Asa phoenix vol 2 no 16 jan 1916

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.. EVIDENCE On several occasions recently there has ariSen a need for

s~e statocent that should_make quite clear to tho~~1hclly unfamiliar 111th the. SOrorit~ Systet1, Just what n G·reek-~etter Society is, and why lJlembershl.p thcre1.n is ~omething to be greatly desired. Parents v1ho

have reP.d yellow jOl:rnll ~ccounts of fraternity c1oings, or who hav~ been aware o~ · drast1o act1on by Boards of ~ducation in the casb of ~igh school _fraterniti-es an<1 sororities, arc incl incd to be d£cidee.ly :Jkeptlt.ca1 about the value of sorority membership, if not unalterably opposed to a daughterrs joining. · School and college outhorities are sometimes very unwilling to admit Greek-Letter organizations to their institRtions, and my this opposition d~bar their students from all o-pp0rtnnities for close fellowship with one another, not only durir.g student days, but in all the years that follow. The periocl spent o.t school and college is most npt ~o be the one during which are formed th€ friendships that stand th! . test of time, for seldom, if ever again, does the in~ividnal have the chance to know so :j.ntimutely his fellows. ?he cares, the limitations Jnl the conventions of home, business and social life later preclude the perfect understandine so essential to a close bond of frlendship.

Realizing the necessity for meetinG the doubts of pcrents and the opposition of trustees with convincing argUThents and incontestable proo·f . that the fraternity system is one of the best agenci€s for stimulating und inspiring college youth, the Central Office has made a collection of various testimonies that have appeared from 'C~.me to time in the Greek ~ress. These are presented at in connection with this issuetiof the PHOEHIX, but in such a form that Chapters or indiv.idual members can show the collection to faculty members, to parents, or to rushees, as a distinct pt-:blicntion . Iti i~ 1;ecorornended that chapters keep a supply of these on hanll for use dul....Jiii the rushing season, or when it becomes necessary. for any reason, to meet opposition with proof pos·i ti ve.

The authorities quote ?. in the ensuing pages ure for the r:10st part men who are plf'.yinB a lec:.ding part in the affairs of our Country, men whose word cannot be question. It means something, for instance , when a man like Dr. Emory Hunt, Director of the M~erican Baptist ForPoreign Missionary Society, says that if he ~- to decid.ed as tb v;hic-h he· received the most go 1)cl fron, his college or his fraternity. it ·. :OJuld bn hard to decine against tho fra ..~ernity in favor of the c 'J llP [~ P .

Many other tributes to the value an~ infJ.uenoe of fratPrnities mi Ght ha.ve been added to the collection . but there Vlas a limit to whnt tho Central Office feltrju~ti~ied in publishing, for, ~f course, it is a r1atter of c onsi.dorable expensa to get out these sheets, and the Centru. ' iJffice is tr;ying to do it all out of th~ PHOJ:j1-iiX :f\lnd. .

There have been so ronny calls f or ancona1se h1story of ~lpta ~igma /l.lpha, that it seem_ e d r~ell o. J.; this time to include in the coll e C" cion the accnnnt thr>t :-rpeared in ''':'he ~ reek ;:ixch an g Pn o;f Dece n bEr. .

L914 and ,-.rritten by your lhtionel Pl~eRidcnt f or that nc0n zine.

To th : ~· '·~ added another account, a lso · w~i ttf:!Yl. b v y ·Jur Na. ti onal Presi rlent, a rr .JOC•n to c:p pear in the Ei ghth Edition ·J f 13n.irc1 's }':.:,lu:nunl . of Colle ge ~ ::: h tcmi ties 11 • The latter i'Jill be value. bl G for the data g1ven c ~mcertrll, F ~~hapters. now defunct.

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TIG FRA ':'ERN I .1, '! 8 YS TEM ·~

Colleg: students are ~no~7n~bhe world over for the tendenoy t o ..~t together 1n g:oups for l1 terary or social purposes. These sooietleS are of tv1o kLnds, those whose membership is open to the entire student body, and those where membership is possible to suoh only as have been honored with an invitation. rlith the exaeption of a few general clubs, most college organizations nre restricted in nlembers~ip to tho~e who have shown marked ability ru· ong a~me pa r ticular l1nes, or wno seem to possess certain desirable qualities . .Among the societies with restr·icted membership may be class~d the so-called fraternities. These are so:aetimes suoken of as ls(lcr6t·r ·societies, but, a~ a matter of fact, this uord 'secret• is a misnomer, since ·i t gives a false impressi~n concerning these organ iza·t ions, which ere~ really no mora 'san~it'than tho ~Drago exclusive club of men or women anywhere. Each, to be sure, has a Greek Motto, the initials of whose words serve as a name for the society and as a basis for certain sjmbol~sm, but, aside from this element of secrecy, there is· l ittle else that makes the Greek-Letter Society different from any other club with restricted rrembership and similar ideal3. : .Greek-Letter Sororities ~ re of three k inds , national , sectional and local. .;.i. !Tational fraterni t y 0~· sororlity is , qne that has m2ny chapters in difieren~ parts of t h e country 2nd wh ich is governed by a body of representative members, most of wh om have had )ears pf experience in the work. These National societies own property worth millionsRof dollars, and ofteh possess laree endov~ent funds , whose i~­ terest is devoted to various uses, such as furnishing fun&s to members who, without such aid, would have to leave college. Sometimes the indome from the endowments is used in building homes to house the membership in colleges inadequately supplied with dormitory aooommodations.

A Se~tional fraternity or sorority is one tha t has, for some reason or other, been restricte d to a certain section of the country .

Sectional fraternities were con~on in the middle of the last cen tury, Wb&n man~ organizations had a tendency ·to confine t~eir growhh to the East, tha South, or the Middle West. as the case mgght be. The Sectional Greek-Letter Society has almost disap) eured, for the Nurthern fraternity has gone South, the Southern Nurth7 the Uestern East, and t h · Easte1·n West. Local societies are single groups without national affiB. liation. They are usua~ly temporary affairs and often die from indif- ' ference on the part of members, unless v1ise enough to become identifi.ed with a stron National.

Fraternities for men had their inception in an organization known as Phi Beta Kappa and founded a1 the College of ~1illiam and Mary , Williai!lsburg, va .• in 1776. 7he idea, hoHever, di Ct not become gen€ral ly popular until more than fifty yenrs later. Tbe sorority system, ns we understand it today, is only about fifty years old, tho there are records of girls' societies that date back to the early 1 50s. The s7stem is practically cotemporaneous with t h e establishment of coeducation in colleges, and no doubt re~eive.d _its inspiration from ~he fa?t of the existence of men 1 s fra. tern1. ties 1.n thes.e same coed11 cat ~o nal ~nstitutions.

For many years. sororities were confined to the s trictly collegiate institution, but, sir:ce tlv~ ~awn of t~e 20t~ century~ ~here has been a tencenc y toward the esta bl1shr•1ent o .c s pecl 3.l soro 1~ 1.t1es, ":' lth inembersh i •1 m nf i ned to n spec i a. l ttrPe of school. f!"h~ re are nm'! 1.n AX is ten ce t~J O gP.11 eral clns s e s oi soro 1"tities, t hA non-) rofe ss i on al c-:.cl. th~ · ·n of essi ona l . I :1 ·~-•.lc ivrn er '.JP.lone those l'ho ·-; e brc-m chcs a re rJho lly i rL the stri-ctl ' ' colleeir- ·ce uF·d ·vntion.

In the ;?rofessional cl ass r.·,a"!f l •c .-· :;:- ot'.. ") e~ ~ hos e that :rE s -G ric t ·che ir Tile rJbers h i p ·co -:;-~ den t s in ~~r~') e c ial .....

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- .. . . , , ~~. ·.:p:_ c~ l e s s ch o•1.·-, <» I .,: P. •... lC 1ne, mus 1e .:~. nc , ::;e uagogy ..)

Fro~ the beginning of time religious te achers have sought to make men v1.rtuous az: l1 hap:py b~r. pre3enting truths through visible symbols. Th~ great.Py~hagor~s ve1.le ~ ~is most i~portant precepts in allegory. :L~e anc1.ent Patr1.archs d.e11.vered the1.r prophecies symbolicall .

The great 1~acher the v:orld has ever knovm spoke in parables. To one broug~t u~ 1n_a church wholly l a ckinG in symbolism, the services of one. r7ch 1n r1. tual rpay seem tires om and meaningless , v1hile to one fam1.l1.ar from early childhood with the deep significance of every act performed during the ceremonial there are given the inspiration th noble dec~s, the strenE~h to meet temptation. There a re those ~ho ccn O:Oilll!lune w1 th the r.iost H1gh in the secret chambers of tha!ir ovm hearts, but there nre others who neecl for their best avmkening to have their r~aker ~ymbolized.

To some the use of 1 ighted t apers on the nl tar may seem l1ttle short of idoletry, but to others this symbol speaks most powerfully, for in the wax, product of virgin bees, they see the Body of Christ, ~n the "Wick of reed, product of pure water, His Stainless Soul, and in the flume the Supreme Sacrifice that brought Light into a world enveloped in the blackness of sin, sorrow, despair ana death.

