Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-19
MOORE PUTS
BAN ON ALL
FRATERNITIES
CERTIFIcATI0N TO COLLEGES
WILL BE DENIED
PUPILS ARE ORDERED TO RESIGN
FROM SOCIETIES
Superintendent Notifies High School
Students Suspension VIII Follow
if Membership in Orders
Is Retained

By a notice, the language of which
is unmistakable, served yesterday by
II. c. Moore, superintendent of the
city schools it viii be impossible Tor
any pupil of the high schools OF Los
Angeles, who are members of secret
orders. commonly known as fraterni-
ties, or any kindred organizations to
secure the recommendations necessary
for a graduate of these schools TO ma
circulate with universities of this or
any other state, without examination,
if any who are members do not snow
to the superintendent indisputable
proof he or she is no longer a member
of such society.
This proof must be in the hands of
Prof. Moore by December IS next.
Mr.. Moore further has determined
the failure to relinquish membership in
secret fraternities, sororfties, societies
and clubs (sociaD before January 30,
1909 shall be cause for suspension from
the schools to which such members are
attached and to make the assurance
all connections have been severed dOu-
bly, certain an oath will be required.
This notice will dispose of the ques-
ton whether the four boys of the Poly
technic high school and the two MEM
bers of the Los Angeles high school,
who have been suspended for being
members Of the Kappa Delta order,
shall be expelled or permitted to re-
sumo their connection with the schools.
superintendent Moore says in his
notices
To all members of secret fraternities, soro-
rifles. clubs and societies. and to all Other
students in the Los Angeles high schools-
Accepting a complete expression of its
attitude the statement OF the committee on
secret fraternites of the National Educa-
tlonal association, and adopted by that body
as expressing the attitude of superinten-
DENTS principals and teachers everywhere
toward them, namely:
Secret Orders Condemned
I'VE condemn these secret organizations
because they subversive to the princi-
pies of democracy which should prevail in
the public schools; because they are selfish
and tend to narrow the minds and sym
pathies of pupils; because they stir UP strife
and contention; because they are snobbish;
because they disslpate energy and proper
ambition; because they set wrong stand
ards because rewards not based on
merit but fraternity vows; because they
inculcate a feeling of self sufficiency among
their members; because secondary school
boys and girls are too young for club life;
because they are expensive and foster habits
OF extravaganza; because they detract in
terest from study, and because all legiu-
mate elements for good social, moral and
intellectual which these societies claim to
possess can be better supplied to the pupils
through the school at large in the form of
| literary societies and clubs, under the sane
ton and supervision of the faculties of the
school," the board of education January %,
| 1907, requested no additions whatever be
made to existing societies in the Los An
| geles public schools. no pupils be solicited
! for membership in the same, no pupils at
tending the high schools or any other public
| school of Los Angeles accept membership In
/ a fraternity or sorority of any sort what
| ever.
Request Is Not obeyed
As this request Of the board OF education
has not been complied with, as new mem
bers belonging to the public schools have
been initiated, the good name of the
schools has been trihed with, and the state
law has been broken, and as the courts
have recently made 1t quite clear that school
authorities have full power and the duty
under the law to maintain order in the
schools by forbidding such acts on the part
of pupils as are detrimental to school work
and school discipline and governments.
though such acts may take place outside
of school hours and elsewhere than on the
school grounds And since the name OF
the students belonging to such secret fra
ternities sororities, societies ana CLUBS, are
known to us and opportunity has been
given to them to sever their connection with
such organizations which opportunity has
not as yet been used.
Notice is therefore hereby given that the
recommendation Of the school admitting the
student to the universities of this and other
states without examination, viii be with
held on the ground Of failure to comply
with the rules of the school department.
from all student members OF such secret
fraternities sororities. societies and CLUBS
who do not bring satisfactory evidence 10
this office not later than December Is 1908,
that they have resigned therefrom and will
have no connection of any sort with such
societies while enrolled in the public
schools.
AS the rules Of the fraternities require
an oath it will be necessary to make the
resignation equally binding.
Such students fail to relinquish their
membership in secret fraternties, sororities.
societies and clubs by January 80, 1909, will
be suspended from the schools.
Very sicerely yours,
fsiened1 E. C. MOORE
Superintendent of Schools.