A MAGAZINE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE ACACIA FRATER ITY
Incorporated under the laws of the State of Michigan.
PUBLICATION OFFICE
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
VOLUME XII OCTOBER, 1916 NUMBER 1
$1.00 Per Year 35 Cents Per Copy
ENTERED IN THE POSTOFFICE AT SEATTLE, WASH., NOVEMBER 4TH, 1915, AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER, UNDER THE PROVISION OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1879.
GRAND PRESIDENT
HARRY L. BROWN
1570 Old Colony BidS' . Chicago, Ill.
GRAND VICE-PRESIDENT AND GRAND COUNSELLOR ]. A WOODWARD
Leetonia, Ohio
GRAND TREASURER ]. W. SHERA
1602 Lytton Bldg., Chicago, Ill.
GRAND SECRETARY A A JENKINS
85 Devonshire St., Boston, Mass.
GRAND EDITOR W.G.MANN
402-3 Boston Block Seattle, Wash.
Michigan
603 State St., Ann Arbor, Mich. First and third Mondays. A. R. Smith, V. D.; Carl Gormsen, S. D.; Harold Thurlby, Sec .; L. S. Thomp son, Cor. Sec.; Carl Thorington, Tre as. Active, 17; pledged, 11. ·
*Stanford Stanford University, California. 0. L. Oliver, Sec.
*Kansas................. .1514 Tenn St. , Lawrence, Kan. A. K. Rader, Sec.
*Nebraska
132'5 R St ., Lincoln, Neb. Everett Carr, V. D .; Louis A. Meier, S. D.; Marschelle Pow e r , Sec.; Myron ]. Gar ey, Treas.; R. E. Shutt , Cor. Sec . ; C. A. Sjogren, Editor. Active, 11 '; pledged, 16.
California 1634 Bancroft Way, B e rkeley, Cal. Every Monday. M. A . Johnston, V . D. ; L. M. Bell, S. D.; C. R. Bell, Tr eas.; R. A. R ey nold s, Sec.; H. R. Weber, Editor. Active, 19 ; pledged, 2.
*O hio ................... .. ..1830 Indi a nola Ave, Columbus, Ohio. Every Monday. Jacob Thomas, V. D.; Benjamine Cole, S. D .; E. F. Schaffer, Tre as.; W. G. Ow e ns , Sec.; C. M. Rose, Cor. Sec. Active, _:_; pl edged, - ·
*Harvard ........... .... .16 Prescott St ., Cambridge, Mass. H. R. Bechtel, Sec .
Illin ois
Franklin
501 E. Dani el St ., Champaign , Ill. Every Monday. R. ]. Lascelles, V. D.; W G. Tuell , S D .; E. S. Foote , Treas.; H H. Love, Sec .; W. R. Morrison , Editor. Active, 11; pledged, 14.
210 South 36th St., Phil a delphia, Pa. Every Tuesday. E. E. F.dinger, V . D.; W . R. Hockenberry, S. D.; Frank R. Purn e ll, Tr eas.; R. B. Hutchison, Sec.; D. B. Jeremiah, Editor. Active, 16; pledged, 1.
*Minneso ta 1206 5th Ave , S E., Minneapolis, Minn. G. E. Ingersoll, Sec.
*W i sconsin ............ 615 Lake St., Madison, Wis. Every Monday. ]. D . Pederson, V. D. ; Harold Axley, S.D.; L. E. Meyer, Treas.! L. W. Bishop, Sec.
*Missouri.. .. ............821 Rollins Ct. , Columbia , Mo. Robert S . Clough, Sec.
*CornelL. 708 E. Seneca St., Ithaca, N. Y. P. G. McVetty, V D. ; E. P. Deatrick, S D.; 0. W. Dynes, Treas ; H. F. Hand, Sec Active, 11; pledged , 3.
*Purd u e................ ..427 State St., West Lafayette, Ind. Every Monday. P. S. Webb, V. D . ; R. W. Covalt, S. D.; ]. 0. Kilian, Treas. ; H. E. Ackerson, Sec .; L. M. Pickett, Cor . Sec . Active, 24; pledged, 3.
*Chicago 5719 Kenwood Ave. , Chicago, Ill. Albert M Bucholtz, Sec.
*Yale.... .. ..... ... ..... ... York Square, N ew Haven , Conn . Albert F. Coyle, Sec .
*Columbia Fred M. Richmond , Livingston Hall, Columbian U
Iowa State ...... ... .. .. Lincoln Way a nd Beech Ave. , Ames, Iowa. First and third Mon days. L. W. Coquillette, V . D . ; 0 . G. Wheaton, S . D. ; F. F. Householder, Treas.; A. R. Bird, Sec. Active, 11; pledged, 8.
Iowa Iowa City, Iow a Every Monday. H. C. Harper, V. D.; G. F. P a tt e r so n , S D ; 0 ]. Kirk eteg, Treas .; B C Condit, Sec Ac ti ve , 11 ; pl edge d, 6.
P e nnsyl va ni a .... .. .. .State College, Pa. Dav id M . Campbell, Sec .
Washington .4703 18th N. E ., Seattle, Wash. Ev er y Monday W E Hendri cks , V D. ; Clarence Anderson, S D. ; S. L. Simpson, Tr eas.; C L.. Palmer, Sec Active, 15 ; pledged, 7
*Co lora do .1315 11th St., Boulder, Col. H N. Orr , V. D. ; Stanley, Walbank , S. D .; K. S . Earp, Treas . ; Carl P a rker , Sec. ; M . Shugren , Cor. Sec . Ac ti ve , 16 ; pled ge d, 1.
*Syracuse..... ..... ... ..708 Uni ve r s ity Ave., Syra cuse, N . Y .
Kans as State 821 Osage St ., Man h a tt a n , Kan Every Wednesday H. D R ee dy , V D .; G C. Gibbons, S D .; G. A. Bolz, Treas.; W. W. Frize ll , Sec. ; G. C. Gibbons, Cor S ec. Active, 17; pledg ed, 8
T exas A u s tin , T exas
Every Wednesday. E. C. N elson , Jr. , V D. ; Chicago ]. H Byers , S D .; H B. Jones , Trea s ; A. R Howard , Sec Active , 21; pledged, 5.
New Yo rk. ... ..... .... . Pr es ident , Warren W. Hilditch, Yale, '09, Or a nge Memori al Hospital , Ora nge , New Jersey ; vice-president, Walter Roy al Jon es, Chicago, ' 09, 237 Seventh Ave. , ' Brooklyn, N. Y.; secreta ry a nd tre as urer, Chas. G . Beersman, Franklin, '15, 244 5t)1 Ave., New York City.
lndian apo li s Pr es id e nt , George E. Gill; vice-president, Ernest C. Carr ; secret a ry a nd tr eas urer, R. E . Simpson .
*Y our sec r et ary h as n egl ec t ed t o se nd in the inform a tion asked for. Plea se see th a t th e Edi t or h as your s tr ee t address, night of m ee ting, chapter officers and number of men active a nd pledged .
We had heard so much from our delegates to past Conclaves as to the benefits which Purdue chapter would receive from the entertaining of a Conclave that when we received word of the postponement on account of the threatened railroad strike we were discouraged, to say the least. We had visions of a Conclave with a bare quorem of delegates pre s ent, and very few, if any, visitors. We thought of the efforts we had made to induce our Alumni to return for the Conclave which surely had gone for nothing. So we proceeded to notify the latter of the postponement with no kindly feeling towards railroads in general.
Then the delegates and visitors who had received no notification of the po tponement began to arrive, and after we had talked to them, complained with them and in this manner became really well acquainted with them and realized the high caliber of the men interested in Acadacia, we began to appreciate that after all this calamity had some advantages for us. By the end of the week of September 3 most of the men had gone home or up to the "Windy City" to look about, and we got quite lonesome.
On Saturday and Sunday we wondered why " Harry" Brown or "Don" Kirk did not put in an appearance. On Monday everyone began to arrive and on Tuesday morning at the opening of the Conclave every chapter with the exception of Ames was represented , as well as three Alumni Chapters, vyhile a fourth representative of the latter bodies put in an appearance later. We were quite pleased with "this last man of the Indianapolis Alumni, a baby chapter , for he was a Purdue man of '16 and we had talked with him as to the possibilities for Acacia in that city where he was to locate.
V l e were satisfied as soon as the Conclave settled down to business that all we had heard of the executive ability of Grand President Frazer was true and waited with no little expectancy for the hour when time would be limited and the "Ole Steam Roller" would get to working.
The reports of the delegates and the questioning of them followed by the comprehensive reports on the chapters by Traveling Counslor Br o wn could well have occupied the entire time of the Conclave for the benefits which were to be had from them. We as a chapter are able to feel the debt which the Fraternity owes Brother Brown for his work in the office which he in reality has created. The example whtch
he has given to us of Acacia love in terms of hard labor will surely be an incenti ve for us to do our little work a bit better.
To see men , who had been engaged on opposite sides of very heated argument go down the street arm in arm after adjournment was a good lesson in fraternalism. To listen to the opposite views on various questions held by the Eastern and Western chapters was to realize that ours is truly a national fraternity with great big questions for our solution always before us.
Our chapter meetings impress us with the benefits to be had from the enetrtainment of a Conclave. Our own V. D. adds much zest to them by his " Lil Ole Steam Roller" methods. Each little while some hitherto quiet member impresses us by saying, "The delegate from chapter told me that they handle this proposition in this way."
'vVe are so enthusiastic about Acacia Conclaves that were it good form we s h ou ld like to iss ue a standing invitation to Acacia for all future conclaves.
J . R. Schultz, Yale Ohapte1·
\ V hen a man gets back from an Acacia Conclave and sits down to think it over th e re are a number of things that come to his mind. He lo ok s back o n th e work that was done, the men he has met , the genial fellowship that has been his , and feels that Acacia is bigger, that it means more to him , than h e had realized.· When the delegate makes hi s report to the active chapter he goes to his notes, to the copy of the Journal containing the minutes of the Conclave , and does his best to give a clear account of the actions of the national legislative body. But he does n ot give a mere statement of the work done, no matter how carefully the f;1cts may be presented. He seeks to interpret these actions in the light of his larger realization of what the fraternity means , and in his effort to apply it all to his home chapter, this larger view colors his report. For the delegate , or the visitor to the Conclave comes home with a new feeling. He has become a member of the fraternity in its broader sense. It is the realization of this fact that makes him a better Acacian , and it is this spirit that he seeks to infuse into his own chapter.
The 19 16 Conclave was especially valuable in fostering the national spirit. The feeling of goo d-fellowship that prevailed was, of course , usual and t o be expected. But so many of the older men were back, men w ho had attended preceding Conclaves and gained a national outlo ok, that the broadening process was extended and enlarged. The old men found a delight in renewed associations; they found the ties strengthened between themselves and the men of other chapters. And the new men ga ined from being with them. No one can return from s uch a meeting and not feel himself a better and broader Acacian . Some of thi s sp irit , too, will ove rfl ow into the membership of each chapter during the year. ·
It was an additional inspiration to be entertained at Purdue. That chapter, li ve and progressive, with a magnificent c·hapter house, made the stay of the v is it o r pleasant in a way that is hard to describe. Though under the handicap of a week's postponement, the entertainment furni s hed s uff ered in no perceptible way. The beautiful cross-country
drives to the Tippecanoe battle grounds and other historic spots of that locality, the manifold efforts to make everyone comfortable in body and soul can never be forgotten by those whose good fortune it was to attend the Conclave this year.
It might have been expected also that the Conclave itself would suffer from the p os tponement. It was unfortunate that Iowa State was deprived of representation on that account , and that the attendance of alumni members was cut down. But the difficulty o nly spurred those who could come to greater efforts. There was a renewed determination to make a success in spite of every obstacle.
There are many outstanding features in the actions of the Eleventh National Conclave that should be emphasized There is the decision to hold the next Conclave in 1918; the excellent work of the committee on the Endowment Fund, during the first year of its existence , as reported to the national body; the valuable rep o rts on the condition of various chapters by the Traveling Counselor. These and many other things are of especial interest to the men of all chapters. But a full account is to be found in the minutes as published , and the members may read them there. Besides, there would be no end if one undertook to describe and analyze matters of legislation.
A pleasant feature of the Conclave was that derived from the representation for the first time of the new chapter at Texas. The welcome extended to the chapter was genuine, and there was a feeling that if the delegate sent was a specimen of the membership there, Acacia may have no misgivings that a new name has been added to the roll of chapters. The Conclave gained much from the delegates from alumni chapter s. It was an excellent move on the part of the fraternity to provide for representation from such chapters. Otherwise we should not have had the benefit of the wisdom and ability of such men as Dr. Lawrence of the New York, and McFarland of the Chicago Alumni Associations. And while we welcome the new representatives to the Conclave board , we think with regret of the officers who retired from the Grand Council at this Conclave. They have s erved so ably that their retirement gives a ense of distinct loss. The fraternity will especially miss the services of Kilmer, who served so long and faithfully as Grand Secretary, and whose life in so large a measure has been identified with the life of the National Fraternity. We know, however, that the new officers are veterans in the service of Acacia and that they will carry on with honor the work so well in hand.
It is with a feeling of regret that one comes away from a Conclave of Acacia. There is regret that it had not been possible to partake longer of the pleasant fellowship, to discuss the problems more fully, to do more for the fraternity. And there is that every Acacian in the land could not have been present to absorb some of the spirit of the gathering. But we know that some . of that spirit will be carried back to the chapter houses from coast to coast. We know that in succeeding Conclaves men will come new and go away veterans , receiving a full mea s ure of the spirit that characterized the Conclave of 1916. Thus will Acacia live on and flourish, ever new, ever old, each Conclave lighting the torch to carry the fire to the next , which will be greater, better in it turn.
Guest of Purdue Chapter, West Lafayette, Indiana
September 12, 13 and 14, 1916
The Eleventh Conclave of Acacia was called to order by Grand President Frazer at 9 a. m. , September 12 , in the Masonic Temple, Lafayette, Indiana. He said: "The Eleventh Conclave of the Acacia Fraternity will be in session. No attempt w ill be made at this morning session to make up a roll , but beginning this afternoon a roll will be called. The Grand Secretary has a complete roll and with your permission I will ask him to read this roll."
A . R. Smith , Michigan Chapter B. G. Smith , Columbia
S. C. Herold , Stanford
Wallace Hake , Kansas
C. E Paul, Nebraska
M. ]. Mink ler, Ca lifornia
C. M. Rose, Ohio
F . F. Householder, Iowa State
L. P. Holt, Iowa
W S Dye, Pennsylvania State
J. C. Palmer, Washington
H. N. Orr, Colorado
]. F. Rhodes, Harvard Louis Lindsey, Syracuse
B. L. Kirk, Illinois
J. L. Armour, Frank lin
G. C. Ferrier, Manhattan, Kansas
R. C. Thaxton, Texas
August Neubauer, Minneso ta G. A. Lawrence, New York A lumni
E J. Morrison , Vl isconsin '\ssociation
]. A. Faris, Missouri
W. J. McFarland, Chicago Alumni
0. W. Dynes, Cornell Association
G. H. Eddy , Purdue
S. C. Herold, California Alumni AsN. H. Parker, Chicago soc iation
J. R. Schultz, Yale
George E. Frazer. ..... .. .... ........ ... ..... Grand President
R. Cecil Fay ____ Grand Vice-President
J. A . Woodward .. ..
Grand Treasurer
Harry E. Kilmer.. ___ , _______ Grand Secretary
William G. Mann
H. L. Brown
Grand Editor
Grand Counselor
All off ic ers and delegates were present except Brother Householder of Iowa State.
President Frazer: "I take grea t pleasure in introducing to you the Chairman of the Acacia Conclave Committee, Brother Eddy."
Brother Eddy : "Brother Boulds of Purdue Chapter is a man whom we have all learned to love for the advice and help he ha s given us since his connection with the Chapter, and to express the sentiment of this Chapter toward the Conclave I shall present with pleasure Brother Boulds."
Brother Boulds: "Brother Acacians, it is indeed a pleasure to be asked to perform this most pleasurable duty. One of the fondest dreams of the Purdue Chapter has at last come true . The members of Purdue Chapter from the day of their installation always wanted to have the hon_or of entertaining the Acacia Conclave , and last year when it was dec1ded to hold the Conclave here their fondest hopes had at last come true. vV e are certainly glad indeed to have the opportunity to enter-
tain you and the mayor of the city has informed me that the key has been lo t and the city is yours. ··· * ':' I thank you."
Pre ident Frazer: "It is indeed a pleasure , Brother Bould to receive your gr eetings and we hope that every active member of Purdue Chapter will be an active member of this Conclave. I ha ve two or three telegrams here that can be read with a great deal of pleasure."
From Bro. Homan of Columbia
George E. Frazer, Grand President , Acacia Fraternity Lafayette, Indi a na : '
The Symbolic Lod15e is the Great Public School of Freemasonry. The Chapter and the Counc1l are advanced Cl ass Rooms . The Commandery is the Military Academy. The Scottish Rit e is the Dr a m at ic University. The Grotto and the Shrine are the Play Grounds , The Chapter s of Acacia are the Training S choo ls for the future leaders of our Gr ea t Fraternity; for Knowledge is Power and will prevail. May God bless your deliberations.
WILLIAM HOMAN, Hotel Astor, New York.
Delegate from Columbia in s tructed t o answer.
From Brothers Blagg, Franklin and Washington: Brother Mann instructed to answer.
From Brother Jenkins, Harvard Chapter: Delegate from Harvard in structe d to answer.
From Brother Flynn , Ca lifornia: De legates from California inst ructed to answer.
From Brother Householder, Ames : Was unable to be present because of the postponement. Delegate from Iowa instructed to answer.
President Frazer: "The first order of business will be th e reading of the minutes of the last Conclave You have the minutes before you. I will say that it is my op i nion that this will be usin g t oo much valuable time. I will entertain a motion to the effect that the minutes be not read." Illinois: "I so move." Missouri seconds; motion carried.
President Frazer: "I have before me a letter from Brother Tre l even. He says, "I regret exceedingly that I am unable to attend the Conclave, etc. * * * I will ask the delegate from Wisconsin to convey the r egards of the Conclave to Brother Treleven "
The next business in order is the reports of Grand Officers .
Repor t o f t h e Grand President to the 1916 Con cla v e
The Twelfth National Conclave meets a t Purdue University unde r unusual circumstances . Because of the threat e n ed r a il r oad st rik e , I undertook the responsibi lity of postponing tlie Conclave, origina ll y se t by the Grand Council to meet on September 5th , 6th and 7th . [n my opinion th e n ecessity for the postponement did not afford time f01· a vote o f the Grand Coun c il , and I was compelled to accep t the entire responsibility for th e decision. It must b e a matter of congratulation to a ll of us that the a ttendance here today is so satisfactory.
It is not possible for me to open th i s Conclave without referen ce to the Conclave held last year at San Francisco and P a lo Alto. The 1915 Conclave was singularly marked by deep fraternal feeling. The hospitality of the California a nd Leland Stanford Chapters remains for us one of the inspiring traditions of the fraternity. The alumni committee , headed by former Grand Tre asure r Keith, gave us lasting evidence of the perman e nt strength of Acacia on the Pacific Coast.
The National Conclave has come to have a very real place in the life of Acacia. Year after year the meetings a.re marked by .an ea;rnestness and a devot ion of spirit that far trancends all differences of v1ewpomt of Year after year the deleg a tes to these conclaves com_e fr?m the cent e rs of America, each with his own proposals for leg1slatt.on, w1th h1s cherished plans for unifi ca tion a.nd developme?t, each w1th h1s own selectiOns for the leadership of the fratermty. The sesswns of past conclaves have been notable for sturdy and forthright debate, and hour .bY hour .du:ing each session, each national officer and each delegate has grown m apprec1at10n of the zeal of each delegate for Acacia. At Chicago, at Madison, at Ann and at Palo Alto it h as been an in sp iration to me to find the delegates closmg the work of the Conclave with keen realization of the possibilities of the Greater Acacia.
The Twelfth Conclave is fortunate in meeting at Purdue. In her trials and in her progress Purdue chapter has met and solved many of the problems that face each of the chapters of Acacia . The home life of Purdue chapter is success in Acacia in the truest sense of the words. And we join with Purdue chapter in h e r pride in the men that are serving their country on the Mexican border.
The twelfth year of Acacia has been a year of successful continuation of our efforts towards the establishment of a fraternity nation-wide in its methods, sentiments a nd ideal s. Our chapters are established at twenty-five of the leading uni v ersiti es of America. Indeed, there are but two or three really great American universities in which the fraternity is not now firmly established. The place of Acacia is in the University life of our country. Our responsibilities are the greater because we are the only general fraternity that has confined its chapters to in s titutions of university grade . Without boasting and without egoti s m, we must each of us recognize that our fraternity has unique opportunities in college life because it is a university fraternity . Our standards must be worthy of the highest traditions of University men.
As a university fr a ternity, Acacia is peculiarly fortunate in her membership qualifications. Acacia is proud to be known as a fraternity of Masons. Very properly we disclaim the right to be thought of as a Masonic institution, but our Masonic qualifi ca tion for membership has given us a university fraternity made up of matur e students. It follows very naturally and very forcibly that each chapter of Acacia should be a vital factor in student life It is not too much to expect each chapter to le a d all other fraternities in scholarship. So also should the m a ture students in the Acacia chapters lead in the best student life a nd student thinking of their university communities . During the past year the nation a l fraternity has had reason to be proud of the scholarship record of Nebraska chapter and of the wide influence of Wisconsin chapter in student activities. During this coming year Nebraska must uphold her scholarship record and must ri va l Wisconsin as a leader in student life. During this coming year Wisconsin must continue to exercise a wide influence in student activities and must rai se her scholarship record And such strong chapters as the Illinois chapt e r h ave neither the record in scholarship nor the record in student life that we h ave a right to expec t from thell11 If the colors of Acacia are lowered to those of other frat.ernities in this noble competition, then that chapter of Acacta has made too httle use of its advantage of mature men.
Twelve years ago the founders of Acacia conceived a university fraternity of mature ,As a matter of course they wrote as the very fundamentals o.f fratermty that there should be no drinking, no gambling and no prostitution 111 th e chapt e r house s. Th e re are two o-reat fundamental truths in our pledge. First of all, the founders of the fraternity, - ancl each one of us who tak e n the pledg e after them,-have set np the ideal that the chapter house IS to be protected . The chapter is to have a home and this home is to be free !rom th e :'ices th a t e ndanger the character of young men . The second outstandmg fact I S that the founders of the fraternity,-and each one of us,-have asslfm ed as a m a tter. of course th a t a prospective member of Acacia would not .to h1mself against drinking_ and against gambling and against prostitution It; h1:; home: Last year, and each year for twelve years , our chapters have mamtamed th1s pledge. We have not advertised it broadcast in the university world. But it is well worth our while to remind ourselves in annual conclave that Acacia was the first fraternity to legislate against drinking and gambling and prostitution.
During the past 'year the fraternity has accomplished two things of outstanding importance. The first of thc.:se was the in sta llation of the Texas chapter. The installation of a fraternity chapter is always a matter of far-reaching consequence We are lighting a new alter, we are es tabli sh ing a new h earth tone, we are welcoming a new family into our national clan. The care taken in the installation of Texas chapter mark s the defimte establishment of the ba is on which new charters may be expected to be granted in the future. Th e petitioning club lived in a house as a local fraternity for ove r a school year. The club was twice in s pected by the Grand Vice Pre side nt. The club was frequently visited by members from several chapters. Del ega t es from th e club r eported at the San Francisco Conclave. The Grand Council twice app roved the petition of the club, and finally th e club was granted its charter on th e a uthority of a referendum vote of the chapters. The T exas chapter comes well vouc hed for: we are glad to welcome her delegates to this Conclave.
The second s ignificant e'l!ent of the p as t scl10o l year was the successf ul establishment of the office of Grand Coun se lor. Preceding conclaves have by national le g islation established a national ritual , a national yste m of finance, nation a l publications, nation a l in s igni a, a nd more than a ll of th ese, preceding conc.lves have established national se ntiment as to the purpose and ide a l s of Acacia. The thing lacking has b ee n a national interpret ation to the active member s in their own chapter home s. The record of the first year of this new office i s a s plendid one.
The work of each chapter during the pa t year as it has been reported to m e by chapter officers sl1ows the necessity for a better und e r sta nding a nd a better use of our present national legisl a tjon We do not need new legi s lati o n so much as we need better methods in carying out our pr ese nt national law. In th e first place we do not need new chapters so much a s we need a thor o ugh sense of responsibility in the alumni and active membership of m a ny of our c h apters. For example, the Washington chapter i s admitting to the fellowship of it s home m e n who a re not Masons. lfhis practice must be stopped. If necessary we must suspend the charter of .the chapter until s uch time as the a lumni o f the chapter can convince us th a t the Washington State chapter m ea n s to be a chapter of Acacia. I see no necessity for mincing words here. It is better by far that we shou ld have one chapter· less than that we should lose respect for the fundamentals of the fraternity
During the past year use has been made of our n a tional legi s la ti o n cove ring the trial of a member al.'ld his suspension from the fraternity for cause. A full report of the case of Stanford Univ e rsity Chapter vs. X will be found in th e report of the Grand Council. Here is an illustration of the thought that I wish mo s t to leave with this Conclave . We do not need n ew legislation on the subject of suspension and expulsjon of members. Wh a t we need a nd what we must have is <} clear understanding that the present l eg islation covering the trial of a member is to be followed to the letter . The best intere s t s of the fraternity demand that each member shall understand that an appeal to the Grand Council will be decided by the Grand Council on the strict merits of the written record , and not by reference to innnuendo, or rumor, or gossip. No one prizes Stanford University Chapter mor e than I do. It is a chapter firmly es tabli s h ed in one of the greatest universities of the world. It is a chapter home l oca ted in one of the beauty spots of America. It is a chapter group composed of men who h ave m ade much sacrifice for Acacia, and of whom ·Acacia ha s every right aru:l reason to be proud. But the national fraternity can afford to los e eve n Stanford c hapt e r if suc h a loss is necessary to establish beyond all doubt the duty of the Grand Council to safeguard indi vidual membership in Acacia according to Acacia law . No new legislation is needed as to nation a l insignia. We are proud of the dignity and simplicity and pro'priety of the badge and pledge pin , the coat of arms and the national flag. During the past year much evidence has come t o me of beautiful and appropriate use of our insignia Let us take counsel that our insignia shall always be used properly. In this connection ref ere nce must be made to our system for the purchase of badges. Judging from the answers returned by chapters there is a very great deal of criticism as to our pr esent system.
The fraternity ritual is a monument to the genius and fraternity d ev otion Of former Grand President Shepardson. It is always a real pleasure to me to
hear this ritual spoken by our Grand Vice President, for Brother Fay knows what the ritu a l means. He lo v es the words because they express his sentiments in beautiful langu a ge that is the fine fruit of zeal for the fraternity Not all of our chapters have such a conception of the ritual. Many of us indulge in mild forms of horse play th a t is not only unworthy of us but is forbidden by national sentiment as well as by national legislation. A few of the chapters open and close their meetings without the use of the ritual at all.
We h ave e nough fraternity publications. The quarterly Journal, the annual Song Book and the annual Directory form a sufficient means for communication a mong our m e mb e rs, especially when they are assisted by monthly chapter lett e rs and m agaz in es . Ne ither the Grand Editor nor you are satisfied with the Journal. Many exce ll e nt a rticl es have appeared in the Journal during the past year, but their ha s be e n a l ac k of n ew contributors. The Grand Editor is doing his full duty only when h e is a rousing th e best thought of the fraternity and publishing it. And Acacia will be doing its full duty by its Grand Editor only when tbc Journal reaches every member A publication like the Journal is a result of evolution an d this conclave mu s t give much thought to it.
A notable f ea ture of the work of the past year has been the growth of th e int e r es t in th e Chicago Alumni Chapter. We are glad to welcome at this conclave an official delegate from this alumni chapter. Our Grand Counselor has been presid ent of this a lumni chapter and can also represent it. Here is a great work. In another year we should h ave at lea s t five alumni chapters represented at the conclave. Th ese alumni chapters should be a constantly growing source of counsel to our active chapters. I need to say little about the delightful social side of these alumni chapters.
During the pa st ye ar th e r e h as been a steady growth of interest in Masonry among the memb e rs of our fraternity. The National Masonic Research Society h a s be e n well supported by our m embers. I again urge the delegates at this Concla ve to e ndor se the work of this Research Society The magazme of the Society, The Builder, is' beyond all question the best edited magazine of Masonry The secretary of the Society is Brother Schoonover, an honorary member of Iowa Chapt e r, and Brother Roscoe Pound of Harvard University has contributed th e ablest articles that hav e appeared in its magazine. There is a challenge in this work th a t university Masons cannot fail to heed.
Acacia ha s entered more fully into interfraternity affairs during the pasi: year than she has formerly done. The majority of our chapters are engaged in so me form of local interfraternity work. At the national interfraternity confer e nc e, held in New York City on December 1st and 2nd, 1915, Acacia was represented by· Brother Jenkins of Harvard Chapter, the Grand Vice President a nd mys elf. If Acacia is to have her proper influence as a university fraternity, s h e must fo s ter such int e rfr a ternity relations.
The greatest pr ese nt hindrance to our succ essful co-operation in interfraternity r e lationships is the practice of several of our chapters in initiating memb e r s of oth e r general fraternities. The number of such initiations each year is small. With th e possible exception of Yale Chapter, I believe that every chapter of Acac ia could abandon the practice entirely without seriously interfering with the prosperity of the chapter. In making this statement I have in mind the ca reful consideration of the question by Colorado Chapter and by Columbia Chapt e r during the past year a nd the action taken by these chapters. With comment I a m content to let the difficult question of dual membership rest. During the four years the majority sentiment of the fraternity has been fre · quently r eco rd ed, and th e qu es tion i s now one of method and degree rather than one of principle.
I hav e t o uch ed on many things and I should have to say much more if I mad e a complete report of the matters that have passed through my hands as Grand Pr es ident during the year. As an illustration I may mention the successful start mad e by the N'ational Endowment Committee. It is a pleasure to record the effectiveness of th e work of Brother Hall. We need this national endowment , a nd we a re old enough and big enough to accomplish it.
The work before the twelfth Conclave is the strengthening of the work that preceding Conclaves have started. The delegates to this Conclave have no greater duty than the co-ordination of our present offices. My week by week relationship during the past year with the Grand Counselor has convinced me
that we should elect the majority of our national officers from one city, and that the office the Grand .Sec r etary shou ld be estab lish ed in that city. If it is not found poss1ble to do th1 s, then let me urg e you to provide for frequent meeting:; of th e Grand Caunc1l at the office of the Grand S ecre tary. The entire Conclave should join with the committee on the budget in a careful conside r atio n of the financing of such co-ordinated official w ork. The work of the Grand Secr etary and the work of the Grand Counselor must be ex t e nded, and more fina ncial support must be to these offices. To this end I recommend that the next Conclave be held 111 1918, a nd that provision be made for the visitation of chapters and for th e considera ti on of chapter r epor ts at stated m eet ings of the Grand Council during the two year's period. I mak e this recommendation with th e knowl edge that it raises many problems and will require earnest debate.
As we m eet h ere today, it is fitting that we pay honor to the many brothers th at are serving their country on th e Mexi ca n border. The se are serio us days for the co ll ege man. The world is at war. Our country has peace and prosperity but it does not hav e content. Grave eco n o mic and socia l problems press us in. We do n ot know what n ex t year may bring forth. But we do know th at th e safety of our country next year and in the years to come lies in the character of he r men. Among the college men of yesterday and today America must look for leadership tom orrow. You a nd I are come here t oday from Bo s ton and San Franc is co, from Austin and Minneapolis that we m ay take counsel as to our part in the preparation for America's tomorro w. It is the purpose of Acacia to graduate university men-men of character, m e n trained intellectu a lly and socia lly for courageous serv ice. Let u s work here, th e n, so that we m ay take back to our uni ve r s ity homes such methods , such plans , and such ideals that Acacia may b e the bett e r prepared to serve h e r country in the development of men.
GEO. E. FRAZER, Grand Pr es id en t.Brother Lawrence of the New York Alumni Association moves that the report of the Grand President be referred to a committee of three, one to be the Grand Vice-President, to act on the report as suggested by the President.
Harvard delegate: "Harvard so moves."
Gra nd President: "That motion is out of order."
Illinois: "I move that the report be accepted and filed." Seconded by Wisconsin. Motion carried, seventeen ayes, five nays.
Grand President: "I might state here that no Alumni Chapters have the right to vote in this Conclave according to the Constitution. The next will be the report of the Grand Vice-President."
The report of the Grand Vice-President for this year will b e very brief, due partially to th e fac t that a larg e portion of th e work h a s been unfruitful so far as p rmanent results a r e concerned, a nd p a rtially to the fact that the important work h as a lr eady received full publicity.
I have h ad occasion to repeatedly ref e r to the action that was tak e n at tl; e last Conclave in San Francisco relativ e to th e limiting of th e Acacia field, to institutions of learning which have a University or College Standing. Never · in the history of th e Fraternity h ave there been inquiries from so many small, technical, and professional sc hools. All such inquiries were duly answered and when the information ref e rred t o above was once placed in their hands, the entire matter was ge ner a lly dropped. Speaking generally about th e as I view it from numerous inquiri es received during the past year, ex tens10'?- has about come to be a thing of the past. I shall not eve n enumerate .the of small institutions which have s e nt inquiries, but will be glad to furmsh a llst, shou!d anyone desire to see it. The Installation at Texas was thoroughly reported 1n the May Journ a l, and the Texas r e presentative is here to speak for himself and I know that we a re more int erested in his report of what the Baby Chapter done since installation, than in again reviewing the incidents connected w1th
something .that has come and gone : I visited the Oklahoma Club at the University of Oklahoma, on my Texas trip and although a telegram from home limit ed my stay there to a few hours, I saw enough to be thoroughly convinced that the club is making rapid progress, and again repeat the same opinion that I gave in my report la st year, th at just so soon as the enrollment of the University w ill justify, the club will be ready to present its formal petition. Although the club is not quite so st r ong in membership as it was when I visited it a year ago, yet they have a sufficient number to maintain and operate the house succ essf ully, and as s u ch, have enjoyed a very prosperous year. The personnel compares favorably w.ith any of the chapters that L ha ve visited during the past year, and h1y opi ni on i s that -yo ur ' n ext Vice-President will have the pleasure of in sta llin g a chap t er at t he University of Okla homa. I visited a number of chapters ' du'riag the past year, eleven in' all ; but o ur Traveling Couns e lor's Report is so full iihd ·adequate t)1al it wou lcf be repetition for m!'; fo attempt to discus rriy visits in this r e port . ' . · · · ··
For the first time in my experiem;e as a member of the Grand Chapter, we Have been called' upon to exerc ise our htdicial authority 1:1pori an appealed ft:.orn· one of our chapters. In so do1ri.g we acted wholly and • solely upon thi: eVidence sub mitted in the briefs and · decided the matter in the ' W4Y in which I• believe any non-int e rested, unprejudiced party would have done. It is an un.pleasant t as k to render aq opinion in' such cases, but I feel .that the principle is rjg'ht- and proper that ·there should be a body of last resort in accordance with th e -.es tabli s h ed lega l ·cust-oms of our land . I trust that the chapter affected will oe ·broad mind ed enou'gh to ' stand by the decision of this body and admit the jp stice of their "decis'ion ; t ak ing into consideration that: the said d e ci sio n was ba sed -upon the printed bri efs: · .
· The numb er of inquirie s incr eases each year, but as I mentioned in th e be g inn)ng , I _feel th a, t the ava il a ble f1eld is just abo1,1t a:ll taken. The answerinf{ of tHese va ri o us inquiries and the o-btai11ing an d classifying of the information re{;eiv ed as a r es ult 'of the answers se nt , is very interesting, but not a thing that the specific work of thi;; Conclave will fin a time - to ev en conside'r; our work for th e thr ee brief days is out for us , and I feel that ther e is nothing !'!Xcepting th e club a t the Univ-ersity of Okl a homa which shoi.tla receive any of our attention at this time
R. C. FAY , Gran! Vice-President.
Missouri mo ve s that the· report' be accepted nd placed on file. Seconded by lllinois. ·
·Brother Lawrence of New York Alumni Chapter: "I move that it be referred to a committee · of three members ."
Grand President: "I rule you out of order. You have heard the motion and it is ready _for vote." Motion carried.
Report of the Grand Treasurer was postponed until second session.
For the period from A ugust 21 , 1915 , to S e pt. 1, 1916
Brothers: At the close of my seventh term of office, I s ubmit the following report of the work of the Grand Secret a ry 's Office , covering the period above stated, together with ce rtain r ecommenda tions .
The spec ia l d uti es ass igned to thi s office by the last Grand Conclave ha ve been performed. I ask for no quarter in passing on the work of this office . You owe it to you r se lves and to your chapters as well a s to the continued usefuln ess of this office to be frank and free in your discussion of its work. The office sho uld se r ve th e ends for which it was created and if there has been failure no brotherly consideration s hould keep you from pointing out the defects We should demand e ffici e ncy rath er than platitudes about efficiency.
We feel that all the records of the office have been faithfully kept In the matter of membership records there ha s been progress Each year finds the number on file growing and the number mjssing a few less. The chapter secre -
taries have been faithful in their compliance with the law and we hope that as the years go by the effort to keep and maintain a complete file of membership records will be a source of pride and satisfaction to each chapter.
One new chapter has been added to the roll and thirty-three members are the result. The increase in membership, while not as large as last year is satisfactory. Ohio State has initiated more members than any other chapter during the year. Twenty-seven were initiated into this chapter; twenty-four at Illinois; twenty-three at Chicago and nineteen at Colorado. The least number initiated at any chapter was at Syracuse with three members, followed by Stanford with five members. There have been four expu lsion s during the year. Five honorary members have been elected and enrolled during the year.
I submit herewith a statement of the membership of each chapter and the number of records on file and the num/ber missing:
An examination of this summary shows that practically one out of ten of our total membership has been brought into the fraternity during the last year. The percentage was even higher for the year 1914-15. The continued increase in the number of our m e mbership is a source of encouragement to us but I cannot forget, nor do I believe that the present chapter groups should forget, that this constant increase in membership devolves upon us a grave responsibility. Are we assimilating-to borrow a word from a larger field -th ese recruits? The ability to answer this question affirmatively should be the constant concern of the older m e n in th e chapters and the chapter officers . The initiating of a member into Acacia is an important step but let us remember that it is on ly one step. The bringing a m e mber to a fu ll r ea li zation of what the fraternity means comprises several steps a nd I believe that these steps are as important to the member and to the fraternity as the first step . Let us remember that the making of an Acacia member is a continued process and that this process is in the hands of the active chapter. I feel that most of the chapters are meeting this issue squarely but l e t us not forget our duty to the new member, the chapter and the fraternity. We want new m e mbers but we want them made into full fledged Acacians, not merely counters in the enumeration of members.
I shall give no time to a discussion of individual chapters. That field belongs properly to the Grand Counselor. I may say as a whole my relations with the chapter officers have been most cordial No one can examine the files for the last five years a nd not not e continued progress There have been occasions in the past when it was a n effort to get chapter officers to appreciate that this office had to keep in touch with them. That day is past. Rarely do we have to write a second time for informa tion in these later days. I do not speak of th ese things to assume the credit for them. I have had great pleasure in noting this dev e lopment because I saw in it an indication of a fuller chapter life. A chapter life that was not hedged about by the confines of a chapter house but a life vita l in its own community and reaching out and making itself a part of the whol e. There are many def ec ts in our chapters sti ll and it is unwise not to face th e facts; but knoWiing the facts as they were and are now, is to give us faith and strength .to cont inue our battle for improvement.
We should not forget the progress of the younger chapters. We must not expect as much from K a nsas State, Syracuse, Washington and Colorado as we do of th e parent chapter. They do not have as large a field and have not been in the fie ld for so l ong a time . In noting the progress of these chapters this year as compared with former years, we can feel that th eir future is assured.
I hav e had no opportunity to visit any chapter this year, except my own chapter. Th e affairs of one's own house are b es t approved by a stranger but I hope for the a lumni of the respective chapters th at on their return to their chapters th ey m ay carry away w ith them the same feeling of satisfaction that I did on l eaving Missouri Chapter. I am pl eased to have had a part in the humble beginnings of my own chapter.
A part of the work of the Grand Secre t ary's office is to write letters. v\'e hav e tried to perform this duty faithfully and promptly but on no l ess than four occasions this year it has be e n impossibl e to do so.
We have tri ed to mak e the office of service to all who made a call upon us Th at id ea ha s been the dominant one in the conduct of this important branch of our work.
We hav e sent out 1,672 letters during this term of office, besides numerous packages a nd parcels, as is s hown by th e postal register, which will be turned over to your Auditing Committee.
. Each year for t.he l as t five years I have reported a continued improvement 111 our finances. Th1s year our cash on hand will not show as ITI!Uch as last year a re se_ve ral reasons for this, the added expense of l ast year's Conclayc bemg. th e ch1ef one. Th e c h ap ters h ave not failed in making their payments to th1s office. L ess money will be due form chapters at this Conclave than at any f.orll?-er Conclave that I have attended. Only $363.20 is due from the chapters at th1s tim e. We shall be able to pay a ll expenses of this Conclave and have a working balance to begin the work of the next year.
At the last Conclave provision was made for a Traveling Counselor , new edition of the l aws, salary of the G_rand Editor, increase in the Journal appropriation , Conclave Endowment and a new accounting system, all of was saddled on to our expend1tures without in any way increasing the receipt I was fearful of the next report but we have weathered the storm and have a balance left. You shou ld realize, however, that the end of this program of adding tn expenditures without increasing our in come is at hand. It is impo sible for me to determine the amount needed now because I do not know what the Conclave will decide to expend, but one of the weaknesses of Conclaves is to provide for the expending of money and not provide for th e revenu es to meet this expenditure. You w ill note from the financial statement that our receipts for last year, from all sources, were $7,888.03 a nd that our expenditures were $9;372.20, or in other words we expended last year $1,541.67 more than our income. When the last Conclave adjourned I feared that we should be over $2,000 behind at the end of this year, instead of the $1,541.67.
What I have said and what I am to say h ere is not repeated in any of the spirit of "I told you so." The appropriations of the l ast Conclave are not to be criticized. None of th e m were made hastily and none of them were made for improper ends. A ll of them h ave been of serv i ce to the frat e rnity. I was not negligent or unfaithful to my duty as the chief fiscal officer of the fraternity at the la s t Conclave. In the sessions of the Conclave and to delegates I pointed out that the ends to be attained by the appropr iations were proper but that the way s and means to meet these expenditures should be settled first. The responsibility of each delegate in this matter should not be shou ld ered off to some Grand Offic e r. It is the duty of you men as delegates not only to appropriate money but to provide the revenue to meet these appropriations. Now the general plan has been to determine what we want and then leav e it to Providence to find the means to pay the bill. This is not sound business and shou ld not be the Acac ia way of doing things . Such a system shou ld not be tolerated even if it has worked successfu lly at times in th e past. There is a deal of sentiment connected with this fraternity but we must not forget that there must be some of the cardinal rul es of good business followed in it s affairs to make it worthy of sentiment and lo yalty.
l t seems to that a good working rule for a delegate is this: I am for a certain measure and I am for it s tron g e n ough t o increase the dues of my chapter to pay the bills and I am ready to go back to my chapter and justify my action. I know that the following of this rule will mean somew h at s lowe r progress but I believe it will be safer.
I have dwelt on this subject a t length because I am not lik e ly to be called upon to do so aga in and because however pleasant or unpleas a nt th e subject may b e, it hould be faced squarely by delegates and by Grand Officers at every Conclave.
The financia l report will cover our finances in detail and is herewith submitted:
e mber 1, 1916
I feel that no one fie_ld of chapter development has there been uch progr<!s as that made 1n the keepmg of chapter accounts and vouchers. There is till room for improvement but this development is a hopeful sign. \ e do need to adopt the s:ystem in our chapters but until we have a system of account and follow 1t we w1ll not be able to do much with the budget.
As for my own accounts and vouchers, I invite your closest crutiny. I am a member and a b<other in this fraternity, but in handling the funds of the fraternity I am you_r. business and hould be held to sttict accountability as such. Your aud1tmg comm 1ttee shou ld ascertain whethe r warrants have been is ued in accordanc e w ith the direction of th e last Conclave and the vouchers submitted by me should substantiate that fact.
In compliance with the direction of the last Conclave I prepared the copy for the last directory a nd forwarded it to the Grand Editor. I personally do not believe it w i se to publish another directory this year.
The details of cost of the Journal will be discussed by Brother Mann in his report and I need n ot refer to that. We have kept the books of the J ourna l and attempted to relieve the editor of branch of the Journal work.
The time and place of the next Conclave will be determined by this Conclave. The Conclave cost l ast yea r $3,120.35. It is estimated that this Conclave will co t about $1,650.
As before stated, the l ast Conclave provided for an Endowment Committee. The comm itt ee began it s work a nd we soon found that no appropr ia tion was made for the expenses of the commi tt ee. This matter was t aken up by the Graud Council and funds provided to the extnet of $147 .10. The work of the committee will be presented by the Chairman, Brother C. W. Hall, and need not be commented on by me.
The present arrangen;tent for th e sa le of th e official badge has brought in $654 Of this amount, t en per cen t was diverted to the end owm en t fund in accordance with the direction of the last Conclave. Our contract with ]. F. Newm a n runs to January 1st, 1917. If we are to continue this plan of purchasing these pins it wou ld be well for the Conclave to so direct the Grand Council. It takes considerable time to s ubrn,it the bids and the whole matter s hould be settled promptly so that the jeweler appointed cou ld proceed to make the badges and not have the co nditi o n we h ad at the beginning of the la st yea r. I feel that the chapters have comp li ed with the l aw in this matter thi s year, though a ll are not atislicd and I doubt whether a ll can be satisfied. I may say that I am heartily in favor of co ntinuin g the present plan with some s li ght a lt erations.
The Jaws which govern a body lik e thi s fraternity a re constantly changing. After many delays the law s were published l as t year. There are now the amendments adopted la st year and referred to the chapters and proclaimed by th l! Grand President, which a r e to be found in the May, 1916, J ourna l a t page 246. Then there will be the added by-laws of this Conclave. I wou ld suggest that no new ed iti on of the law s be prepared thi s year. An a rticl e could appear in the n ext Journal show in g the changes made by the amendments adopted this year and the by-laws adopte d by this Concl ave. I make thi s s u gges ti o n in order to curtai l the expe n se of publishing the la w.s each year. The cost for printing the law this l ast year was $67.60.
I recommend that the minutes of thi s Conclave appear m th e n ex t J o urn al.
In compliance with our l aw I sub mit herewith _inventory property held by me be longing to the fraternity: One seal ; one Oliver tyl?ew nter ; one desk; one filing cabinet; one mimeograph; l e tt er fi l e; five membership re cord books; led ger , ca h book, journal, ritual record book roll book; one dye for membership records a t Buxton & Skinner Stationery Co., St. Mo.; steel dye for cha rt ers w ith th e R o und s -Truman Company, Sch11ler Bldg. , Ch1cago, Ill.; 41 card cases; 107 rituals; about 100 copies of the Acac ia Song Book and a number
of boxes of files, etc. There is some stationery and office supplies on hand. There is postage on hand amounting to 63 cents.