Nearly all orders, reli gious or secular, that have as their foundation stones the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Men, have some methods by which they try to visualize to the physical or the spiritual eye the principles for which they stand. Hence we find such organizations as the ~.,rnsonic Body employing suggestive symbols. The college fraternity seeks to e:A'l_)ress its ideals by means of a badge and a Greek motto, ~vhose initials alone are known to outsiders. Only a very few fraternity nottoes have ever been given to the public. One is that of the fraternity estnblished in !b776 and known as Phi Beta Kappa. Another is that of Delta Upsilon, The fanner was once a secret fraternity for men only, but, beco~ing in later years an honor society for both men and women, it gave to the pnblic its motto--"Philosophy ·is the Gui de of Life". Ilel ta Upsilon, u fr nte rnit ~r f or ruen has always been 'non-secret', [.>.nd disple.Jrs its mo tto--" Justice is our Founc1ation"-on its badge. So far as the meanings of the secret mo ttoe s ['.re con:-cerned, no Christicn mother nee d haYe the sli ~htest anxiety Lbout all owing son or dauehter to j oin, f or the thou ght hiocen away in the Greek letters is alme>st inv a riab ly taken fror:: the New Testament, or else it is an ethical teachinG from the Hri]ings of some ancient philosopher. Three frnterni ty b<.>.ggss displ ay the Cross as a pror:1 inent symbol and one us.es the most ancient symbol of Christ as its badge.

Inquiries in the case of sororities have elicited the infommation thnt the majority are distinctly Christian, while the others call themselves lethicalf.

Sore>rities were establishe d prima rily for the purpose of interesting girls in one another and in a common ideal. ~~ i:e these de siC:erata have always been the goal of these organizations, there are :·:· many other benefits that accrue to the membership. A society, properly organized and carefully supervised, offers rnany opportunities £or getting acquainted with business methods, for serving on committees, for having a share in simple, wholesome pleasures, for taking part in more ?retentious social affairs. A sorority inspires a girl with confidenc 2 in her own ability, arouses her pride in her school and sorority, nnd ~rges her to take a prominent part in student activities, as well ~s t o mLke high grades in her scholastic work. · Sorority training strengthen8 character, teaches poise, stir,mlates individuality and develops charm, all valuable assets that mean success in life.

Ida J haw r.iart in.

GREEK··LE~TER E1P.ATERNITIES

rest The fact upon nhich all fraterni tics is· expressed by the truism that "man is a social being." Bring together a thousand student~, or even n score, ana · they will begin to arrange themselves in part1es .. cliques, and clubs.. Social clubs, 1 i terary clubs., athletic clubs, Wlll at once group tncmsclves around various centers, like c:ystals a~out a nu?leus. College officers n~y lament th~t students u1ll not Slmply o~c1llate betTI0en their lodgings and lecture-rooos; but human nat~re 1s too strong; groups of some sort are inevitable. . . .1.To17, fraternities reduce the evils ~ rising out of these to. a m1nu:mm, t~.nd produce s one results undeniebly good. The first po1nt to be noted is, that r.rhen one of these inevitable associations takes the .form of a college frcternity it oust cease to be a mere temporary club. It h~s ct once ~ reputation ·to make and rneintain. It must hold its orm agninst rivcl frc..t c rnities. The badge Vlhich .cach mc~ber 17ears fixes h}s responsibility; to be less then a gentlc~an is Lo disgrace it c.nd to · injure the fraternity. The sooe pri~ciple llhich led the hero of one of Balzac's nost touching stories to ley off. his ~ndge of the Legion of Honor 17hile suffering reporach, and to rc?lace 1t upon his bre~st, llhen ct the cost of his life, he hn d retrieved his ehD.rccter; . is, on a lo;ver plc.nc, o.cti ve r..nong students.

But the menbers Gf the fr a ternities are not only under ~his healthful pressure from -r.i thout; the ;y• arc gen~r£'.lly under good lnfluences from within. Very soon after a fraternity is founded it hn.s ~body of graduntes sobered by the duties and experiences of life.

This body very soon outnumbers the undergre.du nte De mbers. These g r n.du o.tes n~turnlly sc~n closely their brethren in the colleges, and ~re the first to condemn any conduct anong the m likely to injure the fr~ t c rnity. No c~pter c~n afford to lose the approv2l of its g r Gduo tcs; e very chc.pt e r must m2. in tain such c. character thGt the grc.du c. tc brotherhood n ill be willing to recommend it to younger men entering college , to send their pupils or sons into it, r.nd to contribute to building or other expenses rrhiob vrould bc r- r too heavily upon the undergrP.du. ute members.

Hcre ::1is a vr>.st diffe·rence betv,reen res::;>ecte.blc, r>err.1n.ncnt fraternities t:!nd ".ll te:Iporary clubs. A t ~~?icc.l result of the desire ?f undergrnduc.te nen bers t9 keep the UP:?rovn.l of their grc.duc te brothers lS ~ een in tl~e fc.ct thn.t intoxicating drinks ha ve been rigorously excluffed fro.m the chc.pter-roor.1s of all fr['.ternities I hr:ve knonn; fre- · qucntly by the vote of undergraduates not thcnselves ~bstnincrs. On the ·other hand, it is Pi thin oy kno77lcdge th 2..t te.t:l:!"lorc.ry clubs forncd onong students -:;ho hc.ve not entered fratcrni ties--clubs hr.ving _no reputation to maintain, no responsibilit;jr to ::ny fr e.temit y., Lnd under no healthful influences from grcdu2.te ncnbers--hnve often becone ~cesSively convivial. · · Whi!h~ college fraternities thus reduce the evils of student social groups, the:~ can be m~de n very useful c djunct in college disciPline. The usual chapter organization establishes c. kin~ of solidarit y between its tnenty or thirty undergradue.te members; nll nre to D. cert c. in extent responsible for ecch, nnd each for ell. I knO'fi tha t other coll e ::;.

Officers, cs well cs myself, · hc.ve nvailed themselves of the relation for the good of c..ll conve:rned. r.[ ore than once, uhen sone nenber of a fr c.terni ty has ·been c~. reless in conduct or stud:r, I have sunnoned s~nior ~embers of his ch~ptcr, discussed the mc.tter confidenti nlly rr ith t h en , dnclt u::;>on the injury the mtn ~~s doing to his frcternity, 2nd insiste d thc.t it must reform hin or renovc him. This expedient hcs often sucoeeded vhen ell others hcd f~iled. The older oenbers of various fr ~ ter ­ lli ties hqc frequently thus devotej themselves to the younger in D. nny ~hich uould do honor to a brother lcboring for ~ brother.

It is ~ithin

my knovlledge that a considE:r:1ulc '1<u : 'u P ~ 01 voim[, non h~ve thus been

rencued fran courses ':'lhich ni5ht !lnve b r cn. c~t ~orror' to tl".enselves m1d to their far.~il ies. · . .

While the f:-atenities havo t'h~J. S '.J r.:>en !:lade useful to indlVldu~ls, ~hey have another use to the grea~ bod~: of American colleges tm1vers1 ties as ?- ~,h~le. On'3 of the les!J fortunate things in .Amer~can advanced educat1on :s thut the vn.rious inst1 ..;1~tion~ o:f lenrning m the coun,try are so sepnroted fro~ each otner b~r sp3cc end sect:lrian bias. In t!1C? St~. te of Ne\'"7 York, a very vEluo.ble institution the Board of P.eg~nts, in addition to other servicesr bri~g3 together, br.ce or t·.1ice o. yeo.r, representc.tivcs of c.ll the colleges, to discuss qncsticns )l 1 iving interest e.nd tc estc.bl idh ::>ersonal a.cqna.intar..ce; but i:..1 the Jnton at lo.rse there is nothing nkin ~o this. In England, the t\'70 greet universities are so nccr e~ch other, nnd so ne~r London ~s a r, ~nter, tho t there is no suc1: is ole t ion.

In Gemnny the uni versi ties nre Qll rrithin ~ ge~graphic~l sp~ce not so l~rge ns one of ou~ greet Sk,tes, and the s tudent.s pn!Js frc c:l ~~ i'rom one to c,nothe r. Here tho re i s r-.lnost conplete isolf.'.tio11, ::!n-:1 the larger college fraternities serve J good purpose in frequently bri~ging togethor menbers of the various institutions: graduates c.nd unecrt;rr-.duntes, professors c..ne students, thus meet, ~nd do sor:;ething to brce.te a conmor;. interest, cnc to :.rouse c. friencll~· feeling. . .

Severe 1 times, during visits to CxforCI. end Ct:nbridge, I ~ve been r>.. sked regr.rding thD · provision in Ar.:.e ri cc.n colleges for hec.l ttful sociol relations betv::reen tenchers,nnd t~.ug..l).t, ~nc betl!een older :me: younger s-tudents. In tmswering, I h~.:ve spjten of the chapter-houses · as to some axten t sup:;')l~ring in Ar.leric:::'.n universities r-·:1-at is given in the ~nglish uni"iersities by the collebe 'bodies, with tl::.eir se~c..r::te houses and frate;nal feelings. Ecch ~;sten enables a?icents to live in coofort~ble qrtarters nt noderc..te co~t, and nith nen in their purposes nnd cnxiou ::; for tteir success. :nw.t Ue.lter de ~~!erton h~d ir. ~inc ;1hen he estcblished the first of the colleges o.t Oxford seer:1s to be the vcr:J thing sought for in those oore hur.ble Anericr.n e strbl ishr:1cnts.

