Evening star., 1928-11-21
EDUCATORS PLAN
FRATERNITY STUDY
Presidents of Forty State
Universities Meet to Dis
CuSS Problems.

The college fraternity, its effect on
scholarship and on the character or
students, is to be subjected to search
ing study by the National Association
of State Universities.
Presidents of approximately 40 State
universities met at the MayfloWer yes
terday to discuss some of the prob
lens now confronting these institu-
tions. The function of the fraternity
was upheld by DR.. Francis w. Shepard
son, president of the Beta Theta P1
Fraternity. The study will be conducted
by Chancellor E. H. Lindley of the Uni
versity of Kansas, assisted by President
David Kinley of the University Of 1lli-
nois President H. w. Chase of the
University of North Carolina and Presi-
dent A. H. Upham of Miami University
Although this committee was or
ganized to study all problems of stu
dent group life, it was decided TO con-
fine the work for the present to the
secret society on the campus. the
fraternity, the committee pointed out,
is to be judged entirely on its merits
and is not to be found guilty unless
there is clear evidence to that effect.
New Plan to Be Tried.
President Clarence c. Little Of the
University of Michigan told of a unique
plan about to be instituted there to ex-
tend the scope OF the university. This
involves first the establishment of
Junior Michigan" which will consist
of system of awards to brilliant
pupils in the secondary schools Of the
State which will serve to bring them
in touch with the university and make
them consider themselves as associated
with it years before they are able to
enter as freshmen. This is expected
to prove, DR.. Little said, q step to-
ward getting the parents better ac-
quainted with the work of the uni
The second step is the alumni
which already is well under
way It involves organizing all the
alumni so that they will keep in closer
touch with each other and maintain an
as well as athletic interest
in their Alma Mater.
In the past, he said, the relations of
the alumni to the university and vice
versa has been one of Subtle innuendo
and insult" the alumnus coming back
at commencement and being shown
around almost under guard.
Changing to Four Years.
The normal school rapidly is chang
ing from two-year professional course
for teachers to a full four-year degree
granting program, President George
Thomas of the University Of Utah told
the college presidents. He pointed out
that there are now 110 four-year
normal schools in the country.
The transition stage, he said, is re-
sponsible for considerable confusion
because the authorities don't know how
much attention to devote to the
science of pedagogy in the four-year
course and how much to general cul-
tural subjects. The result in some cases
has been second-rate arts college.
The State universities, he said,
should require a minimum of 100 Sc
mester hours for graduation before ac-
cepting the degrees of these four-year
normal schools, but should help them
rather than condemn them without a
hearing.
The increase in junior colleges
throughout the country was stressed
by President S. D. Brooks of the Uni
versity Of Missouri In his own State,
he said, these generally have had a
good effect on education. They have
the effect, he said, of keeping the stu
dent in the sheltered atmosphere of