The New York herald., 1922-10-12

think in most cases il Injuries their
work, their attitude toward their fell
lows, and. in some cases, their morals.
/ should. therefore, myself welcome a
bylaw which forbids school honors TO
students belonging to any secret society
which, interpreted sensibly. is of the
type we are trying TO eliminate"
In letter to Harry Il. Chambers,
chairman of the law committee or the
Board of Education. DR.. Low gave his
opinion that the problem was diihcult,
as club life was natural from boyhood
on.
"The question is chiefly one Of
parental authority" he continued. and
have rarely found a father who OBJ
jects to his sons Joining, although he
may later on. There is a glamour about
the word secret which holds a strange
lure for the adolescent / doubt II there
is a high school in New York where
members of such secret organizations
may not be found. When found, they in
sist that the organization has no con-
nection with the school and therefore
does not trespass upon the bylaws OF
the board Such outside organizations
exist wholly through the permission of
the parents Of their members.
THE principal knows who are the
fine and upright students in his school,
and it has been my experience that they
will tell the truth when asked. 1t Is
perhaps not curious that they prefer TO
retain membership rather than gain a
school honor The necessary thing Is
to have the law so simple. clear and
compelling that students will not wish
to join a fraternity, and bo thus de-
barred from school activities.
Political influence Past.
81 believe that the political influence
of secret organizations is thing of the
past To-day they are lost in the
thousands which fill fill every school.
The great mass of students is ndf-
ferent to them and casts its vote for a
representative fellow student, whether
he belongs to fraternity or not.
But the situation will not be relieved
If the board makes exceptions TO the rul-
ing, as was done in 1914 when the na
tonaf fraternity. Omega Gamma Delta,
received permission to receive its chap
ters in the various high schools into nom
secret clubs, which after graduation
should coalesce once more with the
parent body These clubs are to all
intents and purposes legalized fraterni-
ties"
DR.. Low was chairman of committee
appointed last spring by the High School
Principals Association to examine the
fraternity question throughout the city.
The committee reported four counts
making the fraternity menace to its
members:
First it makes loyalty to the school
a secondary affair.
Second. Il generally Injuries the quail
ity of school work. owing to the late
hours of meeting and the fact that it is
a subject of preferred interest.
Third. ii offers an opportunity. which
is sometimes taken advantage of. for
gambling and perhaps other immoral
practices.
Fourth. it develops a feeling OF social
superiority, based on wholly fictitious
principles. And II certain secret organi-
cations with admirable ideals protest the
above facts the situation still allows OF
them"
The committee favored the retention
OF the present prohibitory bylaw of the
Board of Education and it's application
to all secret societies, within or without
the school. the penalty being Ineligible
ity to membership in school honor socie-
ties, to receive scholastic honors, to hold
school or class office and to participate
in any athletic contest. II recommended
that, as boys and girls have been join
ing the societies in good faith. the
penalty should not be applied to present
third or fourth year students.
Another article in this series will ap.
pear in an early issue.