And ;-rhcn I told my questiotK rs thr..t the :Jer::bers of the frs.tern i ties '. living in various chapter-houses, though frequently visited in ~ socir.J! ':7C.:J by mer.1bers of the fc.ettl t~·, r.erc 1.:tnC!er no control in orc'tinar:.. r.:cttcrs sr"ve their ovrn, thr!t no proctor or ta tor 1 t-red nith then, thr:t no gc.te-boo~ -r.cs kept, there ~c.s nn €'xpress ion of greet surprise. *in teres·~· It seemed impossible to the collese officers c.. bon~ nc. thc.t a bndy of t~enty or thirty undergraduc.tes, livin~ together in a house of their onn, could thus be t~~stcd. I cns~er~Q th~t tcey could be trusted. I c.nsr1ered that the~? could be trust eel, t':'l~t the trt'.St tl:us reposed in the::.~ n-~s c.n eiuc?ting force of hie;h vr-luc, r.r.d tr..rt I sho1~ lC.. ot be sorr;; to oec the ·.·.· r.olc body of students in the univarsity ,··ith . i~h I ~~s ca.nnecte~ dividtd into f~~ternities, eech living upon t~c iversity grounds in its o~..n l1ouse, nith !'ull res?onsibility for its ~eepillB and chnrncter, und never to be i..~terferee r:rith until it prov~d its i.nC~pc.ci ty for proper self- eovernmen t. . . .

And no\·,, na to the rrgur.lents -.... sed :::gLi:-...st the frntern1t1esl ere n:-e .Jsever~l entitled to ca::-eful ~ttentio~., ~he firs'&. gcncr~ll~· · 3 , th3. t they ure secret. Regr.rd1ng ~h 1s. I th 1n...-: 1t r:.r.y l:; e just;ty .:id tho.t their seerecv is r.::.ther n-:>m1nnl thnn re-':".1 . . Th0r~ r re fcvl ~ntivc officers in our lc.rgcr institutions of lecrnt-:c; •; •110 h~vc n0t fn i:r knonledr;e of the int crior orgrn ~~r'.. ti en ::.nd rr ·;:,r;tiJ?-C cf those n i th ~h ich the:v 1:~vc to Go. Their secrec:· l.S . ;,:encrf.'~ l~T :'1oth :n~ oore than r>tn i,...,..,. th c publiC the mo-tto for '!ih lCh the l r letters S tr'nC., ':'.n-: the ir~ctf:o; o:f their litercry nctivity._I cor..fess_/1yse~f unrbl e t,o seo ho;,·. ~~~~ion er-n be rrised ~3 .t? the1r ~1ght o~ ret1cencc on tnc se .::>o~n~~ .. \,1..... "' . .~':.ll cr.1inent .Americt n d1v1nc, thn her-d of one of the l ~ rgcst ne ~:-·

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~nglond universities, npcnking upon t~is ~u.e;n't i~ n ~ s a id,,: " I f I uni te ~7 1th o. O.ozen f .riends ::>nee ~- ':"'eek £or .o oc i a l or 1 i t e rary improveme n t,

I knoi'T of n·o lau, hu.t1an or divine, tha t coc.'~)e ls :::1e to g ive an n cconnt of my doings to Tutor Tidb~ll. rr · Agnin, it is said thnt the graternitiPs produ:::e nrrro'l!2es :; nnd cliquishness. But do not we err in ettribu ting to the fr e. t e rn it i c~ 11ho.t is frequently the outcome o:: L'ldividnul ch ..~. r ~ cter? Coming on t o:: church, once, after he~ring n clergyman prench a sermon which shor.ed the nost asto~~ding narrowness of vision ~nd thought, one of my neighbors s~. id to me: uThat sernon of the Rev. Mr.---- does ne>t . surprise me.. \ie \7cre meobers of the same fraternity in coll ege, and he regarded all students outside of it v1:. th abhorrence or contem pt, just ns he now regards ail people outside hj.s sect. ·' In this cnse, s s in meny others, no.rrom ess >JUS e.n :.r1d i v~dual characteris~ic wh ieh \7 0uld bove betr~yed itself under e~J aireurnstances. · Objection is also nude on the s:co re of e::pensc. This obj ec tion takes tiTo ferns. First, it is said that the money giv en to fratc::ni ty purposes vould be more useful if nppl ied to sooeth ing else.

ThlS argun~t g.o es a great we.y .. It is equnlly good agninst en ting a sweet pot ~. tc ·br an oyster. Strictly adhered to, it v.rould reduce each of us to e. certcin nU.I:lber of ounces of the pln.inest food tha t 1rould m~inte.in life ·.

It is equnlly cogent against the V'le nring c.nything so_ve the roughest t:.nd most serviceable fabrics. Pictures, en gr r vi:1gs, beautiful books, 11orks of art, '"!ould be equally under the ban. It c ~.n be _used with killing effect ag~inst a ministerial tea-p a rt; or an nlntmi dinner; ageinst the greet rej ori ty of church bells and $teeplec; indeed, cgcinst every sort of edifice for religious ?urposes save an oblong boa m th square vrindoVTs. Methinks I hecr a voice, "Tilly was not hi3 ointment sold for three hundred pence and · giv.e n to the poor?" but ·t heo.r ru.so that other utterance, "Man shall not li~r e by· bread nlone." ~ Finally, it is said that a number of the most venerable .officers of American colleges have declared a gainst the fraternities.

ThiS is true; but it is quite as true that just ~s reny vcnerc.tea. o£.f.icers hn.ve declared agcinst other things in the develO i)L1ent of the · .~etic~n university system which have been este blished in s p ite of them_ ~d uhich have turned out to be blessings.

Perhnps one trouble with some of these excellent oen is thnt they nre so venera ble. There i~ · no steppin the progcess of colleges and universities thct has not beerr~ nost i"lorthy oo llegc officers. In such a we.y republ iccn government o.nd wery ·form of a.ssocie.tion into \'Alich men have grouped t~ens~lves, religious or politicv.l, have been argued .. The true qnest1on lS·, P.re the fraternities as a f~ct, under all the cJ.rcun~tc.n<?es of the cnse, nore . pe>rrerful for evil thll.n :for good? ~y· content~Of! 1s th~. t they reduce ~.t . t~in inevitable evils 1n college l1fe to a rn1n1~un, that they ? roduo& ~~od in many ways, and that, 'fThen college e.uthoriti~s deal 'I"Tith thern ·in a. la.~e-oinded spirit, they cD.n be rrw.de to do stlll · _more ~c0 d . *ea~ y opposed on cpparently c.o gent grounds . by most V~ orthy co.l

Andrew D. White, Ph.D.,

Former President Former u.

s.

Corne~l Arnbnas~d.or

LL~D ..

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Univeraity, to Geman: .. .

FRATERUAL ORDERS AHD ~O~AL ~':}CATION

As ~e view the history of the uorld and · note the adv~cement of civilization and the continual changing of public sentunent_caused th~reby, ue realize ' t~~t mankind has been continually a.dvo.ncmg to a h1eher and better state of moral and educational development. _Man today is better fed, more comfortably clothed, livinG under more_Just and ·huoane laus, ~ith more general education, greater love, aons1deration, and respect for his fello~en, and higher and ~ore exalted moral perceptions than ever before in his histor~· and still, · 'the· situation today i7ill lo,_k almo::;t barbarous 't"lhen thi~ period is retrospectively surveyed by those ~ho will be permitted to enjoy tho advancenent of centuries hence.

When the Order of Knights of Pythias v7as born forty-four ;eo.rs ago this mohth, a lorge part of the mr-st highly educated, ancl ·specially the religious elenent, of our people conde~nc. d fraternal or -ganizations as antagonistic to our forn of government, dangerous to our stabilit~ as a nation, n~d injurious to religious iceas and the advancement of Christianitr. Today there is n~ genernl opposition to these organizations, but, on the contra~J, they are nov recognized as a strong ally of the church ·nnc3. a pote!lt factor in the social, educetiono 1 and noral. advt1ncenen t of our peo~')lc.

By "fraternity" rre mean the associating of oen together into o. society or orgarnization hoving for its nltinate object and ::mrpo-se the cor.n:1on good of thenscl ves and of hur.:am ity; the pr ormlgation of the doctrine of the universal brotherhood of r!la:n; a joinint; of forces. to exe:r.tpl ify the Gallen Rule; to seek to build up higher ideals; · to exalt true nanhood; to strive to Da1te 1 ife a.nd the ".70rlC. "Jetter, happier, and brighter. This divine idea OI £raternity ·uas ni~en to the l-:orld by the Uan of Galilee, and since that date has joined hands ·.rtth religious teachings in the promoting of human hap 11iness and progre ; .

