The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-10
LIFE
ESSENTIAL.
He HOLDS
Writes Edmund D. Rhsem He
VIII Enlist to Restore So
cisties to Good Standing.

Senator l.. Heisler Ball. chaixman
Of the Senate District OF Columbia
committee, has joined the ranks OF
Congressman and Washington bust.
ness men who will fight to have local
high school fraternities and sorori-
ties restored to good standing with
the board Of education.
Indorses Frats.
Unqualified Endorsement OF frater-
nal organizations In the public schools
il Riyen by Senator Ball in r. let
ter to Edmund D. Rheem. Wash
ington real estate man, who wrote
the Senator q letter In defense OF
them. The Ball letter follows:
my dear Mr.. Rheem:
e IT appreciate your favor of the
9Th instant, regarding fraternal or
carnations in the public schools.
and ! bag to advise you that am
heartily In favor of such societies
and am on record as signing pro
test against the adjustment OF the
same In the high schools of this
city.
What you have to advance In
support OF them meets with my APP
proval, being q graduate of Della.
ware College and the University OF
Pennsylvania and belonging to So
cieties OF both of those institutions.
! can but sanction the good arising
from the comradeship and fellowship
Of such organizations.
very truly yours,
IL. HEISLER BALL"
Fifty Societies Here.
There are approximately fifty FRA
ternities in the public schools here
and an equal number Of sorrorities.
The Board Of Education drafted resu-
lations to the effect that any student
affiliating with such an organisation
would be deprived of school honors.
A strenuous protest was voiced by
Atudents and former students. Do
mands Will DO made for hearing be-
fore either the board Of EDUCATION or
the Senate District COMMITTEES or both
and petitions signed by thousands OF
Washington men and women are now
being circulated with view to arous-
ing sentiment in favor of keeping
alive the fraternal spirit in the
schools.
Mr.. Rheem, who Is president OF
the Central &C" Clup, an organization
which has fostered athletics in the
high schools, sent the following letter
TO Senator Ball. II
Hon l.. Heisler Ball,
U. 8. Senate Office Building,
City.
Dear Senator Ball:
Ihaverecently read in the papers of
the resumption of the attempt to elimi.
nate fraternities from the local high
schools. and I am prompted through
no partisan interest to write YOU NV
own experience and belief. AZ I am
graduate of Central High School,
Princeton University, and am now
anticipating the day when II win be
the privilege OF the next generation
of my family to enter the local schools.
1 believe / can honestly see both
sides of the question.
1t ID generally recognized in our
country. and even in nations less
democratic than ours, that II hun
dred or more people are thrown to-
gether for an extended term they will
naturally divide themselves into groups
in accordance with their race, breed
ing and congeniality, and I do not be-
lieve II Ii possible to prevent IL. base
this belief on my experience at Prince
ton University, where fraternities have
been prohibited for a number of years.
In their stead now are clubs, which
take their place in every respect ex-
cept' the secret character OF their
names. And when say in every way,
mean in competition for honors on
the athletic field and in every field of
college endeavor. And IL seems to me
but natural that one man should want
and work for his friend to obtain ar,
honor In competition with another
with whom he was not 30 closely
associated.
Grouping Il Natural.
This grouping Ia going to occur in
any case, and know Of no better
way In which q growing boy can
learn by close contact to pick out
those good traits he wishes to grapple
to himself and those bad traits which
he wants to avoid. And only can
he pick out the good from the bad by
close association, by eating or Sleep
ing with his boy friend and meeting
him in q social way at his home.
This sounds as IL were very parti-
san. but I want to state that / am
not, though / was member and
president OF National High school
fraternity at Central Oamda Sisma)
I'm the days when we were practically
the only one then existent. / was a
club member at Princeton. And l UNI
reservedly state that from no other
connection did / obtain a better reali.
Eation of my growing responsibilities,
higher ideals of manhood, or personal
associates which more effectively
nodded my own character. than from
my membership in these organixa-
tions. Contrary to the general opin-
ion. the members hold the school first
I'm their hearts, and through them the
school and the spirit and prestige of
the school are made to mean more
at time whom youth Ia graphing for
an IDEAL to work for. to play for. to
fight for. ..f, WI
i do not want to Iengthen this
letter unduly. but for the last two
yearss have been president or an
organization known as the &C., club,
which was formed by a number OF
graduates of Central who had won
their athletic insignia IN the days
gone by. The club was formed for
no other purpose but TO help pro-
mote the spirit Of fair play and good
sportsmanship In high schoo, ath-
ietics. and TO try in some degree to
impress In the minds of the partici-
pants that the game Ia the thing. at