the country, who, by sending in as early as possible a detailed ac count of their chapter's affairs from the earliest date, will respond most efficiently to his call. The Beta Chi history is now in the course of preparation, and the committee to whom this work has been entrusted finds it an extremely difficult task to get complete infor mation necessary to a creditable pub lication. To our alumni who may have at hand any available informa tion that would be helpful, we would ing into the project with an intense ly enthusiastic spirit. With such action prevalent, a successful houseparty is certain to crown our earnest efforts. CHAPTER ROLE. Edmund Bruce Lehr, "Eddie." Harold Morgan Smyth, "Smitty." Edwin Walter Trexler, "Pud," "Ed." Charles Wellman Francis,"Count." Burton Reginald Rebert "Runt." Elmer Ellsworth Yake, "Deacon." Walter Diggers Menefee, "Fleas." Harold Edwin Lenker, "Bubbles." Raymond John Rems, "Pete." Thomas Watson Downs, "Bunny." Harvey Conrad Griffith, "Clarke." Peter Joseph White, "Joe." LeRoy Seamen Green, "Greeny." John Bosley Hiss, "Jawn," "Bal sam." Effingham Perot Humphrey, "Humph," "Hippo." Albert Frederick Glass, "Snork," "Monts." NOTES. Bro. A. C. Shand, formerly a mem ber of the class of 1912, returned to college reoently to attend the final banquet held by his class at Hotel Eagle. "Alec" was warmly greeted by his former classmates, and thor oughly enjoyed the affair. Brother G. R. Brothers, '09, now urgently request that they notify by with letter or forward such information to Brother C. W. Francis. Any such response in this matter will be heart ily appreciated by the committee-in Company, Richmond, Va., last month visited Bethlehem, and during his stay of several days he combined business with pleasure. It is seldom charge. that George crowds his program as the Richmond Construction he did on this occasion. Recently the chapter SOCIAIi. On Saturday evening, March 30th, the brothers of Beta Chi entertained at an informal dance in the chapter house. A number of young ladies from the immediate' vicinity, who have shown us considerable kindness in the past, graced our spacious dance floor and deemed the even ing's entertainment something worth while. Professor Conkling and Mrs. Conkling together with Mrs. Reiter courteously essayed to act in the ca pacity of chaperons and their con genial and entertaining qualities were highly esteemed by all those present. During the intermission refresh ments were served and while the dance was in progress an excellent punch was agree ably surprised to learn of the incre was easily accessible. The ment in the list of notable benedicts that it has turned out. This time it was Bro. W. T. Lytle, '08; he was secretiy married last fall to one of his local acquaintances of undergrad uate days, and the fact was not gen erally known until a few months ago. "Shorty" and Mrs. Lytle are now at home at Pleasantville, Pa. Brother A. A. Hammond, Maine, '07, Sales Manager for the Utley Company, Inc., visited Lehigh on business and stayed with us while Ii6r6. The recent notice of the death of Bro. Ed. King's father was brought to the attention of the chapter dur ing the past week. Mr. King for many years had been a resident of music for the evening's programme was ably rendered by three memliers of Weingartner's orchestra. On April 25th, 26th, and 27th the bud of Beta Chi's social flower is ex Pottsville, Pa. pected to spring forth into full of the year. bloom. active in the undergraduate affairs about college and his loss to the We anticipate, at this time, to bring to a realization our much meditated Junior Week house-party. Already much preparation is under way. The floors are being painted and varnished, while the walls and ceilings are receiving their new spring suitings. All of the brothers are thoroughly awake and are jurap- . An operation for appendicitis made it necessary for Brother John Morse, of the Sophomore class, to drop out of college for the remainder Bro. Morse was very track team this spring will be keen ly felt. It is probable that he would have proved the fastest man on the squad. He is making a rapid recov ery from the operation, and the boys are all eagerly looking forward to his return to college in the fall.