The conception of the Fatherhood. nf God and the Brotherhood of Man has been the beacon light that has led advancing civilization in all its 'hases. To these tiTo idees ~e owe all of moral good and true happiness that nankind has received. },or the purpose of ad vane i:ng and prorn'leatLl, this Christinn idea of the ~atherhood of God, various religious fraternities, or church orgcnizations, were from time to tine forced, and thereby bhe fundmnentc.l ideas of Christie.nity becaPe extenc.ed and the ~enerally accepted guide of a proper life Tine demonstrated that the Christian idea of fraternity could best be taught and advanced b!r t'he ·organization of those u!lo. loved this idea and realize 'l its benefits. This caused the> format1on of those societies knoiTn os fraternal organizations. At first these organizations r.ere :fe•·r in nunber and sna.ll in menbership, but 8.s thei :r l>enefi ts became better kno~-:-n they extended o.s the church.e s have C. one.

1 .7hile these societies differ in their nethods of organiza-tion, en d ...-; ~i 2. their fonns of initiation teach frate~nit:r to their· me:::1bers i1-: dii'fcr -:: ~ :: 7'ays and by ?ifferent lectur~s and object les~ons, still the ft;n~ar'.ent; <.:.: idea on \7h ich they r? &~:re created and for ,r,hich the~/ have a place 1s id.cntiell. That fraternal society is the best--that is, st~~ nc:s the i1ighest in the personnel of its nernl::er:.Jhip, th e influence it e:..: ·~ =~s, ~.nd the e3teer: in r.hich t'he ov.tside ·.-,o::-1-cl.. holds it--:-th:.;t 1:10<:3t i'o:rc~'. 1: 1-.~ lr.1presses its neobers ~ith the ct.octri'Yle cf i'T o. te:::-nit~l. and cm~ses _ i"i.p · -; ~o ":Jractice it in thoir every9da:7 lif~.

Fraternit~' . e.s thus t :. -' ,j i'lt, neci\.s to iD:press upon ~he ~1c rr:bers of these orrLnizat~ons tho..~~ t~~~-T O'I'/ •J ~ duty to ther.1selves nr..c to their fe~lm7 :-.e~ .. T11at 1n c~c1cr to ..:.1v e '-'hc:p)~'" 1 'if!? the~:- shc'Jl~ be tcr.. per-ate 1n all "h l:n.:; s; shonlc. . obe? the ~or a.l la..-.' in ~11 its p ·rece·1te; should observe all the obl1cat1ons of ,_ife. r;tic1'2 .includes the o'. :.J.ir-?tions to the fraternit y ;:,.nd its :-:cr.:te r ·-

ship, the obligations to society, tr.e otligc ticns as -a child a hu ~­ ~O.!_;d. a~d o. paren~, th; obligc.tions to the lz.v, ane to their c~untrJ,

~~ the~r ?bligat1ons ~ o the Supreoe Being above. That the~ shoule rega.rd the .&.r fellow non as brother • . anCl. exemplify ta ..i ard s h ir. t~e les~on of the Golden :gule; teat they should treat bin honestl·- in all b-:1s:ness de~lings; shon:d not i.'l'ljure his good nane· s~ould endeavor l~ f~r as ;ossi bl ~, to ai1 hin in his laudable uncl. ~rtalt ings; and h e ip :~ ln every po~Slble ~ay.to be a better, happi~r, and tore worthy ~.~1t1zen. This lS the 1deal ~ratemit~... and if these lessons became the se:;e~ally accepted en~ 1 ived.-up-~o rule of conduct, '.iha t a . d ifferen~ 11orld . .,hlS 't7ould be. It lS not CJ.a.lrlc>d that the r.:illions of r.1en, who ill thlS ~ountrJ alone, ~reconnected u'ith these fraternal organizati:ms , live str1ctly up to the teachings of these Orders, but it must be ad~itted that they have all baen benefitec because of the teachings of the; have received in tr.e lodge roon, n.n d are better and morn.l men, ~ith higher ideals of life, nnd that the general average of citizenship has been raised by .their connection there7li th.

It is herd for those v; ho nrl) not connected with sucb aociet ies to realize i'."hat an educc..tionnl feature they are to :;hune men.

The l~nrn in;; of the ri tnal is tic lectur{)S, the familiarity V7ith pnrl iamen tary rules. and partie i-;;>ation ir. bn siness duscuss ions, have sp lendidly developed. and started on tl1e road of self-education mcny d~­ pri ved of other educational o:rnjortunities.

There is absoln tely nothing c onnectea \'iith these organ izations that is i.mnoro.l, d emordL iz ing, or G.egrac.ing, but on the contra!J all their teachings and influence ten:1 to elevate and inprove; to instil higher and nobler idealg of life; to b~ild up truer manhood; ~e to inculcate a higher respect for v·irtue and r:orali ty. By their conpanionship 17ith each other, the ner.ters learn to res~ect the thouGhts ~nd feelings of others; to cease those habits or that conduct th~t offends; and to kindly persuade their brothers in t1~e loC.ge to C.o the sam~.

For the young cen just entering the battle of life, especially those vrho have departe-d from hooe and hone environ...":!en t, these organization~ have done much to kee~ them fro~ tenptation ~a to hold then to proper c-onduct and noral influences. Close ties of friendship are formed that add l!lUCh to the sunshine ·Jf life. In the cheri,table \70r lr that is a part of the teach 1ngs of all these organizations, selfisnnes ·~ is curbed and the henrt softened on~. -aarrnecl. tot·JarcLs those in affliction, trouble or distress.

Charles · A. _B arnes, Supreme Cl"l.ancellor of the J:Jlights of Pythias; THE BENEiiTS OF COLLEGE FRATERNITIES

The fraternity sives its menbers c hone end cong0nial as3ociates r:rhen he enters college.

It sets be~ore hir. noble idea.ls of !.1 ,:· hood cne. hish incBJltives \Thicil help dra.-:-.. 01..1t tt:e best thr-.t is in hiD .

It spurs hin ~n to excel in scholarship end in other brenches of unte r· graduate activity. It sets a [:uard over his conduct lest he brinG re ·~roach upon thC"> pin he r:ears \ r i th sc r:uch prif..e.

In t he r.:onr> ger:e:1 t o £ its affairs, 1 t gives a practice 1 business trc in ing. 'l'he c h.ap ter h 0\1':i,:is nlr:ost ~horne for him, v.rith ell t 'c.e inflnr.:? nce for r;-0od r.hich t"i'l i s ~pl ie 9.

Its int ercolle6iate feo tu ~· r broe:..d ens hi 3 v il7'.7 a f the ednc2. tio:r.~l \70rld and renders doubly plez~ s nn-: h is :.e c tings ·71th colle ge r.l € :'1 c:!.l thr L'..'.Gh his li:fc. :!:t giv·es hin t he tenefi.t of acqu a intance 11 itr. :ur: :;- alrn:mi, ~ distinct bP.3i::ess :1sset nhen h f.' ente!'s upon his life ·.-.ro · It zives hie preciaus frien d s~ips -tich - ·ill be ch erishe d among his dccrc>::it !)03sessions -r:hile life reLair..s. · .Tnhn Cla ir :·1 inot, in 'rNe v1 York Tribun e :

TBE .AMERICAN COLLEG"B FftA'r~P.!:a~7 SYSTEM

In determining the desirabtl i ty or undes.ir~bil i~y of the collel?e fraternity syste.m in our c·o un·i::ry the qucstfon of l a rgest con~ern 1s--Can the college fraternity ~e made an ally in maintcining inl:ltitutional standards both tmivcrsal nnd p nl'ticular? · The ansVTe:c e; oro 1ng out of T:l.Y own Ob$ervations is an unqualified affirmative. Yes, the College Fraternity System has been, is now in many institutions, ~nd may b~ in all out colleges and universities n potent factor · in ::tudent .l1fe to compel o. fulfillment of the proper expectations of all f,., OOd people and to meet the demands of those immed ia.tcly ra~pons:i. ble t or college support. .

Giving conclusions out &f my personal experience, I have to say that I have found the fraternity~ po~erful agent in maintaining t~ndo.rds both of scholarship and morality.

There is , no body in the :;orld so ensily . controlled as a comptmy of college students when rightly approached with the proper appeal. The upper classmen among the undergraduatos when called upon with unassur.1ed c·onfidence by tbose in authority to see to it that men in the lewer classes take high rank in scholarship and maintain o character which shall comman~ respect, ~ill ~ake cnswer to that call in labors of ~ost effective compulsion llpon their. younger brothers. . ·The fraternity, too, is a most helpful instrurient in holding the student to his original purpose for the completion of his- col·· l.ege course. To r!ly persohal k..'l'lowledge it has often · he.ppened that a ~tudent has entered upon an undergraduate course of study expecting to oe in college for one year perhaps, or at the most f~r two, end by the ~fluence of t~achers, insufficient alone but pfttent when exercised . ~hrough upper class fraternity brothers, ·many of these young men have lompleted the requirements for the· baccalaureate degree.

