Page 74 - 1913 May - To Dragma

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OM1CRON PI 233

T h e present criticism that is pushing fraternities and the f r a t e r n i -

ty system into the p u b l i c eye seems already to have h a d one result.

Perhaps the subject o f scholarship was ripe and ready to be dis-

cussed without being forced by criticism. However that may be,

scholarship is a serious question a n d is b e i n g treated so by m a n y

sororities and fraternities. Following are extracts from a few maga-

zines :

Besides attempting to compel their members to be good students the f r a -
ternities also stimulate their scholastic ambitions by the offer of prizes and
material assistance. Alumnae associations of A * maintain a loan f u n d f o r
the benefit of their members at Boston University, and scholarships f o r their
girls at Syracuse and the Woman's College of Baltimore. A t the University
of Wisconsin the A <I> alumnae provided a silver loving cup, which is held
each year by the freshman member of the chapter who makes the best grades.
Alumnae associations of I I B $ maintain a scholarship at Kansas University
and a loan f u n d at Swarthmore. K K P, at the University of Pennsylvania,
gives an annual prize f o r excellence in biology; the same fraternity and
K A G have established funds which are eventually to be converted into
scholarships f o r their members. A n d several years ago O B # established
for its members one graduate and two undergraduate fellowships.—Value of
G i r l s ' Fraternities i n Ladies' Home Journal. Quoted in Palm of Alpha T a u
Omega, and in Crescent of Gamma Phi Beta.

And also:
" A n innovation in college fraternity policies was instituted last night, when
6 A X , in its national convention, established a f u n d , the annual interest
of which is to be paid to the chapter of that fraternity which maintains
the highest average scholarship each year. Frank E . Compton, of Chicago,
president of the Fraternity, donated $l,ooo to this f u n d . I f a chapter loses
any member as a result o f poor scholarship, that chapter is disqualified f r o m
participation in the fund for that year.
Fraternity men say that the creation of this f u n d by 9 A X marks an
epoch i n Greek letter history. It is strong evidence of the growing feeling
among fraternity men that i f Greek letter societies are to perform their
proper function i n undergraduate l i f e , active encouragement must be given
scholastic achievement."—Washington Post—reprinted by Banta's Greek Ex-
change.

T o f u r t h e r increase interest in scholarship, the active chapter has pur-
chased a silver loving cup, upon which the name of the freshman who
averages the highest grades d u r i n g her freshman year is to be engraved.—Chap-
ter correspondent of Anchora of A V.

Accordingly, Denver Alumnae chapter of Gamma Phi Beta offers the f o l -
lowing suggestions in regard to which there w i l l be f u r t h e r communica-
tion with the chapters.

1. That the sorority empower the Executive Board to select a National
Scholarship Committee whose duty it w i l l be to investigate the chapter grades,
to report upon them through the sorority magazine and to regulate the
scholarship of the organization.

2. That the alumnae chapters create the nucleus of a students' A i d