Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-01
robably is try al and inconsequ antia
outsider. But not SO.
Fraternity Rules.

and probably is try al and inconsequ antia
TO an outsider. But not
Fraternity Rules.
There certain st rules handed
down from the beginning of fraternity
days which must he observed TO the let
ter. For instance-even though he may
be ccgHizant % the end Of the attentions
which are shoWered upon him-this iinowl-
edge must be carefully hidd n. The can
dldats may DC exec -dinsy anxious to be
elected 10 membership, hut suIh a sire
expressed prev Gus II tn. rec pt.on OF
an invitation 3 Invariably disastrous. II I.
r1ust b. nonche -antly calm, not too ret
ic ut nor yet oy1r tallEative, modera.ively
rec ptive. but never se!f-assertive.
Should he fai. 70 pass muster on al.
t!4es- and hundred otter counts thcre
is no invitation to revisit the house.
Should lie live up to expectations. how
ever, he is urged % drop IN a. will. Mean
while his name is formally proposed at "a
NE ting.
No one knows how the rest are voting.
single black ball is enough to prevent
the admission of candidate to member
ship. y fra .ern.ty, from the very origin
Of the nam, - Il bro herhood: hence the
acceptance of the candidate must neces-
sarily b. unanimous. Should there ne Il
black ball nothing further is said about
the mat er saw in very few cases
where the student in question is so great
~ desired by majority that his name is
again brought up Should the vote be en-
tirely affirma i've in citaer ins.a two
or more members are designated to ex-
te"d to the neophyte the official invita-
ton
= net.mes a man is SO popu ar and de-
sirabla that several fraterni les are after
him at the same time which means Il
continual period of rushing, memb rs OF
the different chapters eXertins themselves
TO the utmost TO outStrip IT, cir rivals and
10 make their organization swing the most
eligible. In such cases there is a con-
tinIai eXtollins of this or that frat"
Invariably al are careful never to re-
fer derogatively to each other The
other frats'' are good, but tine speakers
frat is little better. This is the basis OF
the argument.
Tie hidden one having made his choice
gives his answer and is initiated. Just
what happens at these limitations IL never
entirely known. for. TO as great an extent
as poss.b e, they are. of course. kept Sc
cret. They are naturally conducted in
spirit of goodfellowship, but il is unusual
for the ones who are put through the
stunts" to derive the enjoyment and
amusement from these proceedings as do
those who do the directing But the more
original the stunt the more successful
the initiation-thus, at least, reason the
latter.
Some Pretty Tough Stunts.
Thus it was that newly elected men,
Der of one of the local societies was re-
Gently ordered to call upon a girl with
whom he was unacquainted and to remain
in her home half an hour The girl. who
was an old friend of one of the active
members, had been previously informed,
and had entered the spirit of the scheme
with such enthusiasm that she forced the
young man to spend the most uncom-
Portable thirty minutes of his life.
Another new member was instructed
to turn the corner and kiss the first per-
son you meet" A husky and distinctly
notwithstanding graduate, of whose
there waiting for him. 1t was no pleas
ant task at best and the grad made no
effort to make it easier for the unhappy
initiate. However there was no way OF
escaping the duty perforce it was per-
formed.
Rushing at the apparently astounded
grad the freshman imprinted upon his
cheek a resounding kiss. after which he
disappeared into the night. only to be ap-
pretended four blocks away.
in previous years limitations were not
always SO harmless and tame. but a few
unfortunate accidents brought about
change. Nowadays. although the initiated
one may be blindfolded and solemnly as
sured that he is in great danger as to life
and limb. nothing of a jeopardzns ma
ture is imposed upon him. Although play
fully humorous and ludicrously prankful.
the limitations of today never SAVIOR OF
danger
But the rushing, the voting and the
ultimate limitations are all preliminary
10 the real vital essence OF fraternity