1. I recommend that a law be passed giving a chapter the right to place any member on the inactiv e list. As th e law now stands the chapter does not hav e that right. A chapter m ay suspend or expel a member on trial but the rio-ht to place him on the inactiv e list does not exist. I believe a chapter should h;ve this ri ght without question. A member may not be guilty of any serious offense but he may be objectionable to th e chapter. This is a right the chapter should have.
2. The administration of the Endowment Fund is one of the great responsibilities of the Grand Council. Without making a formal recommendation, I wish to suggest that a committee such as the present committee be retained to look after the gathering of th e funds. An appropriation should b e m 'ade to defray the necessary expenses of this committee. After the fund is collected the preset•t law makes the Grand Council th e ad mifli s tr a tive body to control it. That being the case the Council should b e so safeguarded as to have two members hold over from each Conclave . This is nece ssa ry so as to have some m enubers of the Council acquainted with the administration of this fund. I want again to repeat that the adm ini s tration of this fund honestly and effici e ntly is one of th t> great r espo n s ibilities of the Grand Council.
3. In many cases where quick and decisive action is n ecess ary the present Council is unwieldy. I would suggest e ither by positive law or by Grand Council action the se l ec tion of an exec utive committee. This Conclave should rememb er that where matter s are to b e r e ferred to the Council plenty of time shou ld be allowed.
4. I s tr ongly urg e some l eg islation on th.e s ubject of chapter house building. In my opinion no <; hapt er should be allowed to embark on a house building project without first submitting that plan for th e approval of the Grand Council or s ome officer of th e Council. Fai lur e in some ill a dvised attempt of this kind will work irr epa r ab l e injury on the fr a t e rnity as a whole.
5. I would suggest that no change be made in the present system of bookkeeping but th a t th e present system be given a full and fair trial by each chapter.
6. I wou ld sugges t that the contract for the supplying of badges be let for a period of two years. This because a better price can be secured on this sort of co ntract. I would further suggest that no change be made in the matter of in come from the sa l e of pins. As you a re aware, under the pres e nt plan Two Doll a rs of th e purchase price of a pin goes into the fraternity treasury.
7. I would suggest that ten per cent of the profit derived from the sale of pins be placed in the Endowment Fund.
F in a lly , brothers, I wish aga in to close this report with an acknowledgement of the good work and co-operation of the other m:embers of the Grand Council a nd chapter officers, and to exp ress my appreciation of the same. For more than eight years I have held the office of Grand Secr e tary. I feel that the best inter es t s of the fraternity would be served by a change in this office a nd that from a personal standpoint I have had the honors and carried the burdens of the office lo ng e nough. It has been a great privilege, I feel, to have had a part in the work of th e frat e rnity for the last eight years. Certainly it is g iv e n to few t o not e the changes that I have noted during this period. I relinquish the titl e and th e serv ic e incident thereto, not because of the •portending ill s of the future. I want to be relieved bec a use I feel that I have given my full m easu r e of serv i ce to the fraternity . I r e joice in having had this opportur.ity and in the full consciousness that I have given the best that I had to give.
Resp ec tfully submitted,
HARRY E. KILMER, Grand Secretary.
Illinois moves that the report be accepted and filed, together with a vo te of appreciation for the good work done by Grand Secretary Kilmer.
Seconded by Yale Carried.
To the Grand Council and Delegates of the Acacia Fraternity: Brothers: At the close of this, my second year as editor, I come before you with appreciation for the service that you have rendered the fraternity and myself, by your co-operation during the past year.
I have found some pleasure in the work this year, feeling that you were all trying to do your part. I believe that the Journal has radiated this assistance. I could name numerous chapters, with their editors, who have contributed materially to the make up of this year's issues. You know the chapters I refer to because you have read the articles. Columbia, Purdue, Ohio, Wisconsin, Harvard, Colorado, Franklin, Missouri and Michigan have been frequent contributors, and although some of the articles sent in have not appeared, it has been due to a Jack of space rather than due to the quality of the articles.
I have received severa l articles which did not seem to me to be Journal material and I wrote the contributors giving my reasons for the stand I felt called upon to take .
The cost of getting out the Journ a l exceeded the appropnat10n by nearly three hundred dollars, due to the size of the Journals, and the fact that the May issue contained a lot of material wh ich could not be cut. You will find upon examination of this issue that it contained, w ith one exception, material which had to be run. The cost as it sta nd s is far from what most fraternities spend on th ei r publication, as will be seen latter on in this report.
, The subscriptions for the year show a small increase. Last Ma:y there were 331 subscribers as compared with 260 111 May, These mtght be taken as encouraging but they are far from that. Wtth a membershtp of better
than 3,400 we have but 331 subscribers, or less than 10 per cent. Comparison should make us feel that there is something wrong with the Journal , the Alumni, or the chapters.
Seventeen per cent of the members of Phi Kappa Psi take "The Shield ." Twenty-one per ce nt of the members of Delta Kappa -Epsilon subscribe for "The Quarterly," while twenty-four per cent of Delta Tau Delta men manifest enough interest to see that "The Rainbow" comes to them regularly. These figures are not the best, listen : 1
Forty-six per cent of the Alpha Sigma Phi men get their publication, and seventy-three per cent of the members of Alpha Chi Rho receive every issue of their fraternity magazine .
What is the trouble with Acacia? Is it the faot that the chapters fail to do their part in m a king true Acacians, is it due to neglect -on the part of the chapters in going after the alumni, or is it the Journal? If it is the Journal then you need a new editor, Aca.cia needs a n«';W editor. If it is the fault of the chapter then let us. remedy that fauit.
There are seve ral suggestigns which come to my mind a-s a -possible means of incr eas in g th e number of s ubscribers. I would like to request that the Committee on J ou rn a l look into the feasibility of a Life Subscription Rate as well as the possibilities of a clubbing rate; say three years for two dollars and a half or seven years for five dollars.
It is abso lut e ly necessary that the Journal have more subscribers if it fulfill its purposes . '
I am proud of Purdu e and the effort she has put forward to secure new subscribers. A gain of 19 in a· year is a re c;o rd that she may justly be proud of. California shows a gain of 8 over the number of last year and Illinois gained 6.
The College News Section had to be eliminated from the May issue because of the cost exceed ing the appropriation. I believe that some few of the Alumni like to r ead the n ews of th e c:;ampus, but I am of the opini0n that this feature of the Journ a l r eac hes the majority of the readers cold.
Ther e were tw o complaints from chapters who felt th a t they had been neglected in thi s sect ion. I hav e in eve ry attempt at fairness, tried to select with th e utmo st impa-rtiality item s of interest to all. Some chapters have made it a point to h ave the weekly news sheet, sent out by the bureau of publicity, mailed to me, and a few of the chapters have sent in their "Daily." I have gone through these papers and tri ed to find the items of interest, although it has been a laboriou s job at times. You would assist the editor to a very great extent 1f you would take a blue pen c il and mark the items you believe to be worthy of publication.
The Masonic Section has been changed from facts to articles becaus<! I believe the la tter to be more instructive Your opinion on this section would influence the mak e- up of thi s portion of the Journal.
Th e Clippings Section seems to have had a natural growth while the mo st imp or t ant part of the Journal seems to be nearly dead.
Can you tell m e just how m a ny Alumni Organizations we have? seems to be the only one alive and active. New York wakes up once a year and I h ea r from them when the new officers are elected, then all is quiet. I know that they meet but why not let the fraternity at large know just when they get together, why not tell the fraternity what kind of a time . th ey have, why not get a few more to attend luncheons?
The A lumni News Section is still neglected, and if there is any one part of the J ourna l which should receive eve ry chapter's attention it is the Alumni News Section. You m ay not have material for a chapter letter, and when such i s the case drop th e ed itor a l e tt er and tell him, so that he will not hold up the Journ a l, but th e re is no excuse for not having news of the Alumni .
I want each one of you delegates to look over the Journals of last year, which I have with me, and then ask yourself just what was the matter with the man you put in charge of the affairs of the Alumni Your most loyal men are subscribers to the Journal. Thes e men are the men that you will call upon when you want to build. What opinion do you suppose they will have formed of your chapter when they find that you have neglected them in the matter of chapter letters and alumni news?
In cor:<:ll.!sion I wish to state that I have appreciated the interest manifested by the cnt1c1sms that I haye received. I regret that there were not more 0f them. The Journal can be 1m proved only by your frank criticisms whether they be condemnatory or commendatory.
If you feel. that you have man better able to take charge of the Journal, a man more fa1r on the Counc1l, a man better able to serve the fraternity then I want to resign my position in his favor. '
You and I alike want to see Acacia move forward and I for one do not want to be a block in the progess of the organization. '
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM G. MANN, Grand Editor.
Michigan moves that the report be accepted and filed. Kansas State seconds. Motion carried.
It was with considerable apprehension that the Grand Counsellor entered upon the work of his office last Fall. Appointed to a newly created position with no precedents or previous experience to guide him, and a vivid appreciation of the responsibilities it carried, he proceeded to visit the chapters and by carefully going over all phases of the fraternity life, to find the weak and strong points and counsel, censure and command.
Happily, by far the greater part was that of commendation. Only here and there were practices which demanded unpleasant criticism, but there was everywhere opportunity for improvement in some way or other in the many-sided chapter life. For example, there was quite general variance from the true grip and word of Acacia, and one instance of extremely poor work in exemplifying the ritual. Notable lack of proficiency in this respect would also have been manifest at two or three chapters, it is believed, were it not for the fact that reasons why they should not put on the work were given so profusely and persistently that the Grand Counsellor was forced to content himself with a verbal investigation of the riutal work. There was one instance of a chapter almost ruined by internal dissension . Two chapters were harboring very unkindly feelings toward one or another member of the Grand Council. One chapter was clinging to the dangerous custom, unbecoming men of Acacia, of permanetly branding initiaties, the custom having prevailed since the beginning of the chapter. And later another chapter abolished a similar practice just in advance of the Counsellor's visit. _-\ number of chapters were devoid of any definite plans or organization for rushing new members, and their membership usually reflected this negligence. There have been several violations of the national fraternity laws in progress, of greater or less importance. The local constitution and by-laws of practically every chapter had not been brought up to date for several years The housing conditions of one chapter were abominable. Another chapter was pledging men not Masons and without certain assurance that they intended to becomte such. And so on But this must be said:
The eagerness with which the boys have absorbed suggestions for improvements, the enthusiasm with which they have gone about correcting deficiencies and wrong practices, and the courtesies and interest shown, have made the work a genuine pleasure in spite of the great amount of time and labor it has required. And it is indeed gratifying to note in summing up the situation, that the deficiencies and bad conditions here and there in evidence, dwindle into obscurity when one looks upon the splendid progress made by the fraternity in the past several years, and the marked advancement toward uniformity of purpose and activities made during the year just ending. However little may have been actually accomplished in this first year of the Grand Counsellorship, the present recipient of the office is thoroughly convinced that its possibilities for the good of the fraternity are almost unlimited. This year the Grand Counsellor has personal!y visited eighteen of the twenty-five chapters, and directed the of the remaining seven. Grand Treasurer Woodward visited the Cornell, Syracu se and Penn State chapters at the request of the Grand Counsellor, while Grand Editor Mann likewise inspected the Washington, Stanford and California chapters , and Grand Vice-President Fay installed the Texas chapter. In addition to the
ab o v e, the Coun se ll o r h a s m e t w ith the alumni associations of Chicago , N ew Y o rk, St. Loui s and Minn eap o lis , a nd has m a d e it a point to meet as m any a lumni a s p oss ible at eve ry c h a pt e r a nd throughout th e country It has b een ve ry inter es tin g to note what a n incre a sed intere s t in Acacia has b e en stimul a t ed in th e alumni throu g h t ellin g o f th e work g oing on and by v irtu e of th eir " sitt ina in" a t th e m ee tin g s w ith the ac ti v e ch a pter s. P e rh a ps the results of the Co unse ll o r o ffi ce co uld b es t b e s umm e d up a s a g e n e r a l stimulus to th e int e r es t in Acac ia a mon g bo th a lumni a nd a ctiv e m e mb e rs through the better knowled ge of th e f r a t e rnit y a nd th e br oa d e r co nt ac t with it a s tran s mitted by th e Couns e ll or. Th e poss i bi liti es o f pur s uin g the wo rk in a s om e wh a t mor e s a ti s fa c t o ry wo uld b e l a r ge ly r ea li ze d if th e Co un s ell o r w ere abl e t o vi s it th e c h a pt er s in one or t w o co ntinu o u s tri ps T hi s w ould b e a l ess ex p e n s ive p l a n than th a t of m ak in g m a n y trip s ove r w ee k- e nd s a nd o f short durati o n, a nd wo uld p e rmit o f a b etter c o mp a ri so n o f th e c h a pt e r s, as th ey c ould a ll be vi s ited at a pproxim a t ely th e sa m e tim e o f th e ye ar. Th e coun se llor could th e n well d evote consid e rabl e of hi s tim e th e rem a ind e r of th e y ear to th e following-up by Je tter o f his criti cism and in s tru c ti o n s
On e of the thin gs whi c h the Counsellor h a s felt th e need of during the p as t y ea r, is a cl os e r co-o per a ti o n b e tw ee n g r a nd offic e rs. Ther e s e e ms to b e a p ron ou n ce d a b se n ce of thi s, d u e n o d o ubt l a r ge ly to th e w id e s e p a r a ti o n. It har. b ee n a s o ur ce of g r ea t mutu a l b e n efi t a nd acc ompli s hm e nt that th e Gr a nd Pr esid en t a nd Co un se ll o r h a v e b o th b ee n l oca t ed in Chi cag o, for th e ir fr e qu e nt ( al mos t wee kly ) co n fe r e n ces, h ave l e d t o a mu c h b e tt e r a nd bro a d e r und e rst a ndin g oi th e co nditi o n s a nd s itu a ti o n in s p ec ia l cases r equiring exec utive ac tion , a nd th e fr a t e rnit y h as pro fit e d m a t e ri a lly th e r e by It woul d b e a wond e rful a s s e t to th e fr a t e rnit y if th e G ra n d Offi ce r s w e r e all lo cat e d w ithin eas y r ea ch of each oth e r a nd co uld h ave fr eq u e n t co nf e r e n ces t o th e e nd o f ca rrying o n th worl:: w ith g r ea t e r uni fo rmity a nd b e tt e r effi ci e n c y, and more c ompr e h e n s ive ly .
A l e n g th y d e t a iled r ep o rt h as b ee n writt e n on ea c h ch a pt e r for th e Gr and Co un cil , a nd i t i s r eg r e tted th a t th ese cannot be r ea d in full by a ll the d el eg a t es , for th e r e is mu c h t o b e l ea rn ed f rom them about th e frat e rnity . H o w e ver , th ey a r e n ecessa ril y o f a n a tur e ve ry p e r so n a l to the ch a pter s a nd p o rtr a y m a n y conditi o n s w hi c h r e fl ec t unpl eas a ntly upon th e m. Also the Coun s ell o r i s very g la d to sa y th a t th ese di sc r e dit a bl e c o nditi o n s ha v e b e en v e ry l a rg el y corr e ct ed, a nd it would b e to no on e's g o od to disclos e th a t which no long e r ex is t s. Howeve r , ea c h d e l ega t e w ill b e g iv en a n opportunity to r ea d the report o n his own c h a pt e r so m e tim e be fo r e th e cl o s e of this Concl a ve.
STRO N G A N D WE A K POINTS OF FRATERNITY
To ga in a se n se of dir ec ti o n f o r our s pe ci a l e ffort s to wa rd improvem e nt n ext yea r , l e t u s d r a w so m e c onclu s io ns as to o ur s trong a nd we ak p o int s fr om the s ubj ec t m a tt e r of th ese r epo rt s . In o ur busin e ss methods, includin g m e nt o f h o us e, s y s tem o f c o ll ec tin g a nd p a yin g bills , ke e ping the hous e full. operat io n o f th e t a bl e, e t c., we a r e ge n e r a lly good, there b e ing four cha p t ers w hi c h h ave a go od opportunity for improv e ment h e re and t w o w hich a r e w ea k. As t o th e fi n a n ces o f the a ctiv e c hapt e r s, b ase d on th e co nditi o n 0f a c co unt s a nd over du e bill s t o lo c a l m e rch a nts for suppli e s, a nd t o the n a ti o nal fr a t e rnit y fo r du es, e t c., our c o ndition i s a gain gen e rally good Thr ee ch a pt ers a r e wea k in thi s r espec t a nd o ne is not s a tisfa c tory. In progress m a d e t oward th e b uildin g o r pur c h ase o f a n e w ch ap t e r hou se, we a r e s o mewh a t w ea k as is to b e ex p ec t e d- a co nditi o n w hi c h w ill d o ubtl ess r ec tify its e lf to a l a r g e ex t ent as th e c h ap t e r s gr o w o ld e r T we lv e chapter s h ave a ctually m a de g ood h eadway i n thi s r espec t , w hil e eig ht h ave m a d e a st a rt , a nd thr ee h a ve don e nothin g, and o n e fo r w hi c h da t a i s n o t h a d W e a re pa rti c ul a rly w ea k in our rushing m e th ods. On l y nin e c h ap t ers a r e d o in g go od w ork in this respect , and of th ese, t wo are d o in g s pl en didl y. N in e o f th e ch a pters a re going about their rushing very inad e· q u ate ly, a n d th re e are po s iti ve ly weak. On three ch a pters the d a t a is lac ki ng In th e m a tt e r of t a kin g a n in t e r e st in Aca ci a son g s , we a r e ag ain p a rticul arl y weak. Thr ee c h a pt e r s a r e s tr o ng on thi s point, while thre e do a go o d j o b at it a nd t wo a t l eas t m a ke a n e ff o rt, but sixteen do not sing at all. In the appar ent f e ll ows hip ex is tin g a m o n g th e m e mbers , we are generally good, there bei ng onl y t h r ee c h a pt e rs w h e re it wa s n o ti ce ably lacking, but ten others wher e it was n o t up to p a r. In th is co nn ec tion it was n o tice a bl e that there seemed t o b e a ve ry cl ose r el a tion b e t w e e n th e f ello ws hip in evid e nce and th e intere s t i n
singing. the membership of the various chapters is generally good and httle d1ssat1stact10n can be expressed in this respect , although at seven chapters there was ev1dence that best JUdgment had not been used in some of the . As to fraternity r efi nemnt, including courtesies to guests , manners 111 the dmmg room a nd gentleiT!Olnlmess apparent generally , the cond itions are s uch as we can for th e mo s t part be proud of. Four chapters were weCl k in this r espec t and there was room for much improveme nt in six others but the bal_ance s howed a hosJ?itality was splendid. The fraternity ;pirit, or att1tudc toward the natiOnal fratermty and regard for the best interests of the loc a l chapter is fine, exce pt that three chapters are a ll out of tune. These chapters, however, I believe, have revised their attitude. As to our ability to exemplify the ritual, fifteen m ade a very good showing, two were ';Veak .II?. th1s resp_ect and e1g_ht d1d not demonstrate their ability. In Mason1c act1v1t1es, there 1s room for Improvement. Fourteen chapters are an act ive interest in Masonry, whi l e e ight chapters give the matter some att<!ntion, but not enough, a nd two are overlooking thi s side of their life entirely. Ten chapters are actively repr ese nted in campus affairs, seven are in evidence though not prominently, and seven are negl ec ting to t a ke part in the affairs of the university. Socially twelve chapters are active, five chapters are having some social life though limited, and s ix chapters have no soc ial li fe whatever. Scholarship is one of our strong qua lities and in only two chapters is there need for worry in this respect. There is room for much improvement in our activities to ke ep the alumni interested and in this respect ten chapters are doing well, eight chapters are doing only a little and six are doing nothing. Trouble with poor attendance at fraternity meetings is manifest in eight of the chapt e rs and fifteen are able to show a pretty good r ecord in this respect . In its relations with other fraternities, Acacia has made headway and stands well and is taking an active part in fraternity affairs at thirteen of the schoo l s, only fair int e rest is asserted at four others and seven chapters ignore the existence of other fr aternities. Summing up, we are goo d in our business methods , good in chapter finances, goo d in house-owning progr es s, weak in rushing, weak in singing, good in fellowship, good in character of membership, good in fraternity refinement, good in fraternity spirit, f a ir in rituai work, "fair in Masonic activities, fair in camp11s activities, good in socia l act ivit es, st rong in scho l arship, weak in interesting the alumni, good in att e ndance at meetings and good in our fraternity relations.
In th e visitation of the chapters this past year , it has been necessary to do the traveling at times when it would best fit in without taking time from re gu lar employment. Kansas, Manhattan, Nebraska, Iowa and Iowa State chapt e rs were visited on one trip early in the Fall. Pennsylvania, Harvard, Yale and Columbia chapters were next vis it ed on week- e nd trips out of New York City. Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota , Purdue, Ohio State, Illinois, Missouri and Colorado chapters were a ll v isited on week-end trips out of Chicago. Mann made a trip from Seattle to Stanford and Berkeley and return to VISlt the California and Stanford chapters. He a lso vitied the Washington chapter, which is lo cated in his own city, a nd, therefore, entailed no traveling expense Broth e r Woodward made one week-end trip to visit Syracuse and Cornell and return and another to Penn State and return from Cl eve l and. By thus avoiding the long trip to the three Coast chapters , and the railroad fare from Chicago to Cleveland and return, probably twice over, a much l arger portion of the $1000 set aside for the work was l eft for the sa lary of the Grand Counsellor ami the acting Grand Counsellors than was expected . However , it was not for this purpose that the Counsellor did not visit the chapters m_entioned , _ but rather because it was impossible to spare the great amount of hm:e reqmred, much to his regret.
In this plan of visitation followed, it be remembered that trolling factor was that spare time , for obviOusly, a much m?re expenditure of funds for railroad fare could be made by one devotmg hts ent1re time to the fraternity work. It is to be regretted that such a procedure was necessary this year, but it was only by this means that the work could be undertaken at all. ·
The detail figures by trips of the expenses of the Grand Counsellor may be secured at any time from the Grand Secretary, or a copy is here available. The totals of the various expenditures for the year follow:
1. Railroad Fare and Pullman $375 85
2. Hotels and Meals
3. Entertainment · 22.20
4. Entertainment since last statement to Kilmer
5. Stenographer, Typewriter Rent, Stationery, Postage, Telegrams, Etc .....
6. Same as Item. 5 since last statement to Kilmer ........................ ................................
It is here pointed out for the guidance of the Conclave in setting aside a sum for the work of the next Grand Counsellor, that if a trip to the Coast and to the Penn State, Cornell and Syracuse chapters had been made, it would have added over $250 to the expenses, thereby leaving practically nothing for salary. On the other hand, and as pointed out in an earlier paragraph, if the Counsellor were at liberty to make the visitations in one or two continuous trips, he woulrl probably be able to visit all the chapters at an expense probably not exceeding the expenditures here shown for this year.
In attempting to give some idea of the visitation of each chapter, only the high spots, so to speak, will be brought out at this time owing to the great length which this r epo rt is assuming, and with the hope that later discussions on the floor of the Conclave, and informal talks , may bring out a great deal of the information at hand, but which time forbids incorporating into this report. Let no delegate feel that because his chapter is given brief mention in this con· nection, that his chapter has not much to comm;end it, for the brevity may be an indication of strength rather than weakness .
Kansas chapter at Lawrence had the misfortune to be the first chapter visited, and this upon very short notice The boys responded so we ll to the idea of the office and were of such a genuine sort that the Counsellor at once forgot his misgivings of the task before him and spent a most enjoyable Friday evening, Sunday afternoon and evening and Monday evening with them. Here the Counsellor met for the first time with the plan of having a matron live in the fraternity house, it being a requirement of the university. Upon first thought it seemed awkward and an unnecessary expense, but with a knowledge of similar plans at Manhattan, Missouri and Minnesota, the result of the presence of a chapter mother is very evident. The men are more refined, they live more as in a home and less in a club house, one hears less cussing and swearing, and yet none of the good fellowship is apparently lost. The plan has much to commend it and only the expense against it, provided the right sort of a chapter mother can be had. Nothing but commendation could be expressed for Kansas chapter except the criticism that they needed to be more active in campus affairs. The fraternity courtesies and gentlemanly traits were especially in evidence, and the entire fraternity atmosphere was most pleasing and gratifying. The chapter was at that time under the direction of most competent officers and housed in a very substantial, comfortable and well arranged home.
Kansas State chapter was visited Saturday atfernoon and evening and Sunday morning, October 23 and 24, at a time which was rather inopportune, as the men were engaged in a week-end of social whirl, and it was almost impossible to get them together for a serious meeting. Like · every chapter in its younger days, there are many conditions existing which on might wish to find different, but the splendid spirit of the men, together with their earnestness and zeal for pro·
the in_terests of A_cacia at Manhattan, lead s the writer to say with sincenty, that th1s chapt_er w1ll_ come to the front with great strides in the next few year:;. chapter IS par ttcularly strong in its campus activities, its members holdmg 1mportant offices m the student body organizations. One bit of local custom which has merit is the special meetings held once in a while which the memb e rs have named "Stool Meetings ." Upon these occasions each member in turn is pl_aced. on the and any differenc es which any of the members may have w1th hun, or cntJc1sms to be made of him , are discu sse d fre e ly and frankly, and the chapter has found that this has been a splendid clearing house for petty faction.
Nebraska chapter was visited Saturday, Sunday and Monday, October 30 and 31 and November 1, and was found to be a very well balanced chapter. The membership is strong scho l astica ll y, is active socia ll y, is playing a prominent part in the Masonic activities of th e city, and is making itself felt on the university campus. The men are th e a ll-round right sort and r ece ived the visit of the Counse llor with a sp l endid attitude. The chapter is living in a rented house which is very comfortab l e, well furnished, and adequate, and compares favorab ly with any other fraternity house in the city. The credit of Acacia last year was given fitst place among co ll ege organizations in the local merchants' Blue Book and this book a! o gave Acacia credit for doing more to raise the credit standing of college organizations than any other body had ever done . Nebraska chapter is a royal good ente rt a in er and lon g on social activities, and the Counsellor arrived at the fraternity house to find a very nice dance in progress, and a girl provided and waiting for him, the chapter having taken a l ong chance as to the age and dancing proclivity of the writer.
The Iowa State Chapter at Ames was visited on the evenings of November 2 and 3, and was found to be a very likeable , earnest and capable group of men, of whom we can well be proud. Room rent and board in the fraternity house are paid for on the basis of actua l cost divided pro rat a, which the month prec e ding my vis it had amo unt to $24.28 each. In the Fall each member deposits $20 to app ly on the last mo nth of the semester, and does this again at the beginning of the second semester. This gives the steward a working fund to begin the semester. All other expenses of the chapter are likewise taken care of on the cost-per-capita basis, and the chapter's ·share of the national dues and initiation fee is its only source of income. One very commendable custom at Ames tending toward the better int e r-fraternity relations, is the plan by which on every Tuesday evening five J11en in the fraternity exchange dinner engagments with five men at each of the other fr a t ern iti es in order. The personnel of the five men is changed so tha't every one in each fraternity is given an opportunity to visit the other fraternities.
Iowa chapter at Iowa City was visited Saturday, November 7, pressure of business making it necessary to make the visitation of only one day's duration. The writer arrived in the city at about 2:30 o'clock in the morning on a train some three hours late , and found four brother Acacians at the depot to meet him , although an abso lute stranger to everyone in the chapter. This is good evidence of the fraternity spirit prevailing in the Iowa chapter, the membership of which is well balanced and ha s just completed the best year in its existence. It began the year in a new chapter house at a good location , and the work 0f procuring the new home, together with the added attractions of the place, have had their influence in bringing about the best fellowship th e chapter has ever had within its membership. The chapter received a very incomplete report of the Conclave proceedings from its delegate last year, and was entir ely unaware of the most important issues and the action he had taken on them, They were very much disappoint"ed to le arn that their delegate had voted as he had on the Greek question and were very emphatic in saying he had not expressed the sentiment of the chapter at all. While they did not instruct him as to how he s hould vote on these questions, feeling that it was better not to lay down any hard and fast rule, yet they thought that he knew the sentiment <?f the which had been frequently expressed as being very strongly agamst takmg m soc ial Greeks. They had selected him as delegate more because they thought
they owed it to him than because of his qualifications to represent them. This instance is cited to impress upon the chapters the importance of sending the most capable man from among their membership to represent them at the Conclave, and to let nothing else be the motive for selecting the delegate than the qualifications of capability.
Franklin chapter at Philadelphia was visited November 20 and 21, and found to be a representative chapter in spite of a good many regulations and cusloms at the institution which handicap them to quite a degree. They are housed in a fairly good home and their men are refined and show a hospitality and spirit which is very commendable . They are greatly limited in their Masonic activities by the peculiar stand of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania against Acacia, and this also reflects back on their opportunities for getting in touch with the new men in the university each Fall. They are fu rther handicapped in this respect by the system of dormitories in which a very l arge part of the student body rooms , and by which a bond is required to guarantee rental throughout the year. After Thanksgiving tim e it is almost impo ssible to get any one to take a room in the dormitory off one's hand, and hence a number of men wh ich might otherwise make suitable material cannot be taken into the chaptP.r because of their inability to room in the house. Likewise the social life of the chapter is limited because of the fact that the institution is not co-educational and hence the men know few girls, and also because of the location of the university in a large city, making social functions very expensive. The chapter is also unable to be a member of the Inter-Fraternity Conference on account or requirements which would work serious hardships upon Acacia. According to the inter-fraternity agreement, no rushing is permitted until the fi rst Monday of the second term, and no in vitations to join a fraternity can be extended to a candidate until the Monday of the fourth week of the second term. Also, no initiation ceremony can be performed until the fourth week in the second semester. Consequently with any pretence at rushing abso lutely forbidden until the above mentioned time, it wou ld be impossible for Acacia to be governed by the InterFraternity Conference rules and the present arrangement puts Acacia on a basis of non-competition with the Greek letter fraternities. It has practically no social or business intercourse with the other fraternities at the university. In spite of these limitations, the chapter has a substantial membership and seems to be enjoying a high degree of fellowship. Its strong point is that of a splendid exemplification of the Ritual, about which I hope to have more to say informally at another time
Harvard chapter was visited Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5. By all odds, the keenest problem of the chapter is that pertaining to Greeks. The question of excluding active Greeks does not concern them so vitally, for at the time they were visited, they had but one, and they would have been willing to vote for th e amendment to the Constitution excluding active Greeks , had they felt that it was truly meant to be a compromise and that the matter would thereafter be dropped. But they will never be in accord with the total exclusions of Greeks. Even this would not mean t hat the chapter cou ld not continue to exist , but it might mean that they would ha ve to take in men who were not up to the standard they have required; and they add, th at before they will be forced to lower this standard, they will w ithdr aw from Acacia.
Harvard chapter is so very different from what is considered a good fraternity in the majority of Western schoo l s, that it is practically impossible oi comparison . The members are older in years and sti ll older in experience than the members of Western chapters and are almost entire ly from the graduat e school s , there having been just one under-graduate member at tl!e time of the writ e r's visit. They have all li ved th eir so-ca ll ed "co lle ge days," and are now attending the university with more the attitude of a business man and hav e no time for the socialbi lity and courtesies which are so prevalent in the Western chapter house. The under-graduate chapter activities seem "kidd ish" to them They do not run a table in the house but choose in preference to eat at the university commons, where a part of the members have places at one table but make no particular effort to be there at the same time, and they come and go without any particular salutation or interest Effort was made to run a table la st year,
but this seemed impracticable the present house. Nevertheless, Acacia is probably more nearly a. fraternity t.han any other national, of which there are five, at There IS an extensive club system in the under-graduate school, but the fratermt1es do not rank at all as fraternities in the Western university sens.e, and the Greeks are up against about the same proposition Acacia is Delta Ups1lon has a fi.ne house there, which in reality is only a club house w1th room for only SIX or e1ght men, and they hav e no fraternity life whatever. Anrl this is considered the strongest fraternity at Harvard
The dormitory system, in which all freshmen are required to live and in which practically seniors .do li ve, as one of the traditions, upon whi'ch Harvard hangs so persistently, 1s partly responsible for these peculiar conditions. The fraternity is, at its best, very secondary to the university in the respect and int erest of the student. It is more comparab le with the many campus societies in the West, and yet Acacia is more cohesive and means mort. to the members than a club or a society and is unusually well organized and sound financially In fact, the writer believes it can be said with truth , that Acacia means more to th e Harvard members than it does to a good many of the Western members.
In attempting to compare Harvard chapter with the other chapters of the fraternity, the fact must not be lost sig ht of that so long as we have chapters at universities which differ materially in their characteristics, we must also of necessity have two very different types of chapters within the Acacia fraternity. Recognizing the two types of univ ers ities, the graduate and the under-graduate, we must not fail to see that the corresponding chapters of Acacia must be as radically different, and that Harvard chapter is not only not weak, but in reali ty, exceptionally strong in its type.
Yale chapter was visited Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12. It is not at a ll a strong chapter, but the men ha ve a good fraternity spirit and are working against practically insurmountable obstacles with a splend id determination They have som1e very good men and some not nearly so good. Th ey arc maintaining a house aga inst a handic ap from two sources-the rules of the university and the contract system of the boarding and rooming houses, which, in spite of the fact that they h ave eighteen active men in the university at the time of the writer's visit, made it impossible for but four to room in the house.
The men who have kept Yale chapter going and made it felt, however, little in the life of the school, de se rve the highest commendation of the Fraternity as a whole, and it will be ind eed lament able if all this work is to come to naught, as the writer believes it will ha ve to, with the advent of total exclus ion of Greeks from the fraternity. It is even doubtful that the chapter could continue to exist if only active Greeks were excl uded, for th eir finances are running so close that the loss of revenue from two or three ac tive Greeks taken in each year, would ju st a bout be e nough to make it impossible to continue. If all Greeks were excluded, it would doubtlessly mean that the chapter would have to take in practically anyone from among th e non-Greek Masons and hence l ower their standard of membership, and of course they will send in their charter before submittinf; to d ege neracy. There are several reasons for this unfortunate condition at Yale, as follows:
The under-graduate body of Yale is made up very lar ge ly of men from the "Prep" schools of the East, who e nt er the university very young. Masonry is not possible with the majority of these men because of their age, and also becau se it is not look ed upon with as m}tlch favor all through the Ea st as it is in the West, at le ast for the younger men. There are, therefor e, very few Masons in the under-graduate school. This makes it necessary for Acacia to draw its men a lm ost ent irely from the graduate and here a great many of them are in schoo l but one year and are all tied up w ith a contract for a room before Acacia gets in touch with them, so that th ey do not get to move into the chapter house at all. Also a large part of the graduate student. who are Masons are also members of Greek l etter fraternities, and the total numb er of Masons in these departments is not large.
Then Acacia is forced to cope with a fraternity system most unique and complicated, which is impossible to break into and hopeless to compete with. Yale is utterly sunk in the depths of tr adi tion. Everything about the institution is connected with events beginning back in the early days of the country, and to
tear down an old building or an old custom, no matter how worn out and absurd in the present day, is unthinkable. The fraternities . thrive in their maximum of secrecy as in the days of Noah Webster, Nathan Hale and other revoluntionaryday characters closely assoc iated with the university To successfully introdu ce a fraternity into the system, e lecting it s members by non e of the methods borne out by tradition, is about as imp ossib l e as anything one can imagine. Then too, the fraternities are sh roud ed in a glory of wealth, with the finest of Halls (not called fraternity houses) and th e most elaborate examiples of architecture built into their "Tombs. " Each fraternity h as not only a fine residence hall, but also a building of four walls and no windows, called a tomb , in which they very sec r e tl y hold their weekly me et ings. The system ha.s some fascin3;ting feature s, especially for the man in · schoo l th ere, and the wnter firmly believes that no fraternity wh ich has not been there "a lw ays" and which does not operate in accordance with the customs, can ever r ece iv e much , if any, recognition at Yale. Especially i s thi s tru e of Acacia with it s well-known lack of wealth.
- The l oca ti on of the chapter h o u se a l so ke e p s men from rooming there who might otherwise, if it were situated closer to the center of activities. This is especia lly true of the m en atte nding the Sheffi e ld Sci e ntific School. The hou se itself is quite lar ge a nd very well s uited to the chapter needs. They have been given firs t o pportunity to buy a hou se, which, judging from its outside appearance, would be one of which th ey could well be proud It is exceptionally well located and wo uld doubtless be of very m a t e rial assistance in securing good men, but they have not dared go ahead until the Greek question is settled. Personally, t.he writer does not see how th ey could ever finance it with their membershi11 Interest so divided among o ther organizations as it is, and must necessarily continue to be, but they may h ave so me l<jtent financial power which is not generall) known.
The principal ·aiin of every under-graduate student at Yale is to eventually make one of the S e nior Societies, and he plays politics. and pulls strings to this end from the time he enters his freshman year . To accomplish this is the real achievement and is what you or th e •writer or a nyone would strive for if he went to Yale. Every other ambition is secondary to this, and consequently membership i'n Acacia or any other fr a ternity , not of the so-called academic Senior S•ocieties, is not looked upon as a ny particular honor. The tabulation of the fraternity system at Yale may help in th 'e tinderstan ding of the aifficulties which Acacia is attempting to 'overcome. ·
·
Onl'y aca'demic rilen-l11Jen working for. an A B , are · to mem • bership. · .
·
Members elected from class .' · ') ' ·
Alp ha Delt a Phi Psi Upsilon
Delta Kappa Upsilon
Z e t a Psi
Beta Theta Pi
Fiftee n members eac h elected from Junior Society members.
Skull and Bones
Scroll and Key
Wolf's Head
Members el ected the second semester of the freshman year
Berzi liu s-Colon y (local)
Book and Snak e-Cloi ster (local)
Theta Xi, known as Franklin Hall
Delta Psi, known as St. Anthony Hall
Chi Phi, known as York Hall
Phi Gamma D elta, known as Phi Gamma Delta Hall
Delta Phi, known as St. Elmo Hail
Phi Sigma Kappa, known as Sachem Hall
Members elected from all departments and all classes but very rarely from freshman class.
Alpha Sigma Phi , known as Celven Club
Phi Kappa Epsilon, known as Book and Bond (local)
Alpha Chi Rho, known as Alpha Chi Rho House
Acacia, known as Acacia House
Law School-
Phi Alpha Delta, known as Book and Gavel
Phi Delta Phi, known as Corbey Court
Medical School-
Nu Sigma Nu
Phi Rho Sigma
Yale chapter had very little to say on the Greek question as to the principlt' of the subject. To them it is almost entirely a question of their existence. Can Yale exist on non-Greek? With the restrictions of university rulings requiring academic men to li ve in the dormitory, and the rooming house system of yearly contracts from which , once made, it is practically impossible to be relieved; with the professional fraternities , Acacia's only competitors, maintaining houses anrl running tables; with the divinity school men receiving room free in the dormitories ; and with the fraternity system and entire membership situation driving Acacia into the graduate schools for its members where the men are only there for an average of l ess than two years, the possibilities of maintaining a chapter house are indeed limit ed. And to put the furth er limit ation of the non-Greek rule upon the chapter, must mean simply the cessation of the chapter from two causes; namely, inability to maintain a chapter house and lack of suitable material.
Columbia chapter was vis it ed severa l times as a chapter and considerablt time was also spent with individual members. As was to be expected, the Gr ee k question stands out as the problem which one hears most about, but the men are open to reason and ready and willing to co-operate to that end which is best for th e fraternity as a whole. There seems to be two rather distinct stands on the qu es tion. From within the active chapter, it is evident that they are cognizant of the sentiment of the majority of the chapter on this question. This is evidenced by the fact that no Greeks were taken in during the past year, and that there was in the act iv e chapter no act ive Greeks and only two alumni Greeks. But from without the chapter, the a lumni members are very bitterly opposed to the exclusion of Greeks and make their stand solely on the basis of th e move being unMasonic. To these a lumni Acacia is practically a Masonic institution , a Masonic club, or a fourth degree in Masonry, and a fraternity very se condarily if at all. If you tell them this they resent it forecefully, but under present conditions with no house , no table, no rooms, it can be little else than a Masonic club, and it is the realization of this fact that is spurring on the leaders in the active chapter t o start their house. They are working strenuously to this end, and the prospects for the success of the undertaking whi c h is doubtless more serious in New York than at any other chapter loc ation, a re better than ever before. Due to the endless amount of hard work and careful direction of the affairs of the chapter on the part of Brother D. A. Embury, Venerable Dean of the chapter during the past year, and of Brother Dills, who was the delegate to the Conclave last year, the chapter has made considerable headway in creating greater interest in Acacia on the part of the members, and in drawing the men into a clo ser fellowship than has existed heretofore.
Columbia, lik e Harvard, cannot be compared w ith other chapters of the fraternity, because the conditions existing here are so very different from those at the majority of our universities. The men are older, have lived their und e rgraduate days in smaller schools and are at Columbia for a serious purpose only, and are interested in Acacia not as a fraternity, but as a Masonic ord er. As would be expected, the chapter's Masonic activities are very excellent , and it puts on a most splendid initiation ceremony. If Brothers Embury and Dills are able to swing the house deal for next year, and the tendency of development
continues as it has this year, the chapter will assume characteristics which will be very much mor e in keeping with th e intent of the fraternity at the great majority of chapters, than has ever before been possible.
Purdue chapter was visited Saturday and Sunday, January IS and 16, aP.d found to be a well-balanced chapter, having a representative membership with comparatively young and first-class m e n. It is strong on scholarship and '<!ltceptionally strong in campus and. a l.so UJ? its standing well in the soc ial s id e of the fraternity hfe, and m Its hospitality to guests, as you are all witness to bear me out at this tim e. Th e chapter is making an especially st rong effort to k eep acq u a inted with its alumni a nd to keep its alumni intereste d in Acacia. One id ea which th e m e n have carried out with good success is that of writing th e first in s tallment of a circular letter which is sent around to all the members o f one clas s, each m a n reading the preceding letters and adding his to th e bunch. They a lso hav e a stunt of having various pledgemen take some one of the alu mni and look up his record and give the chapter a short talk about him, which se rves to keep the whole chapter acquainted with the various older men w ho would otherwise not be known at all to the active chapter. The loc a l chapter a lso has a good feature in connection with the initiation ceremony which w ill be spoken of a t a later tim e
In its rushing work, the chapter is also especially efficient. It considers its elf in active competition with th e local Greek fraternities, and meets the trains just as they do and watches out for any man with a Masonic button on. A rushing committee comes back early in the Fall and is very active in general scout work until school opens. A university smoker is given later on and at the one last Fall, there were seventy-two Masons registered, and of these the chapter had already been in touch with all but four. They have found that in previous years they planned too much on this smoker and not enough on the active work of th e rushing committee and of individual members, and the result of this year's plan of ac tiv e work seems to bear out the importance of h av ing a very active rushing committee on the ground at the very opening of the school term.
Minnesota chapt e r was visit e d for practically a whole week beginning January 23. It is housed in a beautiful home on a very large corner lot, which was purchased at a great bargain, and while the upstairs rooms are not very well suited to th e needs of the fraternity at present, yet they can easily be rearranged when the chapter is a little b e tter able financially to stand this construction expense. One feaure of the initiation which the chapter has worked out and which seems to be a logical solution, is the means taken to cover the expense of a badge and have the initiate's own pin ready to put on him at the proper point in the initiation ceremony. This has been done by inaugurating a plan of charging a pledging fee of $8.
This not only takes care of the purchase of the pins, but also results in the man's feeling that he really has a little m:ore interest in the fraternity by having paid a certain amount into it.. This is of course in addition to the $25 initiation fee which is co ll ec t ed at the time of his initiaton. Since initiation into the frat e rnity i s not allowed until after the second semester at Minnesota, the pledge periods are of necessity long, and this preliminary fee makes the pledge feel that h e is really part way into the fr a ternity and he is more apt to come around to the hous e m ore often and get better acquainted with the men whom he hopes to call his brothers .
Illinois chap ter was visited Saturday and Sunday, February 12 and 13. The most gratifying thing about the chapter is that in spite of the fact that financial diffi<;:ulti es h ave m ade it n ecessary for th e m to increase their active membership to thirty-three men , th ey have done SO without apparently lowering their standard. They are reaping the advantages of a splendid new house located on one of the best sites in ChamJpaign, an d a s ubstantial profit is being realized from the house op e r a tion. This incre ase in membership effected has been done in order to help out the finances of the a lumni organization which has control of the financing of the n ew h o us e. The finances of the active chapter are in excellent condition, but th e alumni association i s having some difficulty in meeting its obligation, a lthough all interest payments have been maintained up to date. This conditi on
of affairs at one of our strongest chapters gives rise to the suggestion that we ought perhaps to _have provisions in our national by-laws by which a chapter bmldmg or puchasing a hous e, will be required to submit the1r plan of financmg to the Grand Council or some finance committee of the national o:ganization for approval. While the writer feels confident that Illinois · w1ll find a way through its financial difficulties he thinks with considerable apprehensio n of what might be the result if the 'finances of some of our chapters were in a like bu s in ess condition.
The men at Illinois admit that they would have been much better off to have waited another two <;>r three years b efore attempti ng this eno rmous financial burden. They met w1th a number of unforseen obstacles which the total cost of building considerably more than planned, and they have found that the operatiOn of the house and everything connected with it costs more than they h ad figured. When the war came on th e Building and Loan Assoc iation with w'ltich they had arranged to get their m:;tior l oan at 6 per cent, backed odt, but the work wa_s far enough along at th a t t11ne so that it could not be stopped a nd the corporatiOn was forced to take a lo a n from another association at 7 per cent. The se circumstances recited _s impl3; point that a chapter endeavor ing to erect a n ew hou se 1s very hk e ly m 1ts enthus1asm to stretch its financial resources, and it m ay, therefore, be a wise pr ecaut ion to provide th at some body of the national fraternity shall have a voice in this matter . Illinois chapter i s without doubt one of the foremost in th e fraternity. Severa l of its strong points will probably b e brought out in connection with later committee reports. In hospitality and courtesies to the strangers, this chapter is particularly s trong. The fellow s hip among its own membership is good to see.
Michigan chapter was visited Saturday a nd Sunday, February 26 and 27. The big thing at Michigan this year was the inauguration of the sing le initiation plan. They set aside February 26 as th e date for th e annual initi atio n and planned a big banquet and advertised it to all the a lumni. Previous to the 26th, all the candidates except one were taken through the initiation ceremony up to the last section. Then on initiation day, the one candidate was put through the entire initi a tion for the benefit of the old alumni back for the occasion, and then a ll candida t es were given the obligation and the last sec tion of the ceremony together. After this eve ryon e sat down to a formal banquet which topped off the occasion in splendid style and as it was g iv en in honor of the new men, it impressed their sense of p erso nal accomplishment, and the talks about the fraternity started them off with a n e n ergy and enthusiasm which will go a long way toward making them the kind of Acacia men we want to develop
So many of the chapters put one or two men through the initiati"on ceremony at a time and when th ey get through with the work called for by th e ritual, this ends the occa ion and the new m e n are not given any opportunity to express their impr essions and they miss the f ee ling of having been honored by initiation into the fraternity, and do not get th at e nthusiasm which comes from the big banquet for the occas ion.
