1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

134 THE SCROLLgain since 1890 in the number of active chapters of fraternities whichwere in existence then and are still.STATISTICS OF FRATERNITIES, 1883, 1890, 1898, 1905 AND 1912Showing Number of Fraternities, Active Chapters and Houses Owned and MembershipCLASSES OF FRATERNITIES1SS3Men's, general ...Women's, generalMen's, localTotal327Activechapters5044616Housesowned3003Numberof fraternitiesMembership67,9411,0334,07773,051Men's, general . . . .Women's, general .Men's, professionalMen's, local2812151763897451792,2797,3033,3643,876Total106,822Men's, general ....Women's, general .Men's, professionalMen's, localWomen's, local . . ..TotaltgoiMen 5, general ....Women's, general . .Men's, professionalMen's, localWomen's, local ,..,TotaligteMen's, generalMen's, unclassitiedMen's, professionalWomen's, generalWomen's, academic-collegiateWomen's, professionalMen's, localWomen's, localTotalNote:2228311750704739223716396781128113281497022237770471,14180589381294516396371 2,524Honorary fraternities are not included in the table.134329010795131022492024130,98011,70811,1404,829560159,217179,35120,06536,0855,8301,170242,501249,1247,67368,36041,5781,7122,54913,7354,875389,606One of the most important phases of fraternity development duringthe last thirty years has been the great increase in the number ofchapter houses. The author very properly warns fraternities againstcarrying this feature of fraternity life "to a point of senseless rivalry,as unhappily it has been carried at a few colleges where houses muchtoo costly for their surroundings have been erected," and says:The development of this form of chapter enterprise has been relatively rapidin recent years. The number of houses built and owned by the chapters ofthe fraternities is large and the value is running well up into millionsChapter house life is having a great influence upon fraternity character. Ithas its advantages and disadvantages. It inculcates habits of business, it developssocial discipline, it promotes fraternal sentiment, and it aiTords opportunityfor many instances of mutual helpfulness. It develops pride of organization,it arouses the ambition and in some sense promotes college allegiance.