The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-09
FRATERN|T|ES ARE
PLACED UNDER BAN
United Movement Against
Them Is Sweeping Over
the Country.
palladium Specially

palladium Specially
| INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. ALI over
the country united movement is for
ming among parents and educators to-
ward the adjustment of the Greek let
ter fraternity and sorority, at least in
connection with the public high
schools. In New York it practically has
been accomplished throughout the
state. In different towns of Massachu-
sets, Kentucky, Minnesota. Washing
ton and other states the fraternities
have been refused official recognition
on the part of the boards of education.
The Kansas City Manual Training
school has debarred all privileges,
save those of the classroom. to stu
dents belonging to secret societies.
There have been several lawsuits ov-
er this ruling in which the Judge decid-
| ed for the school The legislatures of
Ohio, Indiana. Minnesota and Kansas
have passed laws toward the abolish
ment of the Greek letter fraternity
and sorority in the public school and
other states are considering the same
action.
| With the tendency on the part of
the public high schools to copy the
customs of the colleges, the Greek
letter organizations in the public
schools have reached great proportions
and, in many places, have done meal
culable harm. In Chicago several of
the high schools have secret organi-
cations which are known to be detri-
| m ta n q IF 10 nd
at times the school authorities have
been entirely unable to cope with
them. These fraternities and organiza-
tions rent a house or suite of rooms
as headquarters. Secret meetings are
held and drinking and gambling indul-
ged in by students whose age would
warrant their being in their parents
homes during the evening. Parents, as
we'll as teachers, recognize the evils of
these organizations, bur IN many in
stances the independence of young
America makes any interference diff
cult.
Raid in Western City.
A fraternity house, in western city
recently was raided by the police on
complaint of the residents Of the vi
entity. About Is girls and boys, few
Of them more than Is years old, were
brought before the court. 1t was prov
ed that the young people were indulg-
ing in dance at which the school fra
ternity was entertaining a sorority.
The idea of chaperonage for the affair
had been secuted by those up-to-date
young people. The closing of this fra
ternity house followed promptly, but
even this incident did not altogether
abolish the fraternity and sorority in
the town.
Many people regard it as a misfor-
tune that high school children in Am
erica should be so literally supplied
with money. 1t is this condition that
aids the growth of the fraternity or
sorority. The expense of supporting
headquarters binders many students
from joining the organization. Conse-
quently. the existence of a fraternity
or sorority which maintains headquar-
ters encourages class distinction in a
public school, In school where frater-
nal organizations are prominent it will
be found that class honors and other
distinctions in the power of the school
are apt to go to members of the organ
. ization, to the exclusion of other stu
dents who may be outside of these
ranks Even in school where the fra
ternity is comparatively small it's in
, fluence is great. In one Chicago high
school of 1900 students there are 230
members of fraternities and sororities
Yet last year 20 out of the rs elective
positions were held by members of
these organizations. The principal
frankly admitted that the frat" ring
. in this school dominated it as com.
pletely as Tammany controlled New
, York politics, and the authorities
were powerless to prevent it.
Evanston Takes Action.
Gently united in a protest to their high
school principal because their daugh
tiers were snubbed by the sorority
! girls. The election of member to a
sorority causes a distinction. A class
of girls going up from grammar
school will be good friends, with nc
distinctions between them. Immediate
ly on their entrance to the high school
I, the sophomore sorority girls begin tc
!, rush" the most desirable new girls
for membership in their organization
That is, they pick out the girls who
for some reason generally wealth OF
social position will make desirable ad
ditions to their ranks. 1t frequently
happens that one of two girls who
have been close friends for years will
be rushed" or invited to join the sor
GRITTY and the otner left out. The HUI
initiation and suffering of the girl left
out is generally poignant. The sorority
girls. by their pins. badges and distinc
dee articles of clothes, generally en-
deavor to impress their superiority or
the girls who do not belong More thar