Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-21
RULES BAR FRATS
IN HIGH SCHOOLS
Are Given Recognition, 1t Is
Disclosed, Despite This
Prohibition.
TAKING TESTIMONY TODAY


ing in direct violation of the rules Of
the board of education; also. they are
recognized in the schools in, number
of ways.
These facts were developed today by
opponents of secret societies who are
wagng a fight to have the public
schools of the District of Columbia
freed from an institution which is
menacing their very democracy as
one of the anti-frat workers termed 1t.
Other developments in the fight
against the organizations are that the
Central Labor Union and the High
School Teachers Union, both last night
adopted resolutions urging the discon-
tinuance &C higk school Greek letter
societies. ~ W.
Many opponeIafs of the fratern1ties
are to be 7feard this afternoon at
meeting of the special committee of the
board Of education having under con-
sIderation the proposition of abolishin8
secret societies. 1t Is probable that
other hearings will be necessary be-
fore all testimony Gan be heard. -
Approved by College Frats.
Members of college fraternities and
aororities, which organizations are, for
the most part, strongly opposed to the
high school organizations. have also
taken up the fight and it Is probable no
little support in the attack will be
given by them.
The proposition made by certain mem
bers OF the board Of education to allow
the continuance Of the secret societies
under proper regulations and restric-
tons" was received unfavorably in many
quarters today. 1t Is pointed out that
since the last trouble with the frats and
sororities a few years ago these organ!-
cations were put under certain rules, but
that friction has been nearly continue
Gus just the same.
High school officials have admitted
both to the board of educations spe-
cial committee and publicly that the
secret societies have played politics in
elections of team captains. class officers
and in other voting contests. Fratern-
ity and sorority pins and rings are
cieties have allowed their presence to
be known in many ways in the public
schools, yet here is the rule of the
board of education: Paragraph 81. en-
titled mo Secret Organizations").
There shall be no organization of
any society or association among pu-
pills as such, except that musical. lit
erary and athletic societies or clubs OF
open membership whose boards of gov
ernors shall be composed of equal
senior class organizations in high
schools, may be permitted on the writ
ten order of the superintendent of
schools, the same to be reported to the
board of education
Teachers Go on Record.
Resolutions urging the abolition OF
high school secret societies were
adopted by the executive committee OF
the High School Teachers Union at a
meeting at Business High School last
evening. This action, taken by vote
of to g. with one member not vot-
ing. followed canvass of the high
school teachers throughout the city
and after a hearing OF representatives
Of ceyeral secret organizations
In two schools the unions members
were unanimously opposed to the fra
ternities, and in the others the opposi-
ton to the societies was overwhelm-
ing.
The resolutions adopted by the Teach
ers' Union set forth. in part:
"Sinc> we are. together with the board
Of education and the school ofticials
educational matters. we believe il
would be disloyal to our trust to sane
tion or foster an institution which Is
in it's nature neither public nor demo-
cratic. We believe the existence OF
fraternfties and sororities in the high
schools of the District of Columbia
are decidedly Injurious to the best In
terests Of the school system ana to
the student life in general. A careful
canvass Of the union members of all
the faculties of the white high and
normal schools has disclosed an over
whelming sentiment against the con-
tinuance of these organizations
Members Attend Meeting.
Between thirty and forty members OF
secret societies were present at the
Meeting. Through selected speakers
they presented their case Practically
all the societies in the District OF Co.
lumbia high schools were represented
The speakers urged the teachers
committee to recommend to the board
~ sducation that they be permitted to
continue. They claimed that their OBJ
iects were social, charitable and edu-
c.tional. and that they accepted into
membership only those students whom
thew considered a credit to their re-
spective schools
In turn they were asked whether tney
considered that their ORGANIZATIONS
brought the greatest good to the great
| est number. and similar questions. The
members Of the committee told the frat
| representatives. that the merits OF the
question would be considered entirely on
| fmpersonal grounds. The representa-
tives of the societies. on their part
! thanked the committee for having In