The Michigan idea is a capital one and is the logical solution of the problem of making the initiates feel that their initiation into Acacia is a significant one and th e beginning of a bigger and better life for them. When a large number of initiations are given, it is impossible to have much of a social function in connection with them on account of the expense, but by centering activities into one big function, the men can be taxed a little extra for the banquet and still feel that it is well worth while.
The Wisconsin chapter was visit e d April 8 and 9, Sat1;1rday and is believed to rank among the first chapters <;>f the frate;mty The member are strong men, fine looking fellows, mterest_ed m the fratermty and active in university affairs, and the cha].Jter a s a whole ts _probably better known among the other fraternities at the school than is Acac1a at any other school. The chapter's refinement and courtesies to visitors is splendid, and the members eem to be getting all there is to be h_ad from the brotherly with other, and the feeling of good fellowship and general good spmt wh1ch prevatls in the house. The matter of fraternity refinement has been m:ade the subject of st udy on the part of the chapter and the personnel of its membership reflects
the result. While the men here do not have as fine a house as some other chapters have, they have succeeded in considering it a home and not a club house with the result th at no un s ightly c uspidors or unspeakable fireplaces and other offens ive appearing app urt e n a nces found in many chapter houses are to be seen. One commendable feature of the rushing of the chapter is its practice in enterta ining prospective members in the chapter house only, there being a sentiment against taking the men out to shows, etc., where eve ry one ' s at t e ntion is drawn to the entertainment and not to the man. The entertainment is all provided within the chapter house
Ohio State chapte r was visited February 15, 16 and 17. Greater strides in g ro wth in eve ry respect a re apparent a t Ohio State chapter than in any other a t th e pre s ent 'timie, for the chapter has this year come into its own. It has moved int o a splendid new home situated on one of the finest corner lots in the c it y and advantageo usly located with respect to the university . It is compo s ed of a very representative gro up of men and an abundance of material to select from is now ava ilable . The rapid growth of the univ e rsity in the last several years h as grea tly increa sed the number of Masons in the student body and has brought the chapter from the state of scarcity of material to the point wher e they can b e particular in their selection. The membership is unified and h as worked strenuously this year to establish itself in the new hom e, and has don e all manner of work in the house to put it in the excellent co ndition in which it now is and t o save the ex p e ns e of hiring this work done. The result is that the chapter is in excellent condition financ ially, and is already formulating plan s for the building of a new house on the site of their pres e nt one and moving the old house back on th e spacious lot, to be occupied during the construction period and r en ted th ereafte r for a period, until such time as the financial conditions are sufficiently good t o warrant te ar ing down the old house and clearing the beautiful lot aga in. The writer an ticipat es from th e pr ese nt outlook, that the chapter will very soo n b e takin g a l ea ding part in fraternity mJatters at the university, and it is already rec eiving a mpl e r ecog nition . Likewise, in campus activities, it is rapidly takin g a prominent place. The principal impression one gains from a visit at the c hapt e r is the l eap in adva nce the chapter has taken during the past year. Th e chapter h as been so mewh a t mi s und ers tood in its Masonic activities. In order to hav e a Masonic in st itution such as the Craftsmen's Club at Michigan, and the Univ ers ity Masonic Association at Minnesota and others, through which the chapter could op e rate to get in touch with new Masons in the university, it set abou t two or thr ee years ago to organize a Masonic Club. This movement gathered such momentum th a t it was soon beyond the control of the active chapter and developed into a body which p e tition e d for a nd was granted a charter as ·a lodge of Masons known as University Lodge. At the time it was chartered only four active Acacia men were m ·embers, and at present there are only two or thr ee active men who b elong to it. Several Acacia a lumni men are holding offices , and the close affiliation of the lodge with the university g ives the chapter an exce llent opportunity to be of service to Masonry and to receive co n siderab le h elp from the lodge in return.
Chicago chapter was visited at various times throughout the year. The pro gress of the y ea r shows a m ar k e d improvement in the personnel and gene r a l act iv iti es of the chapter. The conditions under which Chicago operates are such as to make the s ucc e ss of the chapter life a very much more difficult undert aki ng than the other Central West chapters , and in spite of these harder probl ems, th e Chic ago m e n a re making such splendid progress that criticism upon those points in which they a re still lacking seem of minor importance. The happy part of the c h ap t e r ' s ex i s t e nce is that it is becoming less and less a Masonic club and more and more a college fraternity. The members are younger, their soc ia l activ iti es are becoming more natural, their financial standing is splendid and while they sti ll t ake in a few a lumni Greek letter men, yet there is no strong feeling th a t it would be se riously wrong to exclude Greeks totally, and their whole chapter lif e i s becoming to be more harmonious with the ideals of the majority of the chapter.
On e of the particular accomplishments of the chapter during the past year, h as been th e wo rk done t oward es tablishing the chapter in a home of its own.
The pla':l of each man upon graduation pledging himself to ten notes of $10 1s b e mg used, and tht; notes out in non-negotiable form, the receipt bemg redeemable ?unng the life time of the promissor pro rata from the assets of th e corporatiOn should the Chicago chapter at any time cease to exist. The a lumni have taken hold of this house fund proposition with unusual int erest a nd the assets of the building association to date, including cash and notes, amoun t to about $4500.
The opportunity which the Chicago chapter has of becoming the great meeting point for Acacia men from a ll parts of the country is bound to be reflected in general growth, broad mindedness, and exemplary activities; and it is to be hop ed that the chapte r will be successfu l in establishing itself in due time in a hou se which will be suitable in design to serve as the clearing house for the broader fraternity friendship.
Missouri chapter was visited on May 21 and found to be a very creditable part of the fraternity. Like Iowa State chapter, Missouri is prorating the act ual cost of operating th e h o u se a nd table, and all other fraternity activ iti es, but this plan has necessiated m ak ing special assessments every two or three weeks amounting to from 50 to 85 cents.
Missouri chapter again I·eflects the r es ults of having a .:hapter matron. The chapter h as be e n particularly fortunat e in having a chapter mother of the sort which derives great r espec t and r ega rd from th e men, and many of the outstanding qualities of the membership may be att ributed to her presence in the chapter house.
A co-operative association of the commissaries of all fraternities and boarding clubs, which is managed by an Acacia m an elected by r eprese ntativ es of the fraternities, is producing a saving of from 10 to 15 per cent in th e cost of supplies for the table through quantity purch ases.
Owing to the latene ss of th e Counsellor's visit to Missouri, the c h ap t er was not sure that it vyas going to be visited and initi ated its las t pledge a week before It then demonstrated what the writer thought to be imp oss ibl e-a s u ccessfu l exemplification of the ritual without an actual candidate, puting the work on with one of their own memb e r s. In spite of the tendency this has, to make the initiation a farce, the men put on the work very commendably. In this connection some most effective apparatus has be e n devised by the chapter to supplement and make more realistic certain parts of the ritu a l. The se will be describ ed at a lat er time.
Co l o r ado chapter was v isited over D ecora tion Day, which came at ju st the end of the college year when the men were buri ed in the strain of final examinations and of course it proved to b e a very poor tim e for a n official visitation. However, this was th e only time ava il ab le and th e chapter made every effort to do all in it s power to mak e the visitation worth while and r ea lly showed a splendid spirit in th e ir willingnes.s to sacrifice time from studies in order to hold the meetin gs which were request e d.
Colorado chapter prov ed to b e a surprise to the Counsellor, since from reports, he had expected to find not more than six or eight members and pr a ctically no se mblance of a frat e rnity. What h e did find was an enthusiastic membership of twenty-three very fine men, and although a good part of these were members of other Greek social college fraternities, several of such m;emb ers were exceptionally enthusiastic in Acacia work and had taken a most active part in a ruling passed by the chapter that no m e mbers of Greek lett e r fraternities were h ereafter to be initiated into Acacia. This question has b ee n up for discussion practically a ll the .yea r and has been a source of great agitation in the fraternity meetings, but the men are now thoroughly convinced that. for these men who are notable exceptions, the memrbers of other social college fratermties do not give anything to Acacia and receive little benefit from it.
vVhile the chapter has not maintained a house year and last on acc<?unt of the scarc ity of m'aterial, the prospects are much bnghter for next year, smce as near as could be ascertained there will be twelve members returning and there is expectation at the present time that an Acacia fraternity house will be in existence at Boulder next year. During the past year the men have rented two rooms in a store block near the campus which has been designated as Acacia headquarters, and while two of the members have roomed there and
practically the expense of holding the rooms, it was that all Acacia men were to be free to come there at any time they destred and . that their presence would not disturb these two men. Each member of the fraternity was given a key and all chapter meetings and all business of the fraternity except initiation was conducted in these rooms.
There is a well-founded reason why Colorado chapter had made such a poor showing the last severai years. At the time it was started the medical college of the university was at Boulder and Acacia drew a large proportion of its membership from this school which was constituted largely of graduate men. Later this department of the university was removed to Denver and while the medical men continued their active membership for the first year, they soon found that they derived absolutely no benefit from the fratemity and resigned active membership. It ,,-,;as also practically impossible to interest new members from the medical school in the fraternity.
Then for the next two years after the medical schoool was removed, there seemed to be a marked scarcity of material to draw' from, and the result has been that the chapter has barely kept alive, and had it not been for the enthusiasm and loyalty of two or three local alumni, it would have ceased to exist long since.
During the past year, however, there have been more Masons in the school and the chapter has initiated some very fine men who have carried on the work of the chapter with an enthusiasm and coherence which is much more evident than that of some other chapters that m'ight be named There is also a unanimous opinion on the part of the officials of the un iversity that within a very few years there will be a substantial increase in the enrollment, and this of course will be of great assistance to Acacia. The registrar of the university informed the writer that they have many more applications for admittance each year now than they can acq:pt, since their appropriations are so limited that they can handle only so many students, but that they have every assurance that the State Legislature will soon provide more funds, at which time it will be possible to take care of the larger avai lable enrollment. The writer is satisfied that we should by all means allow the chapter to struggle along for two or three years until the university growth is realized, and give them every help possible meantime. The character of the membership is of a very high standard in spite of the great scarcity of material, and the chapter is representing the fraternity creditably in spite of the serious handicaps With the new stand made on the Greek question and with the house started next year as seems probable, the chapter will soon take its place as a recolfnized social fraternity at Colorado, whereas now it is of course considered on ly ::t club . The condition at the chapter cannot be expected to be very satisfactory for the next several years, but the present status is sufficiently good to warrant its continuance during the next few years of difficult operation . Too much must not be expected of the chapter during the next two or three years, but after that if the expected appropriations for the university are not forthcoming, and the chapter is in any worse condition than at present and unable to maintain a chapter house, steps should be taken to withdraw· the charter. The odds, however, are in favor of the chapter, and the Counsellor predicts notable developments
Penn State chapter was visited by Brother John Woodward, J une 3 and 4. It is comfortably lodged in a very nice home which compares favorably with the other fraternity houses in town. The chapter is composed of men who take a rather serious view of affairs and have a keen interest in the national fraternity and in other fraternities, and feel very much their iso l ation from outside interests.
· In marked contract to the non-negotiable notes signed by the members of Chicago chapter in connection with the house financing p l an mentioned above, the Penn State chapter has secured no t es which are negotiable and bear interest and has deposited them in a l oca l bank for regu l ar commercial collection. The alumni association, which is known as the Square and Compass Association, has found t his plan to be very satisfactory.
The chapter is handicapped in its Masonic activities, due to the fact that there is no local Masonic lodge, and a l so by the peculiar stand taken by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and mentioned in connection with the Franklin chapter. The chapter has enhanced the interest in Mas o nry in t he c o mmunity, #
however, by a Masonic smoker and by a series of Masonic lectures to which all Masons were invited.
The chapter has a good custom in connection with the nomination of chapter officers. They have a nominating committee made up of seniors, several alumni and several This committee nominates men for every office and places the hst .of caf!d1dates before the chapter. Any member of the active chapter, of course, IS at hberty to add to the list of nominations. The results of the. plan have been very satisfactory because it tends to produce a continuity of pohcy and to put the good of the chapter before the popularity of the candidates.
Cornell chapter was visited by Brother Woodward, Sunday and Monday, May 21 and 22. Quoting from his report: "The first and perhaps the most lasting impression one gets from visiting Cornell chapter is the strong substantial type of men who comprise the chapter, the attention and courtesy which is extended to guests, and the active interest of eve ry man in the chapter. I have nev e r visited a chapter of Acacia, where all of the men seem to co-operate as well as th ey do at Cornell."
The alum:ni a t Corne ll hav e a very great int e rest in the chapter a nd have done much to build up the pres e nt claims. A la rge part of this is due to the chapter's activit ies and the wide-awake policy it has adopted for keeping in touch with the alumni. The "Traveler" is a very creditab l e chapter public a tion usually published three times a year. This year but two editions were issued and the chapter had numerou s inquiries from the a lumni as to why they did not receive the usual number of th e chapter's paper, the second issue being behind schedule . Another scheme worked successfu lly in promoting the interest of the alumni is the division of the chapter a lumni among the members of the active chapter, and eac h member of the active chapter writing to his men three times during the year. By this means of per so nal correspondence, the alumni feel the chapter is r ea lly interested in know in g about them, and it also g ive s the younger men an opportunity to know something of the a lumni It also gives the alumni the personal side of the chapter, other than appeals for funds Cornell, Columbia and Purdue chapters are keeping sim;ilar and very valuab le records of the circumstances surro undin g eac h man's name proposed for membership . Cornell has a register of prospective members in which a page is assigned to each man's name. This bears as well, his co ll ege, class, home address, date proposed and by whom, date voted upon, date of pledging and date of initiation. If a man is not acceptable hi s name is usually withdrawn before it comes to the ballot. This is the result of a willingness on the part of the members to discuss prospective members very frankly, and if it seems unlikely that the man will be accepted, his name is withdrawn. This makes a better appearance in the record, · if for any reason the man's nam:e is again proposed and accepted. Of course, there have been some cases of blackballing, and proper entry must be made of this action.
Another very excellent plan which Cornell makes use of in connection with its rushing of new men, is the posting of a card on the bulletin board upstairs, giving the name of the man, hi s home address, college, class and other items of interest. This enables the members to know something about the man who is being entertained before actually meeting him.
Cornell's exemplification of the ritual was particularly comme ndable As a preliminary to initiation , the chapter has inaugur ated the custom of havmg the candidate wri te a n essay just previous to initiation covering the four questions: (1) What do you expec t will happen to you during the next five hours? (2) How do you expect to conduct yourself during initiation? (3) What do you expect to be able to do for the fraternity? ( 4 ) What does the Acacia fraternity mean to you? And this essay is read before the chapter after the meeting is opened. The plan has some merit as it tends to place the candidate in the right frame of mind for the initiation to come.
Syracuse chapter was visited by Brother Woodward Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21. Syracuse University is plainly a poor m 'an's college and. at time of the acting Counsellor's visit, every member ?f Acacia was earn.mg h1s own way through the university, and only one man m the chapter rece1ved an aiiowance from home the year before. This condition of course has considerable
influence upon the affairs of the chapter. Difficulty is had in getting the active men to room in the house, on account of financial interests often times making it advantageous to do outside work for their room rent a l. However, viewing the chapter through Brother Woodward's eyes, Acacia may be proud of the type of men at Syracuse, as they are of th e substantial typ e, earnest ly seek ing to better their own conditions in the face of discouragement, and at the same time seeking in every way to maintain and advance the best interests of Acacia.
Of the 4 000 students on the campus, 2,000 are women, 250 are living in Sim' s dormitory approximate ly SO men are of foreign nationality, leaving an available fraternity fie ld of approx im ate ly 1,700 men. As compe tit o r s for these men, there are abo ut 32 fraternities maintaining chapter hou ses, making approx imat ely 52 men to each fratern ity . Of this number, th e r e are a numb er whose homes are in the city and do not live in th e c h ap t e r houses. Thu s it is eviden t th at th e fraternity fie ld i s badly ove r crowded, a nd when th e furth er limitation for Acacia are drawn, the chapter is at a decided disadvantage for ava il ab l e material. There are on ly twenty-five st ud ent Masons on the campus, a nd only thr ee en t ered Syracuse last fa ll. With these various limit a tions , it is doubtful th at th e chapter can hope to have more than t we lve to fif t een active member s a t th e most. The other fraternit i e s nm to lar ge c hapt ers w ith from tw e nty- five to thirty men as an average membership.
To help in overcom in g thi s lack of material, th e Acac ia m e n have made it a point t o seek out some of the most desirable of th e und e r classmen not m embers of Greek l etter fratern iti es, and to form clo se friendship with them, in the hope that they may become interested in Masonry and become available Acacia timber. In o th er wo rds , they are m aking a very earnest a ttempt to grow th eir own timber. This plan i s perhaps the mo s t feasible und er present conditions. This membership s itu atio n and th e financial restrictions, a r e th e two se ri ous h a ndi caps und er whic h Syracuse chapter i s operated.
Stanford chapter was v isit ed by Brother Mann from Monday af tern oo n , May 8th, t o Thursday morning, May 11. The chapter h as had to deal with a very unfortunate sit u a ti o n during the past year, an d th e dissension and unpleasantness which th e members h ave been subjected to , h as m ade a rather backward t e ndency in a ll th e act iv iti es of the chapter. It is hardl y fair to judg e of Stanford's qualit ies at the end of such a year. But th e fact r ema ins that conditions were un satisfacto r y during the past year, a nd it i s grea tly to be hoped th a t n ex t year may b e free f r o m int erna l disruption, so th a t the chapter may turn its a ttention and eff orts toward cons tru c ti ve act iv ities.
Fo r h osp it a lity th e chapter ca nnot b e beaten, according to Brother Mann The business cond iti ons of th e c h ap ter are a l so exce ll e nt as ev id e nc e d by informati on furnished by m embers of th e Palo Alto Business Men's Credit Association, which li sts Acac ia firs t amo ng th e fraternities in credit s t a nding.
California chap t e r was v i s it ed by Brother Mann from May 4 to May 8. The chapter is c h aracte ri zed by Brother Mann as a great big f a mily working as a unit , a nd w ith th e m os t exce ll en t fellowship continually in evidence. They reg ard the chap t e r house as a home, a nd th e wholesome greeting with which the guest is r ece ived rings tru e The fraternity refinem e nts were also good to behold , and this may be a ttribut ed to th e fact that much attention has been given to this s id e of their lif e, and to th e whole-hearted manner in which the following se t of table rules i s observed:
"Co m e dressed as you please for breakfast.
A sen io r o r a "g r ad" will sit at th e h ea d of the table , with a so phomore ass ist in g.
V.' hite s tiff co ll a r i s required for dinn e r in the evening.
Excuse i s r eq uir ed from lat e co m e rs a nd ea rly g o e rs.
No swea ring o r t e llin g of dirty stories will be countenanced
The head of th e t ab le may se nd a man from the table for any breach of mann ers or rules, and th ere i s no appea l.
R ead in g l etters, making out dance programs, etc , have no p lace at the table ."
The m e n ca r ve a t th e t ab l e, a re not n o isy and a re g e ntlemen in every sense. Brother Mann concludes hi s report, " I only trust that the Grand Counsellor can call on th e m next year and t e ll th e m of their fau l ts. I found none ."
C.alifornia chapter has an unusual plan of purchasing its supp lie s. All the supphes are ?ought through one firm of commission merchants, whiclt bids for all the supplies for the year. Nearly all of the fraternities able to pay every thirty days, use this system of buying. At the end of each month the house manag e r checks over the bill, adds in the other costs of operating the house such <l;S cook, other h e lp and other bills, figures the net profit and pays commiSSIOn merchant 20 per cent of it.
Washin?'ton was v!sited th e week of Apr il 17 to 22 by Brother Mann. The fraternity spmt at Washmgton is fi n e, and the men seem to be enjoying a good fellowship, but th ere is evidence of a noticeable lack of backbone in practically all of the .chapter's act ivit i es . Jud gi ng from the contents of Brother Mann:s rep?rt, .there IS a. for some energet ic individual in the chapter m embership to Instill some hf e mto the chapte r. There is no "punch" in anything do . Th e re to .be a scarc ity of material at Washington, but aside from tlus the chapter IS operatmg und er no particular handicap and it is to be hoped that the delegate m ay go b ack to his chapter so fi ll ed with the enthusiasm and !deas of the fraternity, that h e may awaken the chapter to a greatly increased act 1v1ty.
The Counsellor regrets exceedingly that it was impo ss ibl e for him to make the long trip to witness and take part in the install a tion of our baby memb er . From a ll r eports th e chapter h as started off with sp l e ndid prospects, and it is greatly to b e hop ed th a t the Counsellor for next year may find it possible to visit the ch a pt e r and take up carefully all phases of the chapte r life, and insure a proper dir e ction of its effor ts in the very b eg inning. Th e r e is opportunity for so much wasted en e rgy and so many things to think about in the early d ays of the chapter, that a visit from the Grand Counsellor to the n ew chapter is of much more importance than the visit to the well-established chapters.
1. In order that a set of questions a nd answers for the pre-initiation instruction and examination of a candidate may b e d eve lop ed which will impre ss upon his mind th e essential things he should know about Acacia, it i s recomm e nd ed that the Conclave draw up and a dopt a s uitable questionaire, and that the Co nclave urg e each chapter to adopt and u se this examination, to which should be added certain fe,v questions to cover local inform at ion th e n ew man should know.
2. It is recommended that the Conclave pass a re so lution r eco mmending to each chapter the adoption of the one initi a tion pl a n as th e most logi ca l an d s uccessfu l proceeding, and for the rea so n that it serves as a stimulus to e nerg etic and business-like rushing which is at present the weakest phase of our fraternity activities.
3. It is recommended th a t a re so lution be passed ex pressing the s ent im e nt of the Conclave against the practice of initi a ting men into Acacia in th ei r senior year when they will not be back another year, in the hope that those chapters doing so may have the emphatic exp r ess ion of the national body against the practice as a guide wherein their own judgment has failed to take r ecogn ition of its weaknesses.
4. It is recomm e nded th a t a committee be appointed to make a study of the value of incorporating the active chapt e rs in th eir respective states, and to r eport its finding to the Conclav e for disposition. If th e re i s real m e rit in individual in cor por at ion, this should be brought out and the sentiment of the Conclave imposed upon the chapters not incorporated
5. It is recomm e nded that a committee be appointed to make a study of the various rushing activities of the several chapters as record ed in the reports of the Grand Counsellor, and draw up a comprehensive mod el plan of rushing comp rising the good points from each chapter; th a.t Concl ave adopt suc.h a plan as the best practice , and recommend 1t to the md1v1du a l chapters for the1r guidance. It is furth e r recommended in this connection that sufficient typewritten copies of the model rushing pl a n be struck off at once in order that each d elegate may take a copy back with him and get it into operation this in an effort to begin at once to overcome this point i!' our frat e rn_1ty
6 It is recommended that a committee be appomted to cons1der the practicability of placing the Acacia Journal regularly in the hands of every alumnus; or
if there seems to be no practical possibility of doing this, to devise ways and means tO greatly increase the subscription list of the Journal. This is one of the crying needs of the fraternity and an intensive subscription campaign should be conducted, or better still a plan of financing provided to send the paper free to every alumnus, every issue.
7. It is recommended that the Conclave consider the advisability of charging a pledging fee of $8 to cover the cos t of the fraternity b a dge and pass a resolution recommending this practice to the several chapters.
8. In order to forestall and guard against the financial failure of any chapter in attempting to purch ase or build a new chapter house, it is recommended that the Concl ave p ass a by-law requiring that plans for financing a new house shall be subm itt ed to a competent committee of the national body and approved by it before the chapter may proceed.
9. In order to insur e proper h a ndling of the new uniform accounting system , it is r eco mm e nded that th e Conclave p as s a by-law requiring each chapter to make a s imple monthly r epo rt to th e Grand Treasurer, a copy of which is to be post ed each month on the chapter bull e tin board, and the nature of this report to be determined by the proper comm itt ee and passed on by the Conclave.
10. It is r eco mmend ed that the Conclave pass a resolution ex pressing th e s e ntiment of the national body aga in s t the very careless manner in which names are now proposed for m le mber sh ip and r eco mm en ding to the individual m e mb ers th at th ey acqua int themselves to a rea sona ble degree with the fitness of th e man for m embers hip before proposing his name in m ee ting, l eav ing the work of final and detailed investigation to the rushing committee after proposal.
11. It is r ecommended that the Conclave pass a by-l a w requiring the Venera! Dean t o read to the chapter, just previou s to its making nominations for each office, a s t ate m e nt of the r e quir eme nts and duti e s of the man to fill that office, in o rder that the memb e rs m ay have th ese fresh in th e ir minds , in the hop e th a t ca ndid a tes with proper qualifications may be se l ected. It is also recommend ed that th e proper committee draw up such a statement as will best set forth the r eq uir e m e nt s of eac h office fo r (his instruction of the chapters, and th at this be a ppr oved by the Conclave.
12. It is r ecomme nd e d that a co mmitt ee be a ppoint ed to m a ke a study of th e chapter constitutions and by-law s and draw such conclusions ·as it may see fit as to their general character and fitness and compliance with the national r eq uir ements, and t o dra w up from th e goo d points of the ten sets here availabl e, a model co n st itution and set of by-l aws for the guidance of those several chapters which are now engaged in th e work of writing one.
The Counsellor h opes that the opportunity wi ll be given him to meet with the various co mmitte es work ing on th ese r eco mmend a tions in order that th ey m ay have th e benefit of his experience from contact with the needs in the fraternity, from which e manates the r eco mm e ndations above. Far more inf ormation i s availab l e from hi s intimate contact with the chapters than is reflected in this r epo rt , and it i s h ope d th e delegates wi ll avail thems elves of the opportunity to ask as m a ny questions as th ey d es ire. It se e ms only fair in closing so short a report' covering so import a nt and broad a work, to point out that the good accompli s hed during the actua l visitation of the chapters is by far the most import an t part of th e work, yet for reasons already mentioned, the annual report pres e nted for publication, can but hint of the real accomplish ment. Re spec tfully submi tted ,
H. L. BROWN, Grand Counsellor .Chicago Alumni Association: "T his is indeed a very interestin g report and I think this office has done a great deal of good for the fraternity. and should be continued. I move that the report be accepted." Penn State seconds. Motion carried.
. Grand President: The report of the Grand Council will be given thts afternoon or tomorrow morning. At this time I wish to announce the various committees of the Conclave.
Constitution and By-Laws: Illinois Chairman· Kansas State Penn State, Michigan and California. ' ' '
Ritual Insignia: Columbia, Chairman ; Minnesota, Texas, New York Alumm, Boulds of Purdue Chapter.
Condition of Chapters and Chapter Visitations: Missouri, Chairman; Wiscons in and Stanford.
Publications: Chicago, Chairman; Pennsylvania and Texas
Alumni Chapters: Cornell, Chairman; Syracuse, Chicago, Chicago Alumni and Brother Shera of Purdue Chapter.
Endowment Fund: Yale, Chairman; Kansas , Chicago Alumni and New York Alumni.
Fraternity Extension, New Chapters: Wisconsin, Chairman; Ohio and Purdue .
Masonic Research: Nebraska, Chairman; Iowa and Harvard.
Next Conclave-Time, Place and Finances: Michigan, Chairman; Kansas State and Penn State.
Audit ing and Budget: Colorado, Chairman; Harvard and Washington.
Resolutions: Iowa, Chairman; Vvisconsin and Kansas.
Chapter Budgets and Accounts: Franklin, Chairman; Ohio and Minnesota.
Credentia ls and Expenses: Grand Secretary Kilmer, Chairman; Stanford and Syracuse.
Grand President: "The next order of business is the reports of the delegates."
Harvard: "I move that the reports from the delegates be dispensed with."
Grand President: "You are out of order. It states in the Cons titution the order of procedure and we must follow that. However, I will say that the reports must be limited."
Penn State: "I move that the reports be limited to three minutes." Seconded by Illinois.
Stanford: "I would like to state at this time that it would take much more than three minutes for me to state the conditions . at Stanford Chapter during the past year. It would not be just to our chapter nor to many other chapters and I feel that we should be given as much time as we desire to put our troubles before this body and the Grand Counc il of the Acacia Fraternity."
The motion was lost.
Illinois moves to adjourn. Kansas seconds. Motion carried.
Meeting called to order at 1 :55 p. m. Tuesday, September 12, at the Masonic Temple.
Grand President: "We will have three hours now to devote to
the discussion of the reports of the delegates. Permission of asking questions will be granted to an:y: delegate. Each will. be given the floor and will have opportumty to state the cond1t1ons of h1s chapter and any other delegate may be free to ask him any questions he desires. The chapters will be called upon in order of their founding."
Delegate A. R. Smith
House owned by an A lumni Assoc iation and rented to chapter at $275 a month for 10 months. Rushing is aided by an organization called the Craftsmen composed of Masons in the University. The scholarship standing is very high. We are sure of having 20 men back and perhaps three oth ers.
Grand President: "How do you account for the fact that the only sixty per cent of your members have read the national constitution?"
Michigan: "I do not know." etc."
Grand President: "Wha t is the value of your real estate?"
Michigan: $54,000.
Grand President: "Do you have a definite committee system?"
Michigan: "Yes, we have several committees, social, reception,
Delegate Stanley Herold
Membership. During the first semester there were eleven actives in the house, and three outside; and in the second semester there were nine in the house and three outside. The financial condition is good, as are the int erfraternity relations. There is nothing more to be desired than ex is ts at the present time. Splendid harmony prevails in the house. In scholarship we were fourth last semester and third this semester.
X was charged with three offenses. He had an irritab l e disposition and was charged with conduct unbecoming an Acacian. The trial was presided over by Brother Durand, a faculty member of our own chapter; a man just as fair as he could be. Before the trial came, however, we attempted to submit resolutions and why he shou ld have suggested the procedure that he did, I could not understand. He was tried and found gui lty , and when it came to the fourth ballot he was expelled. In so far as the evidence was presented to the Grand Council, they felt that they had reason to refuse to sustain our action. He pleaded guilty to conduct unbecoming an Acacian. We know th at if this came up in court and was properly reported, he would a lw ays be charged with having committed the act. The third charge accused X of conduc t un becom ing an Acacian but there were other facts brought to bear on the Council for the defense. I prefer not go into detail in regard to his work. He was successfu l in his methods in rattling Dr. Durand and Dr. Durand did not know exactly what to do. If you knew how this could be done you may know what kind of a trial we had. He accomp lished the act of eliminating evidence from this trial, the main evidence backing the charge of which the defendant was accused. X continued to hold membership after leaving the Acacia House. I do not wish to bring in any other evidence other than that he was in ill repute . After the trial the attorney for the defense turned and played one of the best trick ever seen in police court. He said: "We plead guilty to blackballing a member." In the trial we had to name one special member whom he had blackballed for spite His strong point was the fact that he considered Brother F. not good material for the Acacia Fraternity. Brother F. had a good record , X claimed that he was safeguarding the Fraternity. His record was not such as to justify his guarding of the portals. He was false from beginning to end. He claimed to have made 22 credit hours the first semester. We proved that to be false We, who were present, what had gone on before however, prior to the tnal. The decision was against X. The transcript was given to the Grand Council and our decision was reversed to our great displeasure. But we did feel that by the Grand Council having taken this action in reversing the case
that it endangered the life_ of Stanf«;>rd Chapter and the Acacia Fraternity at large They may have fact that Stanford Chapter is maintaining a better standmg than at any pnor ttme. We have some right to say who will live with us under the same roof. That right we claim for ourselves. The reversion of this case unfortunately _increased the bitterness that had already existed in the Stanford Chapter. The bttterness created a strong feeling against the Attorney for the Defense. We were accused of being liars, weaklings dominated by one or two men _and as a result our friendship for the Broth.er did' not rank very high. I _regretted It very _much because we were very fnends up to the day of the tnal. I do not hesttate to say so much as I am saymg here. The Grand Council considers it their duty and their privilege to criticise any of the chapters when they see fit. I ask one privilege that of stating one principal idea not already new to certain accusations in this trial. I h ave mentioned the fact that the Grand Counc il said that there was no evidence upon which they could sustain the action of Stanford Chapter. However, when it comes to such a thing as the good of the fraternity there are other things that they should consider r a ther than the transcript-the mutual conside r ation of the members of the chapters should be considered. The Grand Council did not consider this case according to our idea and we believe that they had more or less a wrong spirit toward us. vVe may be wrong, but we believe that the Grand Council should have taken the safe side. They seemed to feel that they could do nothing wrong. ow granting that the Grand Council is our supreme body and working with the interest of the fraternity at heart, I believe that they might make a mistake and their attitude toward us was, as if they were dealing with a minor. The brothers in the Stanford Chapter are as sound as you are and we do claim the abi lit y to judge a man we have Jived with for a period of two years. I happened to be present at the house when the report of the Grand Council was received. I do not wish to 'JUOte any of them; they were not what shou ld have b ee n written perhaps. We, p er haps, have made mistakes, also this was our first experience I decided that nothing could be accomplished through useless correspondence and stopped writing. There was no good done to the Acac ia Fraternity by such correspondence whatever. Severa l of the members, you said, did not come back; they were offered good positions and are not coming back. I w i sh to say on behalf of those actively interested in this case that they found positions too attractive to return to the turmoil at Stanford. I did n ot lik e to hear that those four mem,bers were a discredit to Stanford, to the Acacia Fraternity They were going to college for the purpose of obtaining an educat ion and to bring credit to the Acacia Fraternity, and with conditions such as we had in the house they felt that they cou ld not successfully return and, to their credit, continue. Since we have not taken in any new members during the la st semester it l ooked as if the house would not be open this fall. We asked for improvements and notified the University that our lease would terminuate. There were four men available to open the house with $93 per month for the building, it was decided not to open the house. Th e a lumni offered this help. They came· to visit us. Vve appreciate what they did for us. However, with the backing of the alumni we w ill get the money to start the house in the fall. There were no new members in l ast semester, it is not surprising, from those conditions would you ask m:en to join? The avai lable material was not all in the house. We will not try to get them all in this year, but we shall attempt to get in all the good men this year. Our idea of the matter is now to overlook the past and we feel fortunate in being able to open the house. The bills may run behind at first but we can sta rt to obtain new members. We cannot, of course, be as successful as we would be if the bills were not about $30.00 per month p e r member. I have just received word that the house is now open and we have pledged five new men. I wish to present this matter to the Grand Council as a matter that is passed and not to be brought up again. But we hope that in after thought the Acacia Fraternity will be able to see our position. I have given you the facts. vVhat we have done has be e n on the square. We have stood up and taken our rebuff lik e men. That is our message and that is why I represent the Stanford Chapter, so that in the future if there is any quarrel _between the Grand Council and individual chapters they can be governed by this case. If we can possibly help the rest of the chapters so that they can see that it is a difficult matter to expe ll a member except for direct violation of the obligation or for the nonpayment of bills we will feel that we have accomplished some good. Conduct
unb e comin g an A ca cian do e s not seem to be sufficient grounds to expell a membe r. That is a ll. Brothers, that is all.
Grand Pre s id e nt : " What was that conduct for which he was charged ."
Hero ld: " That co nsi s t e d of di s rupting the life of the chapter. On e can be ex pell ed f r o m the B lu e Lod g e for conduct unbecoming a Mason. "
Grand Pre s id e nt: " vVhen did Brother X stop attending your meet· ings. "
Herold: "I w as n o t in the house when the Brother accused stopped and cannot say. "
He did not attend the meetings prior to the trial and following the trouble. Brother Laken asks if specifications relative to the third charge were submitted to the Grand Council.
Herold : " Th ey were."
Grand Presid e nt: "You have to speak also of the quarrel."
Missouri: "Did he plead guilty of blackballing a man for spite."
Herold: " He plead guilty of blackballing a man for spite."
Grand President: " Did Brother X select his counsel?"
Herold : " H e had spok e n to Brother Laken. Broken Laken asked to be left off, but acted as counsel for the defense at the request of the V. D. of the Chapter. The attorn ey for the defense is a graduate of 1908. He did n ot tak e an acti v e part in the affairs of the house only on the day of the trial. A nd we supposed from the correspondence that took place that Stanford Chapter should withdraw from the Fraternity. We were of that opini o n from the correspondence that took place."
Grand Pre s ident: " Several members were considering petitioning another organization, were they not?"
Herold: "I w ould like to ask you what would constitute evidence to the contrary. If our record is good we desire to state that there is nothing of the m o vement on foot by the Acacians or individual members. Our financial statement was the best of any on the campus. Our social relations on the campus with other fraternities were good. We had no difficulty in gettin g in men. Th e re was an organization at Stanfo rd w hich had petitioned for a chapter of a fraternity and they did not succeed in five y ears. Do not talk to us about .starting a chapter , we know what it m eans. There was a time when such a question ca me up for di s cussion in meeting . One individual spoke for such a movem e nt and it was not discussed again. He was squelched and it was never reopened. "
Grand President: "Did your chapter have in mind that the Grand Council might r everse your decision?"
Herold: "We were over-confident that it would be upheld. I regret it very much now but it is too late, perhaps for the best."
Grand President: " The report of the case will be in the report of the Grand C o uncil. W e want to get a photograph of conditions at the Standford Chapter."
Grand Secretary: " This Grand Council is a many-headed body now days I would like to have that statement, reported to have come from a member of the Grand Council, that the Stanford Chapter be required to go, in black and white."
Herold: "Kilmer, I regret very . much, I have all of the correspondence and you can look it over."
Grand President: "I would like to have a very definite answer and you know that there was no evidence that ever came to my attention?"
Herold: "The question came up once before but was squelched as it should have been."
Grand President: "Did not one of the letters which a man on the Pacific Coast received say that it was a case of Stanford Chapter against X or Stanford Chapter against the Grand Council?"
Herold: "It was the opinion of all the members except one."
Grand President: "Did not the members of Stanford Chapter have the report of the members of the Grand Council?"
Herold: "We did not have knowledge of the decisions of the various members."
Grand President: "We can say there that a separate decision was rendered by the members of the Grand Council, I wanted to be sure it was the opinion of the Grand Council."
Herold: "I regret very much that we could not have had some member of the Grand Council at the chapter, before the matter came up. Brother Mann did come after the trial, but we regret that he was not present at the trial."
Grand President: "Did not Brother Durand act with impartiality."
Herold: "Yes, a great deal came out in that trial that was not in the transcript, the transcript did not report what took place at the trial. The stenographer could not read his notes."
Grand President: " iWhat does Stanford Chapter think shoul'd have been done?"
Herold: "Hands off. We know the action best, we were present."
Grand President: "The Grand Council then should not have reversed the decision?"
Herold: "We regret that the Grand Council has that power and I would liked to have had some member of the Council investigate Stanford, after the trial we changed, we were independent."
Grand President: "Do you think, as a member of the chapter, that the Grand Council had any right to send out any investigator?"
Herold: "We have a Traveling Counselor here with us."
Grand President: "Do you think it would have paid to have had him come out? Do you think we shou)d have sent a man out there to find out what was the trouble?"
Grand Secretary: "Your chapter thinks that if five or six members had all of the evidence they would have decided that this member was not a worthy member of Acacia."
Grand President: "I want this to be brought before the Conclave for question. I want to know if Stanford Chapter considers anything other than written records should be considered?"
Herold: "No, except in cases where written transcript is not c.omplete."
Grand President: "Do you think Stanford will bring this matter up again?"
Herold: "It has put us out of business, whenever was a meeting in the house the question would come up and we wtsh to tell
you that the discussions were rather warm. The question did come up through correspondence in spite of all we could do. The Venerable Dean had to call it off many times."
Columbia: "Is it in order to ask concerning an appeal? Do you consider simply a question of law or do you decide on the facts of the case?"
Grand President: "I will answer you if you direct that question to me, by Section 45 of our Constitution."
Section 45. In case of an appea l , a transcript of the minutes, testimony and other documents involved in the trial shall be furnished to the Grand Council at the expense of the accused.
Herold: "The answer is that you must consider the facts?"
Grand President: "It is."
Herold: "May I ask one question along that line. Has the Grand Council formulated any rules in regard to the amount of evidence which would be necessary to reverse the decision of a chapter? Do they decide according to the legal law of the country?"
Grand Secretary: "The Grand Council is forced to base its decision on evidence submitted in the transcript."
Herold: "Checking the decisions of the chapters will have no effect on the action of the Grand Council?"
Grand President: "The members of the Grand Council decided that the written record furnished was insufficient grounds for expelling the man from the Acacia Fraternity. There was a lack of proof over charges to sustain. Our decisions closed that trial, we decided that it was particularly fair to the Fraternity."
Herold: "In explanation of your decision you suggested that this was a matter relative to what the Grand Council's powers should be."
Grand President : "This Conclave cannot allow the pledge of this F ra terni ty."
Herold : "Perhaps the conditions were not properly drawn?"
New York A lumni Chapte r: "T he delegate has stated that this Acacian was expelled for conduct unbecoming an Acacian and that he plead guilty. Is that a fact or is it not?"
Grand President: "Conditions?"
New York A lumni : "There was no statement that the Brother plead g uilt y to the third charge?"
Grand President: "Had I found the statement I would have referred it to the chapter. The man plead that he used the black ball for bad purposes."
New York Alumni: "The question was that he pleaded guilty of conduct unb ecoming an Acacian and he says that it is a part of the record."
Grand President: "It was held by the Grand Council that the right of the man to use the black ball cannot be challenged. If he did ballot to the contrary we cannot question the use of the blackball."
N ew York Alumni: "If a man pleads guilty you cannot refuse the facts?"
Grand are those charges made? First, he was charged blackballmg unfairly; you ask me if the charge there is con-
duct unbecoming an Acacian? ow if he admits the charge of blackballing, what does he admit?"
New York Alumni: "You plead guilty or not o-uilty?"
Grand Secretary: "Question?" t:>
Herold: "We admit that mistakes were made, we are not perfect and we did not wish to conduct this case on court methods only. Consider both sides as for the settlement and to the effect on the Acacia Fraternity, the Fraternity stands in a position to be dictator at the present time. The laws should not be interpreted too stricly at the present time. We may be wrong, but we wish to see the best done for the Acacia Fraternity."
Kansas : "Does the Grand Council take into consideration that there are fifteen or twenty men taking the same pledge of two men? Does the Grand Council show the evidence of their view here?"
Grand President: "The decision is in the hands of the Grand Secretary and was on evidence presented."
Kansas : "That is--?
Grand President: "Bear this in mind that the Grand Council did not decide the case on circumstances that expelled the man, but the Grand Council desides within the law on the transcript since that is all they have to judge by. The Grand Council decides on the written record, now this written record is the only evidence to effect that decision. The facts are immaterial, the written record is the whole record."
Penn State: "The transcript was that information made known to the Grand Council?"
Grand President: "We felt that it was a weak document. The record came to me from the Secretary of the Stanford Chapter."
Penn State: "Then the Grand Council feels that it cannot ask for any further information?"
Herold: "I wish to help answer that question. In the appeal the charge was made that the stenographer did not report the case. I believe that I can find it here, we had the two attorneys at the house two evenings so I called Dr. Durand to help get the transcript in shape . lie asked us to point out and show him where it was wrong. This could not be done. It was gone through carefully and changed. He said, you now admit that you can find no more changes. Change in wording of answers is different than it might be given by witnesses in the trial. Dr. Durand had to recommend that the document had to be used because there were no other records to read."
Penn State: "Does the Grand Council feel that even if the charges presented were sustained that those charges were not sufficient to expel a member?"
Grand President: "I would have to consider each member of the Grand Council."
Cornell: "It never occurred to us to attempt to expel an Acacian in our chapter. We use more rigorous methods. Acacia is a training school for Masons and it should be so regarded and a case like this should not be required to come up before the Grand Council."
Herold: "There was an attempt upon the part of the chapter to punish the man along that line. The effect went to the reverse with members alone for I could not get along with them. The boys did all
within their power to help that man. They got along with him as long as they could. Trouble had to come. It had gone to far. In answer to your other question relative to the charges, you understand the charge must be made regularly and specifications must follow. Any evidence not bearing on the specifications must be ruled out. The following was ruled out . The defendant, knife in hand , chased his room mate in the "Dorms." We did not bring up such evidence in the trial."
Grand Vice-President: "I would like to ask Brother Herold if he is satisfied that the vote of the Grand Council was poor judgment, and lack of proper handling or that of a deliberate attempt to slap Stanford in the face?"
Herold: "I am g lad that you asked that question. We considered that we were trying a man as well as we could. We did not believe that there was any movement to get rid of us. No, we never made the accusation that way. That wou ld make the chapter close its doors."
Grand Vice-President : "Do you think you will succeed in getting mem hers to return? Can you make them see it in the right light?" ·
Herold: "I think so. We can open the doors for one or two semesters until we are clear of the boards. We are going back a nd start over again as if nothing had happened."
Grand President: "I say that you should not go back there as if nothing had happened. It has happened and we must face it, we must not forget it. You are going to go back to your Chapter and tell them just what has happened here."
Herold: "We can live with or without, with or without the Grand Council maintaining or not maintaining our decisions."
D e legate Wallace Hoke
Methods of Getting New Men: The active men meet all trains and watch for Masons; A lumni assist in getting men; smoker given for Masons during the first week of school.
House Conditions: House rem'ode l ed, price of rent increased, trying to get a home of our own; building association to be organized.
Fraternity r ep re se nted in most lin es of activity on the campus. In good financial shape. First place in scholarship. Conditions look good for this year.
Grand Vice President Fay takes chair.
"F ifty to eig hty Masons in school each year. Good attendance at the chapter meetings. P e nalty inflicted for not attending. Chapter publication is issued, called the P added Hammer. No forma l dance is given."
Pan H e llenic rules govern our rushing Acacia Building Company has $3,500 on hand, a nd when we obtain $5,000 we expect to buy a site. Incorporated conce rn, stock issued .
Formal dance given at a cost of $250. First in scholarship in eighteen out of twenty-one reports, the high es t of any fraternity. Singing three songs. Acco unting system will be put into effect the first of the year. Member interfraternity council.
Grand Secretary suggests that Nebraska as well as others should pay their bills first before giving formals.
Delegate M. ]. Minkler
Seventeen old men back, five new men.
Letters written to three hundred lodges of state to secure new members. Smokers given, first week of the school.
Eighty dollars per month rent for house.
Grand Counse lor: "Are these letters the cause of any unpleasant situations t o yo u ?"
Californ ia: "No, no u npleasing situations have yet arisen . Motions lost are not kept on record. System of e lecting officers, no nomination. No interfraternity counci l at Ca l ifornia. Thirty-six national fraternities and twelve l ocals .
A discussion of ritua l fo ll owed and the sentiment of the Conclave against horse play in initiation was generally expressed.
