The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-11
BOYS EXPLAIN II.
An Official Statement of High school
Fraternity Purposes

There is a IulI in the crusade against
the high school fraternities pending
the appearance Of the committee, Sc
lected by the mothers, to consult with
the board OF education as to the best
way of suppressing the societies, if
the board Will agree that they should
be suppressed
Mrs. c. P Bolmar said today that
the impression that has been given
out that the lambda Alpha Lambda
sorority party 10 be given in June is
to be given IN opposition to the wishes
OF the mothers of the members is not
true. She says that the party viii
be given by the girls with the full
consent and approval of their parents.
She says no effort VIII be made TO
suppress the fraternities this year.
Today the following Official state
ment regarding the fraternity side Of
the question was issued by authority
of the Phi lambda Epsilon fraternity
In response to the stand that some
of the mothers have taken against tn e
frateTnitieS and sOrOritiess / take the
liberty TO say that they are ignorant
OF the aims and workings of these or
CARNATIONS, and OF the high ideal for
which they stand.
There are sixty members of these
societies, as a whole OF the mothers
of these sixty there were twenty that
were willing to abolish the fraternities.
The other two-thirds of the mothers
hold that the fraternity is one Of the
best things for young boy or girl.
1t teaches them loyalty and fidelity.
It forms friendships that last life
time. If these twenty mothers are in
terested enough to come to US and
find out for themselves, of our aims
and workings, I am quite sure they
will change their opinion
There are but two methods Of cor
recting this trouble Either the par
ents and the public generally must
support more heartily the principal
by removing their children from active
participation IN fraternity member
ship; or else this antagonism must be
made away with by seeing to It that
the mothers no longer force obnoxious
personal ideas upon the school and
uFon the public
a High School fraternfty-and this
word VIII be used throughout to include
the sorority-is a secret society, consist
ing either of boys or of girls, with
+ a membership decidedly limited. election
I to which is offered by unanimous vote
( OF the active members. It has an eiab-
I crate ritual and requisite Of its initia-
tons of new members, is q serious and
! extended oath Of perpetual fidelity to
/ the organization. its members, its
secrecy and its invioiabIe nature Tt
limits its members to students Of the
/ school where the chapter exists Its
( meetings are held once week on such
I nights as will not interfere with school
duties These gatherings are always at
/ the home of some one of the members.
and therefore directly under the super
+ vision and control OF the parents
Its object is largely. if not purely.
I the promotion of a close, personal
! friendship between its members: a
/ friendship which it is intended shall be
( for a lifetime It should not in any way
4 be COMPOUNDED with the college fraterni-
! ty. whose object is the providing of a
( home for those who are temporarily in
/ a strange place. nor with the social and
/ literary clubs springing up around US,
nor with the secret societies Of adult
/ business life whose purpose is largely
/ insurance against sickness and death
! 7 only hope the mothers will look at
4 this in the only right way (Signed)
j. ARNER ROWLEY,
Representing the Phi lambda Epsilon
Fraternity.
May 10, 1867