The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-30
COLLEGE ERATERNITIEs.

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The subject Of college fraternities is
being discussed In various parts Of the
country and It seems TO us that those
who oppose them take narrow ana
one-slded view.
One objection raised to them Is that
they tend toward caste in our ,nstltu-
tions Of learning, and that this is I'M
democratic we do not concur In that
view. Tho fraternities are social orgnni-
zattons and we may as we'll say that
there isa,.caste" in having different grades
OF society in the country at large. We
may say that all men shall be equal be-.
fore tho law, and we may say that the
law shall be no rcspector OF persons, and
all that, and we do say 1t and maintain
the principle. But there can be no organic
or statutory law to regulate what tho
world calls society. Men must be en-
tirely free TO choose their associates, and
they have the right to make their social
circles, to admit whom they will and to
exclude whom they Will. This Is generally
accepted even In a democracy like ours,
and much the same condition exists IN
the colleges especially in the larger
Institutions. The boys have their own
social circles, and whether there be fra
ternities or not, these circles will exist.
and all tho rules which the faculty may
establish cannot abolish them or wipe out
the lines which the boys themselves choose
to draw In other words. 80 far as the
question of 'caste" goes, there would
be quite as much Of 1t without the ira
ternities as with them
Chancellor D. Benjamin Andrews, OF the
University OF Nebraska, holds that the
system of fraternities Is mistake, on
the ground that many young men take
IL to heart because they cannot Join a
fraternity, and feel that being deprived
Of this privilege their chances Of gradua-
ton are menaced,"
WE do not see how that can be. It
may be mortifylng to a sensitive student
that he Is not Invited TO- join a college
fraternity, but II he has ,ther fight sort
Of stuff in him he will be spurred on,
ather than discouraged, by that fact,
and IL he does his duty as student and
masters the subjects committed to him,
ali the fraternties In college cannot pre-
vent him from taking honors. II so,
the fault lies With the professors and not
with the freternites.
Another objection raised to the frater-
mites is that they play very important
part In college politics" Unouestion-
ably they do. but the boys will have their
politics, and there would Y be political
c,ioues and influential cliaues, fraterni-
ties or no fraternitios. @
AS for the other side OF the question.
These fraternltles are Of great pleasure
and benefit to their members. and the ties
thus formed usually last through Ire.
In tho city OF Richmond there are sew
eral alumni chapters OF such fraternisies,
and II is the custom OF tho members to
meet together once a year and talk over
old times and sing "Blest be the tie that
binds" The members are friendly and
stand by each other in trouble. and the
organization possesses most or tho oene'
fits of other fraternal rganlzatlons among
men. There are men In Richmond, old
In years and prominent In the affairs OF
the city, who are proud to wear the'r
fraternity badge upon occasion, and proud
and gratited to be known as members OF
their respective fraternities. Among the
sweetest rccollections OF their college life
ia their fraternal association. and each
and all OF them are ready upon occa-
sion to stand up and testify to the fulfill
ment Of the prophecy made WheE sheS
were students "Fiaeo o !'N ite'''''''s'e
juvabit." XII