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

THE SCROLL 367for infraction of agreements should be imposed by the conference,the moral weight of the adoption by the conference of the decisionsof the committee would be immense.AT its last National Convention the proposition was made thatPhi Delta Theta should declare itself in favor of postponing theinitiation of students until they enter the sophomore class. Thiswas too radical a proposal to meet with general approval, and it wasnegatived, but if the convention had had more time tqj^ debate thequestion, an amendment might have been proposed and adopted topostpone the initiation of students until they have successfully passedthe examinations at the close of their first semester. The reasonsfor such postponement are almost too obvious to mention. - In manyinstitutions fraternity men have made a very poor showing in scholarship,and fraternities have, therefore, been held up to public contempt.Most fraternities are trying to raise the scholastic standardof their members, but the average remains low, largely because everyyear men are initiated who are barely able to squeeze through theirentrance examinations, and who never get beyond one or two semestersin college. They are elected to membership because of theirdressy appearance, their wealth, family position or fraternity connections,but they are lacking in mental ability or have no intellectualambition, and they soon are flunked out of college. These short termmembers never do a fraternity any good. They really bring it intodisrepute.To remove the stigma of low scholarship it is, therefore, of thehighest importance that the fraternities should adopt the rule thatinitiation should be deferred until the second semester. If the fraternitiesdo not take up this question the faculties will, and thefaculties will probably go further and prohibit the initiation of studentsbefore they become sophomores. Indeed this has already beendone by the authorities at North Carolina, Missouri, Wisconsin, IowaWesleyan and other institutions. A faculty rule is perhaps better thana local interfraternity agreement, for the faculty will see that itsrule is enforced. But it would reflect much credit on the fraternitiesif they themselves should settle this question. At the last sessionof the Interfraternity Conference a proposal, looking to the generaladoption of a system of pledging freshmen until their second semes-