The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-10-11
One FavOrs Secret Societies,
Three Approve Under
Regulation.
CALLED BUTTER FLIES
Girls Admitted if Brothers
Dance, Well, Letter to
Board Charges.
This Is the second of a series Of
articles to appear In THE NEW
YORK HERALD on this subject.

Principals of New York highsschools
who direct the studies of $4,000 boys
and girls. are opposed nearly unani-
mously to secret societies Of pupils.
Their opinions were collected by the
Board Of Education before it decided
recently to ask or a State law abolish
ing the societies and declaring them
to be 'inimical to the good Of the
school system and to the democratic
principles and ideals Of public educa|
ton and to the public good.'
At the request Of Harry B. Cham
bers. chairman Of the Law Committee
Of the board, the secretary, A. Emer-
son Palmer, sent to all principals
letter asking them what they thought
of secret organizations in high schools
and whether it would be wise to sane
ton them under faculty supervision.
OF the twenty principals who an
swered sixteen were fatty against the
societies, one strongly favored con-
tinuance under supervision and three
thought supervision might work WELL
How TIE different principals feel may
be gath, red from condensation OF
their replies.
William Il. Hayward Theodore Roose-
Welt High School, The Bronx. said II
am absolutely opposed to secret societies
iE high schools, because I believe they
serve no useful purpose and are in the
main harmful in their effects. I realize
q f- 90 81
mate these societies when once they have
established themselves, but am strongly
opposed to their being allowed in the
high schools in spite of this fact"
ADVANTAGES Claimed.
Elmer e. Bogart Morris High School,
The Bronx, said: THE best that can
be said is that there are undoubtedly a
great many benefits that come to boys
who are members of such organizations,
through intimate friendships and through
the comradeship that comes from close
association between boys Of the same
taste and ideals, but, after all, such
organizations are out Of place in public
school, particularly the public school of
democracy. Faculty supervision would
be well night impossible at present
within the school BUILDING. as there is
iio nlSH school at the present time tnat
has any room where meetings Of such
an organization could be supervised.
THE students who have been disap-
pointed in failing to be elected to MEM
bership look upon these societies with
exaggerated ideas of their Importance.
They feel that they have failed Of cleo
ton because Of lack OF wealth or social
standing or influence OF parents. and
these are precisely the notions that we
do not wish to have established In the
minds of adolescent boys. Ability and
merit alone would determine the ranking
of students in the public schools"
Gilbert s. Blakely. the Evander Childs
High School. The Bronx, noted that there
are no secret societies authorized in or
recognized by high schools, but there are
Greek letter "fraternities' or "sorori-
ties" some processing to be non-secret,
which have an intimate connection with
the school and which pledge and initiate
students after the manner OF college fra
ternities.
Certain advantages are claimed for
them Mr.. Blakely wrote. 1T Is said
members help one another and that the
hg ideals Of the organization have a
great effect on the development of char
acter. Older members of the order, II Is
said. serve as leaders and exert a strong
influence at n time when young people
are in especial need of wholesome influ-
ence.