Evening star., 1953-10-25
School Control
|0f Eraternities
Wins Support
Registration Plan
Endorsed by Head
Of Principals Group

DR.. Charles E. Bish, chairman
Of a principals committee now
studying District high school
fraternities, last night indorsed
the idea of compulsory fraternity
and sorority registration.
The proposal also won indorse-
ment from Abraham H. Mailer,
chairman of a parents council
formed to oversee the conduct of
Sigma Phi, which has members
at several schools.
Proposed to Board.
The registration idea was pro-
posed to the Board of Education
last week by Board Member
Walter N. Tobriner.
DR.. Bish disclosed that Mr..
Tobriner talked the plan over
with the principals group before
taking it to the board. He added
that the attitude of the commit
tee wasn't too far af1eld" from
the plan.
DR.. Bish also revealed that his
committee. has made it's own
recommendations to top school
officials. This probably will be
sent to all junior and senior high
school principals for study this
week, he said.
He added he couldn't make the
recommendations public, but that
this probably would be done
when they are sent to principals.
Aftermath of Escapades.
DR.. Bish's six-member COM
mittee was set up as the after
math Of some recent fraternity
escapades involving the police.
The committee was charged with
considering whether the school
system should continue it's pres
ent hands-off "non-recognition"
policy toward the Greek-letter
groups or should establish some
type of control.
Under Mr.. Tobriner's plan, all
fraternity members would have
to register with principals. Each
fraternity would also have to
register the names of its officers
and statement of purposes.
Failure to comply would deprive
members of school honors and
official posts.
MiSbehavior would subject a
fraternity to possible exclusion
from the Registered list-in eff
feet an order to diSband.
DR.. BiSh, who is principal of
Mckinley High School, said he
agrees with Mr.. Tobriner that
the present policy toward frater-
nitieS-which involves no super
vision by schools-is unsatisfac-
tory.
"We ought to acknowledge
their existence" he said. II am
in favor of registration"
Flexibility Favored.
He added, however, that there
are details that still would have
to be worked out, and that in
dividual schools should be al
lowed some f1exibility in any
control plan because of differing
situations.
DR.. Bish said he thinks regis
tration would not be opposed by
fraternity members at McKin-
ley. Mckinley has two fraterni-
ties and eight sororities, he said,
adding that he never has any
trouble learning who the men,
bers are. A few Mckinley boys
also belong to so-called city-wide
groups which have members from
various schools.
At present, no fraternitieS can
meet in school buildings. The
school system used to permit
in-school meetings and assigned
faculty advisers, but this was
stopped several years ago when
the school board adopted the
present hands-of rule.
DR.. Bish said that in addition
to whatever official policy is
adopted, it will be desirable to
work closely with parents.
Sigma Phi Action.
Mr.. Mailer, who has a son at
Coolidge High, said he thinks
Mr.. Tobriner's plan is a very
good idea. He said he thinks
parents would be willing to CO.
operate with it.
Sigma Phi, at a meeting last
Sunday, agreed by a large
majority to accept parental
supervision, he said. He added
such supervision might not even
be necessary if the schools
adopted the registration plan.
Both DR.. Bish and Mr..
Tobriner commended the Sigma
Phi action.
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