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

THE SCROLL 307a fraternity, that is not before his sophomore year, also a rule prohibitingpledges from rooming or taking meals in fraternity houses. At a meeting ofthe board in June, 1912, the first rule was modified so as to permit the initiationof a student who.has made 15 hours credit during his first semester. Thenew rule reads as follows:No student having less than 24 hours credit toward graduation shall be permittedto become a member of any fraternity or sorority, or live in any fraternity or sororityhouse; except that the committee on student activities may at its discretion waivethis rule in the case of any student who has made 15' hours credit in his or her firstsemester in the university.The board, at its meeting last June, also passed the following resolutions:1. That as regards the question of admitting new students under the 15 hourregulation, the committee on student activities shall especially favor the fraternitieshaving a creditable standing for scholarship.2. That the fraternities should be made to understand that next year or notlater than two years hence, the right of any fraternity to initiate members willprobably be made to depend upon its scholastic record.At the conclusion of the Interfraternity Conference held in New York City,November 30, 1912, the delegates from the fraternities represented at theUniversity of Missouri telegraphed the President of the university as follows:We, the representatives of the various fraternities having chapters at the Universityof Missouri attending the Interfraternity Conference, beg to assure you thatwe will heartily support the university authorities in such regulations as it mayprescribe for the government of the chapters at the university, and that we willurge our general officers to communicate immediately with the several chapters tothe same effect.Rules passed by the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, which went intoeifect last fall, prohibited the initiation of freshmen. The rules as summarizedin the Beta Theta Pi are as follows :1. No person, not a member of the university shall be pledged. 2. No freshmanshall lodge or board in a fraternity house. 3. No student shall be initiatedby a fraternity while on probation. 4. No person shall be initiated until the beginningof his sophomore year. 5. None but sophomores or upper classmen mayaffiliate with a chapter of his fraternity.Besides these, there is an Interfraternity agreement which has the followingclauses:1. There shall be no ostentatious rushing at any time. 2. No rushing whatsoevershall take place during the first semester. 3. No invitation to membership shallbe extended to any freshman until four weeks from the first day of the rushing period.The Wisconsin correspondent of the Beta Theta Pi writes:Obviously, there is much to be said in favor of these regulations, but there arealso many faults to be found. As a result of having such a comparatively small chapter,we have several vacant rooms in tiie house, which of course, leads to financialdifficulties. Besides this, we cannot quite get accustomed to having no freshmen inthe house. However, this is simply an experimental year, and we are sure,that in the course of time, the scheme will work itself out satisfactorily.The following is clipped from the Cleveland Leader of November 24, 1912 :Threats of hostile legislation against college fraternities has aroused fraternity membersof Ohio State University, Columbus, Miami University, Oxford, and Ohio University,Athens, to organize for a bitter fight. Increasing anti-fraternity sentiment atthese three educational institutions, which are supported by appropriations from thestate treasury has resulted, it is reported, in a movement to enact a law at the comingsession of the legislature abolishing and forever prohibiting these secret organizations.Their enemies charge that the fraternity system, by creating artificial socialdistinction and fostering exclusiveness, is destroying the spirit of democracy amongthe students at the state's educational institutions.In 1897 the legislature of South Carolina barred fraternities from the stateuniversity. A similar act was passed by the legislature of Arkansas in 1902,but it carries no penalty and has been inoperative. A similar act passed bythe legislature of Mississippi in 1910 is being contested in the courts. Justas we go to press information comes that a bill of the same kind has beenintroduced in the legislature of Texas. Brother Alex Pope, Treasurer of theGeneral Council, went to Austin at onpe to aid in an attempt to defeat it.On January 28 a bill of suppression was introduced in the Wisconsin GeneralAssembly. About the same time a similar bill was introduced into theOhio legislature which affects Ohio University, Ohio State University andMiami University.