De l egate C. M. Rose
Rus h ing: A ll t r ains met i n search for Masons. Interfraternity relations best of any at the University. One forma l dance given, our first formal dance, and several informal dances during the year. Scho l arship, equal to the fraternity average. Prospects fo r a good year. Financial reports given by steward, one every two weeks. Good turnouts at meetings.
Ritua l. This is put on .correct l y. Songs are sung at the table every meal. Committee system used i n the chapter. Roll ca ll at every chapter meeting.
Rushi n g, same as at five members.
Delegate ]. F. Rhodes other c h apters. Masonic Cl ub on the campus, seventy-
New Me n Fifteen or e ighteen m en w ill return this year. Finance . House, va lue $ 12,000, debt $8,000. Being paid up by members and graduates. House in the hands of Acacia Trust. Acacia relations different from those at other universities. On l y four national fraternities on the campus. Club y tern used almost comp l ete l y. Re lations to the national fraternity are all right. Budget ystem in use and has worked out very successfully. Seven Greeks in the fraternity at present. Initiated three th is year. Fifty per cent of active membership attend the meetings. Will have no trouble to run this next year. Plan program of social events ahead.
Illinois moves t h at the meeting be adjourned until 7:30 at the chapter house where the reports wi ll be continued. Manhattan seconds; motion carried.
Purdue Chapter House, Tuesday, September 12. Meeting called to order by Grand Counse lor Brown at 8 p. m .
D e l egate B. L. Kirk
Rushing, same methods, get men at trains, look for buttons, give two smokers, one at the University for all Masons and one at the Chapter House to get a better line on the material in hand.
New house at Urbana. Finance problem. National conditions good. Scholarship, good. Forma l dance given, cost $450.
Paid off some on the house debt this year. Notes of BU!ldmg Assoc1ahon are discounted at the bank. Treated as a commercial or business matter and caused no hard fee l ing among the members. Increase of membership from the usual twenty-five to thirty-three or four. House was too full. Members became clanish. Sixty per cent of membership attend meetings
Cost of formals from $11 to $15 ' apiece. Alumni help on dances. Eight to ten-course dinner and three or four d ances after each course. Use of hall donated free. Hall for a dance of this sort generally costs $35. Rushees never entertained at these dances. No members from other fraternities entertained either.
Rushing, Masonic Smokers given. Eight new men and eight freshmen. First time that we have been a ble to get any freshmen and they will be good Acacia men. House rent $60. Sixte e n or seventeen . men in the house . Have broken no national rulings . Local conditions good. Roll call before chapter meetin gs. Have had several men holding offices in the Veterinary and Dental Schools activities but not in the college. That is in the hands of two or three of th e older f.rat'ernities. Eighty-four have signed the guest book since we r ece ived it. three ladi es ni g hts during the year. No dances this year.
No definite plans for getting n ew mem,bers. Smokers held. Masonic Club a t the University. Information blank at University contains space for Lodge affiliation House rent $125 for ten months. Active men signs ten notes for $10, payable one each year for ten years after they leave school. National Fraternity relations are of the best.
Belong to Pan Hellenic Council. Interested in all lines of athletics. At least one dance a month No formal. Finances do not permit. Singing at the tabl e. Ritu a l put on correctly. All memorized. Twenty-two men back this year, eightteen act ive and eight pledges.
Del ega te E. ]. Morrison
No special method of se curing new men Secure new men by personal interview. Tw e nty-two men in the house, thirty-three at the table. No national rules violated. Good int erf r ate rnity rel a tions. Methods of entertaining guests of the best . Singing at eac h m ea l, several Acacia songs. Homelike atmosphere around chapter h o us e is partly du e to Sunday night lunches at the Ice Box .
Del ega te ]. A. Faris
Ru s hing somewhat similar to that at other universities and colleges. Do not meet trains looking for men. Large p er centage of men do outside work while in school. Rushing continues all of the year. Men come to school feeling sure that a certain fraternity will pledge them Intend to meet trains this year. Pl ace on R eg istration Cards for Lodge Affiliation. Masonic Club started. Association of Commissaries attends to the buying for twenty-six or twenty-seven fraternities at the University.
No P an Hellenic Council at th e Univ ers ity of Missouri Local fraternity condition s ideal. Pending legislation against the fr a ternities. National Interfraternity Council will tak e up the fraternity situation at Missouri and study the matt er. Visit of Grand Couns elor Brown did immens e amount of good for this chapt er . Chaperone or house mother has been in the house for seven or eight years on a salary of $20 per month . Only one or two attempts at singing Acacia songs at the t ab l e . D o much singing of college songs at the piano. Finances. Assessment plan tried . Total assessment per year amounts to $25 or $30 per man.
Meth?ds of r.u s hing are unsati sfac tory. Masonic Club on the campus Great difficulty 111 meet111g th e trains is that the eastern Masons do not wear their pins _much as d<? the _Wes t e rn Masons. Masonic smoker given under the superVISIOn of Acac1a. L1st of Masons belonging to other fraternities made and thes e a re as ked. to help Acacia in getting new members. House capacity fifteen, d111111g room e1ghteen. Usually pledge one-third of all men rushed . No blackballs cast I.f a man is unfavorable his name is not brought up for vote. All graduates hv111g· 111 the hous e a re active members. Got a great deal of good OU[
of Grand Counselor Brown's visit . Some trouble with the accounting system. Will install new sys_tem this fall. Custom of playing baseball every year with Syracuse Chapter bnngs the chapters closer together. Last year's game resulted in a tie sco re , 9 to 9.
Scholarship good, in previous years but not satisfactory last year, sixteenth or eightee nth p lace No formal dance given. One or two dances during the year. Relations with lo ca l fraternity life very good. We pay $1,200 per year rent for house.
Delegate G. H. Eddy
Rushing the sam:e as at other universities, meet trains, etc. Plenty of singing around house , considerable mu sic.
Mason ic smoke rs given. Acacia Building Association owns house. We pay $240 per month rent. Last year s t eward made $500 clear from his policy of running the dining room. Alumni have an active interest in the house and come back very often All h e lp in the suppor t of the house. Annua l home coming game does a g r eat dea l to facilitate this.
Loca l ru li ng of Pan Hellenic Council prevents Acacia joining. Seem to be better off out of the organization. Acac ia commands very much respect among a ll on the Perdue campus Scholarship stand in g, second on the cam;pus. We vut $3,000 in cash into th e house proposit ion to start with. At the present rate of collecting notes and the rent th a t Purdue Chapter is paying the house shou ld be paid for w ithin eight years. The stewa rd system was started when the fraternity was $400 or $500 in debt. Inter est kept up among the alumni by the Purdue Chapter publication, "The Hour Glass." Note plan used for house, four notes of $25 each.
Grand President: " I will appoint the following men to act as a Committee on Chapter Constitution and By-Laws: Jenkins, Chairman; Fitzgerald and \ 71/ ebb."
Moved by California to adjourn . Seconded b y Co lorado. Motion carried.
Adjourned at 10 p . m. until 9 a. m . Wednesday.
Masonic Temp l e, 9 a . m. \Vednesday, September 13.
The Grand Pres ident read certain correspondence between himself and the Secretary of t h e Interfraternity Conference.
A roll ca ll showed a ll present but d e lega te from Ames.
Brot h ers: We, the members of th e Grand Council, submit the following report and recommendations and th e provisional budget as r eq uir ed by law:
Marshal H. De a n Colorado Chapter
Alfred Seale
Charles H. Ja co bson
Samuel P. Coch ran
1. We report th e ratification of the election of the following honorary m embers and their e nrollm ent:
Chapter
Colorado Chapter
exas Chapter Jewe ! P. Lightfoot..
Tex as Chapter
2. No meeting of the Council has been held this year and matters coming before the Counci l hav e been forwarded by mail from one member to another. In this manner it was determined to app ropri a t e $ 150 for the expenses of the EndowmJent Committee. The Council felt that this work s hould be done and that the Endowment Committee shou l d not be handicapped since they were ready and willing to do their part.
3. The Council approved the n ew system of bookkeepmg and dtrected the Grand Secretary to have the forms prepared. and forwarded to the chapters . 4 . We have the fo ll ow ing r ecomme nd a tiOn s to make:
We recommend that the Grand President be given authority to make a contract with an official jeweler for a period of two years from Jan 1st, 1917, and that chapters be required to purchase all badges through the Grand Secretary.
If a Conclave is held in 1917 this deficit will be $1,750.00. To meet such a deficit Grand Council recommends an increase of per capita tax to $8.00 per member.
Your Grand Council recommends that the following budget be adopted for the year 191 6- 17 and for the year 1917-18, with a proviso th a t only one Conclave be h eld and that in 1918.
The books of the Grand Secretary show that cas h on hand and the accounts receiv ab le on hand as of this date, exceed the li ab iliti es by approximately $1,600, and of this amou nt we recommend that $75 be appropriated to th e Endowment Fund and that th e balance b e reserved in the treasury.
5: The Grand President appointed the following delegates to the Int erfraternity Conference: Ge0. E. Frazer, R Cecil Fay and A. A. Jenkin s
6. The Grand Council recommends th e following as a provisional budget:
Preliminary Budget RECEIPTS :
7. Stanford Chapter vs X. Your Grand Council has received the transcript of this case in due form and after an examination of the transcript finds - to the ch a rges se t forth as follows:
Charge I. That the said X is of a general irritable, quarrelsome and obstinat e n a ture unbecoming a member of Acacia Fraternity.
Your Grand Cou ncil has relied upon the transcript of the ca se in the examination of the evidence under this charge and finds the reported evidence insufficient to su s tain this charg e.
Charge II. That the defendant while an active member refused to re side within the chapter hous e and that the defendant has at no time received the necessary two-third s vote permitting him to reside without the chapter house .
An examination of ev idence presented on page 17 of the transcript shows that at a special meeting Bro. X requ es ted permi ssion to leave the house and leav e was granted.
The attorney pro sec uting this charge relied upon the fact that Bro. X was alleged to have said that " he would leave anyhow." In the opinion of your Grand Council the truth of the statement is immaterial, since the chapter vote must be presumed to have been taken after the close of the debate and therefore to have been conclu sive as to the weight of statments made during the debate
Charge III. That .the conducted himself in a manner unbecoming a member of the Acac1a Fratermty m that he did blackball the name of a proposed candidate after stating that it was his intention to do so.
Your Grand Council, after considering the transcript of the case, is unable to find that the defendant made any use of the blackball other than that which he had a perfect right to make.
The right of a member to blackball a prospective member must not be questioned. This unqualified right must be held uncontestable, else the very purpose of the secret ballot would be defeated. The only possible exception to this is the instance in which member maliciously and repeatedly votes the blackball.
Your Grand Council does not find that the evidence presented in the transcript sustains the charge.
The Grand Council therefore orders that the decision of Stanford Chapter, as entered upon the records of that chapter, be cancelled and that Brother X be considered a member of Stanford Chapter as from the beginning.
(Signed) GEO. E. FRAZER, R. CECIL FAY, J, A. WOODWARD, HARRY E. KILMER, WILLIAM G. MANN, HARRY L. BROWN.
The Grand Council approves the credentials of the following delegates:
Michigan-A. R. Smith
Stanford-S. C. Herold
Kansas-W. 0. Hake
Nebraska-Chas. E. Paul
California-M . J. Minkler
Ohio tate-C. M. Rose
Harvard-]. F. Rhodes
Illinois-B. L. Kirk
Franklin-]. L. Armour
Minnesota-Aug ust Neubauer
Wi consin-E. J. Morrison
Missouri-J. A. Faris
Corneli-O. W. Dynes
Purdue-G. H. Eddy
Chicago-W. H. Parker
Yale-J. R. Schultz
Columbia-B. G. Smith
Iowa State-F. F. Householder (absent)
Iowa-L. P. Holt
Pennsylvania State-W. S. Dye, Jr.
Washington-J. C. Palmer
Colorado-H. N. Orr
Syracuse-L. Lindsey
Kansas State-G. C. Ferrier
Texas-R. C. Thaxton
Chicago Alumni Association-W. J. McFarland and Nicholas Praaken
• Tew York Alumni Association-Dr. A. G. Lawrence
Northern California Alumni Association-S. C. Herold
Reports of delegates was resumed.
D elegate N. H. Parker
Rushing, somewhat the same as the other chapters, a rushing committee of three members with a chairman in charge of all rushing. Masonic smoker given under the auspices of the Square and Compass Club Acacia smoker given later to line up better prospective pledges House rent $75, quarters small, handicapped for entertai nments. Have Building Association and Building Fund. Each man on leaving school must sign ten $10 notes payable one each year for ten years. Five hundred dollars has been paid in in this manner. Scholarship very good, first or second place. No membership in Interfraternity Council.
Delegate J . R. Schultz
Pledging and rushing continues throughout the year. No house proposition. This is because of the existing conditions at Yale. Find accounting system working satisfac torily. No local interfraternity relations. Fraternities at Yale
have few dances. Scholarship high. Good financial condition. Member hip records always kept up. Pledge active members of other Greek letter fratermties. These men are quite active in Acacia and help the chapter out in many ways. Book and Gavel Club, a club of Masons on th e campus. Sixty per cent of active members at each meeting.
Rushing Committee . Cannot m ,eet tr ains. 'Not able to get any assistance thro4gh information blanks. University has gran t ed permission to have a desk placed in the hall of the registering room for all Masons to register. K. C.'s have strong hold on all offices of the Univ e rsity. Smoker given ten days after schoo l opens. Opportunity to visit Frenc h and Italian Lodges in New York City Practic e of writing to other Acacia chapters to find out whether a man is suitable for e l ection into ou r chapter. Section in By-Laws to this effect. That a man who is r ef used admission int o one Acac ia Chapter cannot apply and receive admission into anothe r Materia l mostly graduate men.
Rushing committee of five members , but entire chapter supposed to attend to rushing. Card index system of names of every Mason in schoo l.
Hav e spent considerab l e time in looking for a suitab l e house . House rent very high in New York. Cost for a room 6x8 per week, $4 .00; room 10x14 $5 .00 eac h per week. Good financial condit ion, no debts. Make it a point to keep in clos e touch with the Grand Counci l on all matters brought up in the New accounting system started.
Ev e rybody rush all the time, meet a ll the trains, find that many Masons do not wear their pins, Registrar is favorable to having lodg affi liation placed on the registration blanks. Three of our best men secured through the efforts of traveling men throughout the state.
Have a five-year l ease of house. Rent $1 ,000 per year of nine months. Hope to have own hous e . H a ve been wo rkin g on house proposition.
Relations to the National Fraternity a ll right.
Thirt ee n m e n back, two pledges. Two men to be pledged this fall who have th eir Masonry and who held out from joinin g a Greek Letter Fraternity to join Acacia.
Not a member of the Pan Hellenic Council. The council cons ists of eight out of sixteen fraterniti e s on the campus. There has n eve r been another one a dmitted since its organization. We are members of the Interfraternity Council, a fraternity organization of th e University.
Accounting system found very favorable .
The initiation of a member at Davenport, Iowa, at a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, censured by Grand President, who said that initiations should not tak e place outs id e of the chapter house.
Moved by Columbia that the meeting adjourn. Seconded by Harvard. Motion carried.
Masonic Temple, 2 p. m. Wednesday, September 13. Conclave called to order by Grand President.
To the members of the 1916 Grand Conclave of the Acacia Fraternity: D ea r Brothers: I am pleased to present the following financia l report of the Grand Trea surer's Offic e:
Tota l cash o n hand Aug. 21, 1915 .... ......................... .......................... .$ 5,053.39 Cash r ece ipts for the past year..
_ 7,591.03
$12,730.92
$12,730.92
In connection with this report, I wish to emphasize the importance of this Conclave taking adequate steps to improve our financial policy. I would point out that were it not for the surp lus carried over from l as t year, we would not have sufficie nt funds to meet the expense of our annual Conclave .
This Conclave is charged with the responsibility of solving these problems of the fraternity and we m'.ust decid e whether we shall curtail our expendit ures by adoption of a biennial Conclave or by limitation of the Counselor's work or increase our revenue by an additional per capita tax. In its re commenda tions to th e Conclave your Committee on the Time and Place of the next Grand Conclave, sho uld give careful consideration to the location as affecting expense.
Our organization shquld operate on a busin ess ba s is and adopt a conservative financial policy, that contemplates keeping expenditures within our current rev enue and I recommend the balance remaining in the treasury be carried as a surplus account. Resp e ctfully submitted,
]. A. WOODWARD, Grand Treasu rer.
Grand President: "This report is of great importance. We should have a surplus account as well as an endowment account, then we will not have any grave financial problems."
Moved by Illinois and seconded by Harvard that report be accepted. Carried.
Grand Secretary: "In the present report more than $100.00 was collected in interest; that is a fine showing. It is a mJatter of business and is very commendable."
Grand President: "V/ e are glad we have had in our own midst a man who could take care of the reporting and we owe a great debt to the delegate who has reported up to this point, Brother J. C. Palmer of Wa hington. I am going to ask the Grand Counselor to take the chair."
Grand Counselor: "In referring to Ohio Chapter, I refer to Ohio State Chapter. I understand that the chapter has adopted the name of Ohio Chapter instead of Ohio State Chapter."
New Members. Some of the methods of getting new men are not feasible, so we mostly rely on the system that most of you use, standing at the stations and picking out the men that look to be Masons . The condition that existed in the State of Pennsylvania has caus e d us to begin a campaign of missionary work. I say this because I believe it to be a good one. We have adopted a lectur e system,. We invite students and we invite men who live in the town or near by, to come out to the chapter house and listen to a lecture. We had five of these l ectures and the men in the town were much pleased and the visitors were much impressed, and with the ideals that Acacia stands for our prospects are good.
In regard to our house conditions, we rent our house for $600.00 per year. We have a small house but I think the house is entirely large enough to meet our needs. We begin the year with a capacity house. There will be fifteen men in the house for the present year. Any new members who happen to be taken into the chapter will of necessity have to remain outsid e.
With relation to our National Fraternity, we have attempted as far as we could to carry out the laws of the fraternity at large and to stand by all decisions of the National Council.
Our relation with the local fraternities is a peculiar one. We have an interfraternity council. It is a close corporation. About two years ago the interfraternity conference put up a cup, and it so happened that there were a couplt of fellows among members of the Greek l etter fraternities that were at the bot-
tom of the whole movement They didn't want us brought in as members of the fraternity conference and in order to get around that they made this ruling that only the general college fraternities should compete. We had a restrainina clause that would not permit us to take anybody but Masons and we were eliminated from competing.
For two years we have had as good a scholarship record as any of the fraternity chapters composing that organization. Our financial organization is very good. We owe no money to anybody, we have money in the treasury to start the new year and with the membership with which the year begins we feel there will be no difficulty in Pennsylvania State.
Acting Grand President: "How is your attendance?"
Dye: " Our attendance is very good We keep a record The conditions under which we now are laboring to some disadvantage arose several years ago. We attempted to do something like the work that was done by California and sent out a letter·to students who were Masons . In some way that letter fell into the hands of the Grand Master and he was on the point of issuing an edict against Acacia, but Judge Orlady, Past Grand Master and honorary member of Franklin Chapter, saw that no edict was issued . We have started a campaign of education so we can show Pennsylvania that we really mean something, that we really stand for something, and that we are not really a Masonic fraternity. They had an idea that we were attempting to do Masonic work in our chapter house and a misunderstanding arose that we are trying to overcome. V/ e have in mind entertaining the gentleman who will be the next Grand Master. vV e have every reason to think that he will come. We are going to try to impress him that we are worth while."
Acting Grand President: "What are the prospects in regard to the University?"
Dye: "It lives from hand to mouth. We are at the mercy of the State Legislature and the number of students who are admitted in any one year is wholly dependent on the appropriation."
Acting Grand President: "Any mill tax?''
Dye: "None whatever, and while one year we may get a good appropriation the next we may not . I think, however, that one may safely say that we can depend on the admission each year of a freshman class of six or seven hundred and that number is likely to increase ."
Acting Grand President: "You had a complaint on the accounting system?"
Dye: "I haven't had an opportunity to make that."
Acting Grand President: "Make that now please."
Dye: "The only complaint that the secretary had to make last year was that he believed the accounting system was somewhat more complicated than absolutely necessary. He put it this way: 'Here we have a column for debits or credits and then instead of the column for the other side of the ledger we have four or five columns and then a balance struck from those totals.' That was his co1111plaint He believed that a system of single ledger keeping would be more satisfactory."
Syracuse: "Do I understand that Jewish students have been ruled as non-fraternity members?"
Dye: "They are not eligible for membership in this interfraternity conference."
Delegate J. C .Palmer
"When the report cam.e in of the vote on th e arn,e ndments to the constitution, you noticed that Washington didn't vote. Th at was due to th e negligence of our secretary and we are sorry that anything like that happened."
In the matter of s in ging songs, we all sing songs, "Beneath Acacia Shade" is the favorite and at noon we sing the whistle song. We are members of the interfraternity council at Washington and we have a representative there at each meeting and we take part in all athletics.
Our debt to the Grand Secertary, $108.70, may seem la rge to you, but will be covered by my expense voucher.
We expect to have about ten men back this fall. I don ' t know how things are at the house now1 The day before I left we moved into a better location, clo se to the campus and the fr a t e rnities, and the prospect s look brighter than they ever did before.
In r ega rd to the accounting system, we tri ed that out this last semester and there were two men in the chapter who were making a spec ia l s tudy of it and a man who worked in the bank said it wasn't a good system. All the other delegates sa id they thought it was a good system.
Acting Grand President: "Tell us what the conditions are which make it seem to you to be necessary to take men in the house who are not Masons? I stated at th e beginning that this is a vital point. It is again s t the Constitution of Acacia."
Palmer: "The charter members were principally faculty members or old men. When I entered the house there were only two active members of Acacia. The majority of them were faculty men and members of other Greek letter fraternities. It seems that the students of ington are a more democratic set of fellows. Most of them are earning their own way, and then Acacia is not l arge enough there to cau e men to want to come into it. They want to come into it for Masonic purposes and not for Acacia. When we meet a man on the campus and he is a likely man and he says, 'I have always wanted to become a Mason,' we usually pledge a man under thos e circumstances. First we write to his father and find out how his father stands on the subject. We usually find out that the father is very delighted to have his son become a Mason and so we pledge the man and then within two or three weeks we get him to come in. I have be en talking to some of the delegates and they say they do the same only they don't pledge him at all. After h e takes the pledge we are in such a financial po sit ion that we have to put him in as soon as we can because of the lack of Masons."
Acting Grand President: "You think you are going to have to continue that practice?"
Palmer: "No, we are going to discontinue it after this year. I have been fighting against it. The University of Washington is growing very fast. In 1908 there were only one thousand students there and today there are some four thousand. The increased number of Masons is proportionate."
Acting Grand President: "Have you not had several instances of men who have lived in the house and who have never actually gone into Acacia?"
Palmer: "All except one case and I corresponded with the Minnesota Chapter and he wrote back and told me that he intended to put in his petition."
Acting Grand President: "But he never has?"
Palmer: "I don't know. I never heard. Mr. Seydel of Chicago Chapter was pledged to Washington Chapter and had to leave the University before he had his work or took his Masonic work and was initiated at Chicago and was one of their soundest men."
Acting Grand President: "How do you get around the pledge ceremony of the man not being a Mason?"
Palmer: "Leave it out. V\T e tell him that he signifies his intention of being a Mason."
Acting Grand President: "And you use the ceremony without that clause?"
Palmer: "Yes."
Acting Grand President: "How many student Masons in the University?"
Palmer: "Between forty and sixty. We adopt the same method of getting them as a good many other chapters . At the end of the first week we give a smoker and give another later."
Acting Grand President: "You think that the practice of pledging men will be discontinued?"
Palmer: "We will have to."
Acting Grand President: "Have you drawn up a constitution and by-laws.
Palmer : "Yes."
Acting Grand President: "How about your membership record?"
Palmer : "What was the trouble with the membership records, they were kept in g ood shape?"
Acting Grand President: "What condition do you now keep them in?"
Palmer: "Keep them in a bound book that we had when the chapter was installed."
Acting Grand President: ''How about your minutes?"
Palmer: "There is another kick against the secretary. I was the secretary last year and put them in a typewritten book at the end of each semester. But the last secretary was very negligent. He pulled us down in scholarship and membership and several other ways ."
Acting Grand President: "Do you make any attempt to bolster up a man?"
Palmer: "Yes, there is a method by which we find the record of each man each month We have the professor send a card each month and tell us the grade of each student and they intend to make the fraternity help the student along educational lines."
Acting Grand President: "Have you begun to make a practice of memorizing the ritual?"
Palmer: "Yes , we are going to do that; we are ordered to memorize the work this summer "
Acting Grand President: "Have you any definite plan for building?"
Palmer: " We have a system whereby each student, when he leaves the University , signs up ten notes payable each year, and we have a definite _house plan in view when we have the money."
Actmg Grand . President: "Has your alumni interest been rather slack?"
Palmer: "Yes, we invite the a lumni to the house to all smokers dances, etc. It seems that most of the young alumni in Seattle getting married and they have a lot to attend to."
Acting Grand President: Have you any system to promote scholarship?"
Palmer: "There were several little schemes originated last year to improve the general scholarship. The man who has the highest average at the e nd of the year ha s his picture framed by the chapter and placed in the nook. We also have a 'Con Table.' All members or pledgers receiving conditions o r warn in gs are compelled to sit at the ·con Table," two weeks for a warning and fo ur weeks for a condition. The senior lend a helping h and to the und erc lassmen ."
Missouri: "I would like to ask if by that method of pledging you don't lose more men than you would under the regular method?"
Palmer: "There is not the tie that binds; I can assure you of that."
Missouri: "How many men have you lost after pledging them, men that you didn't ge t to initiate? "
Palmer: "Last year we didn't lose one man. We lost a couple of men because they didn't come back. This year I don't how ju st what the condit ions are ."
Misso uri: "Suppose those men do come back in late r years and don't take Masonry; don't yo u think it would reflect on yo ur chapter?"
Palmer: "Yes, I think it would."
Missouri: " Have yo u eve r had a pledge broken?"
Pa lm er : "We had one pledge broken by a Mason, but we didn't have any of those pledges broken ."
Misso uri: "How long do you think those pledges are binding? That pledge wou ldn't hold good for an indefinite time would it?"
Palmer: "No, only for a year. If he is pledged in February that pledge runs out in June, and if he comes back in September he has to repl edge."
Co lorado : "How long will it take to impr ove conditions in your op inion? "
Pa lmer: "Co nditions can be better during this year ."
Acting Grand President? "You feel very confident of that this year?"
Pa lmer: " Yes. In regard to lodge work we take care of University Lodge one night each year, which is called University Night. We confer the three degrees and have banquets, etc."
Act ing Grand President: "Do other members of your chapter feel as you do, that you will be ab l e to change those conditions this year?"
Palmer: "That was the message that I was to bring to this Conclave, that the chapter as a whole was going to turn over a new leaf."
Deleg a te H . N. Orr
This year we will be a house fr a ternity and not a club. This past year we have had no house life we have been confined to two rooms which were connected and we have had one and two members that have lived in those rooms all the time but there was seldom a time that one could not meet four or five of the members th e re each evening. About the only real service h as been th e club meetings but this p as t year we have p l anned all during the year that we would enter a house. We have made arrangements for a house really larger than we
are in need of, that is the trouble. It is five blocks distance from the campua but it is an ideal fraternity house and under the terms of our contract we are satisfied we can make a success of it. There will be twelve of the old membera return this year, of those eight will be available for the house unless the plans have been changed in the last two weeks. We are quite hopeful that the new material coming into the school will be the best. There have been cards entered in the last few m 'onths and this encourages us to believe that the register will be larger than ever before. We have about sixty Masons enrolled in the school and of those fully half are Greek members. Up to February some of the chapter said that Greek men should not be excluded from the chapter and we had several debates and finally it was agreed among the chapter. They seem to look upon Acacia more as a Masonic degree. We have several who practically pulled Colorado through, they have worked and pulled Colorado through, so that in the last semester we have taken the second stand that Greek letter men never be admitted into the chapter again. We have not as yet put that in our by-laws but it will be one of the first issues that will come up when I get back home, and we hope to get along wit h more of a fraternity lif e w.ithout them. They have scattered the men and placed their allegiance to their Greek Fraternities in preference to Acacia. We find in a condition of that kind that they have not benefited the chapter a nd that is the reason we have taken this stand against them.
The only added fact we have is the l et t er that we sent out. We have a formal letter that we sent out to the different lodges asking that any Mason that was coming to Boulder would come around to the club house and let us help him get loc ated. We didn't make any promises as to what we would do in taking them into the chapter but just to help th em get located. We feel very proud of the accomplishment in that line. We maintain a team and during the year we found work in four lodges, outside of that our act ivities have been rather local.
Acting Grand President: "Did I understand you to say you had leased a house for next year?"
Orr: "Yes."
Acting Grand President: "You have made definite arrangements?"
Orr: "Yes. At least eight men are in the house now."
California: "Have you enough to run the house?"
Orr: "The first part of this year, of our available material, hoping is about all we can say . I left before the students began to come in from la st year; there were three men prospects; they expected to return before leaving last spring, but as to whether or not they have I can not say, but with the men that we have now we will be able to get along, I am satisfied. At present we have, I think, nine members who are Greeks but there will be no more Greeks taken in. In April the names of five prominent men of the school, one of them president of the debating society, were presented and their names were scratched and they were turned down for the sole reason they were members of Greek fraternities."
· California: "Do you still continue your practice of taking men in the summer months?"
Orr: "It was discontinued."
California: "How short a time do you take men in for if the y are going to be there for six months?"
Orr: "Up to Christmas of their senior year. We feel that a man not only be judged by what he can do while in school, we take them m even for a semester. We feel that a good alumnus is a good asset."
Acting Grand President: "That is the best report that Colorado has made for some time."
Stanford: " I have not as yet received expense account from Grand
Secretary and Grand Treasurer and nothing from Brother Householder of Io wa.
Delegate Loui's Lindsey
We initiated but three men last year but that does not mean that we are and out. If our .as a chapter depended on how many men we 1n1t1at ed we could have Initiated e1ght or nine. There were two Masons we could have initiated the year an.d was nothing against them and nothing for them. We 1111t1ated one semor dunng the last year a man that will be a credit to us when h e goes out, not because he was wear'thy, but because of his work. We have one man ready to approach when we get back. We have assurance that there will be three men there this year, one pledged last year and two this year, and the prospects are we will s tart out with four or five men and the rest of the house will be fi ll ed with alumni. We have prospects of three or four men whom we know, so I think there is no question but what there may be any way more initiates than last y ear.
Our property is entirely under the control of the corporation under the laws of the state. This contains all of the alumni of the fraternity. We have still due on our furniture $100.00. There is due upon our house about $6,000.00. We have paid in the last two years about $500.00. We carry this indebtedness on five per cent interest and it i s so arranged that with the annual payments we are gradua lly paying off our ind ebtedness
Our relations with the National Fraternity have been the best. We have no outstand ing bills either in Syracuse or other places.
We have no complaint about the present arrangement as to the pins. We realize that under the conditions of last year it was absolutely necessary to start with.
We have not put in the acco unting system but wjll put it in this fall.
As for sc holarship, for two years only h as the scholarship been published. The first year we stood thr ee or four per cent above th e highest Gr e ek Letter Fraternity in the university and three per cent above the highest sorority. We are not allowe d to compete for the cup. Thi s cup is given to Greek l ette r fraternities with twenty ac tive members The only re ason so far as we know for not being allowed to compete was that we must be Masons. Th e reason why I aske d Pennsylvani a St ate if the Jewi s h fraternity were not restricted is that the cup at Syracuse goes to the J ew ish fraternity
Our relationship with local fraternities is of the best. We have an interfraternal council and Acacia is a member. It i s somew hat a question whether we s hall r emai n a member this year. We are trying to prev a il upon the faculty to lower the conditions for the initiation into th e fr a ternity. We feel th at the condition after one semester is higher th a n nece ssa ry . It requires that we shall not initiate a man unless he has pass ed at le as t eighty per cent of hi s work. The effort on the part of m a ny of the fraternities which h as led to the activities of the interfraternal council has been to lower thi s in order to fi ll up the house. Vve have two respects in which we feel th at the work of the Grand Counselor during th e last year has not be e n as it sho uld h ave been. These two r espects were the lat eness of his visit on that account the suggestions and help which he could have give n th e members during the year were of little avail and s e cond in the case of moral work many of the men must be absent during S at urday s and Sundays. We felt th a t if we could have had a visit earlier during th e year it would have been of more benefit both to the fraternity and to the Grand Counselor.
Acting Grand President: "You have a system of cultivating the fri endship of young men as future members?"
Lindsey: "Yes, some of the best material we have has come from where our men have had meetings and talked with other men , in most cases so ns of Masons giving them such good opinions of Masonry that these men have afterwards joined the fraternity. We have in no case given a man any pledge before he obtained his degree that he would be admitted into the fraternity."
Acting Grand President: "Did you have any surplus last year?"
Lindsey: " Our chapter expenses are divided into two classes. One is the house fund. It is usually the case at the end of the year that we have to levy an assessment of $6.00 or $8.00. Our table is run in an entirely separate account . Vve pay $3.50 a week for our board. Any week in which the steward falls below, he is called upon to raise the amount. It actually happened that he got by with a surplus of $40.00 and $50.00 at the end of the year in the table account."
Stanford: "Except for the question of time of the Counselor's visit, you were satisfied with the purpose of such a visit?"
Lindsey: "Yes, we yere perfectly satisfied except with the lateness of the year and the time of the week were such that neither party would get the most out of the visit."
Stanford: "Otherwise you do not disapprove of such visits?"
Lindsey: "No, in fact during the three and a half years I have been in Acacia, with the exception of the visit of Brother Mann. this was the first time we had the pleasure of receiving an officer. It was reported that a Brother got as far as the steps once."
Stanford: "You are convinced of the advantage of such an officer tn the fraternity?"
Lindsey: "Yes."
The conditions there are the same as the other chapters have given. We are renting a house that we pay $720 a year for but we have a movement on foot and next year we will live in a hou se of our own. It will be a house that costs $6,000.00. We are borrowing money from a building and loan a ssociation ; th a t is a thing we have hoped to do for the last two years.
The r e la tion to the National Fraternity has been the best. W e have kept up our finances. I understand that Brother Kilmer says there is one record missing. I don't know how that happened
The Local Condition is the best. We have a meeting once every two weeks in which we meet with another fr a ternity and this passes around so that by the time each term is over all the men from the other fraternities have been entertained at dinner at each frat e rnity house, through which all · of the fraternities have derived much benefit
Th e council requires each of the fraternities to use a grading system, these are reported every five or six weeks and in this way the standard is raised; the percentage of all fraternities h as been raised at l east five per cent.
The accounting system th a t was given us near the close of last year was very satisfactory. Our steward we feel is a man that had a small understanding of an accounting system.
I think Manhattan has the usual number of meetings. We held a good many meetings on the campus l ast year.
The finances in the chapter are the be.st that we could have or hope to have. We found last year that we had $150.00 in the steward 's treasury and the treasurer's fund had over $50.00. We received la st year a visit from Brother Brown and the chapter I feel was not-well , I don't know, it was interesting to us in a way and I know it was interesting in a good many ways to Brother Brown , but I hope that he doesn't feel that the chapter didn't extend to him the courtesy that we shou ld have, although it was at a time when it was hard to entertain because of the annual home-coming and we were all taking part. It doesn't make any difference if he does come at a short notice if it doesn 't happen at a time as it did last year .
. . Grand "My serious objection was the housing condttton. What ts your method of taking care of the house?"
Ferrier: "At the tim e last year when you were there-the condition has been greatly. improv:ed from last year-we were running on as much of an econom1cal bas1s as we could. We had one withdraw, but we felt that a good financial condition was worth a good deal and perhaps we let some of the thin gs get really dirty-that is they were not kept up in as good a condition as they s hould have been. I am sure that they improved last spring after you were there."
Grand Counselor: "I don't think th a t any real men are s uccessful as housekeepers."
Ferrier: "yY have a general hou seclean in g every two wee k s. 0 f course our cond1t1ons perhaps look r at her queer to an outsider-and at the time you were there it looked bad. Next year the conditions will lo ok better and we will be in a positi o n to hire more help."
I am not just sure to what length I should go into my report .
Grand President: "Very short."
We follow about the same line that has been outlined here execep t that we go into it a little more extensively. E ac h st udent registering puts down his fraternal affiliations. We haven't of course m e t trains very much in th e past and I am not sure what methods they are go in g to pursue this year. They ha ve all agreed to come back a w ee k ahead this year.
Grand President : "How many are coming back?"
Thaxton: "Eight and two more if they are discharged from the militia ."
Grand President: "During the past year each of the chapters received anonymous letters. The council traced them down and we paid no attention to them other than tried to find out whether we could locate the anonymous writer of the letters. I am sorry but I would lik e to have seen about five men expelled from Texas University on that account . Can you tell us the way men take h o ld of fraternal insignia?"
Thaxton: "We haven't had any."
Gran d President: "You are going to learn th e ritual?"
Thaxton: "Certainly, we have been opening the meetings."
Grand President: "You are wearing yot'tr pins over your hearts?"
Thaxton: "We think so."
Grand President: "Men last year were wearing jewelry up here (indicating lapel)."
Thaxton: "I think that was some distinguishing mark to indicate that they were away from home."
Grand President: "I want each one of you men to meet the Texas man an d talk to him personally-you will be at the chapter house?"
Thaxton: "Yes."
Grand President: "I wish that you would leave a tradition that the chapter men must be men who will return to the chapter house."
Thaxton : "May I add one thing?"
Gra nd President: "Certainly."
Thaxton: "We have endeavored to seek our men, having done it through a Masonic influence. We have a mock lodge in which we invite all men that develop the blue lodge team, asking permission to
confer degrees on all fraternity men, and in general trying to enlist a true Masonic influence among the student body. I would like to ask if that is going too far."
Grand President: " I say every chapter ought to do it. You know how far you may be neglecting other things. It is very well that you have that sort of thing but there is a danger. You are doing much better work than most of the other chapters are doing. You could do it so far that yciu wou ld have little time left for your men to have student activities."
Thaxton: "Our scholastic record, it is 6xll, the average 6x30, and for Acacia 6x40."
Grand President: "That is a good start but a poor showing. The next time you come back you ought to stand first in scholarship. Your men average from two to three years older. Some fraternities beat you. We are very proud of the start Texas has made, the reports have been excellent. Some of your men are in the habit of spending too much money. Maybe that criticism has come to us a littl e more than it should."
Thaxton: "I think so, there has been one instance of extravagance and that h as not reoccurred."
Grand President: "I am g lad to hear you say that because the next time a man wants to spend any money on electing the May Queen direct him to the endowment fund."
Delegate W. J . McFarland (A lumnu s of Illinois)
At the last meeting of the Chica g o Alumni Association we discussed the purpose of havin g th e Conclave h e r e. We hav e complied with all of the rul es laid down in San Francisco and have carried out all the regul at ions laid down last year. The matter of assessments was brought out and in reg a rd to the m e mbership of the a lumni association we have dues but they ·were put there under protest a nd they were made so nominal as to be ridiculous and anybody that li ves in Chicago, who is from any one of your chapters, by the paym ent of small dues may become a member.
New York: "I should like to know, as a matter of information , when the Chicago Alumni Association was founded?"
McFarland: " I think the alumni association has been organized two years , the by-laws were adopted a year ago. So far as the membership is concerned, we have, I think, one hundred alumni from different chapters. Our meetings during the present year have been about thirty. Mr. Bon Kirk helped to organize the Chicago Alumni about three years ago. The New York Alumni Association was established in 1913 and I think the Chicago association was established prior to that. We have a constitution and by-laws that were formulated in 1913."
Delegate G. A. Lawrence
I would like to compliment Chicago Alumni on his report I want to express my appreciation of the Chicago Alumni Chapter. We have had splendid work during the past year and we have had the fine Acacia spirit of th e men from the Chicago Alumni who are members of our chapter.
Our Grand Editor lives in Seattle, only a step away from New York, but we invite him nevertheless to drop in and see if we are alive. We extend an invitation to the Grand Conclave to come to New York and if you will come we will give - you the time of your life. New York is only a little burg, but
n eve rth e l ess it is the great metropolis. We can give you a splendid time. We have as large a room as thi s, we have committee rooms, and a good dormitory so we suggest that you have the Conclave for three weeks in tead of three day s. We will try to give you a jolly good time and I hope you will come.
In reg ar d to our relation to Columbia we are here back of the Columbia chapter and Y>(e are trying to help them in every way and we are going to try to do everythmg we can to get them on a house footing. One of our members has subscribed $1,000.00, and another $100 and there wi ll be a great many others subscribe. I have had actual experience in New York real estate and it is impo ss ib1e to get a chapter hou se for le ss than $170,000. We want to get a house that we will be proud of. vVe have eighty-two members of our chapte r. I was interested how our membership corresponds with others.
Our co nstitution was changed in May of this year so that we have meetings monthly and we have had six meetings during 1916 thus far. Our relations are most cordial with the Grand Council. I h ope that the Grand Counselor will visit the Columbia chapter this year.
I have a record book that we keep which shows the records of our member s hip and our attendance. It i s a very good plan of the alumn i assoc iat ion Th ere a re some recomm e ndations that I s hould make as a delegate from the New York Alumni. That the alumni chapters consider as a part of their activitie s th e es tabli s hment of the most cordial relati ons. They can exert a powerful influence in that way. We are near Yale and Harvard and n ot far from Chicago and I b e li eve we should establish the most cordial relations and encoura ge interchapter relations in every way. There is n 't suc h a unif orm ity at the present time as there should b e. I appreciate the courtesy in permitting me to g iv e this report for the New York Alumni As ociation. (App la us e.)
Grand President: "This is a very good report. The Committee on Alumni Chapters should consider these recommendations. I should be glad to have you meet with that committee."
Delegate Stanley Herold (Alumnus of St a nford)
The members of Northern Californi a Alumni Association voice th e high re spec t and esteem that we hold for the men who have hon es tly and faithfully performed their separate duties as Grand Officers of this Fraternity, which is so highly endeared by all loyal Acacians . The Fraternity has, ind ee d , been fortunat e in having such capable, conscientious and progressive officers as the present Grand Council.
One year ago the members of this association had a rare opportunity to come in personal contact with the Grand Officers at the Conclave. We look back with pleasure and pride to that occasion; pleasure due to the meeting and association with the officers and delegates; pride in th e truer realization of what Acacia means and stands for.
The Association had made an honest e ffort to keep up the spirit of the Fraternity, although separate by the various vocation of life in which we working. Each week, as many as can, get together at the luncheon hour. Thts is not mandatory on the men as that would be quite impossible. But the hour is spe nt in exchanging ideas, and furnishes a convenient opportunity to contemplate the good works of Acacia and promote a personal touch that enhances the va lu e of friendship and brotherhood .
Besides these luncheon meetings and discussions, there have been the us1:1al business meetings, also a dinner dance attended by som e twenty brothers wtth their wives or sweethearts.
The following officers have been elected for the com in g year: President-R. S. Marx, Franklin Chapter.
Vic e President-James Marshall, Stanford Chapter. Secretary and Treasurer-A. E. Ehrenclou, Stanford Chapter: . . Executive Committee-Karl C. Lee brick and John E. Batley, Caltforma Chapter.
We make assessments on the members of the Association from time to time , to defray the expense of any social or fraternal. un?er:taking calls for assistance. We have almost sixty members and, whtle tt ts not posstble to
gather them together at any one time, we keep in touch with them and feel that they a re all loyal to the best interests of Acacia
It has been our aim to take a very personal interest in two active chaptera located within the shadow of San Francisco-Stanford and California.
A particular interest is taken in encouraging high standards in scholarship at the two chapters . Also, the Alumni As s oci a tion believes firmlly that each ch a pter should eventually own its chapter house, and the members contribute of th eir tim e and money toward the succes s ful completion of such projects .
This coming year we a re going to come in closer relation with the two active chapt e rs th a n ever befor e. Committ e es will be appointed to v isit the active chapters a t various time and make a report of conditions to the Association. We want to know how the chapters stand and let them feel that they can call on this Associ a tion in any emergency.
The Stanford chapt e r this last year stood high in the estimation of the faculty Their scholarship was third and fourth for the two semesters in competition with e ighteen fraternities . They received a personal letter from Pre sident Wilbur commending them very highly on their sense of honor in the prompt payment of their bills. This may seem a small m a tter, but the boy s feel a keen pride over this record , as no other fraternity received such recognition.
The unfortunate matter of the X case will be . dealt with from the Association ' s viewpoint in a supplementary report by a committee appointed for that specific purpose.
The California Chapter has been very prosperous . The scholarship of the chapter improved, the chapter was sufficiently strong in numbers, and the quality of mer111bers and spirit in the house all that could be desired.
Before closing, this Association hopes to have the pleasure of meeting and entertaining the Traveling Counselor early in this next school year. We all feel that this officer should have adequate power and financial backing by the Acacia Fraternity to enable him to visit each chapter and , by his knowledge of conditions, experience and tact, eliminate undesirable features in each and every chapter , thus unifying the entire fraternity on a higher plane of Acacia ideals toward which we a re striving.
In conclusion. Acacia is made up of men from all walks of life. We may not think alike in economic , social or political affairs, but we are of one accord that no in s titution is displaying higer and mo r e noble principles than thos e found in Ac a cia. The San Francisco Alumni Association congratulates the Grand Officers , the Delegates and all Acacians on this, the Eleventh Conclave of our Fraternity. We stand ready to defend the just and equitable doctrines advanced by the men who are in cha r ge. Our heart is in this work as never before, and we firmly believe that good and honorable work is being and will continue to be accomplished for the young manhood that comes into our Fraternity.
(Signed) RALPH SEWARD MARX, President.Grand President: "It has been a genuine pleasure to hear from New York, Chicago and San Francisco."
We just got a start in Indianapolis, and I am here to say that w e a re started and you will hear from us in the future . I would like to get in touch with the other Alumni and talk with them . We have nothing to report as y et but we will h a ve.
Grand President: "That is the next move. Indianapolis, New Orleans and Minneapolis made especially available this year by the support that this work has had through the office of Grand Counselor The onl y criticism that I have heard has been the fact that the Grand Counselor has not been able to go oftener and stay longer. "The n ext order of business is Unfinished Business. I know of no unfinished business from the preceding Conclave." Is there any unfinished business? If not we pass to the order of New Business.
Grand President: "In this order of New Business durino- the last two Conclaves especially I have evolved a system of reports which is not at all binding on you gentlemen. You know what these committees are and the idea which I have tried to perfect is that each chairman automatically moves the resolution, and it is not in need of a second. Of course you can insist on a second if that is desirable, it is already in the form of a resolution made by the chairman and duly se conded by the next man on the committee. It has been customary to call on the various committees and then the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws. Unless I h ear objection I will follow that proceeding."
The following report is based upon a careful investigation of the written reports submitted by the Grand Counselor on the individu a l chapters, as well as from a painstaking perusal of his report given at the Conclave. We have also availed ourselves of tables and other data compiled by the Grand Counselor.
