Evening star., 1933-11-19

in homes where families scan
newspaper and magazine photographs of Presi-
dent Roosevelt Sometimes, knowing ones
reply:
Why don't you know? That's his Phi Beta
Kappa key"
They are right The mysterious gold watch
charm shows that the President is a member
of the brain trust. But brain trust far great
er than the little cotere of college professors
in Washington that have made the term world
famous
For Phi Beta Kappa comprises all those
graduates of the best American universities and
colleges who have maintained highest scholar
ship. 1t Is genuine and a rather comprehen-
sive brain trust. whose emblem is worn by many
of the countryS most celebrated men.
That emblem is the only jewelry ornament
that appears in photographs of Franklin d.
Roosevelt since he became President of the
United States beginning with and including
those taken at his inauguration. Soon after
ward some newspaper writer's remarked that ne
wore his Phi Beta Kappa key in the left lapel
buttonhole of his suit.
How did he get it? When? Where?
The answers to those questions tell story
generally unknown yet full of human interest,
illuminating the personality of the man whom
now the American Nation acclaims the prophet
who can lead it out of the wilderness.
In the year of the Nations birth, 1776,
group of students in ancient william and Mary
College, at williamsburg. Va, organized secret
social and scholastic society of q new order, the
FIRST ever to bear Greek-letter name. Those
Greek letters, Phi Beta Kappa, stood for a
motto said to be Philosophy, Light and the
Soul"
THE Phi Beta Kappa key resembles an
oblong medal At the top Is now ring, at
the bottom barrel at whose end is q square
TIyttl fI,ic clio fha axxoar oh Uynd
old-fashioned watch. With the ring, he swung
the "key" from his heavy watch chain.
Thus originated form Of insignia that has
been adopted by practically all college honorary
societies. Nearly all of the social fraternities
use pins usually jeweled, which have been
copied by high school fraternitieS.
The still distinctive Phi Beta" key is now
seen the country over, for from the parent
chapter at William and Mary have sprung 125
more, covering most of the country's leading
colleges and universities. There are nearly
$1,000 living members, who are sometimes
called an "aristocracy of brains" OF them,
80 s-l0 per cent have gained their membership
by winning pre-eminence in scholarship as
college undergraduates. Often the requirement
is that the student be in the highest tenth of
the senior class. But small minority of this
brain trust won the coveted distinction in
different way.
Among this small minority is President Roose-
welt He got his Phi Beta Kappa key, not by
studying hard for four years in the sheltered
precincts of Harvard Yard, but by working hard
and effectively for 25 years in the unsheltered
world of active public service.
President Roosevelt was first Initiated into
Phi Beta Kappa rs years after his graduation
from Harvard on June 10. 1929, while he was
Governor of New York. The Oldest college in
Western New York, Hobart College, at Geneva
invited him to be its principal commencement
speaker.
That is Hobart's choicest honor conferred
yearly upon but man Of outstanding service
In educational or public life. He delivers the
address to the graduating class, and receives
from the college an honorary degree.
If he is not already a member OF Phi Beta
Kappa the Hobart Chapter, the zeta of New
York elects him an honorary member, as is its
right. But if he is a college man, 1t first con-
suits the chapter at his alma mater.
Franklin Roosevelt had not become a men,
ber as a Harvard undergraduate, but the Har-
ward Chapter not only did not object to his
election by the Hobart Chapter, but replied that
o week later they themselves would make him
an honorary member, too SO Gov. Roosevelt
accepted the invitation of his friend, President
Murray Bartlett of Hobart, and came to Geneva,
on Seneca Lake once an Indian encampment,
now the loveliest little city IN all the lovely
Finger Lakes region.
THAT perfect June morning he drove along
gracious elm-shaded, white piIlared South
Main street, past the sturdy graystone building
where, Ill years ago the first Hobart freshman
made his trembling entrance Amid newer
buildings, he found the spot chosen for the
commencement exercises on q natural stage
outdoors.
There had gathered a rather large crowd
from Geneva and its nearby villages and FARMS