Page 24 - 1923 February - To Dragma

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 121

there have been fairies always! W h o would have thought they were

cornered down in the Tennessee Mountains! O N T O E L K M O N T ! W e

shall see. T H E EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

L i f e smiled on me and l e f t me quite untouched; '23
She turned aside her face and in that moment of neglect

She gave, a l l .
T h e p o w e r — t o see beauty i n lovely t h i n g s ,
T o hear the cries of pain in those about me,
The courage—to speak words of kindness and of praise
T o those who need t h e m ;
A l l these l i f e gave and in the giving smiled again.

ELIZABETH CLINTON, O

THE FORUM

I n view of the masterly report of the Grand Secretary on the sub-
ject o f national w o r k , there seems little necessity f o r comment except i n
the way o f unqualified approval. Since, however, the author of the report
raises various questions in regard to general policy, the opinion of one
member on some of them may add something to the sum total of ideas
upon the subject.

T h e first p r o p o s i t i o n seems s i m p l e e n o u g h . I n r e g a r d to* the sec-
ond, the question is raised whether a scholarship award should be
open to all college graduates or to members only. As a matter of
general principle I believe it should be open primarily to Alpha mem-
bers, because I am very sure, j u d g i n g by the caliber of present mem-
bers that there would be no lack of suitable candidates among our own
m e m b e r s h i p , a n d i t seems o n l y f a i r t h a t t h e y s h o u l d have the first o p -
p o r t u n i t y . A good w o r k i n g principle i n such matters is to leave a loop-
hole f o r special cases which m i g h t call f o r special action. T h e scholar-
ship in m y opinion should take the form of an award. Anyone doing
specialized w o r k is l i k e l y t o find i t d i f f i c u l t t o g e t a s t a r t t h a t m e a n s
financial independence immediately. T h e m o r e u n t r i e d the field the less
money i t is likely to b r i n g in, and yet f o r the very, reason o f its pioneer
character it may prove a particularly valuable contribution to society.
Under such circumstances the payment of a loan m i g h t be a heavy
burden. I believe that Alpha should not allow the award to go out
of its own control. W e might and no doubt should consult outside
o r g a n i z a t i o n s o f college w o m e n , b u t s h o u l d keep the final decision i n
o u r o w n hands. W e as a f r a t e r n i t y have a definite o b j e c t in m i i i d .
A n y fellowship that we give should be w i t h the accomplishment of
t h a t o b j e c t i n v i e w . T h e fields o f research, t h e r e f o r e , t h a t appeal t o
me most strongly are along social or health lines, and in the order
m e n t i o n e d . T h e greatest need f o r intelligence at the present time as I
see i t , is along social lines. T h e testing of our present civilization
w i l l be on that basis, and there are crucial problems to be solved if it