Page 61 - 1909 November - To Dragma

56 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

to promote the building of chapter houses on the campus. The fra-
ternity building will have to advance in cash a safe proportion of the
cost of the house and the university will assist in borrowing the re-
mainder. The general architecture and style of the houses must
correspond with that of the other buildings on the campus. The
land will be offered free of rent, but the building and the land will
be the property of the university, to be held in trust for the various
organizations.—American College.

What has become of that happy custom of subscribing to the
journal for the chapter patronesses? A few years ago many chapters
did this. This year there is but one that is thoughtful enough to
remember the patronesses with the journal, and this is not a good
record in a list of fourteen chapters. A patroness gives the chapter
the benefit of her influence, friendship, hospitality and advice, which
reduced to commercial terms mean time and money. What does she
receive in return? How often do the girls so much as call upon a
patroness, who has given her home to the chapter for a social event?
Is there not a tendency to take such factors too much for granted,
and so allow the patroness to take our gratitude for granted? A
student's life is a f u l l one, but however busy, friends should not be
neglected. The patroness has a busy life also, and we are to blame
if she sometimes thinks her position is a thankless one. The sorority
has authorized a badge for patronesses, and there is now in the
making a ceremony for patronesses. These are good as they em-
phasize the relation of the patroness to the chapter, but the use o f
both badge and ceremony is optional. The journal for patronesses
should not be a matter of choice with a chapter, but a recognition
of what is due them. A visit from "The Alpha Xi Delta"
four times a year is a reminder of the gratitude of the girls, and will
do a great deal to make the patroness feel she belongs to the Alpha
X i Delta family.—The Alpha Xi Delta, quoted by A $ Quarterly.

I f there is a lack of harmony in a chapter, that soon becomes ap-
parent in the institution to which it is attached and the chapter is
thereby weakened. Lack of loyalty is not to be tolerated in any
member of a fraternity. The girl who knocks her chapter and her
associates in the chapter on the outside, ought to be put permanently
on the outside. No quality in a member makes up for lack of loyalty,
which in itself stamps any girl as being unfit fraternity material.
The girl who joins a sorority and then begins to criticise its manage-
ment, find fault with its officers, and to otherwise create doubt and
distrust among members and non-members, is to be pitied. Good
results for any sorority are never obtained by girls of this character.