The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-15
Delta Tau Men Disprope
"NOn-fratS'' Contention
Old Claim that the College Fraternity System and High
Scholarship Do Not Go Together Proven Erroneous
by Records of Organization.

High scholarship and Greek letter COL
lese fraternitcs have been looked upon
by antagonists of the college fraternity
system in American institutions as
strangers for many years. Members of
Gamma Eta Chapter Of the Delta Tau
Delta fraternity. at the George Wash
inGton University. and of the Washing
ton Alumni Chapter of the fraternity are
enthusiastic over the success which at
tended the initial efforts of Col. James
H. Curtis, of New York. president OF
this fraternity. To raise the scholastic
standings of the various ffty-nine chap
ters of this organization located in insti-
tutions from Maine TO California last
year.
In Ohio. Michigan. Illinois. Texas. and
several other States which have State
supported colleges there have been vio-
lent campaigns against fraternities. and
legislatures have been called on to re-
fuse appropriations to institutions which
harbor Greek letter SOCIETIES The chief
point of attack being based on the charge
that fraternity men are lacking in sChol-
arly attachments. Col. Curtis set about
to wipe out this argument. and visited
personally every chapter of his organ:-
cation, and told the members that they
must not be satisfied with winning the
laurels in the athletic world for their
institutions. but also must make schol-
arship one of the goals for highest at
tainment
As result Of his efforts Cd Curtis re-
ports to the local chapter that no fewer
than eight chapters OF his fraternity or
one-seventh o. the chapters in the or
SANITATION. carried Of last year the fra
ternity and nonfraternity records in
their respective Institutions a half score
of other chapters rose TO second and
third places in the scholastic field and
practically every other chapter of the
fifty-nne made gains unprecedented in
their histories. And he states further
that practically every one of the chap
tiers obtained these results without any
retrogression in the usual undergraduate
activities and without Transforming the
men into obnoxious college "grinds''
An extraordinary feature of this wide
spread campaign for higher scholar
ship is the fact that men who have been
out of college for wears are taking an
active part in the fight The Delta Tau
Delta Club of New York an alumni or
EanZatiOn with almost go names on its
rolls. recently founded a fellowship which
is to be awarded at the end of the year
to the leader Of the class of 1915 which
makes the best gain in scholarship. 1t
is the first fellowship Of its kind ever
established in this country. and it is
provided that the winner Of the Compe-
tition may choose any institution in the
United States wherein to take a years
postgraduate course at the expense OF
the club
So successful has heen the campaign
conducted by the Delta Tau Delta fra
ternity that other fraternities fell into
line. and when the Inter Fraternity Con-
ference. an organization formed by dele
gates from practically each Of the fifty /,
or more Greek letter societies in America. |
met in New York recently. it showed its
appreciation of Col Curtis work by
elccting him president and by adopting
the scholarship campaign az its own.
The chapter house of the local chapter
of the fraternity. located at 1910 n street |