1hc fraternity, through the influence of the upper cl~ssmen ~xerted upon the loi'Ter c lo..ssmen, is e. mighty force leading in the d. irec-· ~ion of conplete self-government, for its meobers go up and dorm the · mlks _of the coupus and in nnd out of college halls v:i th ~. consciousnes t: lf m:':nly self-respect unknown to those uho depert themselves properly !inply to avoid the penalties of institutional law.

I know of an institution 11here moral end religious excellcrH.; ls a matter of rivalry between the several fraterniti"'a locat e d tter0. ~egular systonatic study of the Bible under conpetent le ~ · dership in ell :raternity houses has made every org~nization u puisscnt ngent in pro:ulge.ting an,d establishing a lc..rger respect fo:r healthy and holy livir..g . · It cay be saic tllat all that is p~ssible to be obtuined ;hrough t:1. n~tionnl frat ern i t~r o.s ~n ally in maintaining ~nsti tution.s.l tc.ndo.rds eight be. secured t hrough the clubs or literar y societies of ;hose institutions which forbid the existence in their midst of the nn-ionel Greek-l~tter societies. True, the appee.l through club [lT... d. soei c · . if local ch~rn.eter r.1cy be made, e.s in the national frc.terni ty. throu gl:. ~P:~er classmen, through professors, r:ho are members t:nd through ['.lUJ.lln i if the institution, but there the p~rallel of possibilities ends.

The : ~~ t ionn.l fraternity by very rcc.son of its int or-st:::!. te chn.ructer ha.s c. ;;ip thct no local orgc.nj_zation or club of [J.. ny ch-:.rncter wl:atsoeve::r. : ~ Fu. ·qual. The Greek-letter frat e r n ·i_ t y '7hi~~ l c 2:1not 'be reach ed in the n.1J'e al made to it to be cone al. :::. lly :i.n :na in~n.j_n ing inst i tutior~:::'. l stand c.r di:. hrough upper classoen, throu t_;l'.:. p ".:' fe s so r s , or thr ouGh its O:"lTl :::1 ur!ln::. ~ be re2.ched by [m ::p}1enl ~~0 tho . c.l tE'": l ~ 0f the: frnt ~ r n i ty at 1 c.r go utside of the . P~- rticulo.r insti tu t1.c,n :or..ccrnc d. It lS r:'. u ell-k.no' m ~ct that every Greek-lett or fT~tarni~y ~rkin g nny r retensio ns uh 2. ~evc r ·.J no..tional ouality insists ·cl;. -..;.-'c univ s rs r.. l st L~~1 do.rd.s of ncholc.:cship r..r~· . . ~lit~". f>.s""·r:rell as p-::.rticul.c.r st ~n d n rrls, s hell b e observed b;)" it s 1..J

~ctivo cecbers in the insti ... ution in -::rh1 h i a chc.p rs .. ~17 ver; r~cently n frc-tern1t;- of n"!.tlon ro .tn no throurb 1 ~enero.l offloe:s _gcvc its ch~pt~r in on - ~ ·-: e br n't ot uni r:J tr. ~.neric~ ~ l101t of two · ceks to f~ll 1n 11n ·.·tth thor Cl!ir

of thnt institution under pcnclt· o hr. ·ing its ch:.rtel" rit ~he expiration of the tine for f~ tlur c to cor., ly.

Summing u~ then, on this poin l et it be ~L,h ~1 lVery national fratornitj gives its ~ncorse : ent to t· e ~~ r·t ·ell as to the universal ste.nderds of .runeriocn oolle cs . . ..

-: ~ding Greek-letter societies of At':erice ~ . ; n :::tiot:."'l ~n~c . nt) .:~cl4t6n record t!B ·favo-ring the honor 9 sten in ol"'sa r or. in 1nc~i on .; .nd in genere.l conduct. ~' ore th.~ th .. t, "9 :. re io s l -; nc e b leg isll'.t ivc enaotnent r.rny n t ion 1 fret ern i ties ~vc i r-.... r ~ ·. 'c inportcnce of stl'.nd ~ rds by cdo?ting syst ~s of r ep ort~ on c ol~re .r.ct nll their ohcp tcrs arc re~· ired to ~~ke 7 ita res, larit y .

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G •y Potter Benton, D. D., Ll.. · ?resident Universi~ of Vc . ont.

THE 'JOLLEGE FRATERNITY

Fraternity life in college .c.s n deoiC.ed hel t o ·.e. It pro!ilpted me to deiini te o.nd continued effort to tend r: 11 in n \Jl~ssoa; it led r.w to tcke ar.. :: otive ;>t: rt 1 the e::croiees of t .. e lege literury society to ~hie~ I be longed ; it c~ c _ e ~ e~br-o n~ of huncn nature inasmuch as I ~cs obs e rvant of th desi r ble rnd un~e­ sirnble qunlities of so~e of ~y fcllory-stude nts who ~ i~t be ~roJo ~e d for membership in the fr a t ern ity tn \'7r..ich I be longed; end, fin r. ll :;, but not to exhnust tho benefits t '..t t i.i i ght be n r.r:cd, it fill V G ~e o. c ngenial body of young associc..tes ~71tr. ryhon strong ti cs of fri ncls hi.:> ·.:ere fomod.

Soce influences the colle g fr~t ern i~ c~d U)On e cef t'.nolys is {!.lld deaoript ion. I hev-:? a17a; s f cl t t~l.!'t cont Ect ·1 t h ~y fellons in the close bonds of tho fr ate rni t:· g"..ve o e a fecli .g th"'t ~omething of ~orth ~~9 eA,c ct ed of ~e; in othe r ~ords, te e t I r.~s c ·1ected to "rmke good" VThile i~ colle e and :·f t e r l ec.ving c _ll e c · ~hese impressions ~nd influences c~n not be descri e d i n s ;t fc of np oech. They beco~e ~ p~rt of one's nental be ing j ust ~s "'- si ~ 11 ~ ed food becones n part of his 'hysic~l. ~lston Ellis, Ph .D., ~L.~.

President O~io ni~ersit .

"A goodly s.ho re of t.1e cr ed it fo r the i~prov e: r. ent in ,seholarship which has bc on goi ~G on unong ttc underg r c d~ ~ t v s J : ; of tho University of C~lifor :r1 ie. is d1 e to tr_c fr -: t e rnttie . I 'Jc:!.1c • 'the tine is not f e r d ist ant, ITh .n le s: ull ·eco,Jl. iZ~ .. he: Frn C T. i•; .:- s o. for!~1~l unit in ou r :uir~ inis:r ::- ti · s ~ s .•. . , ..7 en ~ecr. m:c orG. . :: · z.. · .. ill be c::nrgt\d :-i t L s ,ch r.~ t ~.o0. :r ~ o.~ of; !.C s:::x·r :sian of t~ st·1d :,~ ll s-f its "Je::1't:e rs -:nd pledge;. :: .d ·:-.en : : . ct::. · n 1r. 3uc .... ....: t ers rc::. : he ~ , · r.~ dro ,cinc of co ~ · n; 0 s, ' 1 r.. .' ::.:; -:· : n ·.: , .'ill b t..' r f c rr erl tn : .. ~ "rg::.. ::.'" (': ~ ior.. c:>nc cr c . " J

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WHAT A JURY OF l'WEL..lE THTITKB Vl.m. C. Levere, Director of the Fraternity Reference

Bureau~ addressed a le~ter of int;.uiry to twelve distinguished r.1en of th~ Un~ted States, ask1ng concerning their fraternity experi~nces wh~l~ 1n college and. their belief in the Greek-Letter System. The i r

follow. · Former Vice President, Charles w. Fairbanks gave as his verdict that the experience he had had convinced him th~t fraternitie were delightful, helpful, beneficial and a wholesome influence.

Newton D. Baker, Mayor of Cleveland o. stated that fraternity li~e br~ught ~ore benefit to him tha~ did his college education, that 1n fr1endsh1p and helpfulness it had proved a const2nt source of inspiration. .

Champ Clark, Speaker of the House o~ Representatives, sa1d that the best friends - he had ever made in his entire life uere those in his college fraternity, and that he still held the Tileasantest reco lleet iol!ls of his chapter. "' .

President William Shanklin of Wesleyan University stated that · he _would nev~r . be able to p-a.y the debt he. owed to his college fratern1ty, that 1n the college of which he is now head these orggnizations stand for the highest in every avenue of scholastic life.

Bishop Hamilton of the Methodist Church is decidecly in favor of fraternities. His decision was based on the close frien1.ship he enjoyed in his own and the personal, brotherly interest the older men took in the younger ·in helping them. He added that h e had found his fraternity helpful throughout his life, that he believed it bound men very closely to their co.llege days .. · Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, the widely known evangelist, declared that he. had only the best things to say of his fraternity as he knew it in college and afterwards, that be believed it uas distinotly worth ~7hile and that he hoped~exoeedingly that his son n i ght have the privilege of menbership. .

Richmond Hobson, the hero of Santiago, s poke of the neasu': of self sacrifice in the path of duty that he enabled to Bru{e largely en account of the lessons he had learned · in his fraternity hall.

