1926 CONCLAVE ISSUES

Extra! Extra! Read about it! All about the Sigma Tau Conclave! Turn right over to page 3, you conclave delegates, and read all about Who’s Who in Epsilon Chapter. These are the fellows who have begun the -work of making the 1926 Conclave of Sigma Tau the most resultful and merriest of all the fraternity’s conventions. Then have a squint at the club room which is going to be put at your disposal when you pile off your train at Manhattan. After this, glance at the tentative program. Old man Webster is going to have to revamp his definition of "hospitality” after Kansas State “does its stuff” for the visiting dele­gates.

But what is a movement nowadays without its slogan? Draft evaders popularized the slogan in the war, “See America First.” Hay growers have given a new meaning to “Excelsior!” And now The Pyramid modestly offers a motto for the 1926 Grand Conclave of Sigma Tau which should eclipse in popularity even “Four Out of Five Have It”—“On To Manhattan!”

ln the competition for entertaining the 1926 Conclave of Sigma Tau, Epsilon Chapter of Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan was awarded the honor by the Grand Council. Most centrally located of all chapters, Epsilon enjoys a natural geographical advantage. Of greater importance, however, was the fact that the quality of its membership—a vigorous and live lot—assures the success of the Conclave.

The strength of Epsilon Chapter is not confined to its active members but is greatly helped by the very sincere co-operation of the Faculty of the Division of Engineering and its alumni, who are active in engineering and allied fields all over the United States and North and South America.

This interest in the affairs of Sigma Tau is not limited to “fatherly” advice which is so often the only assistance of the faculty and alumni of organizations of this nature, but in the past the former members have contributed no small amount of money and work for the betterment of the social interest in an Honorary Engineering Fraternity.

One notable example of this enthusiasm in the organiza­tion is the very comfortable and well-appointed room which is now the meeting place of Sigma Tau members of Kansas State College. This club room was provided by the En­gineering Faculty and was furnished by the Sigma Tau Alumni.

The need of such a room for the exclusive use of Sigma Tau was first noticed when the Epsilon Chapter was founded on May 12, 1912. At that time and thereafter for nearly two years the members were required to meet in any classroom that could be found unoccupied at the time a meeting was scheduled. The result of such hap­hazard operation of the chapter can easily be appreciated. The responsibility of becoming members of a National Hon­orary Engineering Fraternity meant little more than that of belonging to a certain Chemistry or Mathematics class.

When this situation was brought to the attention of Prof. A. A. Porter, then Dean of the Division at Kansas State and at present Dean of Engineering of Purdue Uni­versity, he conceived the idea, along with other members of the faculty, of giving to Epsilon Chapter one of the classrooms in the Shops Building for its exclusive use and occu­pancy. This matter was brought before the Deans of other divisions which was the usual procedure in such affairs at that time and met with very stiff opposition on part of other Divisions of the College. After no small amount of time and much heated argument it was conceded that Sigma Tau was deserving of such a room in recognition of its services in the past which had not only benefited the Engineering Divisions but had also won the appreciation of the entire school.

The obtaining of the chapter club room by the members of the organization was the solution of one problem confronting the chapter but at the same time presented larger proposition in which the members alone would be responsible for its successful completion. This problem was that of converting a very barren and unattractive room which had the very disagreeable past of being a classroom into a comfortable club room. 

The room as it now is furnished represents the work of only members of Sigma Tau. By their efforts was built the furniture now in use which is made of quarter-sawed oak finished in a golden oak stain and varnished. The pieces in the room consist of two large library tables of rugged yet neat construction, one large settee, a correspondence desk with suitable pigeon holes and shelves, with a folding desk cover. In this desk there are inlaid in oak the Greek letters "Sigma Tau ” which represent much time and painstaking effort. A secretary's desk, a table lamp, several arm chairs and attractive lighting fixtures were made by the members.

The lower half of the walls were paneled and a suitable storage room provided for miscellaneous equipment, paddles, chairs and initiation paraphernalia.

The spirit of these former active members of the Chapter has been handed down from class to class in a most remarkable manner. This is reflected in the profound respect held by each member for the upkeep of the room and the personal feeling of responsibility for everything of interest to the fraternity.

Each year the outgoing members have felt that some small gift to the chapter is little enough that can be given as a token of good wishes and interest in incoming chapters by those who have gone before. Each member upon leaving feels a sincere regret that the days of such close friendships and intimate association are coming to a temporary close. The appreciation of this spirit causes each member to revere his fraternity somewhat more highly than would ever have been possible had not such a room and meeting place been provided.

Discussion of current problems facing both the local and the national chapters of Sigma Tau, proposal of a merger with Tau Beta Pi, and election of two councilors to fill vacancies caused by expiration of terms—these were the major points of a convention which agree­ably mixed business with pleasure.

For entertainment the visiting delegates and officers were dined by the Chamber of Commerce of Manhattan Thursday evening, taken on a tour of the campus of Kansas State Agricultural College Thurs­day afternoon and banqueted Friday evening by Epsilon chapter, and were guests of the chapter at a football game Saturday afternoon.

The first session of the Conclave was called to order Thursday morning, September 30, by Grand President J. B. Davidson in the Library of the Engineering Building. Delegates were present from all the chapters except Gamma and Theta, whose delegates were unable to attend.

Of the grand officers President Davidson and Secretary-Treasurer Sjogren were present. Councilors H. W. Fish and L. W. W. Morrow, and Historian C. G. Roush sent their regrets at being unavoidably absent.

Following the address of President Davidson and the report of Secretary-Treasurer Sjogren Epsilon chapter officially welcomed the Conclave to Manhattan through its delegate, Ray Adams.

Reading and discussion of chapter reports carried over to the morning of October 1. In the exchange of ideas attending the re­ports of the various chapters stress was laid on the following points: Selection of candidates, activities, competition with other organiza­tions, relations to alumni, finances and publicity.

Committee reports, the text of which are found elsewhere in this issue, continued into the afternoon session. After luncheon the dele­gates and officers assembled on the steps of Engineering Building for the official picture of the Conclave.

A proposal to merge Sigma Tau with Tau Beta Pi was referred on motion to the Grand Council for action, with the proviso that final action should hinge on a vote of the Council and the chapters.

Final committee reports began the morning session Saturday. 

Brothers E. D. Schive of Boston, Mass., and C. E. Thomas of Cor­vallis, Oregon, were unanimously elected Grand Councilors to re­place the retiring members Morrow and Fish. Because of a techni­cality violated unwittingly by the election of an honorary member as Grand Councilor, Mr. Thomas will not serve in that capacity.

To Epsilon Chapter is due the sincere appreciation of Sigma Tau for planning and bringing to completion the most successful Conclave of the national organization yet held.

Conventions do not spring full-fledged into being overnight. They are the results of careful planning and a lot of hard work. The smoothness with which the Conclave at Manhattan moved along, the judicious injection of gayety into the routine matters of business, and the atmosphere of good-fellowship prove that Epsilon Chapter out-did itself as host. Delegates could not fail to bring away from the meeting a portion of the inspiration which characterized it. 

Underlying the apparent activities of the Chapter are other factors, not so evident, but fully as important. The hearty cooperation with which the faculty of the Engineering Division of Kansas State Agricultural College welcomed the visiting Sigma Taus speaks well for the internal rela­tions of the institution. The courteous hospitality of the civic bodies of Manhattan indicates that to the town, as well as to the gown, Sigma Tau has come to mean a certain definite achievement in engineering education.

Other chapters may well take for their goal the winning of such approbation in their institutions and their com­munities as Epsilon has won at Kansas State.