NATIONAL FRATERNITIES

IN THESE COLUMNS last month the editors raised the question of the future place of fraternities at Dartmouth. Among active members of chapters on the campus there is always grumbling against the heavy taxation imposed by their national organizations and dissatisfaction with the lack of understanding between the grand officers and the Dartmouth branches of the fraternity. It has seemed that year by year these complaints have increased in volume. There has been more and more thoughtful criticism and expression of this through The Dartmouth, in chapter publications and meetings, and most recently in the columns of The Steeplejack.

We feel that the next move should be a thorough survey of all aspects of Dartmouth fraternity life. Someone group, perhaps the local chapter advisors, might well study the several problems of the fraternities as these are concerned with finances, and social, recreational and intellectual activity. The question of the value of national affiliations is an important one for consideration in this general process of housecleaning. We reprint herewith an editorial that appeared recently in an excellent issue of a Dartmouth fraternity paper, sent to 600 alumni and to the 100 or more outside chapters in colleges at every other crossroads throughout the country. This comment was written and published, we understand, as truly indicative of the sentiment of the fraternity's members. Accepted as such the statement, which follows, is well worth reading: "Men whose contact with Dartmouth has been, at best,only casual, often question the exact relationship which exists between the College and the Fraternity. Steeped in all thepride of national organization, they wonder at the apparentlocal attitude of Dartmouth chapters. They neither understand nor appreciate the situation which exists here.

"Of some two thousand fully accredited men who applyfor admission to Dartmouth each year, the College selectsonly six hundred and fifty. By means of a highly specialized'Selective Process' based largely upon personal interviews andrecommendations of Alumni, the Director of Admissions accepts only one-third of the men qualified scholastically toenter Dartmouth. Thus the group which enters each year iscomposed of men whose standards of character and all-aroundability are distinctly above the average. The Dean of Freshmen has done the first and most important rushing for thefraternities.

"More important still is a factor which perhaps the outsiderwill not readily appreciate, but which is, however, the underlying principle in the whole discussion. It is simply the factthat an indefinable Dartmouth Spirit which has inspired menfor one hundred and sixty-four years still places the Collegeabove all else. This is a Dartmouth tradition, solid as thegranite beneath the College, and one of which generations ofDartmouth men are justly proud. Blase and indifferent attitudes, so prevalent at other colleges and universities, willnever flourish in Hanover. In keeping with this ideal, we ofthe Chapter feel that our main function has been, and mustcontinue to be, to contribute to the progress of Dartmouth-whatever sacrifices may be demanded. So it is that above allelse we are proud of being Dartmouth men.

"We are also proud of our Fraternity. We feel that it is oneof the best in our college. And that phrase, 'one of the best,'describes the situation most accurately, for we of Dartmouthhave that common pride in our College and that common belief in the superiority of our classmates which cannot fail toplace fraternities on a common ground. Just as we do not feelobliged to yield to any fraternity at Dartmouth, neither willwe give way before any chapter of any fraternity on anycampus."

The above editorial seems to reflect undergraduate fraternity opinion. There is no damning of the National Headquarters, there is only the statement of Dartmouth's position and this may well be quite different from that of many other colleges and universities. It would be of assistance to Dartmouth chapters and fratres in urbe to know how alumni feel about this question.