1. Be it resolved that the Grand Couns e lor be commended by this Conclave for his excellent work in bringing about a return of harmony to the Minnesota Chapt er.
2. We recommend that Syracuse establish a better financial basis. \l'le refer particularly to their practice of rebating for one me a l mis se d, and to their practice of charging no chapter dues.
3. We recommend that this Conclave express its disapproval of the practice of pledging a man who has taken none of his Masonic work, as Washington has been guilty. of. We further recommend th a t the Grand Council be urg ed to act within its power in stopping such practice.
4. We recommend that this conclave express its ur ge nt desire to have every chapter memorize well the ritual, and be ready to exemplify the same at a ny time before the Grand Counselor. The reports show that Yale, a nd perhaps so me of those who have avoided putting on the ritu a li s tic work are negltgent in this matter.
5. We recommend that Kansas and Franklin Chapters make their influence felt in schoo l activi ti es, as we feel in neglecting this phase we are not living up to one of the fundamental reasons for the ex istence of the fr ate rnity.
6. We recommend that no initiation take p lace outside of th e Ch ap ter House. The Iowa initiation of a member in a Masonic Temple h as prompted this recommendation
7. We recommend that this Conclave express its belief in the advisability of ha v ing every chapter represented, and that nothing shou l d b e left undone to being represented.
8. We recommend that this Conclave go on record as disapproving the pra ctice of Iowa State in branding candidates at initiation .
9. We recommend that the chapters of Michigan and Missouri be urged to put a ll ac tivities on a more business-like and aggressive basis, and thereby to be GOOD CHAPTERS by v irtu e of organization and labor on their part, rath er than by mere good fortune. These Chapters are not making the most of their opportunities.
10. We recommend that the Chapters of Ohio, Manhattan, Syracuse and Minnesota be urged to make a special effort to improve th eir chapter refinment, courtesy to guests, and genera l fraternity culture.
11. We recommend that the Chapters of Ohio , Harvard and Stanford strive to improve the attitude existing between themselves, the Grand Conclave and the National Fraternity. The most good for either the National Fraternity or individua l chapters cannot be derived save under the most harmonious condition s.
12. We recommend that the Chapters of Michigan, Yale and Wisconsin be urged to increase their Masonic activities.
13 . We recommend that the following chapters endeavor to arouse a greater int eres t in their alumni: Michigan , Franklin, Columbia , Manhattan, Colorado, Syracuse and Pennsylvania State.
14. We r ecommend that the following chapters should insist upon a more regular attendance at their chapter meetings: Illinois, Ohio, Yale, Harvard, Columbia , Minnesota and Washington.
15 . We recommend that Washington and Stanford be informed that their scholarship records are far below what we consider a creditable standard for an Acacia chapter. (With protest.)
16. The following chapters, while not so weak as the above, are still too low scho la stica lly. We, therefore, recommend th a t the following chapters be urged to raise their standards: Michigan, Ohio and Colorado .
17 . We recommend that Washington take some means to strengthen their credit with lo ca l merchants, and the r e peated offense of Nebraska, consisting of permitting merchants carrying their accounts o ver the summer, should be discontinued.
18. We recommend that Franklin and Nebraska, Syr ac use and Chicago take s t eps to improve their int e rfraternity relations, as we believe that such procedure would greatly strengthen their individual chapters
19 We recommend th a t Syr ac use, Manhattan and Washington should improve their business methods.
20 Yale, Syracuse and Washington are reported to be weak in the financing of their respective chapters, and as this fault reflects upon Acacia, we recommend th a t each of them give attention to the above.
21. We re com mend th a t the delegates from Yale, Washington and Iowa give the probl em of securing homes of their own their serious consideration.
22. We recommend that the delegates from Manhattan and Washington impress th eir respective chapters with the necessity of at all times a neat, clean a nd orderly house.
23 The reports show an insufficient knowledge of the Acacia songs, and a lack of sin gi ng in general. As we believe that singing prompts harmony, we recommend that every chapter make strenuous efforts to improve upon their chapter singing.
24 We r ecomme nd that chapt ers should exe rcise great di sc retion in selecting men who are a lready member s of organizations functioning as soc ial fraternities.
1. We recommend that the Committee on Ritu a l be requested to draw up a suitable qu es tionaire for the candidate to answer b efo re initiation .
2. We recommend th a t the initiations of candid a tes be so grouped and arranged as to minimi ze the numb e r of meetings devot ed to such initiation s.
3 We rec o mmend th at more serious attention be paid by the chapters to the practice of initiating m e n into Acacia in their Senior year when th ey will not be back another year.
4. We recommend th a t in order to for e stall and guard against a financial failure of any chapter in attempting to purchase or build a new chapter hou se, that the Conclave pa ss a by-law requiring that the plans for financing a new hou se s hall be s ubmitted to a com petent committee of the n a tional body and approved by it before the chapter · may proceed. ·
5. In the matter of a by-law providing for "a simple monthly report by local treasurer t o the Grand Tre as ur e r of the books of the chapter" we re commend that thi s be referred to the Committee on By-Laws.
Believing th a t all c hapters except Yale , Columbia and Harvard, s hould consider themselves in direct competition with other social college fraternities, your committee wis he s to offer the following suggestions concerning the problems of rushing:
A should be appointed to have general charge of rushtng actlvttles; tnts commtttee s hould return to the chapter at least one week before opens, in orde; to make arrangements for the proper reception of Tht s committee can well employ its time by m eeting all.m,-commg by app rehending all Masons that may attend school; by asststmg Masontc students in getting settled; and by leading in the reception at
the chapter committ ees abilities.
l;ouse. This committee is undoubt ed ly one of the most important to be appointed , and should be selected because of their mixing
2. We suggest that some system of registration be used in so far as the regulations of the different universities may permit. We outline three plans: First. Space Oil" the e nrollment card may sometimes b e obtained. This can best be accomplished,. if n<;>t already force, by circulating a petition among all the lodges of the umvers1ty commumty. When the roll of signatures is comp l ete, it had best be presented to the propert autho riti es through some faculty member belon ging to th e lodge . It is essen ti a l that this faculty members shou ld be in symp athy with the movement. Second . Books stationed on the campus for registration may be placed in conspicuous places , where students who are Masons m ay place their names and a ddresse s. The preferable location is near the registr a tion desk. It is neces sa ry to h ave a m a n in c h arge of the r eg ister, a lth o u gh it is adv isab l e. Th1rd. Advantage ca n a ls o be taken of visitors' register in the local lodge s. This can be st be done by a lod ge v i s itin g comm itt ee, w hi ch shou ld be present at all regular meetings of the lod ge .
3. We advise the holding of a smoker for the Ma so n s of the university at the opening of school; and after this as many r ecep ti o n s to the Masons as the chapter budget can provide for. We suggest th at one or two prominent Masons of the ci ty be sec ured to s peak a t thi s smoker, and th at pl e nty of si n g ing and good fellowship be indulged in. Entertainment s hould be confined to the chapter hous e so f a r as is possible. All memb e rs should be in s tructed to be on h a nd and remain on the job for an hour or longer after the m ea l , in order to c reate the best followship-spirit possible The musician s should b e es pe c ia lly requ es ted to m a ke themselves evident in displaying their t a lent s.
4. A very helpful way in which to become intim a t e ly acq uaint ed with the student ma so ns is to make it a practice to coach tho se students who a re taking their Masonic work.
The Committee on Condition of Chapters and Chapter Visitation respectfully submit the following resolution:
That the office of Grand Coun se lor be continued at a salary of $1,000 per year.
Re s pectfully submitt e d ,
J. A. FARIS, Mi sso uri.
E. J. MORRISON , Jr. , Wi s consin.
S. C. HEROLD , St a nf o rd
Co mmittee ordered continued.
1. Submits report of th e Endowment Fund Commtitt ee s h ow ing the work done l ast year. (Repor t herewith.)
2. R eco mmends to amend Article IV, Sec . 3, of th e Con s titution: By add ing after the word "Treasurer"-"D onors con tributing $15 or l ess than $100 sha ll be known as Sustaining Members of th e Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, donors contribut in g $100 or l ess than $1 ,000 shall be known as Fellows of the Acac ia Fraternity Endowmen t F und , and donors contributing $1,000 or more shall be known as Patrons of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund; and the Grand Secretary shall furnish copies of a ll official publicat io ns of th e Fraternity gratuito usly to such donors," so that ·Article IV , Sec. 3, of the Constitution, as amended, s h a ll read:
"The Gra nd Council shall constitute a permanent committee on Endowment for a dmini s tration of all endowment for this fraternity , a ll funds known as the Endowment Fund sha ll be held separ a te by the Grand Tre as urer. Donors contributing $15 or l es s than $100, shall be known as M e mbers of the Acacia Fratern ity Endowment Fund, donors $100 or le ss than $1,000 sha ll be known as Fellows of the Acac1a Fratermty Endowme nt and donors contributing $1,000 or more sha ll be known as Patrons ?f the Fraternity Endowment Fund and the Grand Secretary shall furmsh cop1es of a ll official publications of the' Fraternity gratuitous ly to such donors. "
3. AU loans to seniors and juniors shall be made on ly on cond1t10n that good negotiab le security is furnished .
4. Loans to chapters for building purposes shall be made on the basis of good business proceedure.
5. That a special committee be appointed by the Grand Council to make specific provisions for securing lo ans to members and chapters.
The committee wishes to commend the committee of whic.h Brother Hall is chairman for their efforts during the past year, and to congratulate them on the results gained.
Respectfully submitted, J. R. SCHULTZ, Yale, Chairman. W. 0. HAKE, Kansas.
N. PRAAKEN, Chicago Alumni.
G. ALFRED LAWRENCE, N. Y. Alumni Assn.
The men whose names are signed to this report were appointed by Grand President Fraser as an Endowment Fund Committee after the Conclave of 1915. The committee has never met and its work has been done entirely by correspondence As one member was in Ohio, one in New York and one in San Francisco, it was imJpossible to meet, the expense prohibiting.
Beginning its work the committee framed a bulletin letter to be mailed to all Acacia members . This was gone over by all the members of the committee, and s ubmitt ed to the Grand President and the Grand Secretary. The mailing of the letter was postponed until the new directory was issued about May 1, 1916. The letter stated briefly the plan and purpose of the fund, what had been done and what was proposed. The letter asked specifically for pledges of $5.00 or more, to be paid cash or a dollar a year as might best suit the donor. A copy of this letter is attached hereto as Exhibit A, and is a part of this report.
There were mailed appr.oximately 33'00 of these letters at an expense of $147.10. The National Council allowed the commlittee a fund of $150.00. There has been an added expense of $7.10 unpaid. A detailed statement of all expenditures is appended as Exhibit B, and is a part of this report.
In response to this lett e r 106 pledges have been received to date. About 156 letters were returned undelivered, of which number Leland Stanford Chapter returned something over thirty. The 103 pledges amount to $747.00, of which $269 50 has been received in cash. This money is now in the hands of the Grand Treasurer A detailed statement of the number and the sum of pledges and cash paid therein received from each chapter is appended hereto as Exhibit C, and is a part of this report.
Some comment on these figures may be of interest. It may be noted that the second largest amount pledged from any one chapter is from Nebraska, $106.00. The largest amount is Columbia, $146.00. The second largest individual pledge received is from Dr. David C. Hilton, of Lincoln, Neb., Nebraska Chapter , $100 .00. The largest pledge is from Dr. G. Alfred Lawrence, of New York City, Columbia Chapter, $125, of which $29.00 is paid in cash. These are the largest single cash contributions received to date. For the greatest number of pledges received from one chapter, Yale and Cornell are tied for first place with eight each . Wisconsin has second place with 7, followed by Columbia, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan and Illinois with 6 each. Purdue pledged $20.00 and paid $20.00 in cash. The smallest contribution of any active chapter was from Syracuse, $2 .000 pledg ed and $2.00 paid . Oregon chapter is represented by a pledge of $2 00 paid. Purdue , Syracuse and Oregon are the three chapters whose pledges are all paid in full.
M any words of appreciation and satisfaction were received congratulating the committee on the work it has undertaken and expressing kind wishes for its large s uccess. The objections received were all of one kind; namely, a desire to h elp Acacia by each one helping his own chapter. Many said in substance, that as the chapters were strong individually, so would the N ationa1 Organization be. Loyalty to one's own chapter is most commendable and should be in all ways encouraged, but what Acacia needs most today, perhaps, is national unity. There seems to be at present, some tendency toward too much individualISm. The situation corresponds roughly to the States Right Doctrine versus Nationalism or Federal Control in our National Politics The trend of our national development from Colonial times until now has been toward stronger national-
ism. in the long run , m ea ns, prob ab ly, a stronger nation. It would seem that Acac1a must also tend that way to become a strong national fraternity . Otherwise it becol?es an a&"gregation of chapters, some strong, some l ess st rong, and all loosely _umted. It IS hoped that this fund, starting small, will grow and as it grows w1ll become a strong unifying force and influ ence in the life of Acacia. It h as well been said th at, "Where the trea sure is there will the heart be also." With no de_sire to substract from any indi v idu al's loya lty to or suppo rt of his own. chap_ter, 1t would yet seem that Acacia, if she fulfills her destiny, must be nationalized, must grow as a Na tional fraternity, as well as by individual chapters.
The administration of the endowment fund is an imp ortant matter, deserving the careful attention of this and succeeding Conclaves . The committee makes no recommendations regarding the adrnJinistration of thi s fund, but makes the following suggestions:
1. That the administration of the funds be plac ed in the hand s of a Board of Trustees of either three members with a term of six years each, or five members with a t e rm of ten years each. The t erm of on e member to expire every two years, and the oldest member of the board to be "ex officio" chairman of the board for the last two years of his term Only, in thi s way or in some way such as this, can a just, wise and continued and unified policy of administration be maintained. The administrative body must have long terms for working out a co ntinuity of administrative policy. .
2 That no money should be loaned nor used until the fund amo unts to at least $5,000.00 and preferably $10',000.00 .
It was hoped by the committee that more large contributions would be received . In most cases the amount mentioned in the letter, $5.00, was the amount pl edged . Possibly this request was too small. The committee recommends that after the present Conclave, another general letter be sent out reporting what has been accomplished and while , not asking for any specified amount, that it request particularly larger contributions. The present response has been very satisfactory as a beginning, but to become available for use soon, this fund must grow fast. Now is the accepted time, and the hour of greatest need , for m a ny chapters are attempting to build houses or struggling with other finacial problems. Many men who gave sent all they could afford. It is hoped that a larger response may yet be received from men of more abundant means. Dr. Lawrence , of Columbia, writes: "I see no reason why many pledges of $11()0.00 or more should not be received."
This endoW'I\lent fund is a permanent thing which , it is hoped and expected, will continue to be a help to Acacians, Masons and sons of Masons, of generations yet to come. It will be a permanent and used memorial of it s givers long after they shall have gone "to that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns."
Sure ly this is a cause which is worthy.
Respectfully submitted , CHARLES W. HALL, Yale , IRVIN W. DRIEHAUS, Columbia , ALFRED H. EHRENCLOU, Leland Stanford, Committee.
Columbus , Ohio , May 10, 1916.
Dear Sir a nd Brother:
ACACIA FRATERNITY-Your Fraternity is now eleven years old. It has esta blished for itself and for its members a big and growing place in the fraternity life of the Universities of the country. We all want it to bigger, broader a nd better than it is today. To achieve this end, we, as alumm, can do our part. This letter suggests one way.
AN ENDOWMENT FUND-Since the beginning of th e Fraternity Acacia men have felt the need of an endowment fund. This fund is to be raised and given by A cacia me n to be used as a banking fund for the help of w o r t hy A cacia enterprises, and for the relie f of distressed b r othe r s
ITS USE-This money is to be a perpetual loan fund to be used wherever in the opinion of its custodians, it will do most to benefit Acacia. It may used to help finance the purchase of homes for local chapters. Again it may be loaned to brothers who need help for their juni o r a n d s eni or years in college. It will always be is s u ed to the chapter as a loan, and by the chapter loaned to the indi v idu a l. It will thus be a chapter obligation which the chapter will be on its honor to have repaid w ith int erest. In other words, the fund is to be a loan fund, and never a gift. Its purpose is to have a banking fund for Acacians to be us ed by and for Acacia m e n only
CONTROL-The fund as r aised will be turned over to the National Officers, and w ill be held and contro lled by them, subject to the rulings and instructions of the Nat ional Conclaves.
PROGRESS-The San Francisco Conclave of 1915 voted $100 for the b eginning of this fund, a nd a lso voted to app ly 10 per cent of the profit s received from the sa le of fraternity pins to this fund Thus the active chapters a re doing their part. We as k you to do yours. Yol!r committee, appointed by Grand President Frazer , to solici t s ub scr iptions for this fund from Acacia Alumni, sends you this letter as its personal emissary. Undoubtedly it would be better if we could see you and talk thi s m a tt e r over face to face Since we cannot call on you personally, we are basing o ur faith in you on your loyalty to Acacia, to Masonry, and t o the things for which they stand.
YOUR PART-It i s expected that in time this fund will be large, butbefore th e oak, th e acorn. Before we walk, we creep We want to incr ease NOW the sma ll beginning that we have We want you to have your part in thi s. If you believe in Acacia as the biggest and best Fraternity in America,if you · want it t o grow and to continue unique in its merit and helpfulness,-if you want to hav e your part in that growth, send us your pl edg e. We are asking for a pled ge of $ 1.00 each year for five years from each of our 3000 and more alumni. But if you do not want to pledge for five years, send it all now. If you cannot g ive $5.00, sen d $1.00. If you can, make it $100 or $1,000, for the object is indeed worthy. Do not regard the enclosed blank as "A MERE SCRAP OF PAPER. " WE WANT A PLEDGE FROM YOU. THE AMOUNT DOESN'T MATTER. SEND WHAT YOU CAN. BUT PLEDGE SOMETHING. DO IT NOW WHILE ':(HE IMPULSE MOVES.
Cordially and fraternally yours, C. W. HALL, Yale, Chairman . IRWIN· W. DRIEHAUS, Columbia. A. H . EHRENCLOU, Leland Stanfurd. Committee on Endowment Fund.
Sept. 10, 1916. C. W. Hall.
Two cash and pledge items changed on Exhibit C since it was written.
Grand President: "The matter of amending that section as just read, clause 2 of the report, is now before you."
"The Grand Council shall constitute a permanent committee on Endowment for administration of all endowment for this fraternity, all funds known as the Endowment Fund sha ll be he l d separate by the Grand Treasurer. Donors contributing $15 or less than $ 100, sha ll be known as Sustaining Members of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, donors contributing $ 100 Or less than $1,000 shall be known as Fe ll ows of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, and donors contributing $1,000 or more shall be known as Patrons of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, and the Grand Secretary shall furnish copies of all official publications of the Fraternity gratuitously to such donors."
Delegate: "Should that go to the Constitution and By-Laws?"
Grand President: "Of course, if it is passed."
Illinois: "I move that this recommendation of the change of the constitution be referred to the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws."
Motion carried .
Illinois: "Move that a ll the report so far as it deals with other matters outside of the part disposed of be adopted unless it is the intention that it be taken up by the chairman "
3. All loans to seniors and juniors shall be made only on condition that good negotiable security is furnished.
4. Loans to chapters for building purposes shall be made on the basis of good business procedure.
5. That a specia l committee be appointed by the Grand Council to make s pecific provisions for securing loans to members and chapters.
Grand President: "All loans to juniors and seniors shall be made only on condition that good negotiable security shall be furnished. That is now before you , are there any remarks?"
Delegate: What gain is a man going to make by going to the fraternity for his lo an? "
New York Alumni: "He wouldn't get it at all from any bank; he couldn't possibly. "
Chicago Alumni : "When Brother Hall and I were working on this constitution we looked into the different kinds of security that could be given by junio rs an.d s.eniors , that be obtained. . We looked into what some of the hfe msurance compames had been domg. I have gone through school on borrowed money as some of the others have, and g ot it from friends , and they took our word for it, and I heard it stated by some of those that came back from last year's Conclave that it was the opinion or that it passed at the Conclave that the money would b e loaned without any security whatever. I don't feel that the loyal brothers of the Acacia fraternity should put money in these funds and then hand it out to juniors and seniors who afterwards might fail to pay it back to the fraternity. There are many ways by which juniors and s-eniors who are in earnest could get the money if they couldn ' t furnish security. New York Alumni said they couldn't get it from the bank, but a man could go to the life insurance company and make th e trustee the beneficiary and assign to him the right to pay . These are reasons for making that statement so that good negotiable security could be secured and to put it on the same business basis that would be given by any chapter with which to finance a chapter house."
Grand Editor : " I still hold the same view as last year. If a junior or senior is in need of money I believe he should appeal to the fraternity as that scheme is more feasible than going to the life insurance companies . I believe in his obtaining money from the endowment fund , but only after an appeal of the chapter and upon the recommendation of the chapter.
Delegate: "In reply to Brother Mann, it was our intention and we want to put it on a good commercial basis. I feel that if the proposition was to stand as Brother Mann suggests that it would lapse into the same condition that a man leaves school and it takes years and years to pay the money back, and the chapter would have to bear thi s burden and that is one thing I feel we ought to eliminate the chapter from paying in all these loans made to the seniors and juniors."
Stanford: "vV e would like to see if there is an endowment fund to be handled by the fraternity VvT e would like to see under those conditions this endowment fund handled on a business basis. What may be co!lsidered good security to banks may be different from that which constitutes good security to Acacia. We might not require what a bank would. The easiest part in case that security is available on your part is to obtain the cash. The disagreeable part is when the payment s bec o me due and the money must pass from the borrower to the lender. !h ey will not have the ri g ht legally to extend time to the man who is mde.bted to them as a brother Acacian would. There would certainl y be bme.s w.h e!l _ a Acacian gives satisfactory evidence that within a certam hm1ted time such payment will be made."
Ya le: "The last item of the report, we recommend a special commiteee to take that. In the recommendations of the committee we find the paragraph, "If a loan is granted to a member he shall give his note indorsed by the local chapter in addition to the integrity of the member.' It was and to me it seemed fair, that the local chapter should be respons1ble for the money loaned to any of its members. When we go into the Acacia we become a member of the whole fraternity, necessarily there is a little closer bond with the local chapter. It seems to me fair that we hold the local chapter to take whatever security it wants to from the member but that we hold the local chapter and not the members. The reason we made that read as the chairman of this committee read it was the individual chapter would be more lenient with this member than the trustee of this endowment fund would be. vVe feel that whoever handles this proposition that the junior and senior or the house or the fraternity that is borrowing this money should be held directly responsible for this endowment, if we don't do that it will mean that many an Acac ia chapter w ill pay the obligation of one of its members and wi ll work an injustice on that particular chapter, and if it was a poor chapter they would have to have help from the endowment fund during the next few years."
Harvard: "In making the local chapter responsible it seems to me the affair has got to be looked after by the head of the endowment fund and to get at the borrower or the man who owes the money he has to come through the chapter if the chapter is made responsible. It seems to me very unwise to make a chapter the mediator."
Illinois: "It seems to me the objection raised by the brother from Harvard, that it w ill become somewhat unwieldy for whoever has the loan in charge to find out from the local chapter from which the brother borrowing comes, just the situation , and whether he needs it. You don't understand that the chapter is going to loan to any brother of the Acacia without investigating, and don't you think it would make it less unwieldy if you let it rest with the local chapter?
"In reply to that remark, the way that worthy juniors or seniors that got money would get it is this: They would sign the request , or whatever form wou ld be designated by the committee, and the money in turn would be sent directly to the borrower. In the event that you have this intermediator you would be creating a suretyship which could call for an immediate payment of this amount from the chapter and it certainly would work a hardship on the members of that chapter."
ew York Alumni: "I think that the brother from Illinois recommendation wou ldn 't conflict in any way with the chapter if they desired to assume the responsibility. It does not prevent the chapter from assuming the obligation, but if you prefer that the local chapter assume the responsibility it doesn't keep you from doing so."
Grand President: "I shall refer the rest of this section to the committee."
Grand President: "It is customary when a thing of this sort comes before the Conclave that the Committee on By-Laws shall frame it and then present it. Of course there is nothing to prevent the Conclave from taking the thing in its own hands at any time."
New York Alumni: "We have submitted a report to the Grand
Conclave and this report is divided into sections. Only one recommends an amendment to the constitution and the other has nothing whatever to do with the Committee on By-Laws. It is simply a report if you wish to accept it."
Grand President: "I see that Brother Lawrence means that this would be a resolution. The way the thing reads I thought it would constitute a by-law. I don ' t know how far the Conclave can direct any officer in his duties. If you are satisfied as a committee to have this go merely as a resolution, then you are in order to go ahead and vote, but if you want it to go out as a by-law-it becomes a matter as to what the committee is trying to do."
New Y ark Alumni: "Whatever is the pleasure of the Grand Conclave."
Grand President: "I don't think that the chairman has a right to dictate what it should do; it must decide whether it is a resolution or a by-law which must be adopted by a two-thirds vote. There are three ways in which a Conclave can act, your committee can do one of three things, you can offer a resolution, a by-law or a constitutional amendment; if th\ey offer a by-law it is necessary for it to go to the Committee on By-Laws."
Delegate: "We divided it, one a recommendation and one an amendment."
Harvard: "Move that the remaining sections of this report be referred to the Committee on By-Laws." Michigan seconded the motion. Carried.
Chicago: Brother Grand Preside nt : Your committe e on publications wishes to submit the following report:
1. We make the following rec o mm e ndations: Th a t the Acacia Journal be published in four issues per year, viz., October 1st. Dec . 1st, Feb. 1st and May 1st, as has been done during the past year.
2. That the issue of October 1s t, this year contain only the proceedings of thi s Conclave and should be distributed to memb ers of Acacia only.
(a) That the color of the cover of the Journal should be the same for all is su es
(b) That the he a dings and ge neral arrangem[ent of articles be so set up as to present a mor e artistic and well balanced appearance.
3 That the directory of members should not be published this year, that reducing the cost of publishing the Journal about $185.
4 That there be an appropriation of $1500 made for the publication of the Acacia Journal for the ensuing year, the increase over last year being partly due to increased cost of materials and party to increased cost of putting up a more attractive publication.
5. That the editor be authorized to make a subscription rate on the Journal of seven years for $5.00, thus tending to increase the circulation of the Journal among Alumni.
6. Song Book. That there be no new publication of a song book this year as the present publication is sufficient for our needs under existing conditions.
7 Chapter Publications. That the chapter letter be as recommended at the last Conclave and further that chapter officers exercise a close supervision over such publication. .
8. Constitution and By-Laws. That the constitution and by-laws need not be again published this year.
N. H. PARKER, Chicago, Chairman. ]. L. ARMOUR, Franklin. R. C THAXTON, Texas.
Grand President: "Is there any discussion of the first section? If not, those in favor vote aye, opposed no."
Motion carried.
Grand President: "That the issue of October 1st, this year, hould contain only the proceedings of this Conclave and should be distributed to members of Acacia only."
Grand Counselor: "I think it should not be put in there that it should contain only the convention proceedings, but that it should be preceded by a story of the convention with pictures so that it will give the readers back home the sense of the convention. I don't think it is well to specify in the recommendation that the editor shall publish only the proceedings of the convention.''
Mr. Praaken: "We all know that Brother Brown is an associate editor of the Electric \ iVorld and I move that the Conclave-that Brother Brown's recommendation be accepted , that the editor be given this privilege of amplifying the Journal."
Grand President: "It reads now that the issue of October 1st, this year, should contain only the proceedings of this Conclave and should be distributed to members of this Conclave only."
Moved and seconded that the word "only" be stricken out.
Motion carried as amended.
Grand President: "That the color of the cov.er of the Journal should be the same for all issues. Any discussion?"
Grand President: "With all deference to that committee it seems to me that you can trust your Grand Editor to select the colors of your covers. I c!on't care who takes offense at my statement."
Chicago: "\V e didn't intend to tie him down in any way, it was simply to get the opinion of the Conclave."
Grand Counselor: ''I don't think that the Conclave is competent to pass on the details. How many of you men are familiar with detail work? If I was your Edicor I would insist on being your Editor. There is no use of publishing a lot of stu££ in . the Journal which has no news value. I suggest that you leave the details of the Journal to the Grand Editor and if he is on the job he will get competent advice from men who are competent and he should not be confined in any way."
Motion is lost.
Grand President: ment of articles be so balanced appearance."
"That the headings and general arrangeset up as to present a more artistic and well-
Colorado: "Move to leave that to the Editor. I think the Grand Editor is hampered somewhat and the added expense works a hardship on the editor and if a greater appropriation has to be made; the Editor ·I feel sure, will do the best he possibly can, and I suggest it be left entirely to him."
The motion is lost.
Grand President: be published this year.''
Motion is carried.
"That the directory of members should not
Grand President: "That there be an appropriation of $1500 made for the publication of the Acacia Journal for the ensuing year, the
increase over last year being partly due to increased cost of material and partly to increased cost of putting up a more attractive publication."
Wisconsin: "How. much increase is this over last year?"
Grand President: "Increased $500 over last year."
Cornell moves that the section be referred to the Budget Committee.
Grand Counselor: "I would like to have the Budget Committee allot more money to the Journal because of the increase in the cost of paper and the cost of material, and with an appropriation of $1500 this year Brother Mann is not going to be able to do any more to make the Journal attractive than he was last year, and I would like to have you consider making that increase more th an $2000 so as to let him use some pictures and string out a artistic work and things that cost more money but add to the attractiveness of the Journal, and if we can make the Journal more attractive and induce them to read it I am for doing it. You know you can't read anything under the sun if you don't create an interest so they read it. I think we ought to give the Editor enough money to work on this year."
Motion is carried.
Grand President: "That the Editor be authorized to make a subscription rate on the Journal of seven years for $5.00. I think that should be a resolution instead of a by-law-are there any suggestions , any remarks on this proposition? It is establishing the price of one of our commodities . "
Stanford: "Is the cost of mat er ial apt to increase more?"
Grand Editor: "T he cost of the May issue was 10 cents. I had a contract for one year. The price has advanced about 25 cents a page. For seven years the cost of the Journal would be about $3.25. The fraternity would have a profit of at least $1.75 . Some of the fraternities have increased the circulation of their magazine by this club system You can get a m a n when he is a senior in college and if he has had the Journal for seven years he wi ll be apt to continue afterwards."
Grand Counselor: "The source of revenue from our subscription list is a very insignificant one. We want to do everything we can to put this in the hands of every alumus. We would like to ask the Editor if th ere is any possibility of material raising so that we will have a deficit?"
Grand Editor: "As I stated I draw up a contract for the year. We can o nly contract year by year."
Grand President: "W e are voting on this as a resolution ."
Motion carried, so ordered.
" That there be no new publication of a song book this year as the present publication is sufficient for our needs."
Motion carried, so ordered.
"That the chapter letter be as recommended at the last Conclave , and further that a chapter officer exercise a closer supervision over chapter publications."
Motion carried, so ordered.
" That we do n o t publish the constitution and by-laws again this yea r ."
Motion so ordered.
Grand Counselor: "One of the recommendations m my report should have come before that report-"
Grand President: "In view of that recommendation this committee will be asked to consider a report in accordance with that recommendation."
The committee on alumni chapters indorse the recommendations of the committee of the 1915 Conclave as given on page 68 of the Journal and also incorporated in Section 47 of the by-laws, with the exception of the recommendation in the Journal in regard to the entertainment and expense of the alumni delegates.
It is recommended that all the expenses of such delegates be borne by th es e delegates themselves or by their alumni chapters.
The committee also recommends that a comrruitt ee of three be appointed to start a definite campaign to arouse interest in the organization of alumni chapters in the localiti es where the required number of Acacia alumni reside.
Further it is the sense of this committee that the Journal should be placed in the hands of each mem,ber of the alumni chapters and that the plan formulated by the Endowment Committee be heartily indorsed
(Signed)
W.
H. PARKER,Chicago, L. LINDSEY, Syracuse, J. W. SHERA, Purdue N. PRAAKEN, Chicago Alumni.
0. W. DYNES, Cornell, Chairman .I might say briefly that the committee believes that a perman e nt committee for a year at least should be appointed to start a definite campaign in the United States and possibly in foreign countries, but in this sense we follow the requirements of section 47 of the by-laws. The live Acacians of Chicago might meet the Acacians in St. Louis and get them to organize and possibly help them by giving them the experience of the Chicago Alumni, but the immediate thing seems to be action and that really is the gist of our report, that is to get these alumni chapters started before the next Conclave. So far as the expense matter is concerned it was at the special r equest of the alumni on the committee.
In the 1915 report, which they approve, it read: "That the Concl av e shall not be responsible for the transportation expenses of such delegates. In all other respects he shall be considered a delegate on same footing as active delegates and entitled to such local entertainment and privileges at the expense of the Conclave and local chapters as are accorded delegates of active chapters."
That is the way the report was adopted last year and they recommend that that be changed to read: "It is recommended that all the expenses of such delegates be borne by these delegates themselves or by their alumni chapters." It is a resolution.
Chicago Alumni: "In behalf of the Alumni delegates here we take this attitude, the Alumni pay no money whatever to their chapters and as we come from an organization, we could see no reason for the local chapter standing for any of the expenses incurred by the Alumni delegate. Chicago Alumni forbids the local chapter to pay any of their expenses."
Grand President: "Are you all fully advised as to the change that ts suggested in this resolution-any further remarks."
Motion is carried almost unanimously.
"If there is no objection the rest of the report will be accepted and filed. So ordered."
To the Grand President and Members of the Eleventh Annual Conclave of the Acacia Fraternity: · . . .
The report submitted to the 1915 Conclave creatmg the unders1gned committee recommended "that they make a thorough study of the alumni situation and
report to this Conclave with recommendations for a definite organization, and also formulate uniform constitution and by-laws governing alumni bodies." The committee appointed consists of a brother from the Northern District of California Association,. a brother from the Chicago Association and a brother from the New York Assoc iation. This committee, because of its geographical separation has, by correspondence, endeavored to secure copies of all alumni association constitutions known to exist; to learn the conditions functioning in the alumni associations in the different parts of the country; to ascertain where alumni were grouped in sufficient numbers to maintain associations; and to formulate the recommendations asked for.
The committee concludes that untiring, consecrated and devoted effort of the alumni themselves is the chief thing needed. The prob lem of the Acacia alumni is similar to the problem of a lumn a! organizations of any nature. Persistent and efficient leadership of a more act ive few seems to have been the most helpful factor towards success in the established associations. At one center the need is for better administrative machinery; at another, for a better executive; and at a third it seems to be a confusion as to the aim, or the placing of too low a value upon the good the association might do. Where an alumni body ha existed with a loose organizat ion, with meetings at irr egu lar times and with irregular attendance, the remedy may li e in a more definite and efficient plan of organization. Here the Chicago plan of organization wou ld help. If the group does not place a high value on the getting together of a lumni as a group, something more than a definite organization plan is needed. Stimulus from active l eaders or inspiration from a visit of some Grand Officer would help this situation. Each of these conditions is known to exis t Any one and a ll of them can be overcome if there are three or four men with real Acacia spirit and enthusiasm who will accept leadership.
We believe that Alumni Associations need the same supervision and encouragement which the active chapters now r eceive from the Grand Counselor and we believe that Acacia spirit will be fostered and alumni activities developed by his adv ice and vis itati on. We, therefore recommend, that the Grand Counselor give his support, as far as possib l e, to officially approved alumni associations and to other alumni bod ies in the process of organization.
The Committee on A lumni C h apters a t the 1915 Conclave asked that the recognition of A lumni Chapters be definite and encouraging. We believe that the present legislation is satisfactory and that the recognition of Alumni Associations by the Fraternity is "definite and sufficiently encouraging to make any association feel they are sti ll a part of the Acacia organization." Section 47 of the By-Laws reads:
Upon petition of ten a lumni members representing not l ess than three chapters , the Grand Council shall have authority to grant a charter to them for an alumni chapter. Such alumni chapters shall adopt a cons titution and by-laws subject to the approva l of the Grand Council.
Such alumni chapters sha ll have the right to send one representative to the Grand Conclave, who shall be accorded the courtesy of the floor and membership on committees, but shall have no vote The expenses of such delegates shall not be paid by the Fraternity.
The privi l ege of having a representative with the courtesy of the floor and membership on th e committees is to our mind encouraging enough. The chief fa ult se ems to b e in g e tting an interest which wi ll appropriate this much. We therefore r e comm e nd that Section 47 of the By-Laws be niaintained as the basis for officia l recognition.
We also recommend that Alumni Chapters be called Alumni Associations to distinguish them from active chapters , and that Section 47 of the By-Laws be modified to r e ad " Alumni Associations" instead of "Alumni Chapters."
R egarding a uniform constitution fbr all associations the committee conclude s that the uniform,ity should be , as it is at present, in the terms of allegiance to the Fraternity and to the Grand Council. We believe that better results will obt a in if e ach group of a lumni work out their success by their own mechanics. The int e r e sts, inclinations and times of different groups of alumni vary so greatly that fr e edom of op e ration to meet the aims of the alumni movement should be allow ed We b e li e ve that the requirements as to the name, the number of members , the numb e r of chapters represented, the number of meetings per year and
the approval of the constitution by the Grand Council provide all the uniformity nec essary. The approval of the constitution by the Grand Council is a wise provision and acts as a proper check upon th e worthiness, uniformity and va lue of all constitutions accep ted
In this connection th e committee wishes to suggest as a model th e Con stitution a nd By-Laws of the Chicago Alumni Assoc iatio n. This is an admirable docum e nt, particularly in dicti o n a nd in plan of organization. A copy is attached h erewit h as a p a rt of thi s r e port. No group of men could read the preamble of this constitution and be at los s as to the aims of an alumni association. Local conditions will control th e time a nd numb e r of meetings, the dues , number of officers and the di s tribution of activities, but for unity of purpose and int e rr el ation of officers with eac h other and association m e mb e r s this constitution is exce ll e nt and highly efficient. We there fo r r ec ommend the Constitution and ByLaws of the Chicago Association as a modeL
GEOGRAPHICAL AND CHAPTER
Taken from the 1916 directory published in May i ss ue of the Journ a l. All n a m es n o t given as residing at the chapter hou ses were accepted as a lumni. The results can on ly be about 75 p e r ce nt correct Addresses can be found in th e dir ec tory:
6 chapters; 7
CaliforniaFi lmer, W. P. (Hon.)
O'Donnell , F. H. E (Hon.)
Bailey, J. E.
Bauer, G . W. (Oakland) Bell, L. M. (Sacramento) Berringer E . J. (Berkeley) Boone, R. G.
Breed, H. L.
Brendel, F. P. Brooks, C. S. Crawford, R. T . Daly, A. B.
Duncan, J . A. Edwards, Nat Elliott, C. M.
Finley, Dozier Elliott, W. C. Fox, C. B. Fryer, John C. Hansell, H. G. Harris, J. N. Hiller, J. F. Hiney, W. D. Hopkins, W. H J ensen, A. M. J ohnson, W. C. Monlux, C. E. Murphy, J. D. Pardee, Dr. G. C. Pinska, F. H. Pullen, J. F.
Robson , F. T . Rog ers, E. K. Stephenson , ]. M Stephen s on, H E. Stew a rt, C W. Stub e nr a uch , A. V .
Weber, H . R. White, C. G.
Wythe, W. J . Leland StanfordAnderson, R E. Brown , Earl D. Burg e r , Ar thur W Dillon , I saa c Dillon , J a m es R. Ehrenclou, Alfred H . Gr ee nwood , Harlow V . Hubb a rd, Charles M a rshall, James G. Mill e r , James A. S a lb ac h, Lloyd F. S a und ers, Arthur B. Shutt s, Fred 0 Van Sickle, True Wom1ack, Robert B. Wood , Frederick B. Har va rdSoule , Henry D . B. 15 chapters; 78 members.
45 Ca lifornia; 17 Leland Stanford .
Leland StanfordFarr, Roy
Felt, T. B.
G ard n e r, Dian R. Mackenzie, Andrew N Phillip s, Raymond M. Monzingo, J. J Town e r, Robert CaliforniaAustin, W . E. Clin e, E. H
Dickson, E. A. Gordon , H. T. Morgan, J G. Woodworth, W. A. Illinoi sBlack, C. W. Hook, H. H. Mo w der , C. L.
Shilton , P . A. CornellBooth , Russell C. 13 chapters ; 32 members . WashingtonPeterson, C. F. (Hon .) Arch e r , Aubrey Benson , Carl G Benton , Dwight C. Blogg, H. A . Blogg, Cecil F Brandenthaler, R. R.
Shuman, John F. MissouriHaynes, Eli Stewart Wobus, Walter W. CornellHolbrook, Elliott M. Keith, A. R. NebraskaPepper berg, Leon J. IllinoisBartells, G. C. PennsylvaniaBrown, Creed H. MinnesotaVander Eike, Paul WisconsinEnglar, T. S. PurduePhilpott, 0. A. ChicagoCole bird, John W. ColumbiaL a ke, H. M. ColoradoWeinberger, Herman Iowa UniversityGearhardt, W. E.
Burham , Cilfford J. Coffman, Herbert MichiganPierce, A. B. Thompson, Herbert L. Washburn, Harry B. NebraskaCornelius, Milton E. Barber, Charles E. PennsylvaniaArmour, ]. Lester (Pomona) Austin, Wm. H. (Long Beach) WisconsinMann, W L. PurdueKilian, ]. 0. ChicagoMartin, John H. YaleStetler, Benjamin F. HarvardMann, Walter L.
Campbell, Alvin R. Conibear, Hiram C. Daly, Benjamin H. Daniels, Joseph Elmendorf, Hartwell J. Eshelman, Wallace C. Gates, James R. George, H. Albert
McGauveran, Gordon Murphy, Thomas F . Rathbun, John Charles
Sidey, Thomas K. Simpson, Stewart L.
Stetson, Harold D.
Suman, Charles P. Tiffin, Lucius D. Todd, George A . Hancock, Eugene A. PurdueNigh, E. R. ChicagoBell, James E. NorthwestNesbit, G. H . PennsylvaniaBlogg, Herbert A. Dolby, John W. France, William B. Smith, Abraham W. Mann, William G. MichiganBrinkley, Chas. A. D e Roy, Benjamin 14 chapters; 52 members.
OregonClark, L. G. (Ron.) Dolph, Cyrus A. (Ron.) Malcolm, P. S. (Ron.) Pittcock, H. L. (Ron.)
Robinson, J. F. (Ron.)
Alderman, L. R. Brownell, P. Eastham, B. C. Huggins, L. M. Lowe, C. W. McDaniel, D. L. Riddel, G. Reuter, W. Strong, H. L. Welch, C. L. ColumbiaVeness, T. W. Iowa UniversityGearhart, G. W. Leland Stanford10 chapters; 31 members.
ColoradoDean, Marshall H. (Ron.)
Jacobson, Chas. H. (Ron.) Barker, Howard W. Beard, Harry R. Beebe, John D. Bent, Roger K.
Bernard, Lawrence J. Billington, Donald V. Bluemel, Charles S. Brackett, J. Raymond Butters, Roy M. Duggan, Harold C.
Wilson, John R. N 'ebraskaStacks, Ernest A. Wilson, George S. IllinoisBartells, Ed J. Dehn, W. M. Redenbaugh, W. A. ColoradoMontgomery, Victor A. Tiffin, Charles C. MinnesotaHanson, Orlando Kutnewsky, W. K. ColumbiaJohnson, D. D. Suzzallo, Henry KansasCurtis, C. C. YaleLohnmann, A. Wm. Iowa State CollegeMann, W. A. Iowa UniversityBolton, F E.
Colwell, Maynard R. Pierce, Samuel H Thompson, John H. ChicagoHarrison, Wm. I. Hills, Elmer W. CaliforniaRankin, R. R. Smith, L. R. Strong, B. L. HarvardRoyal, Wilmot K. MinnesotaTate, J. M. CornellClark, Roy R. WashingtonFrankland, James Lowe, Wm. H. Shans, W m. L.
Dunklee, Edward V. Fowler, Ora S. Garwood, Harold G. Grabill, Ralph G. Jolley, Paul S. Lindsay, Richard W. Meyer, Ralph E. Mugrage, Edward R. Palmer, Frank E. Parrish, John F. Perkins, Earl J. Colorado-( Continued) Pierce, Horace H.
Purdy, Sheldon P.
Rader, Cranston B.
Shugren, Maurice U.
Spangler, Henry R.
Stocker, Harry S.
Stocker, Harry S
Stuver, Henry W. MichiganMurphy, Hugh Jr.
Spaulding, Mortimer W. Stanford7 chapters; 37 members.
MissouriCarson, Gibbon W. (Hon.)
Lampert, Jacob (Hon.)
Parson, John R. (Hon.)
Boisseau, Marvi n Edwin Brookings, Joseph Hugh Kemp, Francis I van McCausland, Williams L. Olson, Claude Arthur ColumbiaKoken, W. T. Mott,]. W. 7 chapters; 17 members
Kansa sBrown , W. W. Claflin, 0. Q. Claypool , L. C. Dods,]. H. Edmondson, 0. M. Fu ll er, 0. 0. Gibbens, L. T. Grant, F. R. Gray, F. A . Linton, T . E. Porterfield, R. A. Ric e, Clarence T Scheller, Carl P. Smith, Ernest R. Stocks, B. R Thom as, E. E. Wetmore, A. V 5 chapters; 30 members.
NebraskaCa in , James R. (Ho n.)
Hornberger, Evans Z. Jenkins, Wm. G. J ennings, Avery Graham McNamara, Chas. J. Mullins, Thomas f. Pelster, Edwin R . 3 chapters; 13 members.
W iscons inAshmun, C. S. Longbo th am, L. V. Winter, 0. L. PennsylvaniaCarman, Ernest C.
Lundgren, E. Leonard KansasCline , Foster HarvardTurner, M. V PennsylvaniaMilton, John B. PurdueMalott, C. G. Iowa UniversityLuxford, G. A.
Nantes, ]. Stanley IllinoisWolcott, L. V. Wittich, F. P. MichiganGoodwin, Louis P. Kan sasSmith , R Cecil HarvardTaylor. Archer YalePohlman, J, Harry
CITY · ; M'issouriKuhn, Wm. F. (Hon.)
Costolow, Thmaas Albert Evans, H a rry E . Nichols, Oakley M . Poindexter, Harry K. Prewitt, Montie T. Porter, Winslow Ream, Ross J. Summers, James S . Tupes, Ernest E. ChicagoCowan, James Rice HarvardBehimer, Otto Illinois-
Elliott, H. W.
Poynter, Chas . W. M. Williams, Guy H. Young, Blaine A. YaleHall, C. W. Iowa UniversityDe Freece, Austin B. Kelley, J. M.
Hinman, Clarence G.
