The New York herald., 1922-10-10
Confined from First Page.


no such societies should be permitted TO
exist. They bring about divided re-
sponsibilty between the school officials
and the general fraternity council. They
form in the school little aristocracy.
with it's snobbery and favoritism and
discrimination; as result of which
conflicts ensue between the fraternity
and non-fraternity members. The pupils
who fail of membership in these socie
ties feel that their failure Is due to lack
of wealth or social standing. And they
are entirely undemocratic"
Mr.. Chambers Is a lawyer. In his Of
flee at lis Broadway he detailed the
reasons for his views. He spoke of the
cosmopolitan character of New York, OF
the great foreign born population. of the
job Of welding saints and sinners. 100
per cent. Americans and 100 per cent.
non-Americans. into our national llfe."
and of the necessity of beginning the job
in the schools.
What has that to do with high school
secret societies?" said Mr.. Chambers.
Just this: If in our schools we permit
snobbery and discrimination to flourish
we lose all that has been achieved by
the splendid work of our teaching and
founded upon the principle that all are
equal. That principle is all important
| to our foreign born. If we raise the
question of inequality in our high
| schools by fraternities or otherwise we
create a paradox that is Incompetent
sible to them"
Furthermore. Mr.. Chambers said.
| New York's teachers had to give all
their time and thought to teaching, and,
when in school, the pupils were sup
| posed to give all their time and thought
to learning. To him it seemed that the
social activities of the fraternities
| tended to overlap and smother the edu-
ctaional activities of the schools.
Text of School Law.
THE fraternities," he added. "are little
aristocracies within educational COM
munities. There lies the great danger
in public schools, especially, In cosmo-
politan city. Sometimes the separation
between the students is sharply marked.
Not infrequently there are conflicts be-
tween fraternity and non-fraternity ele-
ments. The development of aristocracy
leads to jealousy and even to bitter
animosities among those not selected for
membership. Many societies bearing
Greek names and initiating college
fraternities have sprung up in high
schools and academies of the country
and. for reasons which l have indicated
and others have excited the earnest
opposition Of the school authorities"
In New York the school authorities
have been trying to squelch the Greek
letter lads and lassies for eleven years.
The board of superintendents recon-
mended. on February 2, 1911, that the
Board of Education adopt prohibitory
bylaw The committee on high schools
and training schools approved the move
in 1912. So on January g. 1918. the
Board of Education adopted the follow
ing bylaw. known as subdivision Fl of
section So: tr
"No secret society. secret club or
secret organization shall be allowed In
any high school. All meetings of any
society, club or organization in any high
school shall be open to the principal or
teacher designated by the principal, or
10 any superintendent or any member OF
the Board of Education. The constitu-
ton. bylaws and minutes of the proceed
ings of any society. club or organization
in any high school shall be subject to the
inspection of the principal or a teacher
designated by the principal, or of any
superintendent or any member OF the
Board of Education.
"No pupil attending high school shall
join or obtain membership in any society.
club or organization making use of the
school name directly or Indirectly or
purporting to be a school organization
which does not comply with the pro-
visions of this subdivision"
Opposed by CoIlegians.
The board neglected to set any penalty
for disobedience. The secret societies
continued to function. although worried.
A subcommittee of the committee on
high and training schools swung into
action. 1t reported
That the societies created cliques, a