Page 63 - 1913 November - To Dragma

68 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

EDITORIALS

OUR SICK CHAPTER

\ \ T ft of Alpha 0 have been more than usually blest during the
» • last few years, in escaping the fever of the anti-fraternity

movement. While we have felt the deepest concern for our sister
societies who have had to go under the knife, we have until now,
escaped. And even now Alpha, our mother and our inspiration is
not dead. But she is under a powerful anaesthetic, and she is due
to sleep for three years. A t times we feel the general discourage-
ment and say that Greek societies at Barnard are dead. But again
we have faith in the wisdom of the Barnard chapters and of the
national councils to find some spell by which the now sleeping chap-
ters will be called back to life stronger and more beautiful and
cured only of their little sicknesses. We hope for Alpha. And yet
the wisdom of the average University Faculty or State Legislature
seems to be that our ills can be cured by killing us. Barnard has
shown the least murderous spirit in giving us a chance to have our
ills removed while we are under the anaesthetic. I f the Opposition
can clearly enough tell us what our ills are and how we may attain
their idea of health we are willing, nay eager for the operation.

SECRECY

T H E Garnet and White of Alpha Chi Rho has recently published
a leading article on the "Vital Importance of Secrecy" from

which I quote a paragraph.
"Exactly the same feeling prompts in the last analysis all secrecy

—the instinct to conceal the details of what is eminently personal
to ourselves. And among such things par excellence we class those
things which we term sacred; our sexual relations in their deepest
and highest sense; our deepest experiences in religion; whatever
vows and ties we feel to be most intimate to our own souls. ' I was
caught up.' says St. Paul, 'into the seventh heaven, and heard things
which it is not lawful for man to utter.' We eagerly agree with Mr.
Staunton that such things must be secret and are so from instinct
and are as true of our neighbor as of you and I , but he misses the
great point that no secrecy concerning our ideals comes from
compulsion or vouring. Do we vow never to speak of our most
intimate faiths. Do we not naturally speak of them to those only
who will understand? And do we not choose our brothers and sisters
because we know that they will understand our ideals? I hold that
there would be no more discussion of fraternity ideals outside of