Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-10
CIGARETTE AND POKER
'FRATS' IN HIGH SCHOOL
CALLED APTSHLY SILLY
Prof. j. d. Mahoney, of West
Philadelphia High, Urges
Boys to Use a Little
Common Sense
TELLS OF THE RIGHT KIND

High School fraternities of the sort
that encourage cigarette smoking. poker
playing, though il be of the penny-ante
kind, and other bad habits, were assailed
by Prof. John d. Mahoney. head of the
department of English at the West Phil
adelphia High School for Boys in kind
ly, critical talk this afternoon at the
weekly discussion of High School topics
TO High School boys, at the West Branch
Y NJ. c. A.
Doctor Mahoney ridiculed the idea Of
high school students apeing the life of
college "frats," and pointed out to them
the fact that they ended in appearing
foolish and asinine persons mentally
balanced. He then explained to the boys
and there were several hundred of them
attentively listening to his talk, just what
real high school fraternity should be
one stripped Of its shallow pretensions
and built on a foundation Of good will and
common sense.
TWO CHIEF OBJECTIONS.
The two objections to the high school
fraternities, that have been the subject
of investigation by high school authorities
here for some time past, are, according
to Professor Mahoney, the fact that the
evil influences of the fraternity outweigh
the good that it may do, and the fact
that 1t lessons the appreciation of the col
lege fraternity by laying the foundation of
a vicious and erroneous conception OF fra
ternity life that often ruins boys for col
lege fraternites.
Both these objections" said Professor
Mahoney. deserve consideration at your
hands. Schools and even States have for
hidden fraternities, and. while it may be
slightly romantic to evade the law for
time. it is likely TO fail into the same
category as frequentlng speakeasies." He
brought forth to substantiate this state
ment the fact that many OF the better
college "frats' had decided to exclude
from their membership those students
who had delved into the cheap high
school frat" life.
Doctor NIahoney said there was no place
on earth for quiet room to do naughty"
things. room that Is not known and not
visited by the parents of the boys. He
urged his audience to remember the fact
that they were neither q nor self-sup-
few fraternity members being
wage-earners, and urged this point as n
business reason, aside from the question
of common sense and justice to the folks
at home.
In two places. and two places onIy-in
the high school building and the home
should frat" meetings be held, was the
next assertion of the speaker.
For high school fraternity should be
an association of high school boys" said
Doctor Mahoney, with high school
thoughts, high school aims and high
school activities 1t should not he a silly
attempt to initiate college life when YOU
are not there. That is not only asinine,
but cheap. 1t is wanting to be college
student without being one in age or
All your secrets and pranks
become tawdry and foolish to older and
more experienced people, aud, instead of
being manly and admirable you make
yourself ridiculous when you initiate the
college fraternity"
Doctor Mahoney concluded with an ap-
peal to the fellows" to realize that they
had a right to reasonable privacy from
the public of the school, but not from
the principal or their parents. This, he
said, was the only way TO keep High
School fraternities