The herald., 1922-08-03

fraternities an influence for good: Are they
detriment rather than benefit TO the student?
What they? What Is their purpose? Should
a boy join or keep out? These are the questions
asked by fathers and mothers and guardians.
Tie titles of nearly all of these societies
Greek letters which usually refer to a motto ex-
pressive of the purpose of the organization. They
ere secret societies. with grips. badges rituals and
!nitatOry ceremonies.
Probably the fraternities should he put in four
classes: General local, professional and wOmen's
IN the first group there about fifty fraternties
Of established reputation Their chapters vary
greatly 10 numbers the range is probably from
seven 10 eighty. Corresponding 10 these are the
sororities for women, perhaps twenty in number
Phi Beta Kappa was the first society with a
Greek-letter name Ii was founded in l176 AT the
college of William and Mary. and was originally
secret society. Other chapters were established
Owing to an early prejudice against secret socie-
lies, its secrets were exposed in 1891 The letters
stand for Greek words translated philosophy Is
the Guide of Life" Since 1881 Phi Beta Kama
has been an honorary society in most of the large
colleges and scholarship rank determines the men,
Sership. Women have been admitted since 1878.
In 1925 at Union college a group of congenial
students began the organization of a secret Greek
letter fraternity. They divided over the ritual
Some of them founded Kappa Aluha. The resi-
founded Sigma Phi in 1927. This was the begin.
aing of the college fraternities of today
Membership in the Greeketter fraternties Is
probably over 100000. Alumni usually retain
active interest. There are executiv. committees
or councils composed of alumni which are cor.
porations and hold legal title to the property of
the fraternities-which Is worth millions MOST
fraternities their chapter houses Conyen-
lions are herd with supreme legislative power
The INDEPENDENTLY Conference has met annually
since 1900 to act on questions of common interest
Thomas Ankle Clark. dean of men at the Uni
versity or Illinois, has an interesting article with
the title. "Shall join fraternity?" In the Amer
lean Boy. Mr.. Clark was not fraternity man
In college: therefore he is able to speak from the
viewpoint of the outsider. On the other hand he
did join college fraternity five years after grad
uatiOn, has visited fraternites all over the coun
try and has made study Of them Moreover. as
college dean of men for more than twenty years
he has had intimate relationships with thousands
of undergradu including the active members
of many fraternities. Mr. Clark. in short. is con-
sidered competent authority on college frater-
mites. In general he approves them. Moreover
his article before publication was read to several
college presidents and professors and high school
superintendents, some fraternity men and some
not and approved by them. Here are some of the
points he makes, pro and con:
The young man entering college is confronted
with good many problems which his father he
fore him did not have to solve and one of these
college
fraternity was In existence thirty years ago II
did not t. anything like the extent il does TODAY
dominate college life and control the direct under
graduate activities. Its influence was then con-
lined pretty largely to a limited number of small
colleges in restricted territory; its membership
was not large, and its members net closely asso-
ciated
In speaking of the college fraternity do not
wish to have it confused with the fraternity
school
emies and boarding schools where the bovs arc
away from home and need the training and the
associations which come from an organized homo
life and the responsibilities which arise from
bringing these things about. the high school fra.
ternity has been pretty generally a detriment hotb
To the character and TO the scholarship of IT'S NOM
bers. Ii has often taken them away from the
restraints of home when these were most needed
IL mas developed snobbishness. extravaganza and
social excesses which have been hurtful to tba
general morale of the schools. 1t has had many