Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-03-29
HIGH SCHOOL FRAT
TO BARE SECRETS
IN FIGHT FOR LIFE
Membership Role to Be Pub
Iished Before Case Is =
Taken to Court.
PROMINENT GRADUATES
TO LEAD LEGAL BATTLE
Peyser to Seek Modification Of
School Board Ban on
Societies.

Three Washington high School
fraternity chapters decided last night
to divest themselves of the shroud OF
secrecy that has marked their e1-
istence and face the Board OF Educa =
ton for q shown down on its anti
fraternity ruling.
The first step in their open fight
against the board will be taken to-
morrow, when ]. Milton PRODIGY, chair
man of the executive committee of
Sigma Delta Fraternity, submits its
complete membership roster to school
authorities. Sigma Delta has chapters
in Central, Western and Mckinley
High Schools. The names of 10 stu
dents are on its membership rolls.
Six are captains of cadet companies.
4 number of others are prominently
Identified in athletics or hold i'm
portant positions in approved school
organizations. These Offices they must
forfeit the penalty for affiliating
with a secret society.
To Take Case to Courts.
AS its second move Sigma Delta
plans to go into the courts to test
the legality of the boards authority
to tell high school students what or
CARNATIONS they shall and shall not
join. The fraternity also plans to seek
in the meantime, an injunction to COM
pei the board to reinstate all of its
members who have been forced to
sever connection with student activ-
tiles
The executive committee of Sigma
Delta which win wage the fight
against the board includes some OF
Washington's most prominent bust
ness and professional men, all alumni
of the District high schools. 1t will
meet this morning to consider what
additional weapons can be used in Its
campaign.
Conferx With Peyser.
Mr.. PRODIGY held a lengthy confer
ference yesterday afternoon Fri
Capt Julius l. Peyser, cffafrtffEn o1
the boards committee on athletic.
and Fairgrounds, and advised him OF
the fraternity's plans to clash with
the board over its anti-fraternity rul-
ing. I'VE don't want to antagonize
the board" said Mr.. Prodigy. "Oui
cards will be laid on the table. We
Will not adopt sunderland or CUES.
tionable tactics. The board will b,
notified of every contemplated move
in advance"
Capt. Peyser has volunteered tc
champion the fight of the fraternities
before the board, and announced last
night that at its meeting Wednesday
Will put a motion to abrogate thu
anti-fraternity ruling. AS chairman
of the boards committee on athletic.
and Fairgrounds, Capt. Peyser thought
he had the authority to reinstate the
members of the secret organizations
who have been removed from posi-
tions of honor in the high schools
but discovered last night that no such
power is vested in that Office.
Two Favor Change.
Anyhow. Capt Peyser Intends tc
lead the fight for the removal of the
ban on the fraternities at the board
meeting and hopes TO come out vic.
torious. Those In close touch wifi
school affairs, however, expect the
vote on the question to be close
Only two of the board members
Capt Peyser and Ernest Greenwood
vice president-have definitely com.
mitted themselves as favoring the
abolition or modification of the anti
fraternity ruling. Several others, Il
is said, are in sympathy with the
fraternities, but II the entire mem
bership of the board Is present wher
the question comes to a ballot Capt
Peyser will have to muster another
vote or two in order to wipe the fra
ternity rule off the boards statutes.
The action of Sigma Delta Fra.
ternity in presenting the names Of
it's members IN the high schools tt
school officials. is expected to Grip
pie the teams in the Forthcoming
inter-high school base ball champion
ship series. Captains of several O.
the mines are said to be members O.
the fraternity, as well as some O
the pitching aces.
Chapters of Sigma Delta in the higl
schools. according to Mr.. Prodigy. fol
lows: Western, Gamma; Central, AL
pha- and Mckinley, Beta.
In addition to members Of Sign;
Delta Fraternity at Western, those II
several other debarred organization
are planning to reveal themselves
as frat" members tomorrow morn
ing. Among them are members o
Sigma Lamba Sorority, Gamma Delt;
Tau Sorority and Gamma Sigma Fra
ternity.