The Holly chieftain., 1922-07-20

u
detriment rather than a benefit to the student7
What are they? What is their purpose? Should
a boy join keep out? These are the questions
asked by fathers and mothers and guardians.
The titles of nearly all Of these societies
Greek letters which usually refer to motto
presslve of the purpose of the organization. They
are secret societies. with grips. badges, rituals and
initiatory ceremonies.
Probably the fraternitles should be put in four
classes: General local, professional and women's
In the first group there about fifty fraternities
of established reputation. Their chapters vary
grently as to numbers the range Is probably from
seven to eighty. Corresponding to these are the
sororities for women, perhaps twenty In number
Phi Beta Kappa was the first society with
Greek-letter name It was founded In 1776 at the
college of William and Mary, and was originally
secret society. Other chapters were established
Owing to an early prejudice against secret socie-
ties, its secrets were exposed in 1881 The letters
stand for Greek words translated "Phosophy Ia
the Guide Of Life" Since 1881 Phi Beta Kappa
has been an honorary society in most of the large
colleges and scholarship rank determines the mem.
bership. Women have been admitted since 1879
In 1925 at Union college a group of congenial
students began the organization of secret Greek.
letter fraternity. They divided over the ritual
Some Of them founded Kappa Alpha. The rest
founded Sigma Phi in 1927. This was the begin
ming of the college fraternities Of today.
Membership In the Greek-letter fraternities ia
probably 100000. Alumni usually retain
active interest There are executive 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
fraternlties own their chapter houses Conven-
tons are held with supreme legislative power
The 1nter-Fraternity Conference has met annually
since 1900 to act on questions Of common interest
Thomas Arkle Clark dean of men at the Uni
versity of Illinois, has interesting article with
khn 10 haI toip frotar
lean Boy. Mr.. Clark was not a 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 fraternities all over the coun-
try and has made study of them. Moreover, as
a college dean of men for more than twenty years
he has had intimate relationships with thousands
Of undergraduates. including the active members
of many fraternities. Mr.. Clark in short is con-
sidered competent authority 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 entering college is confronted
with good many problems which his father be-
lore him did not have to solve. and one of these
Is the fraternity question; for though the college
fraternity was in existence thirty years ago, 1t
Ad not, tc anytnlng HAe the extent II does today
dominate college life and control the direct under.
graduate activities. Its influence was then con-
fined pretty largely to limited number of small
colleges in restricted territory; its membership
was not large and its members not closely asso-
ciated.
In speaking Of the college fraternity do not
wish to have it confused with the fraternity
In the high school. Excepting. perhaps, In acad-
emies and boarding schools where the boys are
away from home and need the training and the
associations which come from an organized home
life and the responsibilities which arise from
bringing these things about, the high school fra
ternty has been pretty generally detriment both
to the character and to the scholarship of It's men,
bers. 1t has often taken them away from the
restraints of home when these were most needed
It has developed snobbshness, extravaganza and
social excesses which have been hurtful to the
general morale Of the schools 1t has had many