MichiganMercer, Lafayette S. HarvardTownsend, De Wayne
IllinoisBusse, H. H. MissouriAllred, Charles E. Corn ellRe ed, H. Clifford ColumbiaGilbert, Terrence W. Iowa StateStorms, A. Van WashingtonMerrifield, E. E . NorthwesternFoster, L. N. Minnesota (St. Paul)Anderson, Arthur L. Balmer, F. E. Camp bell, Dr. Albert A. Crawford, Allen S. Eberhardt, Adolph 0 . Lusk, W. F. Magnuson, Dr. F. A. Montgomery, J. S. Oswald, W. L. Reynolds, Myron H. Rosendahl, C. 0. Schaefer, Wm. C. L. Smith, A. D Webber, Fred W. Wilhoit, A. D Minnesota (Minneapolis)Aamodt, Arne W. Aamodt, Olaf S. Andrist, Charles M. Bachman, Gustav Baker, Dr. E. L. Borchardt, George C. Broderick, Thomas M. Canfield, H. E. Chase, Josiah H. Comstock, Elting H. Critchett, Edward F. Daum, H. Arno
St. Paul, 16; Minneapolis 57; Total, 83. 12 chapters; 83 members; 69 Minnesota
NorthwesternHarris, A. W. (Hon.)
Bairn, A. L. Baker, J. C. Baughman, I. Bays, A. W. Best, F. E.
Bevins, N. S.
Buhlig, W. H.
Carnduff, A. W.
Crossley, F. B. Fischnar, J. F.
Freund lich , A. Gilmore, R. T. Graf, C. G
Hartman, H. H.
Johnston, L. C.
Daum , Leo A. D eutsch, Henry Drake, Dr. Charles R. Eenkema, A. Erdman, Dr. Chas. A. Garber, G. E . Hansen, Louis L. Hickman, Judge A. C. Kavel, H. W. Kovarik, Alois F. Kunze, W. F. Lambert, E. M. Lee, Dr. Thomas G. Leist, Lemnal MacMillan, Conway Maland, Dr . Clarence Melvin, Dr. M. R. Moore, J. G. Nicholson , E. E. Pease , Levi B. Pet erson, I van J. Petri, Dr Carl H Phelan, Raymond V. Pierce, E. B. Porter, H. M. Poucher, J. C. Robitschek, E. C. Rudolph, Dr. Chas E Russell, Edwin C. Schefick, J F. · Sidener, C. F. Smith, G H. Stewart, F. Alex. Stewart, Earl W. Storm, Ashley· V. Struthers , George G. Swain, H. A. Swift, F. H. Trogener, Walter J. Whited, 0. 0. Jr. Yoerg, Dr. Otto W Young, J. S .
Kahn, H. Magnus, A. M. McGuigan , H. Methven, H. F. Millard, G. W. Miner, M.A. Mowry, W. A. Oglesby, G D. Prthero, J. H. Schulz, 0. H. Shil ey, J . R. Shoaf, W. H . Smith, C H. Waldron, C. A. Wiggins, T . B. Wilson, C. F .
PurdueDowns, Roland (Oak Park)
Eddy, Glenn H . Gallup, Orrie E . Hitze, E. E.
Mills, ]. L.
Norton, 0. P. (Oak Park)
Praaken , N. Price, E. E.
Reed, L D. (Hammond) S e nour, D Z. NebraskaFonda, ]. Everett M e ie r, Louis F. Kanag a, Paul H. Shumway, Howard P., Jr
Sinkie, Otto A. Tyler, Varro E. Wilson, Erwin F. ChicagoArnold, Jame s E. Calhoun, Kenneth L.
Coul so n, Leonard W. Downing, Elliot R. Crowley, William A. Drenm a n, Fred M. Ellison, Lee M.
Elwell, Russ ell T George T. Gould, Chester N Harry, Sidney B. Hart, William L. Johanns en, Albert Jon es, Ralph W. Linderholm, Ernest A. Mcintosh, John Miller, W. W. Moore, Josiah ]. Raulston, Burrell 0. Sellers , Ovid R. Shepardson, Francis W Stoler, George W Stutsman, William H. Waterhouse, Charles A. M. Woods, W eighstill A. IllinoisAnderson, E . W. Anderson, R. A. M . Becker, A. B. Chase, J. A. Cockrell, F. M Hadden, C. G. Huntington, C. S. James , E. A. J o n es, H. M. Kirk, D D McFarland , W. ]. Macalister, R. N 20 chapters; 126 members.
MichiganBooks, ]. Sta nley Bridges, Jo seph H.
Moore, J. K. Morgan, Chas. Parkin, W. H. Potter, C. E . Robson, C. D. Smith, E. A. Vaughn , G. P. Wenger, E. I. WisconsinFrazer, George E. Pease, S. A. Smith, G. E. Worthing, H. D . Youngberg, G. E. MissouriBaugher, A lb e rt Howard Chapman, Wallace Webster Harrington, Ertle Leslie McReynolds, Ralph Woods, W. A. MichiganBrown, Harry L. Hopkin, W. Scott Stevenson, H. A. KansasBrock, Frank P. Moon, Virgil H Weith, Archie J. HarvardHoward , Eugene A. Howard, Hubert E. Wi llin g, Matthew Minnesota. Radabaugh , Rudolph C. Struthers, James A. CornellAlden, Fred N. Gill, H e rmit H. YaleDunham , Chester F. Evans, Charles C. ColoradoDark, C eci l S. Wallabank, Stanley T. SyracuseGoldman , George Harris, W. D. ColumbiaLobdell, J. N. OhioWright, Miles L. Pennsylvani aSavacool, James E. Iowa StateSchumacher, C. H. P e nn StateJamie so n, J. T.
Hill, Clarence G . Brown, Edwin G. Cooper, ]. M.
Freund, Hugo A. Hull, Oscar C. Jeffrey, Donald J Laird, Albert N. Lamb, Wilber E. Lambert, Cecil R. McCoy, Thos. F. Mciver, John A. Norris, John F. Parsons, Roy N. Rowe, Harlan P. Welsh, Charles E. Wheeler, Walter S. White, George ]. Lodge, Frank T. (Ron.) McGregor, Jas. F. (Ron.) Stevens, Frederick B. (Ron.) PurdueCook, Jesse C. Kroeger, F. C 10 chapters; 37 members.
OhioGuillaudeu, Arthur Hardin, J. F. Yost, Hursh R. HarvardKaiper, S. Everett Little, Milner F. MichiganWeir, George E. PennsylvaniaMcGrew, Carl A. 9 chapters; 13 members.
Ohio-
Colton, Ray B. Humphrey, Dwight E. Schaffer, Francis H. Stauffer, Clinton R. lllinoisSuter, Earl Stull, R. T. WisconsinKetchum, H. E. Thayer, F. B. CornellCole, Dale S Hyde, Tom B. PurdueHorth, A. J. 12 chapters; 19 members.
PurdueGarmon, H. 0. Green, E. W. Harrah, Will S. Kane, D. S. Shera, J. W. Williams, C. F Williams, G. M. Iowa StateStorms, A. B. 6 chapters; 14 members.
Spencer, F. G. Wright, G. C. CornellCarter, Wilbur A. Thompson, Paul W. KansasHull, Oscar C. HarvardHuff, Truman C. IllinoisDanz, H 0. MinnesotaSheppard, B. S. Iowa StateDeacon, Eugene L. Penn. StateEvans, W. E. SyracuseMiddlemass, Robert, Jr.
WisconsinFenneman, N. M. PurdueDidlake, E. H. YaleDale, Morris ]. Grizzell, Emit D. ColumbiaHamilton, J. M. Penn. StateMacN'ary, S. ].
May, W. M. ColumbiaGeh lke, Chas. E. MichiganSeaver, Jay ]. KansasLandrum, Robert D . NebraskaPayne, Chas . K. HarvardKelly, Wm. W. MissouriHosford, Grover C. Penn. StateTaylor, F. D.
MichiganValiance, Chas. A. NebraskaBlackstone, Geo. B. Jenkins , Frank B. Yuncker, Truman G. IllinoisCope, C. ColumbiaGill, G. E.
NebraskaSallliPSOn, Arthur W. Lamb, George N. Lamb, Wm. H. Monbeck, Roy R. KansasWetmore, Alexander McCullum, Burton Roberts, L. B. Ise, W J, MichiganClawson, A. B. Lanning, Richard H . Sibbett, David H. IllinoisClark, S. C. Hubbard, W. S. Pierce, C. H. YaleFerguson, Henry G. Hauck, John F. Ise, Walter J. Iowa StateHall, A. G. Pierce, C. H. (Ron.) Yarnell, D. L . Penn. StateMeyer, John F.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
Leland StanfordTopham, James C. White, Walter N. PennsylvaniaFormad, Robert J, Mann, W. G. MinnesotaPettijohn, Earl Sheldon, A. C. MissouriTupes, Hershel C. Wylie, C. C. Kansas AgriculturalJohnson, Elmer McCormick, Elmer B. , OhioPotter, Geo. M. CaliforniaMcMahon, B. S. HarvardEdwards, Basil D. WisconsinLiverance, W. B. PurdueJohnson, W. S. ChicagoJones , Harry M. 18 chapters; 37 members.
Penn. StateBaker, A A Fuhrman, Karl P. Hughes, E W. Young, J, W. CornellGridley, Sidney D . Pierce, Howard C. OhioLeighninger, W. B. WisconsinJones, G. S. MissouriShrader, H. Loy WashingtonBreuning, Paul H. PennsylvaniaElkins, Geo. W. (Ron.) Orlady, Geo B. (Ron ) Baird , Frank B. Brunt, Thomas B. Capon, Wm. B. Cornell, Wilbert C. Cowdrick, Walter Cubberly, Harry T. Dallas, Wm H. Day, Samuel H. Eagle , Stephen N. Eves, Frank C. Fitzpatrick, J. Raymond Fogel, Edwin M. 7 chapters ; 63 mem\iers.
Franklin, Melvin M. Gillfillan, Joseph Green, Garton S. Gretzm'acher, Emil A. Guilfoyle, Wm. F., Jr. Hallett, Geo. H. Hardenbergh, J. B. Harrison, Samuel W. Hassrick, Romaine C. Heins, John W . Herst, Nelson D. Hoffstetter, Julius M. Huebner, Prof. Solomon Jeremiah, David B. Kelsh, Wm. T. Kerr, Wm. C. Kirk, Lewis H. Kline, Loren E. Lane , James G. Leonard, Richard D. Locke, Samuel B. Lodholz, Edward Magee, W m. L. Martin, Collier F. Muller, Henry J , Nichol, James P. Nitzsche, George · E. Neely, Marvin Y. Nones, Robert H., Jr. Rearick, Bertram D. Robb, John W.
Rothermel, Daniel R. Sawyer, Samuel R. Schaffhauser, Chas. Stauffer, John B.
HarvardBabcock, Tiram H. Baker, John M.
Gordon, Clarence B. Harris, P. Randolph
Kennedy, P. B.
McCuen, L. E.
Meade, Louis H. Musgrave, Wayne E. Rowland, Earl F. Snow, Wm. W.
Tooker, Dubois L. Homan, Wm. (Hon.)
PennsylvaniaBeersman, C. G. Cleaver, H. J.
Cook, Guy L.
Gerson, Louis J. Kocher, Lawrence E. Shields, Joseph C. Singleton, Daniel R. Yode r, Chas. L.
Yale- , von Bernuth, Wm. S. Downs, C. R. Hilditch, W. W. Hunter, Roy B. Timm, Alexander B. Van Alstyne, Wm. T. CarnellHoman, Wm. (Hon.)
Stout, Philip S. Wahl, Richard A. White , Raymond A. Wilson, Joseph R. NEW YORK CITY
Farnsworth, James A. Jessup, George P. Kautch, Earl R. Smith, Albert N. Palmer, Everett A. MichiganHall, Walter A. Pierce, Homer N. Penn. StateLogo, V. L. ColumbiaCheesman, Dr. T. M. (Hon.) Homan, Wm. (Hon.)
Van de Water, Rev. Geo. R. (Hon.) Adams, M. P. Bonsib, R. S. Boyce, W. S. Brown, H. A. Buffett, B. R. Campbell, Wm. R. Driehaus, I. W. Elliot, C. R. Erb, F. W. Estabrook, Wm . A. Fagnani, C. P. Fish back, E. H. Friedgen, Chas . 17 chapters; 99 members.
Gaul, W. H. Giltner, E. E. Hammersley, A. S . Heimrod, A. A. Helm, Carl Hines, ]. C., Jr. Holm, Geo. T. Hunt, Chas. W. Jackson , A. V. W. Kemp, W. C. B. Kern, E. F. Kessler, Geo. F. King, Guy B. McCastline, Wm. H. Marchmont, ]. H. Maul, W. F. Moeller, H. N. N'ielson, S. ]. Osterholm, C. A. Oliver, ]. W. Remington, H. W., Jr. Robbins, C. L. Runnels, R. C. Sinclair, A. E. Smith, J. Gardner Stenquist, J. L. Tyson, L. Waterbury, A. E. Weeks, W. H. LeRoy, Walter I. SyracuseFramer, W. B. Wardlow, W. E. KansasMagatagan, G C. Pauly, H. C: Wilder, W. ]. MinnesotaHornibrook, James W. Wilson, H. W. WisconsinHale, M. C. Petura, F. J. NebraskaBallard, J. F. ChicagoJones, W . A. IllinoisAmrine, T. H. Cross, W. ]. Haggott, W. S. Lehman, R. F. PurdueSchnaffner, J W. WashingtonMcGee, J. M. CaliforniaWeston, C. G.
NebraskaPound, Roscoe OhioPate, Frank W. PurdueChapin, Henry L. HarvardAbbott, Leon M. (Hon .) Gallagher, Chas. T. (Hon.) Hamilton, F. W. (Hon.) Bacon, Lester M. Best, Wm. H. Blair, Pierpont Boyden, E. A. Churchill, Fred R. Connor, Maurice V. Dewey, Judd E. Dickey, Wm. P. Elmore , Samuel P. Estes, Bay E. Gale, Chas. J. 4 chapters; 39 members.
KansasMagatham, W. C Schriener, W. Red MichiganMalcolm, Geo A. NebraskaConant, Earnest B. 6 chapters; 7 members .
Cornell} ones, Paul W . Wigley, Wm. R.
Gano, Seth T. Gleason, Albert A. Green, G. H. B., Jr. Green, Louis L. Hamburger, Leo S. Hapgood, Lyman B. Hoar, Roger S. Howard , Homer S. Jenkins, A . A. Lydig, Otto Merwin, Raymond E. Page, Rodney G Reynolds, Harris A. Sanderson, Kendall A. Schaefer, Albert A. Scott, Walter Smart, Winferd H. Waldron, Chauncey W. Willard, Victor H. Parsons, Carl E. Jensen, W m. B.
CaliforniaReynolds, H. M. Ohio- · Hill, Alva ]. CornellCanaga, Gordon B.
OhioBieininger, A. V . Scott, Wirt S. Brinton, Chas. C. (Wilkinsburg) Ramey, Blaine B. (Wilkinsburg) KansasTillotson, E. W. Turkington , ]. E. PennsylvaniaHitchens, Wm. F. Hughes, Joseph F. Shallenberger, Chas. M. YaleTillotson, E. W. Jones, John L. Obernauer, Harold Scholes , Samuel Penn StateDietrich, Warren W. Schaeffer, H M. Sh a tzer, J. B. Warner, R. L. Minnesota} ohnson, Elmer W. Thurston e, L L. 14 chapters; 29 members.
WisconsinDavis, D. E. Crowell, G. G. ColoradoMcKinney, Harry D. Moulton, Victor C. MichiganGoodwin, Irving D. PurdueCharters, David B. ChicagoMcReynolds, Ralph Iowa StatePalmer, B. L. NebraskaBaker, I van F.
C o nstitution an d By- Laws of the Chicago Alumni Association of the Acacia Fraternity
We, alumni of va riou s chapters of the Acacia Fraternity desiring:
To unite in closer brotherhood the Acacia alumni of' Chicago Territory.
To cultivate, cherish and perpetuate Acacia Ideals.
To dedicate actively our inspiration, experience and services to the Acacia Fraternity.
To deliberate upon a nd bring to mature fulfillment our purposes for the welfare and advancement of Acacia.
To establish our Association upon a more enduring form of organization, do adopt this constitution.
The name of this body is Chicago Alumni Association of the Acacia Fraternity.
Any member of the Acacia Fraternity who finds Chicago a convenient place for meeting may become a member of this Association upon the payment of dues for the current year.
Annually at the June meeting the members present shall elect officers who shall serve respectively until their successors are chosen. At any regul a r meeting when ten or more members are voting, the members present may determine and fill a vacancy of office.
The officers of this Association shall be: President, Vice-President, S ec retary -Trea s urer and Publicity Chairm)an.
Collectively the officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. Individually a nd in the order of seniority indicated , the officers shall have the common duty of calling special meetings of the Association when necessary, and of presiding at all meetings.
This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the members pres ent, when ten or more are voting, at any regular m ee ting, after at least two months' notice by petition of not less than five members pres e nted in open regular meeting of the Association setting out fully the change proposed .
Section 1. The dues are twenty-five cents, payable each year in advance Sec. 2. Regular meetings shall be held on the first Saturday evenin'g of each month from October to '] une inclusive.
Sec. 3. The Presid e nt shall provide and indicate a n address to which all correspondence of a general nature addressed to the Association or any officer may be sent. He shall promptly send or deliver every commlunication requiring special attention to the officer whose committee can give it the best disposition . He shall call meetings of the Executive Committee wh e never de s irable for the dis cuss ion of a general nature pertaining to the welfare of this Association of the Acacia Fraternity, a nd shall perform such other duties as generally pertain to this office.
Sec. 4 The Vice-President shall provide a speaker to deliver an address at each regular meeting He shall pr ese rve and transmit to his successor in office the files of the Association. He shall seek to be well informed upon the problems and the affairs of the Acacia Fraternity that demand consideration and action; he shall pres e nt from1 time to time for discussion and deci s ion by the members · present at the meetings, such matters as he finds to be of pressing importance to Acacia, and shall perform such other duties as may pertain to th e office.
Sec. 5 The Secretary- Treasurer shall seek the acquaintance of each alumnus of Acacia who is newly come to Chicago, shall introduce the newcomer to some member engaged in his business or profession, and shall the newcomer with all pertinent information at hand. He shall keep a su1table record of all information which is furnished him by the members or which can be secured
regarding business and prof e ssional opportunities around Chicago. H e shall collect the dues and keep a perman ent roll of members . The roll shall be made annu a lly in October and shall include only the names of those whose dues are paid for the fi s cal year th e n comm e ncing, and such other duties as usually pertain to the offi c e
Sec. 6 The Publi c it y Chairman shall arrange the hour and provide the place a nd m ea l se r v i ce for m ee tings, and shall give timely notice of the same He sh a ll sup e r v ise a ll public a ti o n s of the Association, and shall conduct corr espond e nce with oth e r ch a pters and as s ociations of Acacia men concerning matters of mutual interest .
S e c. 7. Ev ery officer shall appoint one member to act with him as a committee in p e rforming the dutie s of his office. Any officer may appoint temporarily, for a p a rticular matter, a third m e mber to serve on his committee at any time he finds it desirable to do so.
S e c 8 . A s fa r as pr a cticab le, a ll matt e rs for A ss ociation or committ e e action or con s id e r a tion , a nd all r e p o rt s and r e co mm e nd a tion s of committ ee s shall be pr es ent ed in w ritt e n or print e d form on paper of substantially uniform size and binding margin to b e desi g nat ed by the Vice-President. All such documents a nd all co rr es pond e nc e s h a ll b e d elivered t o the Vice-President for perm a nent filing and bindin g wh e n th e matter s to which they p e rtain have had satisfactory di sposition
S ec . -9. It is the s p ec ia l duty of every member of the Association to seek to be well informed r eg a rdin g th e history and affairs of th e local chapter when he com es When r e qu es ted each member shall assist the officers and serve cin th e committe es. Every m emb e r is urged to r ead regularly the Acacia Journal.
Sec. 10. The By-L a ws may b e amend ed by majority vote at any regular meeting aft e r one month notice by petition presented in regular meeting setting forth fully the change desired.
Constitution of the Acacia Fraternity Alumni of New York City
This organi za tion sh a ll be known as the Acacia Fraternity Alumni of N e w York City.
Any a lumnus member of the Acacia Fraternity living in New York City or vicinity, and in good s tanding with the Fraternity, may become a member of the Acacia Fraternity Alumni of New York City by enrolling his name with th e secretary and paying the annu a l dues
The officers of this organization shall be an Honorary President, a Presid e nt, a Vice President and a Se cr e t a ry- Treasurer. Their duties shall be those which usually pertain to such officers, and they shall hold office for one year from the d a te of their el e ction .
An executive c omrruittee shall have ch a rge of the activities of this organiz ation. This committee shall con s ist of the President and two members appointed by him, and who shall hold office at his pleasure. The President shall have power to add to this committ ee a t his discretion.
The dues of this org a nization shall be one dollar per year, payable in advance . As s essm ent s m a y be made by th e ex e cutive committee.
This organiz a tion shall hold an annual meeting on the second Monday o f May, and a regular fall meeting on the second Monday of October, or on such other days as the executive committee may order:
All questions arising befor e this organization shall be decided by a majority vote of those present at any fully announced meeting.
Adopted June 9, 1913.
The survey of the geographical distribution of Acacia Alumni is very illuminating and surprising. In working this out the committee made use of the 1915 directory which unfortunately does not distinguish active from alumni members. The results are accurate, therefor, only as far as we could determine who were alumni. All names not given as residing in the chapter houses were counted as alumni. This in cludes honorarY: memb.ers. Assuming our list is only 75 per cent correct tt reveals some mt eres tmg facts. A detatled tabulation and lists of names are attached at the end of the report. A summary is as follows:
(Cal. 45) (Ore. 15 ) (Wash. 25) (Colo. 30 ) (Neb. 10) (Minn. 69) (Kan. 17) (Mis. 8) (Chi. 25, N. 32) (Mich. 24) (Penn. 53) (Col. 46) (Harv. 36)
On the basis for official recognition as prescribed in Sec. 47 of the By-Laws almost all of these cities would be able to maintain an association.
Chicago has the greatest number of alumni, 126. This includes 32 names from the list of inactive Northwestern chapter New York is second with 99, Minneapolis and St. Paul third with 83, and San Francisco is fourth with 78.
Chicago has 19 chapters represented; Washington, D. C., is next with 18 ; and New York follows with 17. Pittsburg and Seattle are surprising with 14 chapters and 29 members and 14 chapters and 51 members, r e spectively.
A few cities like Philadelphia and Boston have a preponderance of local alumni . In Philadelphia the total number of Acacia men is 63 from 7 chapters, but 53 of these are from; the local University chapter. In Boston there are 39 alumni from 4 chapters, but 36 men are from Harvard . Washington, D. C., is unique with 37 m e n from 18 chapters. Even the Philippines claim their share of Acacia men, for Manila reports 7 men from 6 chapters.
Some agency should be established to look after this situation and encourage these centers to establish alumni bodies; have each chapter arouse its own men in these centers; call attention to the requirements for official r ecog nition and the privilege of having the representative at the Conclave ; suggest a model constitutio n; and advise them of progress and practices in other associations. The lists of names included in the attached tabulation would be of much value to such an agency. We therefore recommend that some person or committee be appointed to follow up this situation and use the data herewith submitted.
The com1mittee has learned of one association which was established through the encouraging hospitality of the local active chapter residing in that city. In Boston, Philadelphia and Minneapolis the establishment of an alumni associat!on could receive considerable stimulus from the local chapters. The celebratiOn
of one Founders' Day might have this as its primary purpose. We therefore recommend that chapters in large centers do what they can to develop an alumni association . Emphasis must not be placed unduly upon the establishment of alumni bodies wholly for official recognition . In some centers the organization ought to be very l oose, even without dues, and the main object should be to get men togeth er to discuss affairs and int e rests of Acacia, and for social benefit . Much that is beneficial to Acacia can be crystallized in a meeting of many men from many chapters. An instance of this is the exce ll ent suggestion made by a Yale man to th e Chicago Association that an employment bureau be started. This idea h as been skillfully worked into their organization and it is worthy of emulation by other associations. Acacia men should be encouraged to get together. The number of m e n and the number of chapters represented is not important at the star t. One Gr an d Officer remarks: "If there are four men who are enthusiastic enough to get together and do something for their own interest and the good of the fraternity they shou ld be allowed to ca ll themselves an alumni association if they d es ire. What diff e rence does it make how few· chapters are represented ? What we want is to get the a lumni t ogether and keep them acquainted with each other, and it does not make a bit of difference if they are all from one chapter."
Summarizing this committee recommends:
1. That alumni bodies be referred to as associations instead of chapters to distinguish th e m from active chapters.
2. That Section 47 of the By-Laws be modified to read "associations" instead of "chapters."
3 That Section 47 of the By-Laws be maintained as the basis for official r ecogn ition.
4. That no uniform constitution and by -l aws be prescribed for a lumni associations; but
5. That the constitution and by-laws of the Chicago Alumni Association of the Acacia Frat e rnity be suggested as a model to associat ions in formation.
6. That the Grand Counselor include v i sits to Alumni Associations, wherever possible, as part of his work.
7. That some person or · committee be appointed to use the data submitted with this report to foster alumni bodies and follow up the ind ic ated centers .
8. That active chapters in favorable cen t e rs seek, by encouraging hospitality, to get alumni associations under way; and .
9. That all active chapters rem\ind th eir members that one way "to take a more active part and to have a g r eater influence in the affairs of the community in which we may reside" i s to become an active a lum ·nus.
Respectfully s ubmitted,
IRWIN W. DRIEHAUS, Cha'1rman, Columbia Chapter, CHARLES W : HALL, Yale Chapter, ALFRED H. EHRENCLOU, Leland Stanford Chapter,
Wisconsin: "We have a very short report to make because we took the word of the Vice-President that the only organization worthy of consideration at this time was Oklahoma . We· offer this report."
Th e Committee on Fraternity Extension, composed of Wisconsin, chairman, Ohio, Purdue, presents the following report:
We recommend that the Conclave look with pleasure on the efforts of the Masonic Club of the University of Oklahoma.
E. }. MORRISON, Wisconsin. C. M . ROSE, Ohio.
G. H. EDDY, Purdue.
Of course that in no way binds the Conclave, in any respect. That is a matter in the province of the Vice -Pr esident and the chapters.
W a hington: "There is a body of Ma on organized in Pullman calling themselves Aztecs, they have a trong organization, and they are represented in all lines of activities."
The committee on the next Conclave can give only a partial report. Bro. Grand President: Your committee on the next Conclave r e commends that the next Conclave be held in 1918, the exact date to be determined by the Grand Council.
Your committee further recommends that the invitation of the ew York Alumni As ociation for the next Conclave be accepted. Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR R. SMITH, Michigan, Chairman, GEO. C. FERRIER , K a nsas State.
WILLIAM S. DYE, JR., Penn State,
California: "We feel that this recommendation should be accepted in view of the fact that if we leave the Conclave over for two years we will be able to save about $2,000. We will be able to help out the endowment fund and at least we will be able to come out even-California thinks the resolution should be accepted."
Kansas State: "I don't think that this should in any way govern the Conclave in the future and I believe this is a good thing becau e we need more money to give to our Grand Counselor and it looks to me like we are almost far enough along that we wouldn't have anything of very great importance the next year."
Illinois: "We feel that an annual Conclave is a great help to the different chapters; that delegates can get a great deal from attending the Conclaves. Of course we have the Grand Counselor at present who can visit the chapters and give them good assistance but we don't feel that those visits can take the place of the annual Conclave and if there is any way possible by which we can meet expenses of the Conclave next year, especially as Acacia is going through a formative period, we want the Conclave next year."
Penn State: "It seems to me to be of some importance, at least for a number of years we have been legislating, piling up one law upon another and giving no one of them a chance to sink in and Penn State thinks there would be an opportunity of allowing the Council to find out if there was a question and for that reason Penn State favors the motion."
Iowa State: "We look forward to the return of the delegates to the Convention. It means a great deal to the chapter. If it is discontinued for a period of two years there is a two years break. I shall be able to go back and make a report to the chapter which was not so last year . Our delegate went out and we did not get our report until late in the year. Iowa State is earnestly in favor of the annual Conclave."
Missouri: "It seems to me that this question resolves itself into a matter of finances. I am: not well enough informed as to the finances. The · Grand Treasurer said not to provide for anything unless we provide means to pay for it."
Grand Treasurer: "I will say that at the present rate of expenditures our expenditures exceed our cash receipts about $1,500, in other words, we drew on our surplus Of course it wouldn't last indefinitely
without the Budget Committee took charge of it and provided an additional m•eans of revenue ."
Stanford: "I would like to ask about other organizations that are establi shed and have a greater number of chapters if they have established a time of getting together. I understand that they get together once in t wo years. Of course I realize that a Conclave is an expensive thing but it seems to me that our organization is not strong enough or at least there are chapters that are not strong enough to last without it. If we consider the active life of a member of Acacia we may find that his life is shorter than two years, if so that means that if we wait two years there will be delegates that we know nothing of now, it means that we shall have to take up matters that will be so new that it will be lost in reconsideration . We need the influence that one has over the other, we need spirit and that we can not obtain very easily. Stanford wou ld like to see a Conclave next year."
Grand President: "T here is one thing that is a fact that if the Conclave is held next yea r the per capita tax must be increased, there must be some means of obtaining revenue."
Columbia: "Can you estimate what the increase would be in dues in order to have an annual Conclave, $5.00 or $6.00 a year?"
Grand Treasurer: "No ; assuming that we would have the same num'ber of men this year, 340, assuming that our 25 chapters have 25 each , we assume that $2.00 additional per capita tax would be needed. "
Yale: " There is one thing I especially want to urge and that is that the Conclave is th e o nly real way that the various chapters can get the co nsc iousness of Acacia-to get the national sp irit , I think it ha s been brought out by the Grand Council and the delegates that there is a considerable variance in our various chapters , we are still differing so widely that a great deal more definite understanding is necessary if we are to appreciate the influence of the different chapters, that is we ought to be drawn more closely together, a thing that you can get by understanding the other chapters."
Harvard: "I should like to agree with the last ·sentiment expressed by Yale. There is now and has been for several years considerable dissension among the different chapters but it is something that can not be done away with by keepin g the chapters apart. The only way is by holdin g the Conclave and that annually. We are facing a deficit now. Our tax is $5.00 per capita, and that I venture to say is considerabl y higher than the per capita tax for maintaining the expenses for any other fraternity, and even if it is not higher the members in several chapters are go in g to find it difficult to pay $5.00 so that it is a very v ital question and resolves it s elf between these two question , howev er, it strikes me that there should be an annual Conclave."
Kansas: "Kansas heartily agrees with Harvard, Yale , Stanford and Illin ois in that what we obtain is invaluable and should not be done awa y wit h. We know that our chapter, if there must be a per capita tax increase, will be willing to stand by it and attend our annual Conclave. How can we tell that the legislation that we enact now will satisfy for two yea rs? I wou ld say that we would rather dispense with anything e lse the annual Conclave."
Penn State: ".I feel in this matter as a somewhat old man. Six
years ago this question came up at the Mis ouri Conclave the exact position, the great trouble the awful calamities of it for a year presented, It was postponed for a year and none of those calamities happened. The Grand Counselor's position is directly referrable to the discussion which arose at that Conclave. The Grand Counselor at the present time while he doesn't in any sense of the word take the place of the Grand Conclave, does take away a great deal of the trouble which might arise without the Conclave being held. I don't believe that any trouble will arise if we don't have a Conclave during the next two years ."
California: "California would like to take issue with Yale that the only way that the various chapters can get the national spirit is by the Conclave We believe that if Brother Brown could have visited us : this year and could have compared this with other years he would have 1 had a sense of our national character. California also feels perhaps in a peculiar way the visit from the Traveling Counselor and we don't ' want to feel that we would benefit by our coming to Purdue more than we would if we had a visit from the Grand Counselor but we who ' are a little further away really feel that you men receive a great benefit by this Grand Counse lor's visiting you and we would like to have him visit us."
Stanford: "The cost of the Conclave last year was $3,000. This year it will be about $1,536. I haven't all the accounts in yet. Is our bank account in such a condition that we can't recover from last year's high cost of the Conclave so we can have the Conclave and also have the visit of the Grand Counselor to the Pacific Coast?
"It seems that the Grand Counselor in order to visit these chapters must have more money and if we have a deficit this time and it will make it more than $1,500 we will have to do something to meet this deficit because we are going to' have added expenses during the coming year."
Grand President : "Yes, and we installed a new chapter last year."
Syracuse: "I know that Syracuse looks forward to the coming back of the delegate every year and yet I feel that is not our only chance for feeling that we are a member of the National Acacia Fraternity. I believe that Syracuse will be more pleased, if we must cut somewhere that we cut in the Conclave and put the money on the Journal. I believe that the visit that we receive from the Grand Counselor and from those members that stop in Syracuse are of more benefit for the reason that 1 at the Conclave one delegate associates with the delegates and comes back and the visits which we receive from the Grand Counselor are received and enjoyed by all, for that reason I would be in favor of the biennial Conclave ."
Stanford: "By the Grand Counselor's visit they get the idea of one man but his association is not as valuable as 26 times that."
Wisconsin: "I think that a ll of the points have been well covered and I wish that our brothers would be w illin g to sacrifice all along the line to have a Conclave next year."
Grand President: "The question is are we going to have a Conclave next year or are we going to accept the Conclave for 1918 ?." Voting for the next Conclave for 1918: Michigan, Nebraska, Cah
fornia , Ohio, Franklin, Purdue, Chicago, Penn State, Syracuse, Kansas State.
Voting no: Stanford, Kansas, Harvard, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Cornell, Yale, Columbia, Iowa, Washington, Colorado. Iowa State absent and not voting.
The motion is lost by 13 to 10.
Cornell: "Co rnell will sacrifice the Conclave commg to the east for it t o go to the middle west."
Moved by Ya le and seconded by Missouri to adjourn.
Motion carried. Adjourn until8 o'clock to meet at the Acacia House.
Grand President: "We are working under the head of new business and so far we have had a report from the committees on Publication , Endowment and Fraternity Extension , is the committee on Ritual and Insignia ready to report?"
"F irst-W e recommend no change in th e officia l flag and that the Grand C o uncil select an official flag maker to manufacture official flags of standard sizes · and unif o rm colors a nd th a t the se veral chapters be required to purcha e all Acac ia flags through the Grand Secretary.
Moved by Co h.imbia and seconded by Minnesota that this resoluti on be adopted.
Motio n carried, so ordered.
" Sec o nd-W e r eco mm e nd that no change be made in the official hat band and that the Grand Council se l ec t as officia l hat band maker to manufacture official hat band s of uniform colors and that the seve ral chapters be required to purchase all Acac ia h a t b a nds through th e Grand Secretary."
Grand President: "You have heard the resolution as to the official hat b'and, any discussion? "
Delegate: "I would think that is impracticable."
Grand President: "A ny further discussion? The reason for recommending that is that at present there are different s tyles of hat band s, there is a difference in the color of the ye ll ow, different hat band makers will have different colors of ye ll ow."
Motion carried, so ordered.
Third-We r e commend that the Grand President shall appoint a permanent Committee on Ritual to s tudy the ritual, consider suggested changes, and report their recommendations to the Grand Council by D ecember 1st
B. G. SMITH , Columbia, Chairman AUGUST NEUBAUER, Minnesota
R. C. THAXTON, Texas.
G. A. LA WREN'CE, New York Alumni. BRO BOULDS, Purdue.
Grand President: is the sense of the committee, do you want to take the rest of the report one by one?"
Grand Secretary: " Let's not report the Ritual."
Penn State: " I am not of the opin io n that our Ritual is so perfect that some change s could not be made with some s atisfaction. I believe that Ritual should have the proper consideration. I don't
know exactly what changes are reported by the committee but there are some changes which I have in mind to pre sent from the Penn State Chapter and I would like them considered by the chapter as chapters."
Mr. Smith: "I think the committee s h o uld be heard. "
Grand President : "As a matter of fairness I think we h ou ld n ot vote on the motion of Penn State until we hear from thi committee, we want this committee to have a chance to be heard. Withdraw your motion."
Penn State: "Certainly."
Grand President: "After we have finished all the new bu ine s we will call up on you again Brother Smith."
Grand President: "The committee on next Conclave?" "Reported in part."
"Wi ll the chairman of that committee take the floor? " "B rother Smith of Michigan ." .
"The Delegate from Michigan not here? " Answer: " To."
Grand President: "I understand that there was acti o n taken on the next Conclave for 19 17. In all fairness to all of you that question is not sett led until you le gis late for the money , of course I am talking quite outside my province."
Delegate: "We had but ten delegates there this afternoon and we felt that if our Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer had been there we might have had enough to carry the motion."
1. The Committee suggests that each chapter endeavor to in s titute a budget sys t e m for their chapter expe nditur es for the coming year.
2. Th e Committ ee mov es that the pre se nt accounting system b e u sed for th e co ming year.
3 The Committee m.oves that the chapters be allowed to print th e ir own voucher checks so as to conform with th e requirement s of their b a nking hous es.
4. The Committee mo v es that each chapter be furnish ed with a copy of th e ex planation of the "N·ew Accounting System, " which has been submitted by Brother L. E. Knorr of Wisconsin chapter.
Resp ec tfully submitted, ]. L. ARMOUR, Franklin, Chairman . CHESTER M. ROSE, Ohio, AUG. NEUBAUER, Minnesota.
Franklin: "T he committee suggests that each chapter endeavor to institute a budget system. The com;mittee didn't specify how the chapter should arrange for that budget because the chapters vary so, we recommend that the accounting system be used for the present year. We have all the forms on hand now and if we change the system it will be another year before we get started. Some of the chapters find it to be an exce llent system."
It is moved by Penn State and seconded by Ohio that the present accounting system be continued until the meeting of the next Conclave.
Grand President: "I n you r report will yo u present as an appendix the suggest ion of Brother Knoor ?" "Yes ."
"Brother Knoor has been very busy this summer and it speaks very well for his fraternal devotion and also for his good temper and good
nature that he is trying hard to make this second s y stem as m'Uch of a success as his own sys tem. "
Motion carried.
"T he banks in some cases refus e the checks for the chapter."
"T he motion was that each chapter be permitted to print its own voucher checks. Those in favor vote aye, opposed no. So ordered "
The committee moves that each chapter be furnished with a set of instructions. ·
Grand President: "Wo uld you have that published in the Journal?"
Ar mour: "Se nt out in mimeograph."
Moved by Penn State and seconded by Ohio that Brother Orr's s uggestion be adopted . Carried and so o rd er ed .
Th e comm itt ee on Delegate Expense Account p re sents the following it emiz ed accou nt s of the r espec t ive delegates to the E l eve nth Annual Conclave:
1. George E. Frazer, Grand President.. ____
2. R Ceci l Fay, Grand Vice - Pr es id e nL.--
3. H . L . Brown, Grand Counst:lor__ ____
4. Harry Kilmer , Grand SecretarY- -
5. ]. A. Woodward, Grand Tre asu rer.---- -
6. Wm. G. Mann, Grand Editor _____ : ___ _
A. Smith, 1\.fichigan
S. Herold, Stanford
W. Hake, Kansas - --
C. E. Paul, Nebras k a·-------------------
M. J . Mink l e r , California·-------
C. M. Rose , Oh io-
J . F. Rhodes, Harvard----
B. L K ir k, Illinois
J. L. Armo u r, Franklin
A. N'e ubauer , Minne s ota
E. J. Morr ison, Wisconsin
] A. Faris,
0. W. Dyn es, Cornell
G. H. Eddy, Purdue
W H Pa r ker, Chicago.----------
J. R. Shu l tz, Ya l e·-------------
B . G. Smith , Columbia
F . Householder , Iowa State, es timated
L. P Holt , Iowa
William Dye, Jr., Penn State-
L. Lindsey, Syracuse
E. E. Edinger, Franklin
INCREASE DUE TO POSTPONEME T
The increase of delegate expense, due to the postponement of the Conclave, as per order of the Grand President, is it e mized as follows :
To tal - - - - - --------$110.35
a spirit of fairness to the affected delegates relative to this increase, the committee r ecomme nds that such delegates be allowed the sum indicated. This sum is included in the amounts g iven in the first table of expense.
S. C. HEROLD, Stanford, L. LINDSEY, Syr ac use, HARRY E . KILMER, Grand Secretary.Grand President: "Your committee is to be congratulated on its report. We thank the delegates from Stanford and Syracuse for work on this committee."
Grand President : "Chairman of the committee on the next Conclave, delegate from Michigan, is he here? "
Answer: "He is out to dinner tonight."
Grand President: "Is Brother Faris present?"
Brother Faris: "Yes."
Grand President: "Are you prepared to discuss?' Before we adjourn this session it seems desirable that we might use it for cool consideration of finances , will you lead the discussion. Is there any objection of any one to considering the financing of the next "Conclave?"
Moved by Columbia and seconded by 1'4issouri that we proceed to consider the financing of the next Conclave. Brother Faris I will ask you to lead off in this discussion telling w hat you think ought to be done."
Missouri: "We take the figures we have on this Conclave in round numbers as $1,500. The Conclave last year was a little over $3,000. We • show that if the Conclave was to be held in the middle of the United States it would be perhaps an easier m:atter to finance it than it would if it was held on the coast. We figured it would cost about $800 more than this Conclave but of course it wouldn't run as hi g h as it did on the western coast for the reason of the difference in transportation. "
Grand President: "This Conclave will cost about $1,600 and the one on the eastern coast about $2,500 and the one at San Francisco $3,150."
Delegate: "It looks like the Conclave here in the middle west could be put on very reasonably but if it goes t o the eastern coast there wou ld be more money to be raised."
Chairman: "About how much is the per capita tax now."
"Five dollars per capita."
Chairman: "Will your chapter object to $7.50? "
"Y es , we would rather spend this money in the Grand Counselor's
job and tide over for a year. I know that our chapter would disapprove the raising of the per capita tax."
Chairman: "I don ' t want to drag this discussion very far."
Purdue: "As I understand it if we have it on the east coast we have to raise more money and if we have it in the middle west we will not have to raise more per capita tax. I understand also that there have been two invitations from eastern chapt ers and I understand there will be some from the western."
Cha irman: "O f course it can decide to meet without invitation."
New York Alumni: "It seems that those figures in regard to having the Conclave in the east are excessive. I doubt very much that if the Conclave is held in New York that it wou ld cost but a very little more. There are practically on ly three chapters in the west . The reason the Conclave co s t so much la st year is because of transportation and if held in either New Y ark or Cam bridge I don't think it will cost $300 more than it did
Illinois: "Illinois didn't offer to have the Conclave held at Illinois because it had not been considered and because l ast year the proposition was brought up I think by Harvard that she wou ld yie ld to Purdue if the next year it would come to her, but however, the delegate from Illinois has talked with some of the Illinois delegates present and we have decided that Illinois Chapter would be h onored by having the Conclave meet with us and we are pleased to offer the Conclave to meet at Champaign or Chicago."
Grand President: "I don't think that is in order."
Harvard: year I think it was determined that Harvard should have the Conclave the next year but that doesn't bind any Conclave. The reason I haven ' t offered an invitation before , Harvard is not in position to finance it over and above the cost to get the Conclave there but if it is at all possible to ha ve it in Cam:bridge next year Harvard has been promised it a time or two and has been looking for it. Since it has not been held in the east it would offer an opportuni t y for those chapters in the west to know the conditions a.1d just what they are and we have been anticipating the Convention next year. However , if this question of finances i s going to determine it one way or the other I think Harvard wou ld realize it was t o the interest of the frato hold it somewhere else, but if that can be bridged, that difficulty , I think we should ha ve the Conclave next year."
Grand President: "In 1910 the Conclave in Missouri voted not to have any Conclave until 1912. I think that one of the determining factors in holdin g it off was to hold it at Harvard, then during the summer of 19 12 the money question came up again , after two years without a Conclave and without the office of Grand Counselor and Grand Editor. I want enoug h discussion so that your Grand Council next ye ar doesn't do something of the so rt that was done in 19 12 Harvard Chapter in 19 12 when they could have taken a great deal of offense they behaved well and we ought to thrash this thing out in dollars and cent . There are a fe w of us who have an idea of the resources of this fraternity. It might be worth so much to us to go to Syracuse or Harvard or Penn State that we may afford t o go or it may be worth so much to us to do all of these things that we can go back and tell them that
the per capita tax is $10 and make them like it, but you the individual delegate m_ust bear ):'Our per capita. If any one has anything to ay on the subject of natiOnal finances let him say it."
Columbia: "I feel that the advantage of having the Conclave meet in the east will be so great in that the delegates from the we t will ee conditions in the east and also that the east will become better acquainted with the Acacia Fraternity that I feel certain that Columbia Chapter will not object to the increase of dues because I believe the benefits will be of a more lasting effect." •
Grand President: "Am I right in assuming when I came into the Grand Council meeting tonight that most of the men would like to haYe $1,200 allotment for the Grand Counselor, $400 for the Grand Editor , $600 or more for the Grand Secretary. Have any of the men any suggestions to make from the comm itt ee of the whole, we are both going to try to work out a balance budget."
New York Alumni: "If it is a matter of dollars and cents I feel the east is due to have it. If Harvard feels that she cannot assist the Conclave in having it I will say that the New York Alumni Association will be responsible to the amount of $500 towards financing the Conclave if it is held in New York City."
Penn State: "I think it is due the members of the Conclave that they know the various items which go to compose the expenses of the Grand Conclave. It is not simply a matter of the traveling expen e of the delegates but it is a matter of the entertainment while they are at the city of the Conclave. In most instances the local chapter has borne the expenses . If we would go to I ew York it would not only be the traveling expenses but there would be the matter of entertainment."
Harvard: "I thought it .was the practice of the fraternity that the chapter entertaining the Conclave should pay for the entertainment. What I spoke of in not being able to finance the Conclave was over and ab ve the entertainment, certainly we intend to house , feed and entertain the Conclave ."
Grand President: "The Grand Council has said that it would be a splendid thing if we met away from any chapter if for no other purpose than to prevent any chapter from going to the expense of entertaining the Conclave and I have heard \i\T oodward and Fay say so and I myself am very strong ly in the belief that a fraternity made up like our own ought to stop this entertaining. It is not all a matter of finances, it is a 111\atter of spirit. There is a great danger that the bid for the Conclave may come down to attractions against attractions and the New York Alumni may say come to New York and we will show you a fine time and Cambridge will say come to Cambridge and we will show you a great time."
New York Alumni: "It was the idea of the ew York association to how you a good time, we intend to show you a good time and bear all the expenses of your having a good time, and we want Acacia to know what the conditions are in New York. You cqme to ew Y o rk and because you do not let us know you are there you go away and knock us and say we are not true Acacians and we want you to know us and see that we have a true Acacia spirit, we want you to see us and see what we are and see how we do it, that is what we want."
Grand President: "At no succeeding Conclave should any of the expenses be borne by the host, all expenses of board and lodging if we go to New York should be paid out of the treasury of the Acacia Fraternity."
New York Alumni: "You can't finance it."
Grand President: "We have done it. The contrary practice was started in San Francisco because of that long haul. Prudue is not paying the board, they are giving us the lodging."
