Omega News - February 1935 Rattle
The latest edition of the Rattle is available online at the National website. Read about what is going on with other chapters around the country and see what is doing with our National fraternity.
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OMEGALETICS, PLEDGES, MOTHERS
by Clyde M. Rinker, Omega, 1937
OMEGA Chapter, located at Pennsylvania State College, is showing a marked increase in the interest of intramural athletics. This may due in part to the recent flowing in of men with some ability to carry on where we left off upon the graduation of last year's senior class.
The prospects for the coming intramural basketball season look quite promising due to some excellent material and due to adopting the new policy of having the practice at a time that is convenient to every one. Copies of the floor plays are given to each member of the squad to study so that he may be better prepared when he attends practice. This saves much valuable time enabling more time to be spent executing these plays and playing practice games with teams from other fraternities.
A new organization has been born which promises to flourish around the halls of the Theta Chi lodge. It has been dubbed, "The Afternoon and Evening Wasters Club." The boys spend their time in bowling, attempting to bolster their scores in anticipation of the coming intramural tournament. Brothers Dodge, '37, and Gilliard, '35, have been running scores of 174, with Brother Ings, '36, and prexy Mattis, '35, close behind them. The pin boys are fast tiring of being forced to replace ten pills on every ball rolled. The other members of the club are Brothers White, '36. Dick Maize, '37, Rinker, '37, and Pledge Keely, '37, rolling some-where above 75.
Candidates for the inter-collegiate athletics are attempting to prove their mettle in seeking positions on varsity teams. Brother Alexander, '35, is out seeking his regular position on the varsity track team, while Pledges Harkess and Jack Maize are learning the where and why of the wrestling game. Brother Cox, '37, is working to attain the position of first assistant manager of track, while Brother Livingston, '37, is a candidate for the same position on the gym team.
Since the decline to a low position in the scholarship ranking last semester, Omega has been seriously endeavoring to improve her scholarship. Several new ideas are being tried in this line of improvement, and so far as they have gone they have been quite successful.
Through the efforts of Brother Elwood B. Cassel, '20, a scholarship chart of fraternities at Penn State since 1919 was secured which has been posted in the card room. This chart traces Theta Chi's scholastic standing on the campus in relation to the all-college and fraternity averages, and is a constant reminded of the importance of chapter scholarship.
A special system has been provided to keep a closer check on the scholarship of the freshmen. The freshman class has been divided into three groups with an upperclassman in charge of each group. The group advisor has a complete record of the grades of each man in his group and is able to give help where it is necessary from this record. The freshmen are encouraged to ask the help of any other brother in the house who might be able to help them in their scholastic problems, and this plan is working out very nicely.
Following the suggestion of another Theta Chi Chapter, Omega has organized its pledges; officers have been elected, and meetings are being conducted ac-cording to Parliamentary Rules. The Marshal acts as advisor to the group. In this way the prospective brothers will be better fitted to help conduct the meetings of the active chapter.
The system is working very well.
Since its organization a year ago. Omega Chapter's Mothers' Club has become increasingly active.
It is the custom of the club to have at least one mother visit the chapter for a few days each month. At the beginning of the year new curtains were placed in the house; later in the semester they bought runners for the halls. Closer con-tact is being developed between home and college.