Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-03
Much Depends on Class EIec-
ton at Tech This Afternoon.
HARD PROBLEM PRESENTED
Fate Of High School Secret Societies
Hangs in the Balance.
PRINCIPAL DANIEL ON WATCH
Will Oppose Existence Of organiza-
lions BE Finds Hurtful
to School.

The decision of the high school frater-
nifty question rests today to great de-
gree with F. C. Daniel, principal of Nc
Kinley Manual Training School. where a
fourth year class election to select off,
GERS for the year will be held this after
noon. With the "frats" and 'anti-frats"
| lined up against one another in a strug-
gle to capture the leading class positions.
the high school fraternities are on trial.
Upon tho outcome Of the meeting, and
upon the manner In which II Is conducted
depends q great part Of the opinion which
DR.. w. NJ. Davidson. superintendent Of
public schools. will form regarding the
| nigh school teachers recommendation to
abolish all secret societies in the public
schools.
Although 1t is admittedly q hard prob
lem which Principal Daniel has to
handle this afternoon. every school Of
the attitude he has taken in not crying
| for help. DR.. Davidson. talking OF
fraternities in general this morning.
LAS to the feeling at Mckinley Manual
| Training School. I know very little
more than I have read in the papers.
Mr.. Daniel has not asked me to help
him out. and l must say I admire him
school, sch and nd to do it 20 quietly and ' ef
fectively. think he has a strong hand
on the situation. and I believe he will
come through with honor to himself
and to the school However: ! feel feel
afternoon. and l am going to watch
the outcome carefully"
| Following this statement. Dr. David
son telephoned to Tech" to tell Mr.
would be given him should he need IT.
Would Conserve School Spirit.
President Oyster Of the board Of educa-
ton has almost precisely the same opin-
ion as that Of the superintendent. He
said today:
mo reports Of any trouble have reached
us from Mckinley, and I admire the way
Frank Daniel Is handling the situation.
There are societies there. and II they
are conducted In proper manner not the
slightest criticism will be made against
| them. However, when feeling OF exclu-
siveness creeps into a public school 1t Is
time to call halt. don't see there ia any
objection to the school boys and girls hav-
ing societies. A little club that meets Fri
day nights and gives dance. or some
thing like that. is a fine thing. approve
| Of it. But when a fraternity or fra
i ternity crowd attempts to run things so
that the school spirit IL hurt I believe 1t
| should be stopped. Frank Daniel can han
orders to clip the wings up there II they
begin to soar too high"
! Capt. Oyster was asked who had given
the orders. but he answered with smile
and would lot say he personally had q
hand in 1t.
Principal Daniel vigilant.
Principal Daniel himself did not appear
greatly perturbed over the situation when
a Star reporter asked him about It this
morning
There will be q meeting here at
O'Clock this afternoon" he said, land /
am going to say few words to the class.
l will explain what my views are about
class feeling and spirit. l am investigat-
ing the report that the frats are in
power here. and | am looking into the
fraternity house question. But much Of
the report is vague. and is mere will
o'-the-wisp. Just as soon as find any
thing definite that teads to hurt the
school l will stop it."
Effect on Athletics.
Clarence W. Hecox. member Of
Techs" faculty. and q successful ath-
letic coach. is watching the fraternities
with considerable interest. especially from
the standpoint Of their effect on ath-
let.cs. In discuss.n the "frats'' and ''anti-
frats'' this morning, he said:
My opinion about this whole matter is
that the .anti-frat feeling Is just as
harmful as the frat feeling. although
you may say that the anti-frat' of ne1es-
Esity is due to the frat feeling. The
| .anti-frats have grown into a solid col
umn as q mere matter Of defense and
have a powerful influence. Now they will
tight just as bitterly for their side Of the
question as the frats' will, and it al
goes to weaken the splend-d school spirit
| which has done so much to build up
this great educational plant.
Although l belong to fraternity. l
do not believe that the high school is a
place for a full-fedged secret organiza-
ton. The boys are too young. They do
not understand the obligations of secret
society in the full measure that comes
to a man when he is elected to a frat at
college
Trouble Some Time Ago.
4 "Frats can do great harm to athletics.
and athletics makes clean school spirit.
Personally l have kept all fraternity
feeling Off the foot ball team, and / do
not believe there is anything of 1t there
at all. Once, year or two ago. l did
have a little trouble with the foot ball
team on account Of frats. One of the
eleven broke training, or did something
he shouldn't have done, and other frat
men on the team attempted to shield
him. They believed 1t was their duty
under their secret oath. Now. l jL~t
took those fellows aside and showed them
their chief duty lay to the school at
large, and after talking to them In tina.
strain l believe they saw the point
..All these boys have to learn Is that
the school is the main thing and that
they should all pull together to MAKE
this SchoOl the best In the city. and