• Chicago Alumni: "Were the expenses borne out of the national treasury? The plan has always been with the single exception of the Conclave at San Francisco that we have paid. You will find out that there are a lot of expenses that don't come in in board and lodging, but the bills have always devolved on the committee and they have been allowed in every case except the Conclave last year, and realizing that we would have to spend over $3,000 to get the members out to the coast and through the discussion of the Conclave it was decided to accept the hospitality of the California and Stanford chapters. I have seen even where the expenses have been paid that chapters have gone for two or three years in debt because they assumed to do too much and to guard against that tendency the rule has been followed not to allow any chapter to pay for more than the incidental expenses that arose. There are a great many more expenses than the matter of feeding and lodging these men."
Delegate: "B-ut the transportation has always been taken care of by the N a tiona! Conclave?"
Grand Secretary: "In 1907 Conclave the chapters paid it or you paid it yourself. In 1906 the expenses were totalled and then divided between the different chapters. That was done until 1908 but they were prorated on the cost of entertainment. In 1906 Conclave we went to the hotel and stayed there, the transportation and hotel expenses were prorated ."
Grand Vice-President: "In your opinion tha.t none of it should be borne by the chapter, do you include the Alumni?"
Grand Secretary: "I · think that idea is a good one but the point is I think, for every Conclave is just about alike, for the individual; you ought to pay your own bills keeping them sensible and within reason.
Grand Vice-President: "The reason I asked that question two yea rs ago the s ame objection came up about letting California and Stanford stand for the expenses and I took the position that the expenses were going to be raised from the Alumni. Personally, from havin g visited so me of the eastern chapters, if the Atlantic coast does get the Conclave there is a decided lack of understanding on the part of the middle west on the conditions as they exist on ·the Atlantic coast. Personally I am very anxious to see a Conclave go to the eastern coast. I re g ret that the Conclave was not put off until two years from now when we could have accepted the invitation of New York or Harvard, but I think it ought to have been put off until 1918. I think it is all right to foll ow the exam.ple and accept the hospitality of New York the same as we did on the Pacific coast.
California: "Now the question has been settled the committee on the next Concla-ve has reported that would be an excess of cost if the
Conclave was held in the east from what it wou ld cost if it was held right here. I realize that if the Conclave is held in a Iaro-e town where it is nec.essary to rent a lar ge hall that the expenses wih run up, but board wtll not cost more on one side than the other and as far as the railroad fare, if the time for the Conclave is properly chosen it will not cost more to take the delegates to New York or Boston than it will here , for the reason that in the summer there are excursions on all railr oads. If we could choose such a date that these exc ur sion rates would be available it would make it so it would not be in excess of $50.00. In the su mm e r there are excursions from western points to eastern, but never from east to west."
Grand Pr es ident : "I am not so sure myself that another year there is go ing t o be any great reduction in rate s ."
New York Alumni: " I was go in g to say that it was our intention to provide every entertainment for the Grand Co ncla ve. There will be no expense to the Grand Conclave for entertainment. We have the finest dormitory system in the world, rate s w ill be very reasonable, we also have rates for meals and all n ecessary expenses for the Grand Conclave, ancl the expenses will be no more than here o r anywhere else , the entertainment will b e provided "
Grand President: "T he Grand Council ha s one budget and your committee has another. I hop e the y will be kept on different grounds so that you will have something to discuss, but of course we ar e not deciding on the Conclave without having alread y a balance bud get . I shall have a scrap otherwise.
"Personally I have always believ e d that the G rand Secretary is very much under paid. There are a great many letters to wr ite and Kilmer here does it all hims e lf with tw o fin gers. We are not going ahead from year to year without a very ser io u s consideration of what it costs to do it.
"B rother Brown puts in no travelin g expenses if h e combines business with his Acacia work. We m ustn ' t go ahead that way yea r after yea r. We are not going to find men like Brown and Kilmer. You know that the Grand Council is $3,500 a year and yo u kn ow that the Edito r can't properly do his work on a le ss sa lar y than h e gets now . You know that the incidental expenses have been h e ld down a nd I don't want this Conclave to go o n without any appreciation of w h at that means. You find occasionally very generous men, but there are men right here now that couldn't accept the office of Grand Secretary at $600 a year."
Grand President: "We had better let the reporter retir e for the evening and take up the Ritual."
After the reporter retired there was a continuation of the report of the Committee on Ritual by Brother Smith , Columbia Chapter.
(Notes do not appear in minutes.)
Third-We recommend that the Grand Presid e nt shall appoin t a permanent Committee on Ritual to study the Ritual, consider suggested changes, and report their recomm e ndations to the Grand Council by December 1st
Moved by Columbia that a committee of three be appointed by the Grand President and that adopting the suggestions made , the com-
mittee sha ll re word the s uggesti ons and report by December 1st, to the Grand Counc il , t oge ther with any other suggestions concerning the Ritual.
Committee appointed on Ritua·l : Dye, Penn State, chairman; Lawr ence, New York A lumni Asso ciation; Smith, Co lu mb ia.
The Co mmitt ee on Ritual will meet in New York City during the Christmas h o lida ys. All suggestions and criticism shou ld be sent Brother \ lV . S. Dye, Jr. , State College Pennsylvania, before December first.
Moved by Harvard and by Illinois that we adjourn until 8 o'clock tomorro w morning. Motion carried.
Masonic Temple, Lafayett e, Indiana , 9 A . M., Thursday, Sept . 14.
Grand President : "U p to ths time the Conclave has been very largely in the hands of the delegates as t o the length of time they put on any o ne subject, and I hope it w ill be entirely possible for it t o be in the h a nds of the delegate s t o day. We don ' t leave here until we are sure the luncheon arrangements are ready and that we can convene at 1 :30 and run thr oug h until 7 o'clock. So far as I am concerned I cannot remain until tomorrow m o rning I presume a lar ge number of men could not be present tomorrow. I mention it then because it shou ld be in your hands how long any thin g shou ld be discussed. The chairman s h ould not limit the debat e, it is up t o the delegates to conduct the Conclave so that the business may be dispatched.
"T he committee on Chapters and Chapter Visitation has not made its report. I s the Committee o n B ud gets and Accounts ready to report?"
"T hat committee reported last night in full."
Acac ia Co n cla v e:
A ustin, Texas, Sept. 13, 191 6.
Car e President Frazer, Acacia Chapter , Lafa yette, Indiana : Best wishes for most succ essfu l Conclave in Acac ia's history
HAL C. WEAVER (Michigan), FLOYD SMITH (Chicago), W. S TAYLOR (Wisconsin), ]. I. KILPATRICK (Texas), ]. R. SIMMONS (Texas), JULIUS SMITH (Texas) .
The Committee on Re so lutions, composed of Iowa , Ohio and Kansas chapter delegates, respectively moves: "That the publishers of Baird's Manual, Banta's Greek Exchange and such other fraternity publications be impressed with th e fact th a t Acac ia i s a classified socia l fraternity a nd th a t the n ame of this organization be t a ken from the list of 'Misce ll aneous,' unhonor ed and unsung."
Grand Pre s ident: "Does your committee insist on saying "unhonored and un sung?" ·
Iowa: "Poss ibl y n o t. "
Grand President: "I think that Mr Banta is now classifying us as a gene r a l fraternity. Pe rmit me to say that Mr . Baird was not convinced by an interview and he is sti ll willing to classify us in accordance with hi s own judgment . How far s hould any fraternity recognize
private publication s in their cla ss ifi cat ion. Should we accept any classification by a private person not a member of the fraternity?"
ew York Alumni: "We should not recognize private publication s, it seems to me it is beneath the dignity of the fraternity to do so."
Ohio: "This consideration wa tak en up from the fact that you men realize that around the uni ve rsity the s tanding of a fraternity is generally from the men who are coming int o a fraternity and generally the available material is the fraternity publication and for that reason we incorporated this in the resolution and we would like to have some consideration of this . I am convinced myself that we shou ld do something along these lines because it do es n ' t give as good mention as we would receive from classifying thr o ugh fraternities."
Grand President: "A ll thos e in favor w ill stand. 13 in favor. Those oppo ed will stand. 6 opposed."
Grand President: "Ge ntlemen in spite of all reports to the contrary in the last three year things have been done that I don't like to see done. Committee go ahead please. "
The co mmitt ee mov es th at the individual chapters previous t o the initi ation of a candidate, give him a thorough examination upon the history, functions a nd character of the Acacia Fraternity, a copy of examination forms being her ewith submitted. The committee further re so lves that the sa me form be adopted and used by a ll chapters.
Examination for Acacia Candidates.
You are expected to give the answers to the questions on the day · of you r initiation .
1. When and where was Acacia founded?
Ans. At the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 12th , 1904.
2. Who were the founders?
An!;. W. J. Marsha ll , W S. Wheeler , H. P Rowe, C. G. Hill, Benjamin D. Roy and G. A. Malcom .
3. Who was the first Grand President? ns. H. P. Rowe .
4. How many chapter s of Acacia are there at present?
An Twenty-five.
5. Na me the chapters and give the location of each. ee the last Acacia Journal for the list.
6. How were the chapters originally named?
A ns. By Hebrew letter s, Aleph, Beth, Gimel, etc.
7. How are the chapters named at present?
A n s . According to the nam.e of the school of which the chapter is a part, with the exception of the chapter at the Umvers1ty of Pennsylvania, which is called Franklin after Benjamin Franklin, the founder of the university. ·
. Who are the pre se nt Grand Officers and what are their respective addresses?
Ans. See last Acacia Journal.
9. What is the Grand Council and of what does it consist?
Ans. The judicial body of the National Fraternity composed of the Grand Officers.
10. What is the Grand Conclave?
Ans. The legislative body of the National Fraternity.
11. Of what does it consist?
Ans. Grand Officers and one delegate from each chapter.
12. When does the Grand Council meet?
Ans . At the call of the Grand President.
13. When does the Grand Conclave meet?
Ans . Once each year.
14. What is the Acacia Journal?
Ans. The official publication of the National body.
15. What is the aim of the Fraternity?
Ans. To strengthen the ties of friendship one with another; to develop greater zeal for the Masonic institutions; to prepare ourselves as educated men to take a more active part and have a greater influence in the affairs of the community in which we may reside; and, above all, to seek the truth, and, knowing it, to give light to those with whom we may be associated as we travel along life's pathway.
16. What is the name of this chapter?
Ans. Michigan.
17. What are the offices of the chapter and by whom are they filled at present?
Ans. See the party who has you in charge for the answer.
18. How are they elected, and when?
Ans. At the first meeting in May, by secret ballot. There are exceptions; the treasurer and steward.
19. What are the duties of the V. D. and what are his powers?
Ans. To preside at all meetings; to confer the degrees of the Fraternity. His powers correspond to those of the Master of a Masonic Blue Lodge.
20. What are the duties of the V. V. D.?
Ans To preside in the absence of the V. D. and to assist the V. D. in caring for the interest of the chapter.
21. What are the duties of the Secretary?
Ans. To keep minutes of all minutes of the chapter, and to draw orders upon the treasurer for bills allowed.
22. What are the duties of the Corresponding Secretary?
Ans. To car r y on all correspondence for the chapter and to direct the relations of the chapter with a ll other chapters and with Grand Council. He shall also take care of all necessary files and keep up the relations of the chapter with the alumni.
23. How are the Steward and Treasurer elected?
Ans By a Board of Directors.
24. What is the duty of the Steward?
Ans. To conduct the house affairs and take charge of all expenditures.
25. What are the duties of the Treasurer?
Ans. To receive all moneys due the chapter and keep account of all moneys received and disbursed.
26. Who compose the Board of Directors?
Ans. The V. D.; the V. V. D., and the two secretaries together with four alumni.
27. How are these alumni selected?
Ans. By the vote of the chapter.
28. What is their term of office?
Ans. Two years-t wo retiring each year.
29. What is the term of office of all other officers?
Ans. One year.
30. What other officer is duties? elected by the chapter and what are his
Ans. Conclave delegate. Conclave. He shall represent the chapter at the
31. Are these all the questions you should be able to answer?
Ans. lo. (These should stimulate one to look in to the more concrete workings of the chapter following the initiation.)
32. Learn the chapter song.
You will answer these questions to the satisfaction of the V. D. who will discuss other questions with you at a called pledge meeting.
Delegate : "Is that from Michigan Chapter?" "Yes."
Wisconsin: "I wonder if that question took care of the examination covering the local fraternity?" "I believe that provision is made, gentlemen, the local may b e substituted."
Grand President: "Is it the sense that this resolution is offered as a suggest ion?" "It is advisory."
Motion carried, so ordered.
Resolved : That we , the Grand Officers and delegates of the 1916 Conclave of the Acacia Fraternity assemb led; hereby express our gratitude and thanks to the members of Purdue chapter, individually and collectively, for the splendid Acacia hospitality shown us during our sojourn with you.
R es olv e d: We thank the Mayor and citizens of Lafay e tte for their cordial w elcome w ith which they received us into their city.
W e offer our heartiest thanks to the Masons of lod ges, Lafayette 123 and Tippecanoe 492, for their sp l endid generosity in placing at our services their temple, their automob iles and th e ir time.
We, as Brother Acacians, here wish to extend to Brother Dr. Lawrence, of the N'ew York A lumni Association, and Mrs. Lawrence our sincere appreciation for their pleasant reception at the Fowler hotel which made for us a most enjoyabl e hour of real Acacia fraternalism
That an expression of thanks and gratitude of the delegates be given the Chicago Alumni Association for the distinctive hospitality, the excellent eats and th e pl ea surab l e entertainment at their B a nquet in the New Morrison Hotel. We a ss ure them that this p lan of making this a standing pre-conclave affair will be earnestly anticipated by the delegates coming through or near Chicago.
\Ve furthermore resolve that separate copies of the foregoing r esolutions be made and the same be presented to the parties mentioned.
Motion carried, so ordered .
New York Alumni: "I wanted to request that the reference to Mrs. Lawrence and myself be striken out. It was very gracious of the committee to incorporate that in their resolutions and no one appreciates it more than we do, but this was simply in appreciation of the Purdue Chapter and we wanted it to be so considered."
Grand President: "We appreciate the modesty of Dr. Lawrence as much as we appreciate their hospitality.
Resolved: The Conclave express its fullest appreciation of the delegates from the Chicago , New York and Northern California Alumni Associatioi?s and them that their reports are welcomed as part of our regular proceedmg followmg
the reports of delegates. Further, that we are pieased to learn of the reported activity towards new alumni c'hapters at Detroit and Indianapolis.
Motion carried.
Resolved: That we extend to Texas, the baby chapter, and to their delegate a h ear ty welcome to our midst , and hope and trust that in the future Acacia may do much for Texas and that Texas will be a staunch supporter of Acacia ideals.
Motion carried .
Resolved: That we commend the Grand Officers upon their very sincere and efficient se rvic e and add to thi s the recognized fact that the new delegates to this Conclave h ave been immediately a nd thoroughly impressed with their very commendab le method of hand ling the executive duties of their respective offices.
Motion carried.
Resolved: That a deep feeling of gratitude be here given to Brother Grand Counselor Brown for th e manner in which he has so very ably shown the judici o us action that the Fraternity took in creating this new office and also for the personal element which h e himself has put into this work to make it of genuine benefit to the individual chapters and the fraternity at large.
L. P. HOLT, Iowa, Chairman. C. M. ROSE, Ohio.
W 0. HAKE, Kansas.
Motion carried.
Grand President: "The committee will be continued until the close of the Conclave; before the election of officers the chair discharges all committees but I ask you to con t inue all committees because you might think of some resolution that it may be important to submit. I feel certain that you have one reso l ution to submit if certain individuals don ' t change their stubborn minds about the office of Grand Secretary "Who is present on the committee for chapter conditions." "This committee with the Auditing Committee have been hard worked and I owe an apology to the member of Stanford for working him into the night."
Re p o r t of Committee o n Chap t er and Chapter V isitati on (Con tinued) Missouri: "Brother Grand Pres ident the Committee on Chapter and. Chapter Visitation are ready to finish their report or take it up a gam .
1. Be it resolved that the Grand Counselor be comended by this Conclave for his excellent work in bringing about a return of harmony to the Minnesota Chapter.
Grand President: "I believe that is well deserved but I wonder if anything is accomplished by putting it on record."
Those in favor vote aye, opposed no. The motion is lost.
2. We recommend that Syracus-e es t a bli s h a better financial basis \Ve refer particularly to their practice of rebating for one meal missed, and to their practice of charging n o chapter dues.
Syracuse: "Some of our men have been out of the state for a week. The chapter dues for the last year were $2 50 for the semester or $5.00 a yea r, this year it is $2 50 for local dues."
Grand President: "W ill this resolution be helpful to you if you take it back?" "I don't think it would as to financial conditions."
Grand Treasurer: "I feel that I am responsible for that because I visited the .Syracuse Chapter and Mr. Britell informed me that the
Them I Am
GRAND PRESIDENT HARRY L. BROWN
He Says, "Tell
Keeping Open House in Chicag>o for All Acacians"
chapter as a whole had not g i ven him the support that the y hould do and it became a personal matter o far a finances are concerned and so far as Syracu e i concerned they have no financial y tern , they ha' e no budget. They are planning to adopt the uniform accounting y tem.''
Delegate: "I understand from Brother \Voodard that you have n o accounting system?" "Vv e don ' t f o llow the National accountina y tern. I _been _treasu:er there and the only part of our accounting sy tem wh1ch I S un1forml I S the local table account. the e have been kept in the past-the bills and steward account have been kept eparate, all the rest of our accounts have been recorded in permanent definite accounts."
Grand President: "I there any debate, Harvard, Ya le?"
Yale: "I t seems to me that this is not a thing that h o uld o·o on record. The office of Grand Counselor has been create I t o g ive advice to these young chapters and it seems that a year ought to be given to ee whether hi s advice has been taken, that i if we are ao in a to uggest impr ovement it seems that we are go in g t o act in the capacity of Grand Counselor."
Grand Counselor: "His judgments have been more or les personal and I think it would add to the strength of the office if the Conclave e ith er stood behind him or decided he wa in error..,
Grand President: "You mean o n specific points?' ' "Ye ."
Grand President: "I have sometime felt that way my s elf commg back from the Grand Conclave."
Grand Secretary: "It seems to me that while the idea of getting at these delinquents is a good one, I doubt whether any u sef ul purpose can be accomplished, I think a n1,uch better way is fo r u s to go on record then I take it that any chapter ought to be wise enough t o get the force of that general suggest ion that the committee make to that chapter. I don't think it is a good id ea to go into detail a t o h ow they keep their books or things of this kind and make a permanent record for each year. I make that suggestion hesitatingly. "
Grand President: "It seems t o me that it is a question of degree. If a chapter is guilty of a thing of great consequence it ought to be called down. I think the delegate from Syracuse is going t o take back the message."
Grand Secretary: "Eve r y delegate knows whether the s h oe fit s and I think that is all that is nec essa ry except in grave ca es. I wi h we could adopt the Nationa l system of accounting or else abolish it ."
Penn State: "As a proposition w hich wou ld give a member of the hou e a 2 per cent eli count if he paid his bills ahead of time, you might call that a rebate and censure Penn State for it, and for that rea on we would like to see the thing spec ific. "
Grand Treasurer: · "Imagine yourself steward of men who ad vi e you that they will be there and then not be there and then expect rebate , it will hurt any man who takes that office. He told me that they given him any support. I think the o nl y time that was brought up 111 chapter was when the. steward stated the proposition and I made the uggestion that no rebate be allowed for le ss th an 50 cents. "
Penn State: "If I understand it correctly as that is worded that
implies we are in bad financial condition and we have failed to keep our accounts for butter and eggs in a correct form."
Cornell: " That is purely a local matter and could be handled without difficulty by the average steward. In case of our steward there was a suggestion that he refuse any rebate and we agreed."
Grand President: "Is he a German?"
Cornell: "No, he is an American ."
Stanford: "I would say that there are several pointed accusations in this committee report these recommendations are based on reports of the Grand Counselor and his assistant and I would like to see a discussion here and a movement to decide one way or the other, shall they be striken from the report and proceed or sha ll they be retained."
Grand President: " It is true about all specific criticism that it results in a reaction I think we might have this very valuable report from the committee without going on record on this. I trust this year we may change. I am in favor of any legislation that will help a delegate to go back and help his chapter , I don't think any of us want to go on record in the way of spite. There is no suggestion of anything in this except the best finances."
Those in favor vote aye , contrary no. Motion is lost.
Grand President: " Let me say that a motion lost is no reflection on the committee."
3. We recommend that this Conclave express its disapproval of the practice of pledging a man who has taken none of his Masonic work, as Washington has been guilty of. We further recommend that the Grand Council be urged to act within its power in stopping such practice.
Illinois: "I move to amend this resolution by striking out the words 'as Washington has been guilty of.' "
Columbia: "Second the motion."
New York Alumni: "I would like to make a comment that the delegate from Washington has assured us that it is going to be stopped and I make a motion th a t it be dropped.''
Illinois: " Illinois feels that th e practice of pledging men before they become Masons is not a who le some practice, however, Illinois doesn't feel that any special chapter shall be called out at this special time becaus e some other chapters are guilty of the same thing."
Washington: "Washington wishes to say that this practice will be discontinued."
Grand Vice-President: "According to the Ritual the practice which has been go in g on there is an impossibility . I don't like the idea of going on re co rd here as having one of our chapters doing something which is impossible."
Grand President: "Was hingt o n has permitted this practice despite the fact that Oregon Chapter started it and inside of three years landed into another frat e rnit y. That is the disheartening thing about the Washington situation the chapter at Oregon went through this same thing, started in taking in men who were not Masons and inside of three yea rs the y were member s of another fraternity. I don't go so far as saying th at we s hould ha ve no legislation but w.e think that the Washin g ton delegate should take back this word that what they are doing is ille ga l, that if they don't stop it and stop it at once their charter
will be taken from them. If I was on the Grand Council next year I would take away that charter. I don't think a chapter has any option on it in any way whatever."
New York A lumni: "I didn't intend to convey the idea that there should be no legislation. You had a perfect right to su pend the charter of Washington if you so chose but you didn't think it was wise to do so and I think it unwise to go on record that we have had such a chapter. We want to suppress it if we can ."
Purdue: "Purdue Chapter would like to know what you consider * * * how far this distinction goes. Is no man allowed to live in the house until he has had his three degrees? "
Grand President: "No, I am sorry to have to tell you that a man is a Mason when he takes the first degree. A man may be refu ed initiation after he is balloted on."
Mich igan: "I would lik e to inquire if this is the first time that the matter has been called to the attention of the Conclave? I think it has been called to their attention. I think it is time to settle it for all time if it has been called to their attention, but I don't doubt his personal intention that this practice should be changed, but I think it should be under tood."
Washington: "I don't think it has been brought before the attention of the Conclave before, we were notified, and we were trying to right the wrong for a year and a half , it was never brought before the Conclave ."
'Grand President: "Vote stands eleven to ten against the amendment. The vote is on the original motion without the amendent. Motion is lost.
Grand Counselor : "Before we go on with this report, it was my serious belief that no direct accusation or specific charges should be made except in such cases as we have just taken up , and I so expressed my desire to the committee that they omit that and make their recommendations general. Later I waived my feeling to better judgment, I believe , but I want to express my opinion here that it would be better to leave out several of the spec ifi c charges here , I want somebody to make a m o tion to that effect."
Minnesota: "I will make the motion."
Grand President: "Let's hear from this committee. "
Kansas: "Moves that we go ahead with the reading of these various resolutions, but we don't go on record for this. That the committee's report be read but be not printed, is that the sense of the motion?" "No, that it be discussed here, these specific charges , by the delegates , but that they do not go on record."
Grand President: "This theory of cancelling the record doesn't work."
Chicago Alumni: "I don't want to vote to have them published until I know what they are. "
Grand President: "vVill the delegate read the full report. I am not inclined to smile at this report, because I really think that there is really a great deal of good in threshing out where we are working with a chapter that takes the attitude that they are not so perfect that they cannot be wrong. I wouldn't like myself to see this specific instance spread on
record , but I wo uld like to consider whether it is well founded or not."
Chicago Alumni: " This report is to me very interesting. I should regret very much if any chapters s hould fail to benefit by not having a complete rep ort . It is a sort of thing that some of the older men do when they go back about their own chapters. This simply increases the unit. I agree w ith the Grand President that it should not go on record , but I wonder if there co uldn ' t be a copy of these resolutions sent by mail."
Grand Counselor: "Eac h delegate will be given a report and the criticisms. The chapter affected in these reports will have the feeling of the Grand Counselor in the matter after he has visited the chapter."
Columbia: " Th e committee perhaps got all its information about Columbia from the Grand Counselor, n o r has any member of the committee asked Columbia about any of the conditions. It appears to me that these rec o mm e ndation s are s imply an 0. K. of the Grand Counselor, of what he recei ved at Columbia without any investigation of the delegates."
Harvard: " I wish to state here because it might be possible to make them understand that the r elati o ns existing between Harvard Fraternity and the Na tional Fraternity if they are strained it is not due to the Harvard Chapter . So far as any o ne has known during the la st year those relation s ha v e been very frank and open ."
Grand President: "As to Harvard's statements, two or three of my best friends are members o f the Acac ia , I haven ' t felt that at a ll myself . I ha v e felt in time s past that there were strained relations between Columbia and the Grand Council."
New York A lu mni: " I thought there wer.e the most cordial relations. I w asn ' t aware that there was the s li ghtest strained relation. I thought there was the best feeling between the chapter at Columbia and the Grand Council."
Grand President : " I think the strained relations were largely local. I might make my statement only on what went on in the past; there is harm o n y at the present time."
ebraska: "T h ese are made on the conditions that existed a year ago. We got so me recommendations from the Grand Counselor at the time , and th ese relation s hav e been remedied and we are now in accordance wi th the Grand Councelor's recommendation. "
Grand President: "No committee can go around in the Acacia h o u se to interview all the de l egates.' _
Penn State w is h es to vote for the m o tion as it has been moved.
Grand President: " \ iV hat motion are you talking about?"
Penn State: " Th e moti on n o t to print this , to read it but not print it . I feel that the inf o rmation that is contained in the report, however, s h o uld go to the chapters. I should like to .amend the motion as presented by adding ' This report shall be se nt o ut to the chapters by the Grand Counselor.' "
Grand President: " Is that right when the Grand Counselor stands ready to h and a copy to each delegate here? "
Penn Sta t e: " I think so. While there may be local conditions in chapters that may arise at a future time t o have the recommendations of each chapter before eac h chapter might be very satisfactory in preventing some of the things that h ave been done."
Grand President: "I am wondering if everything ha not been given there which is contained in the report of this committtee. It seems to me that Brother Brown put into his report everything to avoid contention. We want to get at a better understanding of the conditions, and I wonder whether sending out a mimeograph letter wouldn't be a good plan."
Grand Counselor: "The work of this committee has been practically of no use at all."
Grand President: "Let me clear up any misapprehensions the Grand Counselor brings before you. I appointed a committee so that anyone that feels that he is aggrieved can come before that committee an9 ask for justice, and so far as I know, no delegate has been so ' aggrieved that he came before this committee. I want to take your time to make it plain what we are trying to do as a matter of history. We had a report of the Grand Counselor in which he made a report of the local chapter. This report will be submitted in the Journal. Then the chairman appointed a committee that he thought that any delegate who felt aggrieved would come before the committee and say so. ow, when the fact stands out that no delegate has gone before the committee, the committee is standing by the Grand Counselor. I am satisfied myself elor will give to some chapter what that chapter doesn't want at all, and that you will want this next year and the year after. The Grand Connthe delegate from that chapter should have a committee to which he can go and argue out, and if necessary take all night. I don't want this Conclave to adjourn without everybody having an idea that they will have a chance if they have a grievance. I think it is a compliment that no one felt so aggrieved that they went before the committee. I want that pa sed up that no one came before the committee. I think that it should be considered every way. I am so anxious that the work of the Grand Counselor should be beneficial."
Grand President: "I think there are men who have felt aggrieved who have not come before the committee to express their feelings. We have before us a motion, and the motion was made not necessary because the reading was done and the report doesn't enter the record. The motion before the house is out of order. Is there any other motion on the work of the Committee of Chapter and Chapter Visitation?"
New York Alumni: "This report on Chapter and Chapter Visitation-would it not have been wise to notify each delegate that they hould appear and answer any question that should be brought up? That matter was brought up by Columbia that they had no opportunity to appear before this committee, and I think they should have l.>een notified that they would appear . I am in sympathy with the Grand Counselor."
Grand President: "In appointing the committee on Chapter and Chapter Visitation I spent about five minutes trying to tell the Conclave what I am taking ten minutes now to tell. I regret my inability to inform the Conclave that this committee was passing on the Grand Counselor's report. The committete chairman will continue his report , • the part which has been read has not been presented as a motion."
Grand President: "Motion carried. So ordered."
The reports show an insufficient knowledge of the Acacia Songs, and a lack of singing in general. As we believe that singing prompts harmony, we recommend that every chapter make s trenuous efforts to improve upon chapter singing.
Grand President: "Yo u can not improve your singing without song books. It is perfectly apparent that all of this sentiment and fine voting is h ypoc ritical if the delegate goes back a nd doesn't recommend that his chapter buy at least twelve song books. You can ' t sing without book , and I can't sing with one Motion carried. So ordered.
We recommend that n o initi a ti o n take place outside of the Chapter House. The Iowa initiation of a member in a Masonic Temple has prompted this r ecommendation.
Illinois: " Illinois wishes to go on record as being opposed to that. There may be occasions when it would be a good thing to go down to the Masonic Temple in the to w n where the chapter is located, and at a homecoming for a chapter to put on an initiation like that, and Illinois is not entirely in accord with the Grand President on going out of town. It mi g ht be proper to go to a nearby town under certain circumstances, and we wo uld not be in favor of going on rec o rd in favor of this resolution as it stands."
Kansas: "Would like to register against this , too. In our house the stairway opens up the entire house, and for that reason we go to the Masonic T em ple. The Masons are very cordial in inviting us there at any time we care to use the hall, and there is no charge made, and we would hat e to think that they are going to make us do our initiating in the house."
Missouri: "Wishes to state that this particular article has caused particular discussion at committee meeting, owing to the matter of initiating a m·an in Dave nport , and we make this recommendation and we think some limitation should be put in."
Grand President: "I think the motion is entirely in order . There are a great many of us who approve that a college fraternity should not initiate in a Masonic Temple on the ground that if you do you are considered a Masonic fraternity. "
Chicago Alumni: "Our quarters are very cramped, and if we put on an initiation and every member of the Alumni turn out we would have no r oom, and I think we should be permitted to go to some room where we can put it on in a creditable manner. "
I owa: "Be cause this has come from the Iowa Chapter it is not the sentiment to go outside of the chapter house, and this was the first time in its history it was ever compelled to do so, and at that time there arose a question in o ur minds about going to the Grand President on that point, but within our chapter house we would not be able to put on an initi ation before the Alumni and we go to the Masonic Temple. The Ma ons are very cordial in extend in g to u s the Temple at any time , but at the same time whe n we go there the candidate is informed that it is not in connection wi th the Temple; th a t it is bec a u se of the lack of more spacious quarters and is an Acacia affair."
Penn State: "I wo uld like to know how he reconciles our being here with his remarks."
Chicago _ A lumni: "It seems to me there might be extraordin ary circumstances where a rule of this kind would be hampering. I would
like to see the resolution confined to the town in which the chapter is located rather than the chapter house."
Nebraska: "We are opposed; it may be all right if we have a fine chapter house, but Nebraska is not so situated , and a great many other chapters are not so situated, and we find it very handy to have a Masonic Temple at our disposal, and we feel there is nothing out of the way in using a Masonic Temple."
Grand Counselor: "I would like to express my sentiments on this. Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska have said that they don't have facilities in their chapter houses to put on their initiation. They all have more room than Chicago, and they put on good initiation in their own hou se. Colorado demonstrated to me that it was impossible to put it on in the Masonic Temple. You can't get the Acacia spirit and when a man goes through he is not certain he is initiated into an Acacia and not a Masonic fraternity."
Columbia: "Columbia has some club rooms. Columbia without any club house has initiated in the Masonic Temple. At Columbia there is a member of Acacia who has lar ge rooms; he has three rooms, and we h ave some rooms and we use them, and we have initiated in the social halls of the university "
Grand President: "We should not hold our initiations as spectacles, but as a college fraternity holds its initiations in an intimate way, and I have been discussing this matter with Brother Shepardson. I have seen him with his coat off , dean of the university, helping to initiate in those s mall quarters, but there has been a sp irit and I might talk to you about w hat is the underl ying sentiment. Many of the chapters leave their se ntiment and go down to the hall where they have no sentiment a Acac ia men, and I wonder if they are well advised. Personally I think it s hould largely be left with the chapters. Certainly if such as Mr. Shepard so n, who has been my guide on all ritual work , if he favors , and he must favor , as he ha s helped Chicago in those small quarters, we appeal the initiation should be a fraternity initiation."
Columbia: "I would like to reply to Brother Brown's remarks. It is true that at his visi t we didn ' t have room; we had the previous two initiations, both of which were large. There was a crowd sufficient to fill the hall. Now I feel that it wou ld have been impossible for a large chapter house to accommodate such a large crowd. Our alumni have be en ve ry large, and in as small quarters as we have I don't think we could do the work, and it is better for us to do work in the Masonic hall."
New York Alumni: "I think it should depend on the chapter. The first that was held was in Philadelphia. A dozen of us went down to the candidate and they did the work in a most impre ssive way in their chapter h o use. We had a delightful visit; we couldn't do the work, we didn't have the ritual. The point is this , that each chapter, in my opinion, should have the privilege of putting on their ·work any place where it can be done in the most effective way. If Purdue chapter would have two or three hundred members and have this room and put it on it might put it on m'uch more effectively than they could in a little room."
Grand President: "Motion is lost."
We recommend that this Conclave express its urgent desire to have every chap ter memorize well the ritual , and be ready to examplify the same at any time
before the Grand Counselor. The reports show that Yale, and perhaps some of those who h ave avo ided putting on the rituali s tic work are negligent in this matter.
Grand President: "Many of the chapters of Acac ia are not doing satisfactory work. You know that many are not learning the ritual and doing satisfactory work."
We r ec omm e nd that the Committee o n Ritu a l be r eq u es ted to draw up a suitable questionai r e for the candidate to a n swe r before initiation.
Motion carried.
VVe re co mmend that the initiations of candidates be so grouped and arranged as t o minimize th e number of m ee tings devoted t o s uch initi atio n s.
v..r e re c ommend that m o re se riou s attention be paid by the chapter to the practice of initiating men into Acacia in their S en ior year when they will not be back ano th er year.
Wisconsin: "I wou ld like to say in regard to this motion that it i not the int ention of the committee that the chapter in all cases deny the admi ss ion of a man into the chapter w h o has already affiiliated with orne other fraternity Ossacionally a sen ior is o ne of o ur best alumni , and yet it is unsafe to take in a sen ior because naturally he w ill not have the same length of time to devote to his Acac ia work, a!!cl he will leav e wit h out being inf ormed "
Columbia: " In re gard to that proposed motion, very seldom a Mason wou ld be in Columbia College unle ss he is a sen ior."
Grand President: " The que s tion is whether a man should be initiated if he is not there but one year. You see, the purp os e of the motion that men be not initiated who will be in the chapter on ly durin g the year of their initiation. "
"Co lumbia fee ls that perhaps in most cases that would be the be t thing to do, but there are times when a man will go t o the univer s it y who will be there on ly one y ear , but who w ill be such a strong man a will be a benefit."
Chicago Alumni: "'vV e are in much the same condition that Columbia is. Many of o ur men are there o nly fo r one year, and while favor this motion as a whole if we were restricted we would be cut clown to a very great extent." ·
Grand President: " These are not cut down; the sentiment is that they sho uld pay se rious atten ti on to initiating men when they will not be back another year."
Co lu mbia: "With that exp lan ation from the Grand Pre s id e nt, Columbia favors the motion."
Grand President: " I would like to have it brought out that the delegates go back and say that they are not in favor of initiating men for just one ye ar unl ess he is an except iona l man. "
Vve r ecom mend that in order to fore s t a ll and g uard against a financial failure of a ny chapter in attempting to purchase or build a new chapter hou e, th at the Conclave pa ss a by-l aw r eq uiring that the plans for financing a new h o u se shall be s ubmitted to a competent committee of the nation a l body and approved by it b e fore the chapter may proceed.
In the m a tter of a by- law providing for "a simp le monthly rep ort by l oca l tr ea sur e r to the Grand Treasurer of the books of the chapter" we re commend that this be referred to the Committee on By-L aws.
Grand President: "Pe nn State move s it s reference to the Con titution and By-laws Committee. Is there a se co nd?"
:Michigan econded the motion. Motion carried. o o rdered . Grand President: "A to thi Rushing uggestion , I would like to have this printed ." (See pages 68-69 .)
Grand Coun elor: "It was my intention that thi hould be printed or mimeographed, but before that is done I think it hould be more elaborated. It might be we ll to appoint a committee to continue afte r the Conclave to complete thi s report."
Grand President: "Here i o ne place where it wou ld eem imp ortant to have a committee appointed. Of course, you a ll understand that I would like to ha ve the n ext Grand Pre ident appoint the committee, to rep rt back t o the Grand Co uncil , and o n this committee I appoint as permanent chairman the delegate from M isso uri , and the delegate from Stanford and the delegate from Penn State There i a co mmitte e that wi ll h ave to work together by correspondence after we adjourn here; not mandat o ry at all, so the ve n era ble dean will h ave something to fall back on.
"I w i s h to congratulate the Con11mittee on Chapte r s and Chapter Vi itation for it s work. I wish that eac h delegate wo uld look through this report again, and see w hat is said about hi s chapter, and if he thinks it unjust he s hould know w hat other chapters think abou t his chapte r; that o u g ht to be a matter of the greatest pride."
Gra nd President: "T he Committee on A uditing and Budget, w ith the delegate from Colorado chairman."
To the Eleventh National Conclave Acacia Fraternity. Your Committee o n Aud it pr ese nt s the following r eport:
Your comm itt ee ha s in add iti on a ll owed bills of th e Grand Secretary incurr ed in connectio n w ith the present Grand Conclave as follows:
Your committee calls attention to th e fact that it i s unable to s ubmit a complete audit du e to the circumstance that th e following named chapters hav e failed to comply with the provisions of o ur Constitution requiring eac h to s ubmit a tinancia l stateme nt :
Iowa, Iowa State, Manhatt a n , Illinoi s, Chicago, Californi a and Wisconsin.
G rand President: " This i s a very harsh criticism and any chapter that wi ll n o t comply with the nati o nal requirement s as t o financial report is deserving of a great deal of cen s ure. "
Fra nklin: " I would like to ask if you have on hand the rep o rt from Fra nklin Chapter. I am sure that I handed it to you."
I ow a: "I wou ld like t o say our report was mailed from Iowa, and it was mailed at the close o f the school year. I am not positi ve to whom that Jetter was addressed; I s hall find out what was done. At
that time w e closed up all our accounts and we were straight with the world. "
Grand Pr esident : " I ha v e rec o gnized for som e time as Grand Pre s ident that we were not running very business-like about our financial system I am required to furni s h a report of the financial condition , which I have not done, and there was a statement made in the Journal last year , 'Next year all of the officers, especially the Grand President, should be very diligent in the discharge of their financial matters.' "
Wisconsin: "Wisconsin would like to explain that its local secret ary advised him that a complete financial statement had been sent at the clos e of the year, and we are surprised that it is not on file; however, that will be looked into."
Grand Secretary: "The statements by the Brothers from Wiscon s in and Iowa show that men so often fail to realize what we try to get at. A great many of these have been sent in , and I have examined them, and in most cases they are on file in my office. On the other hand, you men ought to take this back , I have gone over it in Journals and letters fr om time to time : Why are you requested to bring up thi s chapter financial matter? You are requested to bring it here, and ordered to bring it to the Grand Secretary so as to go back and see whether the Grand Secretary's books show correctly. If you are going to check up the Grand Secretary, then the Grand Secretary has no use for these reports , a nd when they are sent we send them back, and so the y should be sent to your delegate , and when they are sent to us you defeat the purpose ."
Colorado: " Of the accounts we had, the majority of them didn ' t exactly tally with those of the Grand Secretary. This seems to be due to subscriptions to the Journal. In case the money for the year ' s subscription has been sent , the amount is not credited on the Grand Se cr etary's book."
Your committee reports the following statisti c s of the Endowment fund : ENDOWMENT
One meeting of the Grand Council in 1917 to come out of balance. [t is further recommended that from the remaining funds in the treasury after the payment of bills incurr ed by the present convention, that $75.00 be contributed to the endowment and that the b a lance of cash on hand be set aside as a contingency and eme r ge ncy fund for the tr easu ry.
H. N. KORR, Colorado, ]. C. PALMER, Washington, ]. F. RHODES , Harvard.
Motion carried. So ordered
The Grand President requests the Grand Secretary to preside.
Grand Secretary: "W hat are you doing in the matter of recommendations? Are those statements made in the form of recomm enda tions? "
Grand President: ' ' They are made in the form of two recomm endations."
Penn State: "Penn State would be very sorry to see the per capita tax raised to $8.50; $3.50 increase on the pr esen t per capita tax is quite an item to be taken from the amount of due s that go to a chapter. I am very glad that the thing has come up in this particular way, because it gives me a chance t o reach some one of the Brothers who voted for a Conclave next year to m ove t o rec o nsider. I should be very g lad to see a reconsideration of that particular question with the kn ow led ge that we now have. I hope so mebody ha s a change of heart and w ill reconsider."
Grand Secretary: "The committee offers one of two alternativeseither to increase the per capita tax to $8.50 , or a bi -a nnual Conclave. That is the understanding, isn't it?
"Brothe r Orr, I tried to get you to note any differ ence in your budget and the one submitted by the Grand Council.
"We made two minor changes. Outside of that we believe we accept the Grand Council's budget without alteration."
Gra nd Secretary: "That is in your report?"
Orr: "In regard to bringing the parallel budget down, I didn't incorporate that."
Grand Secretary: "I am going to ask the Grand Vice President to take the chair."
olorado: "It seems that the report is not in shape to be accepted at present; it is open to alterations on the part of the convention h e re."
Gran d Vice-President: "The first thing that should be done is to act on the report of the committee. "
Harvard: "Harvard wishes to speak on this matter as a part of the committee. Yesterday afternoon, when the matter was up for discu sion as to whether or not the Conclave should be annual or bi-annual , Harvard opposed the change because Harvard thought it a matter of expediency and a matter of po licy to tide over the financial conditions. That position was taken yesterday afternoon due to inadequate informa-
tion on financial matters, and Harvard now changes its opinion to have the Conclave and so expresses its opinion, whether or not it should reconsider in the light of its action taken yesterday afernoon. It seems to me an increase of per capita tax to meet this deficit is inadvisable . Our per capita is now $5.00, and is enough to create a hardship on some of the chapters of our fraternity, and to increase it we think it would be inadviable , and the best alteranative course is to make the Conclave bi-annual. The Conclave may have some o ther course to offer "
Grand Vice President: "The ruling of the chair is that the report be accepted so far as has been made."
Delegate: "May I ask a question for information? Is this budget recommended to ·bind the future?"
Grand Vice President: "On ly in this . The chair will entertain a motion on one or the other of those propositions plainly so we can discu it in a perfectly legal and proper way."
New York Alumni: " Is it proper to make any comments on this report at this time?"
Grand Vice President: "Yes."
New York Alumni: "I see that they estimate $2,500.00 as the co t of the Conclave. Our Conc la ve this year costs us $1,600.00, and it would only cost $1 ,600 00 in the Midd le West. Therefore $2 , 500.00 is $1,000.00 in excess, and if they come to New York there was an offer of $500.00 ; therefore the cost of the Conclave if held next year would be the same as this year. If there should be a deficit next year, it would only be $1,000.00. In my opin ion it is very much more va luable for this fraternity to have an annual Conclave where we can all get together, than to give the Grand Counselor an additional salary of $1,500.00. I prefer to see the Grand Counselor and all the delegates in annual Conclave than to increase th e Grand Counselor's salary $1 , 500.00. Instead of increa ing our per capita to $8.50, we could increase it 50 cents and meet tho e expenses, and lea ve our Grand Counselor in at the same salary and hav e our Grand Conclave either at New York City or Harvard."
California moves that the per capita tax be not raised. Seconded by Manhattan.
Cornell moves to amend the motion before the house by raisin g to $8.50 .
Grand Vice President: "There is a motion before the house that the per capita tax be not raised , and is now before the house." .
Penn State: " Is there any necessity for a motion that doe not change the conditions. If there is a necessity this motion is in order, and if not this motion is not in order."
Grand Vice President: "The amount of tax is fixed by resoluti on."
Penn State: " The form of the motion is ill-advised."
Grand Vice President: "Yes, it is an amendment to the m otion ."
California: "Move that the per capita tax be $5 00 as an amendment."
New York Alumni: " I make an amendment to that motion that the per capita tax be increased one dollar, so as to make it $6.00."
Michigan: "I don't see why the per capita shou ld be increased one dollar."
Grand Vice President: "Is there a second ·to the motion? Motion
is carried and it is ordered that the per capita tax is fixed at 5.00 for the next year."
Grand Vice President: " Now , gentlemen , there i a eri o u conflict in the legislative action thus far. You have curtailed your revenue and you have decided on having the Conclave. What is your plea ure?
Kansas: "I think it has been a very unfortunate occurrence that the business of this convention has been uch that we voted for omething before we had any idea what it was, so when Kansas voted on the proposition yesterday she didn't vote with any idea as to whether the per capita should be almost doubled in order to have this C o nclave. I think it is unfortunate, so Kansas feels now, and will move that this proposition of a Conclave for 1917 be taken up at thi time. "
Minnesota: "Second the motion."
Grand Vice President: "Will some delegate who voted for the Conclave yesterday second the motion?"
Washington seconds it. ,
Stanford: "We looked up this question and we found that the question of amendment should be made upon the motion of the side that had the plurality."
Grand Vice President: "That is the reason I didn ' t accept the motion of Kansas and did accept the motion of Washington. "
Motion carried, so ordered.
California moves that the next Conclave be held in 1918.
Seconded by Harvard.
Grand Vice President: "It has been moved by California and seconded by Harvard that the next Conclave be held in 1918 . Are there any remarks?"
New York Alumni: "It seems to be the foregone impression of some of the delegates at least that it is absolutely necessary to forego our Conclave next year if we have a $5.00 per capita tax. I thought I pointed out that we could have a Conclave next year even at $5.00 per capita, for the Conclave will not cost a cent more than $1 ,000.00 if it is held in New York, and furthermore there is an increase of $500.00 towards the Grand Counselor's expense that is entirely unnecessary. In my opnion. $1,500.00 is a very large expense for an innovation and cut out the Conclave entirely one year. Not to meet for two whole years just for a special officer's fees is very inadvisable, and if we don ' t wish to have it in the East, have it in the Middle West, but we can have a Grand Conclave and keep within the income."
Illinoi : "We are somewhat in the dark as to what figures have co me to light by the delegate from the N ew York Alumni chapter, but in the course of a year some discovery may be made and it might be possible to have the Conclave, and it might be entirely otit of place to go on record a not having a Conclave. I want to go on record to increase the Grand Counselor's salary. I don't think the budget is entirely out of proportion, however, if there is some possibility within a year of holding a Conclave. I feel that it is proper to make an amendment that the next Grand Conclave be held at the call of the Grand Council."
