The San Francisco call., 1909-12-12
Alpha Phi Sorority House, Wisconsin
University.

managers of various school and class enterprises and
leaders in athletic Journalistic, dramatic and other
subsidiary activities Tom and Arthur still more
clearly what it means to be barb" The "frats
have common interest in suppressing and crcum-
venting the undesirabes, asserting their lofty
superiority, matter what differences in social
standing they may have among themselves. They
hold caucuses among themselves and being solid
body against disorganized mass they win in spite
of their smaller numbers. 1t is seldom that the
barbs are driven into organized opposition and they
take what offices are, assigned to them, while the
frats get the lions share Sometimes these cond-
tons overthrown, but not often.
Both Tom and Arthur have heard it said that the
ton will come from association with their fellows,
learning how to meet men. setting their person
alities in relation to Others What they actually find
is that some other freshman John, for instance has
mmeasuraby better opportunities for such social
training than they. John is member of the social
trust; they barbs If it isa coeducatona school
and the fraternities give dances But only sorority
girls and fraternity boys attend these privileged at
fairs Tom and Arthur are free to make
among the barb" girls But sorority girl would
think of knowing them or accepting invitation
from them
1t an interesting fact that the wealth or rank of
the students parents the only consideration in
fixing his her frat" availability though it
for much. Sons and daughters of families known to
be wealthy are seldom left barbs," but those who
come from obscure homes are frequently included
among the select The college community has stand
ards OF its own which are almost incapable of de6n-
ton The dividing line is expressed in the remark
that he, she, is not frat material" 1t means so
far as it anything tangible that the person
question fails to dress, act or look in way that
recommends him her one worthy of moving in
the college upper stratum.
The fraternities are moot point.among educators.
older members and outsiders. Legislatures in sew
eral states have been asked to them They have
been vigorously attacked and most heartily defended
Probably in every college and university throughout
the country the weight of faculty opinion is against
them though IN few does the opposition go far
to demand their withdrawal For the good they do
strong case has been made The effect of the frat
upon the individual member depends largely, it is ad-
mitted upon his her own character and the char
acter of the group he or she joins
Take John and his Tau Sigma Tau His studies
worry him He finds the college requirements stiff.
He has trouble keeping abreast of his classes Being
member OF frat, there are older men on hand
who can help him O nights take the trouble to go
oyer his lessons with him. encourage and assist him
Tau Sigma Tau does not want to of its fresh
men forced to drop from school, its upper cassme
become tutors for its backward members This is the
theory and, to some extent the practice In western
college recently freshman who was taking his first
semester examinations seized with panic at their
severity He went back to the frat house, packed
valIse and left for parts unknown His brothers"
traced him. found that he had not dared to return
home and kept the matter quiet while they followed
him over two states. They got him. talked to him,
braced him up, smuggled him back before he was