Page 24 (Cum Laude), former chapter president, Leonidas Brayboy, Karl W . Carter, Elwood Smith, Mason D. Cloyd, Joseph Chretien, Leonard Lemelle (Cum Laude), Nelson P . \ . Spaulding, Francis X . Wheeler, W a l ter Wheat, Porter Myrick, Eugene Saffold, Rupert 'larver, Eldridge Williams and Joshua Williamson. Incidentally tlie brilliant and forceful commencement address was delivered by Brother D r . Felton Clark, P r e s i dent of Southern University. Of the above brothers the following hope to continue their studies so that ultimately they will take the noble oath of Hippocrates some years hence : Brothers Brayboy, Carter, Cloyd, Spaulding and Wheat, while Brother Smith, whose brilliant bass voice has won him much operatic fame and distinction, will continue his musical studies at Julliard School of M u s e . While speaking of scholarship, Brother Brawley must be mentioned. Brother Brawley has merited the Universitj Gold Medal award for three consecutive years for his straight "A" average. Brother Brawley is majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Biology. He has the distinction of leading both his class and the University on the Dean's honor roll for all schools and departments of the University as well as being the lone selectee this year for Alpha Epsilon Honor Society. This year the Annual Chapter Scholarship which is given to some man in the Freshman Class for the general excellence was awarded to M r . Earl Sidney Joseph of the Class of '44. The Army toll has so far taken Brothers Harold Verdun, now assistant to the Camp librarian, Engineer Replacement Center, Camp Belvior, V a . ; Felix Alexis, F o r t Leonard Wood, M o . ; and Robert T . Pearson, Fort Benning, G a . Wedding bells tolled for Brother W a r r e n McKenna and Miss Ezelle Suane at beautiful Corpus Christi Church, June 5, 1941. Brother McKenna was attended by Brothers Asa H . Atkins and Wilfred M . Lion. It must be noted here that Brother Herman Washington, president of Sigma Lambda Chapter and a member of the University faculty was recently appointed Regional Race Relations Advisor for the United States Housing Authority by National H o u s ing Commissioner Nathan S t r a u s s . He is one of the few men appointed to such positions over the country.
? HE
SPHINX
TAU CHAPTER ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY Greetings: It is with pleasure that I bring you news of Tau Chapter. On Friday, May 2nd, Richard Alexander, Robert E . Claybrooks, J r . , E d w a r d R. Gayles, Gary B . Lewis, J r . , Charles E d w a r d McGee, William Cepheus Rhodes, I V . , and Emmett Simms were duly initiated into Tau Chapter. A banquet was held as usual, after the initiation. Among the visiting brothers present w e r e : Brothers Currie from Alpha DeKa, Moore from Beta Rho, and Lovelace from Alpha P s i . At the first meeting after the initiation, the following men were elected to office for the coming school y e a r : Brother Chris H oward, president; Brother C. H . Bowman, vice president and dean of pledges; Brother William H . Browne, I I I . , recording secretary; Brother Nathaniel B. Green, corresponding secretary; Brother Richard Alexander, treasurer; and Brother Robert E . Claybrooks, editor to the Sphinx. Brother William H . Browne has Brothers Claybrooks, Lewis and Simms to work with him in regards to rushing. Brother Franklin Gayles is head of the social committee; he has assisting him, Brothers Rhodes and E . G a y b s . Tau's chief business, of course, scholarship, and from 14th place to Sth place on the scholarship poll, T a u jumped in one semester. For making the highest gain in scholarship in competing with fifty-nine other fraternities on the campus, T a u Chapter will receive a scholarship cup from the university. T a u has through the individual achievements of several brothers secured a distinctive place among campus organizations. Brother David Harold Blackwell, our Phi Beta Kappa, was elected to Phi Kappa Phi, highest scholastic honorary for all college students. In addition to this, he has received the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship to the Princeton Mathematical Institute for Advanced Study. There he will do research work on the Markoff Chain Theory. Brothers Blackwell and McLaurin received their doctorates in June in mathematics and econamics respectively. Brother Nathan B . Green, who will receive his bachelors in music educaiton next year, was recently elected to Phi Mu Alpha, national music chorus, men's glee club, and the concert orchestra of Sinfonia.
September, 1941 Brother James Seaberry received his bachelors last January, and is at present, setting a most enviable record in the University of Illinois Law School. Brother Robert E . Claybrooks won first prize amongst first year students in the Spanish Declamation Contest. Brother Richard Alexander and Brother Charles McGee are members of Pershing Rifles, honorary military fraternity. Brother Homer L. Chavis owns one of the leading up-to-date dry cleaning plants in a radius of seventy-five miles. He has been established in business since 1918. He is and has been for the past three years advisor of Tau Chapter. His wife. M r s . Gertrude Chavis, is president of the patron's club of our chapter. At present, Brother Chavis is serving the U . S. Government, doing dry cleaning and pressing for some 20,000 men at Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois. Brother Chavis is active in civic and fraternity affairs, and is one of T a u ' s most diligent workers. Under the very conscientious leadership of its new president, Chris Howard, who heads a faithful group of officers and brothers, T a u promises to find bigger and better niches to adorn for the glory and honor of ALPHA PHI ALPHA. Fraternally yours, ROBERT E . CLAYBROOKS, Editor to the Sphinx. o
A VOICE IN AMERICA I could dive a submarine, in ner neat and clean, I could do scientific workings fection, 1 could easily demean any machine, Or could captain any crew of lection.
a manto perintricate my se-
I could engineer a train, or could fly a bombing, plane, I could execute the sparks of radio, I could navigate with ease ships that sail the urging seas, If I only had the chance to make it so. Great maneuvers we could plan, for the armies of the Land, In this lottery of blood and human pawn, T o surpass at any task, just a chance is all we ask, To display that we have brains as well as b r a w n . J.
FARLEY
RAGLAND.