The Dolores star., 1922-07-28

of the evils of the college fraternity without any
OF It's advantages. l have seen good deal of the
hleh school fraternity and the product which it
turns out, and am free to say that If I had son
l should not want him to join such an organiza-
ton.
The college fraternity first came into existence
almost one hundred years ago when college at
tendance and the conditions surrounding college
life were very different from what they now are
In those days colleges were small and the under
graduates were housed in college dormitores or
scattered about the town and fed at boarding
houses. There was perhaps thought in the
minds of the men who founded the first Greek let
ter fraternities of developing a home and home
life for their members. The main purpose was to
strengthen character, to develop good scholarship,
and to emphasize and encourage certain Qualities
of friendship. Often there a literary purpose
The men who founded the first fraternties were
mostly very religious men who believed sincerely
In the principles of life and conduct as expounded
by the founder Of the Christian church
Fraternity rituals today still emphosze theso
principles and hold up to fraternity members tho
highest standards Of daily life. The teachings of
fraternities are distinctly religious in their inhu
ence. and the secret work to which some of tba
enemies of fraternities object has nothing sinister
or vicious in It, but is really of the most barmless
and innocent character.
1t was not until within very recent years whom
the attendance upon colleges began TO incre.sa
and the conditions of undergraduate living hegon
expand and to emphasize as they had never done
before the function Of the fraternity in deyeoninp
for the undergraduate In college a normal and a
healthy home life
In fact fraternities are not only increos,no .h.,
own membership but they are doing everything
they can to encourage the organization of new fro
terhitles so that every man who wants to ioin
may have chance to do so. Colleges also whosa
doors have hitherto been closed to the adnission
of fraternties are relaxing their regulations and
are giving permission to fraternites to come in
ana all ths because those who know most abou,
fraternities think their influence a good ono
AT the present time national Greek letter r
ternitles of which there are perhaps ffty are tho
organized force in college activities Tbey .,
the place that was once occupied by the co,,ano
literary society which taught men to sneah ,,htah
interested them in the politics of collepe ond
"hlch In general controlled and directed ubot
went on In undergraduate affairs outside of tho
classroom But the fraternity does still more than
thls. There are very few fraternites now IL.
10 not have their own houses on every co,,.,,,
Ihese houses form centers of home life u,hinh
40 much to take the place of the life which tha
poy mas known with his own family before going
away to college. e''"s
IL o1ten costs more to live in a fraternity bouse
than 1t does outside. The food at tho fro., u.e
table is ordinarily better than tbat tho CITY
gets at boarding house, and the general 1Iyin
conditions are more comfortable and convenion.
one mas to pay for these The social life or FRO
ternity men Is more active and so requires tho nv
penditure OF more money for clothing and soci.,
pleasures Sometimes the living conditions have
been made too luxurious for the doing of ,oo1
work and at times the social life is excessive ana
the expenditure of money extravagant: but tbaoa
eohol''ohs 10 not frequently or generally exist.