p. 14 | School Fraternities

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 21, 1910

School Fraternities

THE influence of fraternal societies in high schools and academies has called out much discussion from educators during the last few months. Starting more than a decade ago, these fraternities at first were regarded with unconcern, and on the part of many teachers and school boards were encouraged. It soon became evident, however, that these fraternal organizations were inimical to the best interests of the school, demanding time, energy, and money which the students needed for their class work; and in addition they served to create a spirit of snobbishness and caste in the school, engendering much ill feeling. This has produced strong reaction. In many States legislation has been passed against them. Courts have upheld the decision of schools against their existence, and many parents have united with the school authorities in entirely discouraging the existence of these organizations. Of the feelings growing out of these fraternities, their influence upon the social life of the school, a writer in the Christian Advocate gives the experience of a high-school boy, and quotes him as saying:—

“I believe that had I to go through the experience over again, I would be almost tempted to give up my education rather than to endure the ostracism I underwent because I was too poor to belong to a frat. My education meant much to me, and I had been taught to believe that merit won in high school as in other affairs of life. My standing was good, for I studied hard. But I was absolutely left out of the social life of the school. I was not invited to any of the frolics, because I was too poor to belong to a fraternity. I could not afford the expense. Being naturally of a social disposition, I spent four lonely years at school. Only my own lonely heart knew how immeasurably I longed to be taken in with some of the jolly groups and to be one of them. Four years on the outside of all the good times is apt to tinge a boy’s outlook on life with a few drops of bitterness.”

Of the social influence of these fraternities, the following testimony is given by a parent whose son was a member of one of the high-school organizations:—

His mother and I agreed to let him join. It did not seem as if it would be much of an extra expense. Then came an initiation in which the boy was soused in the river one cold night. By some miracle he escaped pneumonia. More expense for illness. A banquet was proposed. Another demand for expenses. Then he came out strong on the society end. He had to have expensive dancing lessons. He began to get fussy about the cut of his clothes and the color of his neckties. He refused to wear his uniform on any but drill days, when he was compelled to wear it, because he was afraid the boys would think that he had only one suit of clothes. We did not notice any corresponding shine to his grades, and we received frequent notices of poor work on his part from his teachers. He couldn’t pay attention to his studies, because he was too busy paying attention to his girl friends. That frat society had a date for every night in the week. Dances, theaters, flowers, and candy began to wear a hole in my income. And the last straw was added when he asked me for five dollars for flowers and a carriage to take some girl to a party!

The tendency of such organization is entirely worldly, cultivating a taste for the frivolous, and a distaste for the things of deep moral worth. To those who partake of their spirit the things of God are lightly esteemed or wholly unwelcome.