Wisconsin: "Second that motion."
New York Alumni: "May I enlighten the delegate from Illinois? I pointed out that the committee on budget figured that the Conclave
would cost $2,500. It has cost this year only $1,600, and it might not cost any more next year than this year, and it might be held in the East without any more expense. Then I also pointed out that there is an agreement in their budget to increase the salary and expenses of the Grand Counselor to the extent of $500.00. He received $1 ,000.00 last year and they agree to give him $1 ,500.00 . I agree that $2,500.00 wouldn't be too much to pay the Grand Counselor. I don't want to favor a small man to be Grand Counselor , but I do question the advisability of increasing his salary to the extent of dispensing with the Grand Conclave."
Grand Vice President: " I shall rule the amendment out of order."
Harvard: "The last information on the budget which we had, which was 4 o'clock this morning, was that this Conclave cost $1 ,600. The budget committee on information had from the next Conclave committee and the expression and sentiment on the part of the delegates generally, figured that if the next Conclave were held it should go to the East, preferably to Cambridge, and our best information was that it would cost $2,500. If it cost $1,600 here, to go to New York would cost $2,100, and that partly defrayed by the ew York Alumni Association.
"The office of Grand Counselor has been very beneficial, and assuming that it would cost at the same rate that it has the present year, then his expenses would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 ,000, actual expenses, and it is impossible to ask anyone to do that gratuitously, and that is the reason why the budget committee has placed that at that figure ."
Grand Treasurer: "When we fixed it at $1,600, we didn ' t include anything but the traveling expenses."
Michigan: " Last evening there were three of us trying to figure out some system. There were fourteen chapters figured at $60 additional fare if held east of Chicago, and two at $40. '0le found the total railroad fare for those sixteen would be $920.00. There are several chapters in the East that would have their railroad expenses cut down that much, and that was $440. This gave us a difference of railroad fares for delegates alone of $500.00. Then we had to estimate the cost of Grand Officers roughly at $200.00. This gave us a total for railroad fare of $700 alone, and adding this to the expenses of the present Conclave at $1,600 would bring it around $2,500."
Grand Vice President: "Did that include Pullman?" "No."
Grand Counselor: "B rother Smith doesn ' t include excess fare. Vve will have to pay at the very least $6.00 excess fare on any train."
New York Alumni: "Some of us take trains on which we don't pay excess fare."
Stanford: "I would like to ask where the difference of $60.00 is obtained as a difference between Chcago and New York. I know that during the last summer a round trip ticket from San Francisco to ew York has been $72.00. Pullmans are always the same in cost, whether there is an excursion or not , but a Pullman from San Francisco to Chicago is $13.00, from San Francisco to New York $13.00 more If the is held in the East there ought to be a committee appointed on looktng up rates. I am satisfied that by going from New York to Buffalo we will not have to pay excess fare."
Syracuse: " I can't see where there will be any chance of having an
increase of less than $800 if they have the Conclave in the East and I don't think there will be a difference of $200 .00 as to whether we hold the Conclave in Chicago or Boston if it will be possible for mo t of us to pay excursion rates. The probability is that about three delegates will wish excursion rates from their chapter hou e, so I can't see where there will be a decrease. I for one would like to ee a Conclave in the East, because delegates from the Middle West, if the y come to one of the far Eastern chapters , will have a far different opinion of so me of the questions that concern every Conclave."
Grand Vice-President: "Is there any further questi on as to the time the Conclave is to be held?"
Gran d Secretary: "About all the delegates are present and the report of the Grand Council has been left at the house. I have taken a copy made by Brother Mann and I want to point out to you why I think the budget as submi tted for receipts is correct. I want you to be clear in your own minds. The receipts of the fraternity will be based on the followin g items unless you get some more . We figured on a per capita tax on an average."
RECEIPTS
$6.775.00
Stanford: "Sta nf ord seeks information , if the Council can p ostpone the Conclave for one week, can it postpone it for one year in case of lack of money?"
Grand Secretary: " It has been done in 19 12."
Stanford: "Then it appears to Stanford that in case we stand by our position of yesterday if it is possible to have <;me it seems to Stanford that we might leave it to see if we can posstbly have a Conclave and the Grand Counselor be renumerated for his services."
Illinois: " I would like an interpretati on of this from the Grand Sccretarv as he is ·the man who up to this time has known all the law. -
Article III, Sec. 1. The Grand Conclave shall be the convening of the representati ves of the va rious chapters, at such time and place as shall have been determin ed by th e pre se ding Grand Conclav e, provided that the time and place of meeting may be changed by the Grand Conucil of good and sufficie nt reasons "Does that n o t mean that the Grand Council can even set it forward a year?"
Grand Secretary: "Oh, no."
Illinoi s: " It says it may be changed , it doesn't say it may be po stponed " ·
Grand Secretary: " I have interpreted that the Council has power t o make arrangement for a postponement of the Conclave , as to whether we could call it back from 1918 I wouldn't want to pass on it and I d o n ' t think we could. "
Grand President expresses a contrary view.
Illinoi s : " In v iew of th at statement, which I understand is just the s tatement of the Grand President, and I presume the Grand Secretary's views should be considered too , I s ee no reason why we are n ot ready f o r the question and Illinois is in favor of the question which s tate s that the Conclave be held in 1918 ."
Grand Vice-President: "T he substance of the motion is that the next Conclave will be held in 1918."
Seventeen for, seven opposed.
Grand President take s the chair: " Is there any other motion pertaining t o any of the other items in the budget? "
Penn State mo v es that the recommendations in the budget rega rdin g the Grand Counse lor's salary be approved.
I owa s ec o nds the motion.
Motion carried.
Ohio moves that we accept the budget as read.
Kansas seconds the motion.
Colorado: "Pe rhap s it wou ld be well to remind the delegates that of th e balance of the fund or from the remaining funds in the treasur y that $75 be co ntributed to the Endowment Fund and that the balance be se t aside as a s urplus fund fo r the trea s ury ."
Grand President : "The budget contains s pecific appropriati o n for next yea r and the Endowment Fund for next year and puts the balance int o the treasury a s a reserve fund; do you all understand that? "
New York A lumni: "S eems t o me that is a very dangerous prec edent , lea v ing n o thin g in the treasury for a reserve fund."
Grand President: "W e are leavin g a reserve fund of $1600. "
• 1[otion carried , so o rdered.
Gra nd President: " That completes the report of the Committee o n A uditin g and Budget."
In view of the importance of th e s ubj ec t ent ru s ted to thi s committee and of the experience of the va ri o u s Co ncl aves in fr a min g constitutions, th e committee recommends th at the Grand President be instruct ed by the Conclav e to appoint a comm ittee to frame a Constitution and s et of By-Laws which would se r ve as a m ode l for the c h ap t e rs , which committee sho uld r e port to the Grand Cou n cil not late r than Feb ru ary 1, 1917 , a nd th e rep or t , if sa ti sfac t o ry, to be pre sen t ed to the chapte r s not late r th a n A pril 1, 1917, for study b efo r e the next Conclave ,
meets; this committee to be authorized further to adv ise any chapter engaged durin g the year in the framing of such laws.
The committee has studied carefully the Ia ws of the t en chapters which reported to the Gr a nd Counsellor and ha s various rec omme nd at ion regarding them to make to the r ecess committee s uggest e d, if one is named but th e e are in large part matters of detail which wou l d have little inter est the Conclave unles s it were considering a draft of Con s titution and By-Laws. Th e committee is, however, fully agreed upon the fo ll owing matters:
First. That the Conclave should not pr e c rib e a form for the l oca l organizations but shou ld confine itself to recomm e nding the form adv ised by th e ugge ted committee, if said form is a dopt e d.
Secon<;I. That in the of a Con s tituti o n and By-Laws, a chapter shou ld legislate on ly concermng matter s of prim e importance an d so fa r as posihle only in genera l terms, u s ing as broad languag e as the case p e rmit s and the positive form of expression ex c e pt when the n ega tive is requir ed .
Third. That the Chapter Constitution shou ld includ e tho se subjects which are of the very first imp ortance, being confined, if possible, to matters of s ufficient moment to b e the basis of l egis la tion in the National Con titution and By-Laws, and that where possible ref e renc e b e mad e to the a rticl e in the ationa! onstitution and By-Laws covering the ubject.
Fourth. That other subjects of sufficient in"l\l)ortance , though of l ess importance than those mentioned in Sect ion Four, s hould be treated in th e by-laws , which may be more eas ily amendable than the Constitution.
Respectfully submitted , A. A. JENKINS (Harvard), Chairman, E. FITZGERALD (Missouri), P. S. WEBB (Purd u e).
Grand President: "I would be glad to entertain a motion that the Grand President be in st ructed to appoint a committee as was ou tlin ed."
Kansas : "I w ill make the motion "
Iowa seconds the motion . Carried.
Grand President: "I appointed visitors, Brother Jenkins, Brother Fitzgerald and Brother Webb for this work. I appointed this committee desiring to leave a definite precedent for the Conclave. I should like to think in succeeding years there would be such committee work for Conclave visitors. I shall sound the gavel at 1 :30 so we can take four hours for the report of the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws and come to the adjournment at 7 :30."
Missouri moves that we adjourn until 1 :30. Wisconsin seconds the motion. Motion carried.
1 :30 p . m. Thursday, September 14, 19 16, Masonic Temple, Lafayette
Report of Committee on Masonic Research
Brother Grand President: Your committee fe e ls that Masonic Research offer to Acacia a w.id e field for serv ic e to the Masonic Order. We believ e that the founders of Acacia had this in mind when they inserted in the preambl e to our co n s titution the s tatem ent that one of the purposes of Acacia was "to d eve lop a greater zeal for the Masonic Institution."
Your comm itt ee believes that the time has arrived when Acacia, as an organization, hould show its act iv e interest in the subject.
In order to induce more systematic effort in this direction the committee recommends as follows:
First. Believing that a knowledge of the Blue Lodge work is a prerequisit e to successfu l research work, we recommend that every chapter should each year do some Masonic degre·e-team work.
Second. We reiterate the recommendation made by the last year's Conclave
committee, that Acacians subscribe for and read "The Builder." We believe that Acacia should be proud of the work done by its members in the National Masonic Research Society and in the number of articles published in "The Builder" which were contributed by Acacia men.
Third. We urge that each chapter make some definite effort to secure a Masonic Library, to assist in res ea rch work.
Fourth. The commJittee recommends that this Conclave show its interest in research work by offering a twenty-five dollar medal as a prize for the best essay on a Masonic Research topic, the rules governing the contest to be left to a committee of thr ee to be ap;;>Ointed by the Grand President
C. E. PAUL, Nebraska. L. P. HOLT, Iowa. J. F. RHODES, Harvard .
Grand President: " You have heard the report."
New York Alumni: "Move that the report be accepted."
Seconded by Iowa. Motion carried.
Grand President: "It is in order in view of the Conclave's action this mornin g that we have before us a definite meeting place for the n ex t Conclave. It seems to me very proper that this Conclave should go on record as to what it thinks proper after having heard the expressions of the delegates. "
Michigan moves that the next Conclave meet with the New York Alumni Chapter.
Grand President: "Is your meaning that the next Conclave meet with the New York Alumni Chapter?"
Michigan: "Yes."
Missouri seconds the motion.
Chicago Alumni: "We would like to know whether the offer of the New York Alumni Association is included in that?"
Grand President: "No, I think not . The motion is to hold the next Conclave with the New York Alumni Chapter. Any further discussion?"
Grand Counselor : "I would like to point out in connection with Brother Lawrence's very generous offer on the part of the Alumni of New York to contribute up to $500 that I believe, having the affairs of the Chicago association very close at heart, that would be a very bad precedent to accept. I know that the Chicago Alumni is not in position to do that and the Acacia is a very · dignified body and able to pay its own way."
New York Alumni: "New York Alumni Association doesn't wish th e Grand Conclave to feel that they are obliged to accept this offer in any way. We would be very glad to have you come to New York any way, and if you don't accept the $500 we will probably expend it in entertaining you after you get there and I don't think there should be any feelin g of pride that would prevent you from coming to New York any way."
Grand President: "Any further debate? I am going to say that in my op inion it would be a very great mistake to accept this New York Alumni in v itati on and if we go East we should go to Harvard."
Harvard: "I am n o t authorized to extend an invitation to the Conclave t o meet in Boston in 1918 but I am in 1917. I don't feel that I should make the invitation for 1918 without having some authorization or without knowing what the feeling would be."
New York A lum n i: " It seems that the remarks of the Grand President that we should go to Harvard are a litt le out of place when the New York Alumni is the only one that has given an invitation."
Grand Pres id ent: " INe could go without an in vitation."
New York Alumni : "I know that."
Mich igan: " I think in fairness to the Minnesota delegate he should be heard from ."
Minnesota: "Minnesota wants the Conclave in 1918 but don 't think they could finance it in 1917 , but in as much as Harvard wants it in 1917 we waive the invitation."
Chicago Alumn i: "Harvard has bid for this Conclave for t wo years I think, maybe more, and about the next thing Harvard is going to ask for that Conclave again. Now their delegate ought t o know what they can do but I feel that the Conclave should vote for Harvard at som e time and I am very st r ongly in favor of going to Harvard if things shou ld turn out that way."
Cornell: "Mr. Grand President, as a representati ve of Cornell , I might say that our chapter h ad been considerin g the possibility of the Conclave being held at Cornell at some time in the near future. They were not really prepared to make an invitati o n for 19 17. We did not know there was a possibility of puttin g it off t o 1918, but I will say that we extend an in vitation for 19 18 and I am sure that in vita tion if accepted wou ld meet with the unanimous approval of that chapter, for we wou ld like to see it come to Cornell if Harvard can't have it. "
Grand President: "Motion that the Conclave be held a t New York City . Those in favor vote aye , contrary no. The ayes ha ve it. As far as I am concerned I w ill do my best to help out the Conclave 111 New York City if the Grand Council doesn't change its mind."
To the Grand Counci l a nd Representatives at the Eventh National Conclave of Acac ia in session convened a t Purdu e, Indiana: Your committee on Constitution and By - Laws, consisting of the representatives from Illinois, Penn State, Michigan, Ca li fornia and Kansas State, respe ctfu lly submi ts the following r ecommendat ion s for changes in th e Nationa l Constituti o n and By-Laws.
The Grand Counselor sha ll have charge of the extension of the fraternity and of a ll matters pertaining to the insta llation of new chapters, sha ll pay official visits to and advise with the various chapters a nd make such recommendations to them as he sha ll see fit. He sha ll make hi s report t o th e Grand Counc il and mak e recomm'endations to th at body regarding conditions of the chapters and sha ll perform such duties as would r egularly pertain to the office of a Grand Vice-Preside nt
By-Laws:
S ec tion 6. Th ere shall be a p ledging f ee of Eight ($8.00) Dollars, payable at the time of p l edging. Th is fee sha ll be returned if the candidate is found improper for initi a tion.
Section 49. All contracts perta inin g to re a l es tate which affect any chapter must be submitted to th e Grand Coun cil and approved by it before contracts are entered upon
Section 7. No candidate for initi a tion in any chapter sh a ll be pledged until he sha ll have been vouched for in acco rdanc e with the regulations of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the state as b eing a Master Mason. . . . Art. II Section 7. Any chapter may have the nght, by maJonty vote, to r elieve a m'embe r of that chapter from active membership and pl ace him on the a lumni membersh ip roll.
Grand President: "Yo u h ave heard the motion moved by Illinois
and seconded by Penn State. Thoes in favor vote aye , contrary no. There is a necessary two-thirds vote here and it will be referred to the chapter for referendum vote ."
In Article IV, Section 1. And in all places where the words "Grand VicePresident" occ urs in thi s Constitution and By-Laws, the words " Gr an d Counselor" s h a ll be substituted and in a ll places where the words "Grand Counselor " now occurs, it s hall be stricken out.
Grand President: "You have heard the motion, is there a discussion?"
Harvard: " \iV ould like to ask if they strike out the words 'Grand Vice-President' would it shift the duties of the office of Vice-President?"
Article V, S ec tion 5. This section shall be amended by adding after the words " new chapters," the words "sha ll pay official visits to and advise with the various chapters and m a ke such recommendations to them as he shall see fit. He shall make his report to the Grand Council and make recommendations to th a t body r ega rding conditions of the ch a pters and shall perform such duties as would regula'rgly pertain to the office of a Grand Vice-President." Thus it will read:
Grand President: "No. You see the effect of this whole thing. Is it clearly before you, i s there a debate? Those in favor vote aye, contrary no. Mo ti on carried, so ordered. The amendments having received two -thirds vote will be referred to the chapters for their ratification."
Article IV, Section 16. Members of general national social college fraternities shall not be eli g ibl e to mlembership in Acacia and members of Acacia joining general national socia l co ll ege fraternities shall forfeit their membership in Acacia.
Respectfully submitted,
B. L. KIRK, Illinois, Chairman .
G. C. FERRIER, Kansas State.
W. S. DYE, JR., Penn State.
A. R. SMITH, Michigan.
M. ]. MINKLER, California .
Grand President: "The matter is before you and has been before the Conclave since the meeting at Lawrence, Kansas, in 1906. I make this remark to show the futility of long and extended debates, not by any means wishing to limit the debate if any member has anything that will contribute to the report. I shall rely entirely on the delegates here to close the debate when they desire to do so. The subject is before you."
Joel McDavid: " This question the Grand President seems to think ought to be discussed largely from the angle of the Interfraternity Conference because the old subject has been thrashed out until it is threadbare and the delegates who have attended the Conclave know that this question has come up three times for referendum vote. I have a l etter from 0. E. Cheney, secretary of the Conference. This letter goes t o the Chicago Alumni. There was nothing very definite said at the time the matter was discussed by the Chicago Alumni, only that the s e letters from 0. E . Cheney had been recei ved and answered, and because we had such indefinite data we took it upon ourselves to be able to vote wisely on this new argument, to write a letter to 0. E. Cheney signed by our secreta ry, Mr. Buckley, and asked him if any protest had been sent in' against Acacia being entered in the Interfra-
ternity Conference. (Reads letter.) I have a hi tory written by F. \V. Shepardson, one of the organizers of the Interfraternity Conference and from 1909 to 1916 a member of the Executive Committee. I will read this."
Illinois: "I arise to a point of order. If thi bear on the que tion of the Greek Letter matter I suppose we could li ten to it but we don't >vant the history of the Interfraternity Conference." '
Grand President: "I have already stated my attitude. This Conclave must limit this debate when it cares to do so."
Chicago Alumni: "I vote Chicago against exclusion. It eems that one chapter will have to be cut off and the men have paid their fees and we will have to cut Acacia's life away from them. In Chicago we ,took one Greek Letter man this year and one last year, and we don t need Greek Letter men and we don't need to make a fight for our fraternity, but we have talked with the married men who have little boys . They want their little boys as they grow to manhood to become Acacia men, and as boys go into college at 17 and 18 they don't have a chance to become Acacia until they are 21. Children are getting out of high school at a younger age."
Harvard: "I was very much concerned when I learned on arriving here that there had been a protest to the Interfraternity Conference about Acacia admitting Greeks. Heretofore all of the agitation has been internal so far as I have been able to learn and it has been going on since 1906 and it has been settled at different Conclaves three or four times, the vote carrying on the two sides, but each time settled according to our constitution, which requires that the amendments should require a two-thirds vote, and that has always been failed of. It strikes us that it will never be settled no matter what the situation is as long as we have men in the fraternity who will not submit to the constitution. Harvard can get along without Greeks, Yale can't, Columbia can, at least they have not been initiating Greeks this year. Harvard takes this position-we want Masonic men to choose from, we don't look into their antecedents and if our inquiries about how many men are Acacia men and how many men belong to other fraternities , I couldn't answer this. All I know is that this man is a Mason and he is acceptable to the Acacia and that spirit has been growing in other chapters. The Vl estern chapters exclude Greeks .but those who are indefinite, they have legislation against it in their own chapters now and must vote to exclude Greeks to keep from going against their own legislation. The passage of this amendment would undoubtedly cause Yale chapter to turn in their charter, not because they would want to turn it in but because it couldn't keep going, and Harvard chapter, whether it would keep going I couldn't say. The Grand President suggested on Tuesday afternoon that we could perhaps keep going. The Chicago delegate this afternoon has another important opinion on the prate t to the Interfraternity Conference and undoubtedly in the opinion of most of you the possibility of such coming up is very slight indeed . It is something that is passed over and forgotten about and any pro ·· test is perhaps from some discontented member. Harvard chapter has got to maintain its position. I have got to maintain the position that. Harvard chapter has always taken. Certainly my opinion has not been
changed by this new protest and I shall vote against it. "
Columbia: "Columbia has been mentioned in connection with the Greek question and perhaps the question had better be discussed. During the la st year we t oo k in n o t one Greek. The delegate is therefore not a Greek. This action was not a final action of the chapter, it was simply mana ged by members of the Committee on Membership. We had up until that probably a strong move to the exclusion of Greeks. In order to learn what would happen t o Columbia if they excluded Greeks we took in no Greeks. The membership during the last year has been 18 or 20. We h ave a house proposition, too. The members of the New York Alumni who are the m os t active are Greeks. The Columbia .Chapter doesn't m ea n to say that a thorough trial has been given to the proposition or that we couldn't exist without Greeks, but we haven't given it enough time and we believe we would be very much injured by the exclusion of Greeks. Columbia Chapter always feels that Acacia should have chapters at Harvard and Yale, and feels that unless serious harm would be done to the fraternity at large every effort should be made to s upply chapters at Harvard and Yale and not endeavor to limit them and push them into a Masonic club."
Grand President: "Are you ready to vote?"
Penn State: "Ro ll call."
Illinois: " The matt e r of Greek exclusion coming up again at this time has been discussed from the side of those who are opposed to Greek exclusion, and in the arguments presented it appears that out of the number of chapters which we have, twenty-five , there are four chapters which tak e in Greek fraternity men, by far the greater number of chapters of the fraternity d o n't take in Greek fraternity men. They find it the best not to take in Greeks. The others said it was their nece ss ity , it was because it is more convenient for them to do so. It has been· so eve r since the matter came up , the few have ruled the fraternity. It ha s always appeared that a great many didn't want to lose the chapters we already had and for that reason they were willing for it to go on o ne mor e year , and when they met the delegates decided that th ey didn't want to take away the charter from those that were taking in G r ee k s, and for the last four years those four chapters have ruled the fraternity in the matter of Greek exclusion and they stand up here with a ma<tter of ten votes and say they have won a victory. It ·is true it requires a two-thirds vote to pass a matter of this kind and while a majority of the delegates are in favor o f Greek exclusion s till we go ahead. Now then this proposition comes up; the Grand President has r eceive d a communication from the secretary of the Interfraternity Conference and in that communication as was read by the Grand President o n Tuesday he asked for the position of Acacia Fraternity, saying that some claims have been made against it, and of course the Grand President wrote back a very diplomatic reply. As the ne x t meeting of the Executive Committee will be held in September, I suppose n o action will be taken until that time. After that it seems that some of the fraternity have written him a letter asking him about the Greek Letter proposition . He didn't say if it came up it would probably be voted d ow n , but he just opened up the letter. He said there was no formal claim , he said there was some objection, we don't
know what. member of that Interfraternity Conference made it; the Interfratermty Conference is likely t o change its personnel. I don 't know that the same conditions exist every year. The matter rests that we have had a warning and in heeding the warning the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws has presented this amendment and it is before you today and I submit to you whether or not it is proper for us to let the four chapters who prefer to take in Greeks to go ahead and dominate the fraternity just on account of the good disposition of some of the fraternity in voting in their behalf, o r is it better for us to see that if we are to take a stand we might as well take it n ow. It was brought out that the conditions at Yale are very different from the condition at Harvard . The peculiar difference at Yale is thisthat they live very much apart even when they are members of the Grand Fraternity, and it seems that Phi Alpha Delta at Yale do es n't go as Phi Alpha Delta but they go under some other name. If that is the situation there will be no harm to Yale, it will n o t affect the membership of those that have been members of Acacia . Shultz will be just as good a man as any man, howe v er. They will go a head with the organization. Shultz may be a member of so me other new fraternity, suppose he called hi s fraternity most anything, the Eastern Chapter of the Masonic Club, you can't take his Acacia membership away from him he will go ahead and all Yale Chapter wi ll go ahead, and so long as it is as it is they derive great benefit from being members of the Grand Chapte r. I would say that I think that any chapter of Acacia derives more benefit from being a member of the fraternity at large than the fraternity does. Other chapters have said we can continue our membership and not take in Greek Letter men, but we don't care to do it and it has been suggested by some of the chapters we w ill withdraw. I don't say that is the proper spir it. I can't see how a man can take the position that his position is absolutely right , although the idea is somewhat different he may be right and he may be wrong in thinking that way. However, if any of those chapters should feel that way I would be inclined to say all right, we would like to have you but if you want t o withdraw you can do it. I can't see why the loss of a few chapters would affect our fraternity at large. One of the men who was talkin g against Acacia not taking Greeks sa id something about if he cou ldn ' t keep his men from going to some other fraternity they wou ldn't care. If that is the kind of men we are getting from the Greek Letter fraternity members we might take the same position which he took. However, I don't think a n argument of that kind would t a ke. So Illinois rests this way, we are in favor of the passage of the amendm e nt as presented."
Ohio State: "It is with some regret that this condition has again I speak for Ohio and would like to say that in previous years and in past conventions Ohio has voted not for exclusion on co ndition that it would affect the chapters which are under discussion now probably with their withdrawal , but und er the conditions and various discu sions which have come before this Conclave I feel it my duty to speak in behalf of Ohio and through the recommendations which I ha ve received from the chapter that we are in favor of exclusion of Greeks. We are in favor of this from the fact that under the present system
men who go to the university too young to join the Acacia are able to join Greek Letter fraternities. This gives the men an opportunity of joining these Greek Letter fraternities and later becoming a Mason. In one way that would be an argument but in another way we don't think so. We believe that a man who comes to the university comes within one year of taking Masonic work and they would wait over fo r Acacia. For this reason I state that Ohio will be for exclusion of Greeks and I move you that further discussion on this line be discontinued."
Yale: " I request that this discussion be continued. "
Grand President: ' 'I refuse to take the motion until you have talked about it ."
Yale: "The only )"eason I speak at all is such a large part of the speech of the delegate fn5»1 Illinois was taken up in showing his belief that the fraternity c c< u!l::i- -.£ 6 easily get along without Yale and it would be almost a pleasure to· do so."
Grand President: ' 'vV e must not have any personalities."
Yale: "Unless they are against Yale. Yale will discontinue if this is carried. There has been no attempt to rule the fraternity The only point I want to make especially is that we are not the ones that are bringing up this argument, we are ·not the discontinuing one, we are for the status quo. I appeal for it because this amendment 1:1¥!ans elimination of Yale Chapter."
Washington asks to be heard . _
Grand President: "I rule you are out of order."
Washington : "I wish to make a statement that there has been rumors that Yale wrote to Texas."
Grand President: "The motion is to stop the debate."
Motion lost.
New York Alumni: "It doesn't make any difference to me whether this motion is carried or not , for I am an alumnus, except as a matter of justice. We have given a charter to Yale University and I think we should not make any legislation that would take a charter from Yale University. A former President of the United States is a member of Yale Chapter and Columbia would grieve at any legislation that would in any way do injustice to any chapter. I think that we should give Acacia opportunity in every way we can. I think we should extend an invitation that would extend over the entire Masonic world. I am a Greek Letter man but that has nothing to do with it, it is a matter of justice in this matter and I believe another thing; I am firmly in the belief that if we carry this motion and exclude Greeks that in a very short time there will be a rival organization basep on Masonic principles and that in a very few years we will be a small minority. I believe that we will actually regret if we go on record in this restricted le g islation. "
Wisconsin: "\;v isconsin of course favors very strongly the exclusion Greeks. I merely cite an instance that occurred last fall. A very llkely freshman came down from South Dakota and we thought he was gC?_od A cacia material and while we rushed him another Greek fraternity was al s o rushing him and they led him to believe that he could join the Greek fraternities and afterwards join the Acacia Fraternity . This
THE GRANDEST SECRETARY PAST GRAND SECRETARY HARRY E. KILMER
May We Have His Wise Counsel and Genial Companionship With Us at Many More Conclaves
merely illustrates the problems that we have to contend with and is one of the principal reasons why we are so strong for exclusion."
Michigan: "I would just like to leave one idea on thi Greek exclusion proposition. Jt is true that the majority of our chapters have expressed their sentiment for Greek exclusion and that it i the best interest for Acacia to have such a by-law. If that is the general sentiment of this fraternity then in making our vote we should vote for the general sentiment of this fraternity and not for the good of a few local chapters whose delegates are here to represent the national fraternity rather than their own chapters."
Nebraska: "Nebraska has had mostly the same experience as Wisconsin in that the Greek Letter fraternities tell the young fellows that come to school, 'you are able to join us now and when you go East you can JOin Acac ia then,' and for that reason Nebraska is for Greek exclusion."
Grand President: "I wish that we might get along without calling the roll."
Syracuse: "I would like to ask two questions. Does this resolution say 'active Greeks? '"
Grand President: "I don't think so."
Syracuse: "The other question I would like to ask is , is it true that Michigan Chapter has allowed to remain in their chapter house for the last two years a man who is not a Mason?"
Grand President: "That is out of orde r. "
Syracuse: "S uch a condition would injure us seriously in the East ."
Grand President: "Th is Conclave has unanimously gone on record as to that on the chapters that have been guilty."
Syrac use: "The position of Syracuse is that there is no likelihood of our initiating active Greeks. There has only been one active Greek initiated. To exclude inacti ve Greeks to the chapter at Syracuse wouldn't serious ly injure us at the present time but it would injure for future growth. There has been a feeling expressed that behind the question of active G re eks there is the question of excluding all Greeks whether active or ina ctive and on that basis Syracuse would be absolutely against this proposition that has been brought up today. We feel that if such an amendment is passed here it will be principally by the vote of those chapters that have a l arge membership and will injure those small chapters. There is no chapter that has been seriously crippled by admitting Greek members. It is on that basis that we oppose thi s move."
Penn State: "There is just one thing that occurs to me with the idea of the exclusion of the active Greeks as opposed to the inactive. The exclusion of the inactive Greeks from the fraternity might work us a hardship when it came to an honorary member and one member sometimes is worth while, and while Penn State in all probability will vote for the exclusion of active Greeks I doubt whether they can vote for the exclusion of inactive Greeks."
tanford: "The letter referred to by the delegate from Illinois seems to mention that objections have been made. The letter as preented by Chicago stated no objection ha s been presented as yet. It seems that the letter says, 'if any action takes place before October.' We assume that no action has taken place. Stanford therefore assumes
that she regards the claim made by Illinois rather as purely gossip. We can only consider, it seems to me, actually what has been done formally."
Voting ay e-Michi ga n, Kansas, Nebraska, California, Ohio, Illinois, Franklin, Wisconsin, Missouri, Purdue , Iowa, Washington, Kansas State, Minnesota.
Voting nay-Stanford, Harvard , Cornell, Chicago, Yale, Columbia , Penn State. Colorado, Syracuse.
Iowa State absent, Texas not voting.
Texas: "Grand President, Texas being in a peculiar situation here I would lik e to explain its not voting. It seems that Texas gained its admission into Acacia both on it s merits and political standing and just now it seems it is forced into a corner that it doesn't desire to take a stand and its delegate wants to go on record as not voting."
Grand President: "The motion lacking the necesasry two-thirds vote is lost ."
Active members of general, n at ional , soc ia l, college fraternities s hall not be eligible to m em bership in Acacia and members of Acacia joining general, national, so cia l , college fraternities s hall forfeit their m e mbership in Acacia.
Illin ois: "It is the same section with the word 'ac tive ' inserted. "
Penn State: "Question."
Harvard: "I wish to state that the position of Harvard on this amendment is exactly the same as on the amendment just voted on."
Penn State: "Question."
"Co lum bia's position is the same."
Ca ll for roll.
Voting aye-Michigan, Stanford, Kansas, Nebraska, California, Ohio State. Illinois , Franklin, Minnesota, Vlisconsin , Missouri, Cornell, Purdue , Penn State, Washin g ton, Kansas State, Iowa .
Voting nay-Harvard , Chicago , Yale, Columbia and Syracuse
Seventeen ayes , five nays.
Iowa absent , Tex as and Colorado not voting.
Colorado: "I wish to exp lain. In my talk yesterday I said Colorado had taken a Greek attitude and at the present time the sentiment seems to be a ga inst the Greeks and as a temporary arrangement we are making an effort to exclude Greeks, but I don ' t feel justified in taking the vote for it ."
Grand President: "I have no sympathy with the attitude of Texas Chapter. There is no difference in a chapter that has been in one year and one that has been in twelve years, and I think the Texas Chapter should ha v e vo ted. I don't say that from a political standpoint at all."
Harvard: "Ha rvard would like to take exceptions t o the Grand President's remarks to Texas. Texas was told they wou ldn ' t be allowed to take in Greeks, they were in ignorance of the matter and learned later that such is not the case , and I think it is very proper that Texa s should refuse t o vote."
Grand President: "Your Grand President on several occasions said to Texas Chapter that in his opinion if they presented a petition with Greek names o n it there wasn't the slightest chance of getting the vote. I didn't want to evade the issue. Any new chapter that petitions this fraternity , it is my opinion, will ha v e to come in without Greeks."
There shaJl be a pledging fee of eig ht ($8.00) doJlars payable at the time of pledging. This fee s haJl be returned if the candidate is found improper for initiation.
Grand Counselor: "My idea in bringing this up was that the ritual provides for placing the man's ow n pin on him at the time of the initiation. It has been the practice for a chapter to borrow some man's pin and afterwards take it off again. If we could have this pledge fee for $8 to pay for the cost of the pin it would relieve the chapter of this expense and provide the pin as the ritual provides for."
Grand President: "I think this by-law should provide specifically that this money will be used for the payment of the pin."
Illinois: "The delegate from Illinois is willing to change that with the consent of the committee."
Grand President: "A nd for this fee the pledgee when mitiateG shal! be provided with the regulati o n badge. "
The ayes have it. Roll call. vVill the noes stand?
Five stand. There is a two-thirds majority.
All contracts pertaining to r ea l esta t e, which affec t a ny chapte r, must be submitted to the Grand Council, a nd approved by it, before co ntract is entered upon
Grand President: "Are you ready? Question. Those in favor vote aye, contrary no. The by-law having received the two-thirds vote is adopted and is the law of the fraternity."
Kansas: "\1\Tould like t o know just how that will be interpreted It says for building or buying property, it doesn't include of course the idea that they can't go ahead and buy what furniture they need."
Grand President: "All contracts as to real estate shall be submitted to Grand Council before contracts shall be made. The various chapters of Acacia which are incorp o rated at the va ri o us instituti o ns can mak e any contract they see fit; this is the by-law expressing the law of the fraternity on houses. Are yon ready for the question? Will the noes sta nd? Four noes. The by-law having received the two -t hirds vote is adopted and becomes the law of the fraternity. "
No candidate for initi a tion in any chapter s h a ll be pledged until he sha ll h ave been vo u c hed for, in acco rdanc e with th e r eg ul a tion s of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the state, as being a Master Mason .
Grand President: "Rules that under our present law any may withdraw a pledge at any time and I see no reason for further legislation, any chapter may cha\1ge its mind at any time at the initiation as you know. A case might arise whereby a chapter mi g ht find itself embarrassed by telling a candidate such a thing."
Purdue: "Purdue at the present time has a man who was pledged at the close of the year and this by-law would mean that we would have to go through the same vote, etc. , in the chapter next fall."
The motion is lost.
Yale: "I wish to make one correction as chairman o f the committ ee on endowment Where $10 appears it should be $15, he is then a susta ining member, and then read as follows:
"T he Grand Council shall constitute a perm a nent committee on Endowment for adm inistration of all endowment for this fraternity, all funds known as the Endowment Fund shall be held separate by the Grand Tr eas urer. Donors con-
tributing $10 or l ess than $100, sha ll be known as Sustaining Members of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, donors contributing $100 or less than $1,000 s h a ll be kn ow n as Fellows of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, a nd donors contributing $1,000 or more shall be known as Patrons of the Acacia Fraternity Endowment Fund, and the Grand Secret a ry s hall furnish copies of all official publications of the Fraternity gratuitously t o s uch donors."
Yale moves the adoption and Kansas seconds it.
Iineteen for, five op posed. This motion having received the nece ssary tw o- third s vote is adopted by this Conclave and goes before the different chapters.
Grand President: "A t the time the report on the Endowment Fund was accepted the committee was cont inued so this report is not necessary . You have heard the motion , is there a second?
Minnesota seconds. Motion carried , so ordered. This is a resolution of the Conclave .
Grand President: "T he committee s of the Conclave are discharged . We pass from th e heading of Jew Business to the business of Election of New Officers "
Wisconsin : " In view of the fact that the present Grand President unequi vo cally refuses to run again , wishes to put up a man whose name has been heralded during the last three days. He is perhap s more intimately acquainted with the different chapters than any other man in the Acacia Fraternity. Furthermore , he is held in the highe st esteem. I mean our Brother Harry L. Brown, who has the last year served as Grand Counselor and served with great satisfaction I take great pleasure in placing Brother Brown's name in nomination."
Harvard: " I should like t o n o minate Brother Harry E. Kilmer, who now occupies the office of G r and Secretary and now wishes t o retire. Brother Kilmer has served for several years."
Grand Secretary: "U nder n o circumstances would I accept it. I appreciate the h o nor but cannot accept."
Grand President: "I have offered to do what I could for Brother Kilmer. I wanted him t o take it la st year and this year. I think he thinks his term is very complete in itself and needs no further effort. Are there any other n o minations?"
Kansas m ov es that the n o minations be closed. Seconded by I owa and that Grand Secreta r y give the unanimous vote of the Conclave for Harry L. Brown for Grand President."
Unanimous l y elected.
Grand Counselor Brown: "Brothers, I feel very deeply this resp on ibility y.ou have placed upon me. Seven years ago when I was taken int o Michigan Chapter I felt that Acac ia Fraternity had done a very g reat s er v ice to me and in the littl e talk I made at the banquet table that night I said I h o ped that I would have an opportunity to serve Acac ia Fraternity. I th o ught that opportunity had come to me thi past year. I had not dared hope all the year that my visits were meetin g with the success that I hoped they wou ld and with the goo d that I had h ope d I could do f o r the chapters, and it is not until this moment that I feel that you feel that I s ucceeded in some small measure. I appreciate the confidence you have placed in me and I shall cherish it very carefully . I h ope that I shall be m o re s uccessful than I have been and
that as your Grand President that I may be able to serve you more efficiently."
Grand President: "Nominations for the office of Grand Vice-Pre ident are in order ." ·
Illinois: "In view of the fact that this propo ition is coming before the various chapters for referendum vote, perhaps it would not be complet d in a year. I don't know what we would do if we elected a Grand Vice-President and later on elected a Grand Counselor. I move that the office of Grand Vice-President and the office of Grand Counselor, if they are two1 or if they are one, be filled later by the other officer of the Grand Council."
New York Alumni: "Might I speak on that motion?"
Grand President: "I hardly think it would be proper but I will welcome your remarks."
New ·York Alumni: "I have no remarks to make. I think the delegates are certainly capable of selecting their officer I think it would be a disgrace for this Conclave to let thi matter go over. I don't like to see you put it up to the Grand Council, the Grand Council is not going to meet and select a man.
Grand President: "Is this motion seconded? (It was not.) We are under the motion for the nomination of Grand Vice-President. If you really believe that these two offices should be combined, the thing to do is to place the same man in for Vice-President and when we come to the nomination of Grand Counselor don't select anyone else."
Penn State: "I don't want to make any extensive· remarks. There is a gentleman before us whom I take great pleasure in placing in nomination for Vice-President, the name of Brother ]. A. Woodard."
Cornell seconds it
California: "California would like to place before the Conclave the name of a man who probably more than any one else was responsible for the position of Grand Counselor, Brother Eel Flynn of California, to whom belongs the honor of putting the ball across. It is very unfortunate Brqther Flynn is not here. He is a man of deep personality and I take great pleasure in naming Brother Flynn of California."
Stanford seconds the motion.
Purdue: "I would like to name for the consideration of the delegates here Brother McFarland of Chicago, who is their Alumni delegate to this convention. I think we all have possibly become acquainted with Brother McFarland during his short stay here but I am sure because of the personality of Brother McFarland we don't appreciate all the possibilities we have in Brother McFarland for this position. When I was a freshman Brother McFarland was a visitor at our house. You spoke of a traveling counselor. vVe had a traveling counselor; that was Brother McFarland. He is a man who is capable of filling this position. He is a man that has worked for his home chapter and in the Chicago association. Vve haven't heard a great deal of Brother McFarland because that is not the type of man he is; he goes on and does his work and you hear nothing of it. Vve know the result of his work and I think the nomination of Brother McFarland should bear very worthy consideration from this Conclave."
Chicago seconds the nomination.
McFarland: "A great deal of the pleasure of attending this Conclave has been destroyed by my name being placed in nomination. I don ' t think I can perform any of these offices and I came to this Conclave and the two days have not been very pleasant because I have been regarded in a limited degree as a candidate. I see a great deal more in it now. Let me say that in my judgment any man who come to this Conclave with the idea of seeking an office is a fool for his pains, so I have been humiliated by having been considered as seeking an office when I had hoped that the spirit of Acac ia was strong enough not to have any such consideration."
Minnesota moves that the nominations be closed.
Seconded by Missouri .
Grand President: "I w ill .appoint as tellers Brother Nick Praaken and Brother Jenkins."
Total votes cast 24. Vloodard received 13, McFarland 9, Flynn 2. What is your pleasure, you have heard the report?
California moves we vote again.
Illinois moves that the chair cast a unanimous vot e for Mr. Woodward.
Kansas State seconds the motion. Are you ready for the motion? Question. Motion carried. Grand President: "I dislike to see things getting out of the hands of the lawyers. The office of Grand Treasurer is the next office for your consideration."
Cornell: "I wish to nominate a man, an Acacian with whom I didn't become acq uainted until this Conclave. As I understand it we want a man who is not only able to take care of money when he gets it, but if possible to offer ways and means to get more. We have a man who is responsible t o a large degree for the lar ge and fine chapter house that we have been entertained at and I have heard the remark made that in working for that chapter hous·e that this particular man got the money or helped get it out of wind and that is the kind of Treasurer we want . I would like to nominate Brother Shera."
· Seconded by Penn State.
Syracuse: "Syracuse has a man who will honor any Conclave not that we feel that the time has yet arrived when Syracuse could ask to be represented. It is in pursuance of that idea that I place before you the name of one of the members of another chapter who appears before you , Brother Schultz of Yale."
California seconds the motion.
Yale: "I ask to w ith draw my name. I have no bent whatever toward money matters."
Penn State , seconded by Illinois, moves to close the nominations. Grand President: "\iVhile these ballots are being counted we might as well take a vote for Grand Secretary ."
Harvard: "I wish to place in nomination the name of Alfred Arthur Jenkins of Harvard for our Grand Secretary, he is so well known and his activities are so well known."
Yale seconds the nomination of Brother Jenkins.
Michi g an: "The man I wish to nominate, I think you have all gotten well acquainted with him, and so far there has been no lawyers
nomin a ted , and I take great pleasure in n o minating Brother Kirk." Seconded by Minnes o ta.
Wisconsin moves to cl os e the nomination.
Grand President: "I appoint Brothers Webb and Rinaker as tellers."
Mr. Praaken: " The result of the ballot for Grand Treasurer, twenty-four ballots cast, seventeen for Shera, seven for Schultz ."
Grand President: " \ V hile w e are waiting for the rep o rt of the tellers we will receive nominations for the office of Grand Editor."
"Franklin wishes to place in nomination the name of Brother Mann. We feel that Brother Mann has done everything to make the Journal a success."
S econded by Harvard.
Columbia moves that the nominations be closed. Sec o nded by Kansas.
·Illinois moves that the office of Grand Co unselor be not voted on at this time.
Grand President : "That .is out of order."
Har v ard nominate s Brother ]. A: Woodard. Seconded by Illin o is. California moves the nominations closed
Teller: "There were twenty-four ballots cast for the office of Secr etary, Broth e r Kirk of Illinois received twelve and Brother Jenkins r ece iv ed twelve .
Grand President: "You will proceed to a new ballot for this office, gentl emen."
Harvard: "I can ' t pass by without calling to the attention of the Conclave that the passage of the amendment to exclude inactive Greeks is a s important to exclude active Greeks."
Grand President: "I will take this opportunity to say to every member in this room that I shall leave the office of Grand President with the kindest feelings to every man in the Acacia. I believe in hard fi g hting and I do believe in a Conclave of this sort that each m a n should g o to the Conclave knowin g what he wants to do conclusi v ely , an d w hen the v otes come he should take his licking as it come s t o him and I am sure that the Alumni will join me in saying that thi s Co nclave has s h ow n its ability to discuss v ery difficult questions with o ut display of t emper and that our slate is clean and that the delegates have shown the utmost courtesy to each other."
Brother Rinaker: "There were twenty-four ballots cast for the offic e o f Grand Secretary, Brother Jenkins received thirteen , Brother Ki r k re c eived eleven."
Illinois moves that the unanimous vote be cast for Brother J e nkins as Grand Secretary. Seconded by Penn State. Motion carried.
The newly elected officers were then installed by Grand President Frazer.
Under the order of business "For the Good of the Fraternity ," a moti on was made by Dr. Lawrence that $100 be appropriated to procu r e a suitable memorial for Brother Harry E. Kilmer in recognition of the faithful services rendered by him as Grand Secretary of the fraternity for eight years. Brother Kilmer said that as the only motive that had
impelled him in those years of service had been the desire to work for the fraternity he would be most grateful to the fraternity if the only recognition it took of his services would be to render to his successor the same loyalty and confidence that had always been displayed to himself and that he wished to have no other reward from the fraternity than the memory of the pleasure he had had in serving it and the opportunity to hand down to his children the memory of the confidence and high esteem always displayed toward him by the Acacia Fraternity.
The Grand President said that from his knowledge of Brother Kilmer he knew that any tangible token of regard of the fraternity for the retiring Grand Secretary would add nothing to the gratefulness of Brother Kilmer for the good will and trust which every member of the fraternity has in him.
The Grand President also expressed for the Conclave the thanks of the fraternity to Brother R. Cecil Fay, retiring Grand Vice-President , for his loyal and earnest services during his three years as a member of the Grand Council, and Brother Fay responded, briefly expressing his thanks for the confidence which the fraternity had in the past displayed toward him and his pride in having had a part in the installation of a chapter in the University of Texas.
It was then moved by Harvard and seconded by Missouri that the Cqnclave adjourn sine die. Motion carried.
Adjourned, 5 p. m. Thursday, September 14, 1916.
HARRY E. KILMER, Grand Secretary, By A. A. JENKINS.
