The Washington times., 1914-10-28
The Daily
Editorial
For Women
The High School Frats.
By BETH JEFFRIES.

The high school fraternity question
has been agitated and discussed in
almost every city in the United States,
but usually under the guise Of the fac
ulties. Last spring. however, at the
Pan-Hellcnic Congress, the college fra
ternities came boldly to the front and
announced that no member of a high
school fraternity could enter college
fraternity after November Il. The
students entering college this year are
excepted.
Naturally. the purpose as confessed
by members Of the three woman's fra
ternities, Phi Beta Phi. Sigma Kappa,
and Chi Omega, is to discourage high
school frats, or sororfties.
mus is the high school fraternity
made impossible except for those girls
who intend going TO college. The best
girls in the schools either 90 imlnc-
dia,ely. or get eventually to college.
This leaves 3 small per cent for the
formation OF q fraternity which will
hold togetheS and prosper, provided. Of
course, the woman who remains out
side and who waits years 10 so to col
lege will get a bid" To q frat when
Snc does get there.
The course left open TO the high
school Urls is to change the names nf
their high school frats. cease calling
them traits. take away all secrecy and
Greek lettering. and come tiat-footcdly
out into the open with whatever their
aim or policy may be.
Taking all in all. this could he nuih-
ing short OF 4 huge advantage t. those
high school sOroriti-S ." frats which
are actually o1 high purpose and
which have some existence Inside g
Il 5OcI"l lifc.
After all. the wiseacres say that the
colIeg" fraternity IS an Institution ola.
netIicalIF opposed IL the democratic
fundamentals OF tho college itself
The high school girls have nothin4
to loose and everything TO gain b!
/ CHanGin" tho name. turning their buS
ness out for inspection and coming Gi
To standard Of advancement which !:
! even Il step furi her than that which
the girls in the college, have taken.
| Aftc, I'll. = the spirit Of fellowship
! mutual love. and nndeavor for excel
! Ieuc" in scholarship exist at all tl
| change 0f nalmr Will not take then
! aN;,,. tn" 'mhlirati"u OF al plans Im'
! psrpoS-a N'il rIt rh'S" tHc little bal"
Of :;irls il, ~" e*uHn"tion of thoi
| iacultv anr tnri. l..nowS
| As 10 the SiII, excuses which CON
| from the liz: "l some NJ III" collie
graduates. that AiGh @"hool ::irla mo-
; ~ tH' 'pIIt'-l. Iris ~ IiE ll'
! Cats. and Ihat they nv 10 GREAT"
"yst"r>" and do soc!~ty," thcrr &C.
Do littl- attention paid Tho "oli"s,
girl VIII" makes such sti,tcmcnts j.
poor auth0ritH, l"d oul" bcsmirches m
hiIrderS the actually excellent purpos
Of the Pan-Ileil"n'c Congress.
Hi.l! school fT3teI1ities should go OF
| Tor much more serious anE dignilie
| reasons than thosr.
Every college frat woman should rt
member tina, if il is the loyalty to on
fraternity alone which they wish, the
viii have q hard time Of it, Love of III
best kind Is not compelled, and In
more forcing of the high school siI
from the love of her high school fra
viii not guarantee her loyalty to til
college fraternity.
Nor should they forget that the Fra
ternity instinct. even when a trif
forced at first, is a wonderful thing fC
girls. They ale not clahnish enough
and any attempt at knowing one al
other. being loyal to one another. an
striving peacefully together, will not L
any degree OF intelligence and menti
growth.
The only gracious human act Whic
would prove the humanitarian and Gu
tUred qualities of the college fratern
ties would be for them to come fo
ward with some plan for the forina tic
Of the great body OF high school fra
into some non-Secret, non-Greek lcttt
association which would replace II
high school frat in its broadening
fellowship instinct and at the same tin
do away with its economic and soci
evils.