Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-24
j. OF PROVOST
UPH0LDS 4FRATS"
Or. Smith Declares Greek Letter
Societies Are Not "organiza-
tons of Dissipation"
REPLIES TO DR.. M'KEEvER

81 can honestly say that fraternities
at the University of Pennsylvania have
never developed into organizations OF
dissipation and frivolity, and behind
them is seriousness of purpose en- :
tirely wholesome and desirable. -
DR.. Edgar Fahs Smith, provost OF
the University and member of Phi
Kappa Psi Fraternity, made this com
ment upon hearing the opinion of DR..
William A. McKeever, Of the Univet-
sity of Kansas, who believes call col
lege fraternities must be led away from
the frivolities of youth to the considera-
tion of the serious aspect of youth's s
relation to life"
"And Furthermore" said Provost
Smith, IT can safely say, because
have studied fraternities in many in
stitutions, that they are generally a
healthy influence in campus life"
Offers Prize for $500
Doctor McKeevcr has offered a prize
of $500 to the fraternities of the Uni l.
versity of Kansas for a competitive con
test to extend through the entire col :
lege year, the prize to be awarded to
the fraternity recording the highest
number of points in scholarship, ath =
letics, house rules, coaching of new
men in scholarship, sociabiiity, democ-
racy, religion, temperance, and so on.
Doctor McKeever believes fraterni-
ties are in colleges to stay, but be-
lieves ''in such groups of young peo =
pie as college fraternities the emphasis
in the absence of other guidance has
been too much upon light matters. The
average student left to himself has no
definite program. Educators can use the
fraternities as one of the mediums for
enabling students to make definite use
of their time
"Our fraternities here commented
Doctor Smith, oversees the work and
activity of individual members. They
stimulate the members to finer achieve
ment in scholarship and campus
prominence. I am thinking now of one
fraternity which sends representatives
to the various departments to learn the
standing of the fraternity brothers in
the courses Of study. When there is
an apparent falling off in work the stu =
dent is urged, often with reasonable
force, to mend his ways.
Likewise, the graduate members of
the fraternities exercise a salutary and
fatherly interest in the undergraduate
members"
Lippincott Lauds Fraternities
Horace Mather Lippincott, secretary
of the General Alumni Society of the
University of Pennsylvania, who is not
fraternity member, is emphatic in his
praise of the fraternity life of the Uni
versity.
"Of course, they are boys, and we
don't expect them to be interested in
community and social welfare to the
exclusion of all other interests" said
Mr.. Lippincott. ''And they often do
things that any other live young men
will do. But they certainly can never
be criticized for not living up to the
purposeful and commendahle ideals
upon which most of the Greek letter
societies are founded These men take
n personal and healthy interest in the
success of each other in the classrooms
and on the campus, and in the char
acter of their University"
+ Many Of the fraternities at the Uni
versity have chapter house motto
which, in. substance, is this: Don t
do things in this house that YOU
wouldn't do if your own mother were
here"