Page 19 - 1918 February - To Dragma

112 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

PERSONAL FEELING—HOW F A R SHOULD IT GO?

"How far should one's personal feelings go in the choosing of a

new fraternity sister?"
This question was asked me three nights ago by a brown-eyed,

eager-faced girl, who will be an Alpha O before these words are
read. She has the enthusiasm which makes for fraternity greatness,
and the impulsiveness, which, uncontrolled, makes for something
else. But she will control her impulsiveness.

Her question was seconded by the faces of six other pledges. I
was a grand officer, an Editor; for ten years and more I had been
a fraternity woman—of course, / knew. But I am sure the fear and
indecision in my heart found its way into my faltering replies. I f
I had read the Phi Mu Aglaia before that meeting, I might have
rested upon the shoulders of some of Phi Mu's contributors to a
most excellent November number, dedicated to The Rushing Prob-
lem. I have read all the articles, and arrf saving some of them for
later use. But the one given here I have chosen to publish at once,
because I feel that it may answer several puzzling questions, and
perhaps, conversely, tell how far personal feeling should not go.

A
QUAND MEME
The necessary preliminaries had been gone through with, the old
business discussed at length (at a far greater length than usual), and
the special business of the meeting could no longer be avoided. The
high tension that had been distinctly visible in every girl for several
days leaped into one seething flame. One could feel it in the heavy
silence that followed the president's quiet: "And now shall we dis-
cuss prospective members?"
Nobody volunteered to start things. Every pair of eyes was look-
ing straight ahead into space. I n every mind was the recollection of
some heated conversation of the past few weeks, and every girl
hesitated to suggest her particular favorite among the rushees.
The President inwardly wriggled at the ordeal before her and
added slowly: "Remember that this is a very serious matter. Re-
member what it means to the girl you are passing judgment on, and
what your bid meant to you. Remember that we are not all perfect.
And please be frank and state your objections before you blackball.
Afterwards your vote cannot be questioned."

The president had never lost her beautiful ideals, although she
had unfortunately passed through a bitter experience, the year be-
fore. Her best friend had not been taken into the Bond—because
her quiet personality had been a shade too quiet for some of the girls