The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-05

the means of the average high school
pupil.
6. Boys and girls of high school
| age are not sufficiently mature to as
sumo the responsibility which is in
volved in the management of such
organizations.
Z. They tend to substitute obliga-
ton to fraternity pledges in the place
of loyalty to the home and to the
school
The committee also presented the
| following petition signed by twenty
| six mothers of high school pupils:
| To the Board of Education of the City
of Topeka:
Conference.-The undersigned. citi-
gems of Topeka and patrons of the
Topeka high school,. being convinced
| that the continued existence of secret
| fraternities in the high school is seri-
ously detrimental to the best interests
! of the school and of the individual
| students therein, respectfully request
that all reasonable efforts be made by
you to discourage and suppress all
such organizations in the high school.
To this end we pledge you our united
support and cooperation.
How 1t Started
Wien it was first proposed to or
| ganize a fraternity chapter in the To-
peka high school, Mr.. w. NJ. Davidson,
who was then superintendent OF
| SCuOOlS, ana the present SupSr1DI6Q0-
| ent who was principal of the high
school, refused to endorse the move
ment, believing that such organiza-
| lions were undesirable in a public
high school. Subsequently some OF
| the young men who were memb erS OF
| the school organized a chapter of a
| fraternity without the consent or APP
prevail of the officers of the school,
but presumably with the consent and
approval of their parents. It was
claimed that the society thus formed
! was in no way connected with the
; school. All proceedings were carried
! on out of school hours and away from
the school building, generally in the
| homes of the members. During the
| last school year two fraternities were
! in operation among the boys of the
school and two sororities among the
girls, with a membership of about
| fifteen each, or a total of about sixty
from an enrolment in the entire
school of upwards of 1000 pupils.
| The presence of such organizations
among high school pupils is not con-
fined to the city of Topeka. The
movement has extended to nearly
every city of Importance and has at
! tracted the attention of school officers
who have been compelled to consider
| the actual and probable effects OF
these organizations upon the boys and
| girls who are directly concerned
! upon the management and welfare
! of the schools, and upon the life OF
| young people generally. The prevail
| ing sentiment of teachers and school,
| officers is essentially embodied in &
| statement made by special commit
tee of the National Educational asso-
citation, which, after a thorough in
mended that such organizations
should be discouraged for the follow
ing reasons:
Because they are unnecessary in
high schools; because they are faction
al and stir uD strife and contention
| because they form premature and I'M
natural friendships; because they are
selfish; because they are snobbish; be-
cause they dissipate energy and proper
ambition; because they set wrong
standards of excellence; because they
are narrow; because rewards are not
based on merit. but on fraternity VOWS;
| because they cultivate a feeling of self
iSufficiencY in the members; because
they lessen frankness and cordially to-
wards teachers; because they are hid
den and inculcate dark lantern meth
DDS; because they foster a feeling OF
lself-importance; because high school
boys are too young for club life; be-
cause they foster the tobacco habit
because they are expensive and foster
habits of extravaganza; because of the
changing membership from year tc
year, making them liable to bring dis
credit and disgrace to the school; be
cause they weaken the efficiency of anC
bring politics into the legitimate or
CARNATIONS of the school, and because
they detract from study.
| Secret fraternities are especially
condemned in public schools, which
are essentially democratic and shoulC
not be breeding places for social differ
ences.''
In Topeka, and doubtless in othel
places, the young people in forming
these societies have acted in perfect in
nocence and with the best intentions
influenced by the example of the col
leges and universities, not foreseeinE
that social clubs, exclusive in member
ship and secret in character, which
ties themselves are attracting unfavor
able comment, if established amons
high schools would produce still NOR,
unfavorable consequences.
Dealing With Problem.
Various methods of dealing with tn,
problem have been employed. In som,
places the fraternities have been con
sidered as wholly bad and steps hav,
been taken to suppress them b,
stringent rules. In other places TIL
possibility of a certain amount of goo,
in the fraternities has been recognize,
and an attempt has been made, witt
: small success however, to bring then
under the supervision and control q
school authorities. In Topeka the plal
! has been to with old official recogni
ton and endorsement on the groun,
that the organizations as such had n.
direct connection with the school; an,
. 10 adhere to the policy of non-inter.
ference as long as the proceedings O
the societies We're conducted out q
aschool hours and away from the schoo