Emory w. Hunt, Direot~r of .the American Baptist Foreign r.1issiona.ry Society, said that if he had to decide as to which he received the most g·ood from, his college or his fraternit y , tt 'l'l ould be hard to decide against the f'raternitJ., in f avor of the college.

Prof. E.A. Ross of the University of Wisconsin, stated that in his ~pinion fraternities improve manners and give ad.dress to a man, and are withal a source of pleasure anc companionship. · Bishop Hughes of the Methodist Church, President Heckert of Wittenberg College and Dean Cooley of the University of Mighigan were also distinctly in favor of the fraternit y s ystem. Mr. Levere r s ~ml tribute to the college fraternity is as follows:...: !Tin its most intimate essence the college iratemi ty appeals to all that is tennrest and choicest in the hearts and memori ~ s of those 11ho have been held by its ties. It is not so many years age that an intrepid explorer reaehed the great ~hite centre of the p~la ~ world after sacrifice an~ toil beyond imagina tion. By those Arct1c seas he 1 ifted high the Sters and Stripes, 2nd t hen, . bene~th ~hat, t ::r flag- of his fraternity. Surely there must be soneth 1ng fme 1n a b o 1~ which in the greatest monent of a r:1nn 's life, shall claim his allegiance and his loyalty.

"It is not so man :.r :; ea.rs ago th at a brave bo y lay d::inG <:n the pa-vement of a great city. A terr i ble f i re had destro~ed a t hcat :·( and hundreds had perishe d . ~~ - v:-as but a pass erby, but into t ee sm oke __and flame he had plunged aga1n and again until t \'J elve human beings ovl • ~p1n1ons

to hirl tl1eir lives. His last venture v.ras the trap in v-.rhich he hiLiself was caught. He leaned n.gr.inst tr..e sidewalk as life ebbed a-ray. ~~ey 0 :_:>cned. ~is ~h irt front and somcene tried to unfasten his' fraternl ~y Pl.n. ~1e ftngers, trembling and \7eak, slipped over it nn.d he r.h1spered, No, do not take that. · I love it. r A noment later he ~as white and forever still. ! tell you it is 'n ot the base and nicked i~stibts o~ our lives. in the hour ~ben the supreme call comes to u:J. Ta that dy1ng young Greek-Letter man, there came to co~~ort hi~ in hiz very last vision a great clustered nemory· of some of the sweetest and best hours of his life. · "It is not so rr.any years ago that a rr:.an came to overr.belning honors. It was the norning of the dny that he was to be inaugurated as President of the United States. Early in the norr.ing his \7ife had said to hizn, 'What jtrrelry VTill you rrec.r toG.ay besides your fraternity badge?' His a.ns\"'ler r1as 'Mother, I think th~t \7ill be quite enough. ' And so a fe\7 hours later "".ben he stood before a vast eoncourse ana 1 ifted high his hand t .o take tb& oath of office as chief ~agistrate of a great nation of the earth, there sparkling upon the lapel of his .coat v1as the badge of hi!:J fraternity. Surel:; there nust be sonething very noble, s~nething very great, something stimulatinG llnd sonething good in that ~hioh could 4'1laim· his affection in this the cro\ming mor.1ent of his distinguishet'. career. VTe, sons and c.aushter~ of the Greek spirit, understarttJ. these things. We k.n0\7 thet the college fraternity is an institution i7hich harbors those things of the spirit, '. 7hich are the nearest and. dearest treasures of the soul."

GEf'R~

ADE SAYS

"The most pleasant and the most helpful friendships of ny life were forned in the chapter ef ny college fraternity, so I an

very strong for the Greek-Letter Societ:r. After a nan has been a member of n good colleGe society, the ~ig fraternal orders seen like ove~­ gr•rm imitations." So thorough a b•l iever in fraternities is George

Ade that he cave $11,0~0 to his hooe chapter to buill! a house, in . . · order that the undergraduate members might h~ve a hone in the best · sense durinG their entire college course.

PRES !DENT HADLEY OF YALE

MLLEG~

STATZS

nA ~y goes to •ollege not r.• holly for the sake ~f pur- . suing certo.in studies, but for th'£1 sake of breathing a certam atno-

spheret of competi•g for certain traditional re~ards of underg!udvete fife, of entering societies that his _father hc.s kn~rn and neet1n; certain :oen or the successors of certa l.l'i nen, r.·hor.1 h 1s father has net· Such un ~tmosphere. and such intangible op?ertunities. cannot be c~~ in a d~y. rr FORMER PRES !DENT :.ILLI.AM H • TAF'.[I ~AYS

rrThere has been s omc _agitation :: r:a.inst these successful fraternities, base~ on the theory that ~e ~;st ~~l b~ ~n ~ de~a level, thnt there can be no distinctions, based on r.1er:1.., . dl;rat makes ~he:~ ·.• orld a living, gro-rring thing ~-s n?t that."'~ are based on c-qu~l1 t-~, · 1-t.......

There ·'m,19 t be 1.necmc.l1t'i o f rewards to stHJ.ul'""te bu t on 1.nequa 1 :; · ~ f t cr~i,um:ln na t ure to hl"~her ana.· r~e~tcr thinrs.

It lS Sald that ra cs • , <~· - .... ·~ "' · f r:itieS create bad feelin/':3 Dnonp.; ~he ~tu~ents, _b~?ca.use s~:.1e f""1l o _ _ t 1· to -,en bership. 'I'he col lee;·: ·1 s lJ he ep 1 tone ~f l1fe, li:qd d lS 01 ec. on t ":Je worst th tn t:: thnt, can hn;>. oppo1nt::1en t s ···th e~.,...e are not· bn .) o..--'- ~ 7. .. ,e<ms . t 11 pen to a nan. I )mon it; : : hc:.ve tr1t>d 1 .

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l'JHAT T 70 1J!HV1~RSITY Y~SIJ)EIJTS SAY s~id

Provost ~dgnr F. S~ith of the rniversity of Pennsylvania, recently at ·the erose of Chepel Services, "Boys~ when ·you leave this auditorium, you "17111 be met by

the r~pres~ntat~ves of thirty-two Greek-~etter Societies heving Chap-

te rs 1n th1.s Un1.versity.

May I of"f er you one or t m"" thoug};Its?

First, I hope that all of you mQy become members of these Greek-1etter Societies.

These organizations, in the University of ennsylvania, have been ·the centre of goo~.

They have nothing in them ~hat tends to destroy chuacter, but, on the contra ry, the memP-rShl.ps of these organ-izations seek to help build up character.

I :r1 everyone of the houses uhere these fraternities live, you u ill find them looking after the younger men, making it a point to see that the co their scholastic work, ~dvising them about good company that they chould keep.

In other nerds, good influences a re being cc.st ['.bout all the members off these societies.

You will be bidden· to luncheons, to dinners, and to partie s of ~ 11 kinds within the next four weeks.

Accept the invit a tions.

Go, but make it a point not to remain after n p olite period has pass eC .

Go to your rooms; take up your studies.

Conduct of t his kind u1l l sh~w a t once th~t you are u orthy of considera tion for membership.

I am c:ui te sure that no effort will be mf'..de to \'l in you away from your studies.

The frieno.ships formed in the Greek -],ett~r Societies a re lusting. ·. -f c!:!.rn tod a y QS enthuoinstic 'on the subject as I ever 11as · I feel ·that I owe<.'. debt of grctitude to I!lY old coll ege fraternity th~t I can never repay, end bec ause o.f the gooG. th:::.t I experienced cni which I have observed throughout r.ll the yen rs of my connection Jith the Universit y as ·emQnat1ng from these Societies, I feel tha t I would hnve you enjoy o.. like experienc~. " ~

snys,

Bishop

~arren

A. Candler, Chancellor of

Em~ry

University,

"My -~xperienc e P,S a student <:nd [).C the president of a c .ol l~ g ·­ le2.dS me to b ~ l -~e v e ·~1:. -?, t the rxreP.k-:.etter :' :r r te :.:ni ties r r'l cn :; s t'll Fntr:· ·i:r. i.nstitut'1&ns of l eo rning rno.y s erve very ns eful en d! .

"Vlh en I rm s c: · stu dent in c olle e e 1 n ot<!cl tlu:t t he fr o. t e r!". i ·· t"i.:e f ,-,, el~ e centres of int e llectuL:.l nn d m~r::>l pm.r<3r.

C"h...Jy sup ~.rv is ~~ t'"l e i ::- r,1 enbe rs en refull y , st imul n. t ed them t o c1 il l ie; ., n :c · ill th !: i r 'l t? Y\., 2111 re s t n., ined the m y:hen th ey sl; D':Je d o.ny <1 i sp as it i an to o8 r ~ l n2.-;_r..rc.r ': noss Drr ine the pa rt ~ of oy life s~ent o..s the prc ~ 1~c n r f ~hi~ c~J ll e ge I h a v e rc 1 i ed upo n the f raternit ies f Jr he l i n h ::llc i..~ t r atuC ent ~ of y to ~ lin e s ~f lif e, and I hcv e n cvar ~cen C1sny , o · n ~ .Ji.tllout a n e:.:ce:._) ti'(m they Here a l nays re "dy t e c. cccdc t v r:y r e r.""J.cLts <.1. nc. thus I br o·,,cht to bc 2 r s ~ vin& influ en cc3 t · ~:;n Pr3r mc::.n:· ::> ~u.C.e-n.t s J i~h..,ut s ho ,-·in 8 t he hc.n d of <J ff ici a l dis cip lin e.. ~i.. '1:-'S r..·r:J ;} ~ l i.:;, -:: lw ~"'. Y'J i.o !.C ''e::v c of fici .' l a cti on a.s th e l'"'. s t r c: ~ c~- r in fll'...":.J M S:" a:~L the Ulfln cn cc of th r. Grec l-:.c tt c r .::·r a. tc i-nit:]..C S h c l~ oc~ nr , .; rv ~J. t' h :~l :ila~.:in [: ~m ch _:~ :lol i. -.:y Sl cces .:- f1: l-

ALPHA SIGMA ALPHA .

