Beta Goes Local

THE Dartmouth chapter of Beta Theta Pi severed its affiliation with the national fraternity on February 15 as the aftermath of learning that, contrary to assurances that no membership discrimination is practiced, the national organization had blocked the initiation of Negro pledges at both Bowdoin and Williams. According to the Dartmouth chapter, investigation of the two cases indicated that there was in fact an "agreement" within the national that Negroes will not be initiated.

In an explanatory letter in The Dartmouth, the Dartmouth chapter members said, "We cannot condone the moral compromise of the General Fraternity in its interpretation of the Constitution of Beta Theta Pi. Equivocation, hypocrisy, and the evasion of truth have been evidenced in two cases brought to the attention of this chapter in the past three months. This chapter is not unappreciative of our association with Beta Theta Pi, but in view of the related circumstances, we feel morally compelled to discontinue our affiliation."

The Dartmouth chapter has chosen to be known as the Beta House. It is the seventh Dartmouth chapter of a national fraternity to go local since the College's undergraduates in their referendum voted against membership discrimination. There are now nine local and fifteen national fraternities on the campus.