. . .

Alpha Sigma Alpha, founded November 15, 1901; at the 1rg1n1a State Normal School, was the last of four to claim that tniti~ution as its ~irthp~uce.

The three others were Kappa Delta, organized n 1897, and S1gma S1gma Sigma and Zeta Tau Alpha established in 189!. ~l_four wer~ originated with the very definite p~rpose in view of pro~dlng: soror1 ty a.ffil iation for Southern girls and in the 2-ssured bellef that there was a •defin i te need for such prganizations. The Sout h ho.d many _colleges for girls_, . as wnll as many f amous fitting ')Schools, both dat1ng ~ack to the earl y p B.rt of "'che n::.ncteenth centr. :ry , but groups apply1ng for cha1·ter~ from well··kn~ "1 :N orthe rn sore ri ties hat l"l.i th_one exception, failed to attain their goal. Pi Beta Plil.i hades~ tabllshed a cha?ter at Newcomb in 1891, but there were no other grants to Southern g.r oups by that or any other Northern Sorority until after the Virginia societies had t~ken the initiative. Kappa Kappn Gamma, to be sure. had maintc. ined a chapter at Missouri Sta te University since 1875, and Pi Beta Phi had enter e d that institution in 1899, but Missour j. is as much v7estern ns it is Sou: the rn. Even such other Southern sororities as had been founded prior to the Virginia group s had not begun to make themselves felt. Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu vrere still content with a locnl existence, Deltn Garnna, though founded in Mis~issippi, hc.d cor.1e to regard itself as Northern, Betn Sigma Onicron had confined its grunts to Missouri, uhile Chi Omega vm s n s yet unknovm ~sa nationn l . · These four sororities established at the Virginin Stn.te normal School, then, ha d, as it seemed to them, the entire Southern field to themselves. It may seen strange at first thought that groups 3t a normal school should have had the desire or the ~mbition to estcblish themselves as nationals, but it must be rrnnembered that the school uas an unusu2l one und thnt it had e n unusual setting~ Virginic uas at the time a strong fr~tcrnity centre. Seven of its colleges for men had flourishing fro.ternity ch12.pters. One of them, V/illinm and Mary, had ·been the pa rc::nt in 1776 of t he first Gre ek-letter society , Phi Beta Kt',ppa, i7hile the Virgint n Hilitary Ins-ti t ut e h c d given birth to Alpha Tau Onega in 1865 and to 3igma Nu in 1869. The University of · Virginia ho. d a lso g iv en t Ho t o :IF!llns, Pi K2r pa Al p ha in 1868 a n<1 Kappa Sigma in 1069, o.n.d Washington an d Le e one, Southe r n r:ap pa Alpha in 1865. The girls in ~tt endance a ·!.; the :Mirginia Sta te .n ormal School i7ere in many cases th e dnu ght e rs 2n J ::; tst e ;.~s of fraternity uen an d therefore familiar ni th the frat ernity id ::~ sinc e e3.rl y childhood. It vras in no rrise, then, a p e cu liar circunstance tha t groups of these girls should plan to establish nationa ls.

All four sororities start e d ou t r.1ost bravely to establish chapters and a ll four n et Tli th s1:.ccet> s . Vi i t L in t en ye::: rs th ey h~ d together established forty chspte ~ G. Tney ent ere d colle ges, univ e rsities and finis ·hing school s , s ecktng al i'Jay s tn e g irl of fine fm!lily, good brains and persona l attractiveness. The fo ur mot h e r chapters ha d studie ' ~ heir field c a r e fully and f e lt tha t s u ccess 17a s a ssured, but th ey had !lOt taken in to a ccouJlt on0 :fc:wt, and th~ t -.:-rus t he Nationa l Pan-Hellenic ~ongress.

It is not strcn ge t ho t this f a ctor did no t ent e r into th e ir e;o lculations becn.us e it had not bee n in e...;::istenc e \7hen t hey n ere foundc.\ ' nor for a considcrcble time ['. ft crwards. The r e he d b een '3 one tE'..lk of J c.n-he llen i sm us far back as 1891, b:J.t it h<::d ~ot r;,o ounted to anyth i ne; , ·.,. n deed t he Conf e ren ce cnlled in 1902 did not be g in t o make its elf f e lt r:.s a f;rce until 1905, 11b:m it a dop t e d a constitution 2nd defined a ·, mtional sororit ~r :;, s one h aving five cho ?t e rs, all a t institutions of ~olle g iat e r oo k~ I~ 11~s not until thre~ or fou r ye a r~ l~t ~ r, ho iJeve:r, that t h e Yirg inio soc1 e t1e s b e ga n to realJ.zc the f u ll s1 gn1. f1cance of t h at dec is ion. Zeta Tau Al p t a, o. t it s co nvention i n 1906 11as t he fir s t

to r::tise its educatio:n2.l standa rds by o_ropp.ing froc its roll all chn-;~ ­ ters r:o~ located . at ?Olleges.. S ighla S igr;1a Sigma soon fo lloiTed 7Ii th a dec1s~on to en"ter l.nstituttons of collegiate ran k onl:v, but it felt forced 1n 1911 to make a distinct: chang e in policy by dropping its college chapters :and confining future grants to normal schools. The 1911 convention of Kappa. ~elta voted to ma intnn a strictly collegiate roll, so as to beco~e eligible to membership in the Congress.

Alpha S1gma Alpha VTas the slowest of the four to recogniz e the r:evr order of things, and it ras not until its 1912 convention, 17h ()r.J. ~11 1ts college chapters asked for an honorable release that the so r:):·ity realized that it vias facii.1g. 8. crisis in its affair~. By that tirJ0 lt had.esta~lished thirteen cha~ters, but one after another, with the e~cept1on o~ the Mother Chapter and the three in colle ge s, h~d been k1lled by anti-sorority rules made by faculty or trustees, or had di ed because the meobers had failed to return to school. The convention of :!.912, understanding the handicc.p s under '7Th ich. t he three collegi a te chapters were laboring, granted honora ble dismissal to them but the v·irgin ia Chapter very generously decided to tnlte no step to~ard furthe:·· ing its orrn interests until the future of its children was assured.

After giving its Rondolph-T.If!con Cha:J te r to Pi Ec t c. Phi in 19lgj and. its Brenau nnci Mt. Union groups to De 1 t a De 1 t a De 1 ta in 19iC4, the rio the r Chapter began to tclr.c vigorous action in i t s own behnlf.

Negotintions \'!e re o:,>eneC! Yl i th local t;ro 1.rps a t state nor!:~al schools in Ohio, ~Jlissouri md Pr.:mns ylvnnia . The convention for ther e organization of the sorority me t r.rith the g rou~) a t :Uam i University during the Thanksgiving ·.7cek-ehd. T1ns -r:Tc.s the Seventh Nat ional Conv cr.. tion, those previous hnving be en held at Cha rl eston, 1906, Asheville 1908, Natural Bridge 1909, Ec. lti r:lOre 1910, Toxavmy 1911 and n orfolk 1c:n ·: The ruami Convention was n~turolly the most signific211t of ::::.1 1, since it [l.doptled ['..TI entir ely diffe rent constitution ~C. a very r.mch more el['. bor~ tc ritual, and sinc e it me-de m2.ny other v it~l change s in the stru ct u re, s ymbols nn.d customs of the sorority . · One of the f irst ac1s of th e convention 11as to restrict ch a rter gr"nts to norma l sch ools e.nd teacher r.~ colleges th et t require fourte en units for ma tricu lation. There are a t r;, rescnt fo u r chapte rs, A, Virginia 3 t n t e No!'!"1 c:: . l School, AA, Miami Unt vc rsity Uoma l, AB, 11issouri Stc.te Horr::al School at Kirksville, AG, Pennsyl vnn in State Normal School D t Indiana.

There nre a lso fo u r alumnae associ[l.tions. Scverul a,plicat i cns for cha rters a re under consider' tion from norn al schools nnd L~or:: a lur.mae e;roups.

The ba dge is ::;. s~1 i c lc ,_rith fo u r conc a ve sides, p l n. in or je1.7cled, and b ea ring the soror:. t y l e tt e rs, ['_ st c: r and a crorm oi gold c·. a field of black en mne l. The pledge pin is similarly sho;pe d, br!.t slightly small e r, enane lcd in c :~ im son, ';7 i th the l e tt e rs in silv e r. ~h e flag is a crimson Phoeni:;: on nn oblon e; fiold of pe v.r l r.h ite. The co::t-:of-anns is n ~ -· ·.hiel<i of '.7h it e b ee.ring a c ·.: ·i mson _Ph oenix , r::nd surn oun1;e c:._ by n gold cr\f. , lin ed ~li th crimson. The I'ho ::n :x, symbol1c of o.. J.?-G'7 life arisingif_ m th e old, is a.lso usf d as t h :; nnme of t11e. e~ ot el'lC 7eekly th [l.t th e soro r it;:;r publishes. The colo rs 2-r e p earl t-:h 1te, crimso ' ?alL!l green a nd gold.

The flo':re rs ar c the t7h i tc chr ~rsan the mux:: c. ~ he J.0.ffodil.

The jewe ls n r c tbe pearl :::nd t he rttby.

The ope n motco 1'3 .

"Aspire, Seek,Attain". i'he speci a l insi gn i a ::.r r a st a r, ~ cr~':m end t r_ ..?l1oenix. Ecrnes is the pc.tron, ft~d t he :!}rtlm , S[l.cre .a to h1m, 1::> the so r . rity tree. .Alpho.. s ig~o.. Alphll :'lo. s as its [',in the phys 'icnl, . in t cl_l e c·~._,c_l ooc icl "' nd. :m orc.l de":e lo pnent of its r:_embersh ip. It r e co gn 1ZC'3 tnc H 1rc ~ativ e need of o. strong tod:" cs c. d.nelling ,,lr.c e fo r n sc.n c nind .

It be lieves too in th~ irr,p ort r:nc .:; cf 2. he~.l t1::" socinl 1 :fe, l"'hilc at t ~1c S:?r:1C ti nl'i it iS COYlSeiOUS of tl~C VG.lue o:: fos~.;e:ring th e GC t-to ;:;e thcl~ ::nirit. Above oll, l:.oi.· Q ~." c r, . dces i t l ay s tr o:Js on cha rc.ct 0r ,,_s t hr: cs::: c ti!'J.l b6si~ of ft. pot cTJ.ti:J.t t' Or:!-:>.::lhoo d .

a:;

AIJPHA SIGMA ALFHA (normal) Alpha s ignc. Al;>hz. 17US founc.e i: t rrov em'ber 15 t 1901' at the Virginia State Normc.l Sc ~1ool, Jh·.r m7ill c , 7 a ., by Virsini a Bo y d., Ju~iette Hundley, May Hundl e y, Louis c Cox c.nd Ce.l vn We.tson.

It rcma.u:wd a general sorority until Novr:-mber 28, 1914, vrh en it was reBr·· gan1.zed ns a professionc.l sorori ~J 1: ith chnrt c r gro.nts linited to 1 tea~hers colleges end to nor!'1<:-~l schools thnt require for r12. triculatl.on a full four ;')"'ec.rs 1 cou:::-sc in e high school.

The chap tor roll is c.s follo'7s:1901.

1903.

1904.

19('15.

1905.

1905.

1905.

1908.

1909.

1909.

1910.

1911.

A, Virgini~- State Noru nl School ......••.•.......•...... 90 B, LCVJisburg (W. va.) Sern ino.r y (19"F) ........ . .....•... 22 G, College for 0 omen (Col~mbia{ S.C.) (1909) ..•........ 64 D, Mary Baldv.r in Scm inary (19\P J •••••••••••••••••••••••• 34 E, Fnuquicr Institute (Vlarrenton, v n .) (1906) . . . . . . . . . . 11 Z, Fairmont Sernir..at- (';insh., D. c.) (19()6) •.............•·'C8 H, Ward Seminary, (N~shvill e , Tenn.) (1969) . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 I, Randolph-Macon :~- o~t n's Coll eg e (1913) •........•...•. 50 SQE, Brenn:u Colleec (1914) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 KQ, r~it. Union College (1914) . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 GBS, St. Mc ry's School (Ral eigh, n.c.) (1911) ............ 44 M, Shorter Colle c e , (Rome , Gr: . ) ( 1912) ...... . . . . . . . . . . . 36 X!,HOcrnilton Scl:ool (\rksh., D.C.) (1912) ...•............ 9

1914.

1914.

1914.

AA, Hic.ni Un iV0TSi ty nor::J~ l Dep [l_rtment ..............• . .. 35 AB, ·St['te Normal Sc;1ool (Kirksville, Ho. ) ............ . . 130 AG, 'St2.te rrormnl School, ( I r.. di nn[l. , Pn. .) •................ 40

190~.

Active Chcpte:rs, 4; ino.ctive, l2: mt:mbers h i p , 763.

The chapters at Len isburc, Colunbi ::. , M n r~T Bc.ldl?in, ~nir­ Y!'lount, St. M::.. ry's nnd Shcrt c r ~ . i c d cs <:>. r e su l t of strict E.n ti-sorority rules hy the f &culties. ~h os e c.t :E'~ uqui c r, ~.rr. rd CJ.n d Hcn ilton l::psed oning to the f 0 .i lure of :Itc ~·2b ers to r e t n r n . \ih en t1: e s o rori t ~­ dccidetl to becon e p rofessiom:~ l, it r ele ase d its Ren dol:;::>h - Mc. c o!'.

Chc.pter to Pi Bete Phi, ~ nd t~ose ~ t 3rcna u nn d ~t. Union to Delt a Delt:'.. Delta.

The Mia.ni Cht.Ir> t e r v•c. s the outg ro·.::- t h of a lo ca l s0ci c t y Jmc'.7_ o.s Pi Tau. ':'he !Cirksville Chc. ptc r h u e. c x i 3 t cd o i :nce 1899 n. s Y.: o..p ~1c. ~heta Psi, nnd h r..d bc 2n t h ·J r:.o t~1c :: ch2.p t c r of f:' s e ction~ l s orori t ~r for a nuober of y cr: rs t"J i th bro.nc hc s i n Ion!l f'.n d Oltl c.hon n . The :L' cnns:ylv .::..nin. ehepter '\7 [-'. S estc.bli shc d ,.,_s G 2.~:1.::~r P i Ti e t n in 1911. ~kr: ;/ c. lu;,]n~e \7ere o..d.::~ itted '\;hen the se gr ou::"l s .::d fi l i cted. u ith Al pl1:'1 Si gnc. .~.lphP. .

The re £' re n. l urnn c.e ['.SS oc ic.tior.:. s r t I~ irl:.svi l l c , :·1Io . , Union ville, r.1o., Er_nnib c. l, .i'.~ o., Hoberl;:;- , : ~0 ., F-: r r.-:vill :-· , Vt.". '. . , iJ or fol :~ , Vn. . nnd 3'ring field, o.

Conventions hcv e bee n he ld Qt Cha rl e ston , s.c ., 1 906; Asheville, N.C., 1908; Na t ur~.l :3 r ~ dge , .Va ., 1909, Baltin ore, Ud., 1910; Toxa't7a~r, U.C., 1911; Horfoll. , Va ., 1912; Oxfor d, o., 1914 . It w~ s at the 1914 Convention t hat 't he d e cisi~n r.as r e a che d t o re st ri ct charter grants to sch~ols for th e trainin g of t e~che r s .

A magazine, cc.ll r; d. 'l1he ].:.e g is, ,.,as founded ~n 1906 end. continued until 1912. In 1 ~ 14, an e3ote ric, f o ur - page tieekly , The Ph oenix, 77n.s begun. It has prov e d. of u.r:.usun-1 v ::l nc t o the so rarit y during t'!le readjustment period. Tr,'enty -fi "'Z e i ssues n ere publ ishcd the fiT~t year and. plans ::r..ad. e fo r ~. !Duch l a r g e r nunb e !" t he next. A song book uas published iri 路 Colu~bia, ) . c., 1n 1910. Gnc a c a t a lo gue 1ras broug!:.t out ir.:. Bos t o n , rzs s., in l <.t15.

The badge is a co r.:.C r! Ve GC' U UY (' of bl a c l.t enamel d is ,l r.~; ing i rl gold the letters "ABA"; G. sta ;:- r.~1. d a oroi:Il. 'The ple age ) i n i J ~ gi~rdlarly shaped, but is of s ilver a nd. Enar:w l ed in crimson .

The recognition pin i s a ,gold Ph oenix. Th e colors a re -penrl \7hite, c:- w son, palm green an d gold. The :flo路ae rs a r e t he 71~ ite chrysant hcnum an d the do.ffodil. 路 The je11els n r .; the p e e. rl rn.d t he r n by .

The tr e e iG the ;}eln .

The pntrons arc Hc r r:-:e s nnd st. Val ent ine. The flag is an oblong of pearl 'l."".'h it e be a r i ng .a c :ri r:.1son Pho en ix. The co nt-ofarr:ls is a t7h i t c shield ben.ring .n crims on Ph oen ix [m d s urrno vn t e d b;; a g old crol'm lined l'i th criMson.

(From Baird's "He.nua l of Colle ge Fru -) t e rniti c s n--E.ight h Edition.

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