Page 19 - To Dragma May 1934

34 To DRAGM^V' JANUARY, 1932 35

Education "Recognizes the (fraternity --

EV E R since its inception the fraternity has been of benefit to the Dean Laughlin is the founder iff Phrateres.
educational world of which it is a part. Sometimes states and in-
stitutions have lost sight of those benefits because some sensational 'Phrateres Cfills a 'Place in the
escapade of youth could be laid at the door of the fraternity. In odd J^ives of Unorganized Qirls
cases the fraternity has lost sight of its objectives, its purpose and its
opportunities. It has brought down a consummate wrath and prejudice PH R A T E R E S , a national democratic organization of college women,
which has jeopardized the chances of other groups. was organized at the University of California at Los Angeles in the
fall of 1924. The idea, that of Mrs. Helen Matthewson Laughlin,
Fewer and fewer such instances come to our ears these days. The dean of women, has been popular from the start, and the organization
educational program of National Panhellenic Congress and the Inter- has grown beyond all expectations.
fraternity Conference seem to have reached a good share of its goal. The
public or interpreters to the public are giving fraternities something of Dean Laughlin organized Phrateres originally to provide a means
the credit due them. whereby non-resident women living in boarding houses might govern
themselves in their campus homes, and might also enjoy the social,
Dr. Arthur J . Klein of Ohio State University, former head of the academic and athletic privileges of the women in the fraternities. Ac-
collegiate division of the federal education bureau, recently directed a cordingly, Phrateres sub-chapters are graded in scholarship in the same
.-urvey of Oregon's higher education. In his report, we find the para- list as the fraternities, and the organization holds social and athletic
graph quoted below. events. We feel that through this organization many women are being
offered advantages enjoyed by the fraternity women, which are so dear
"The fraternities and sororities are to be commended for the serv- t o the hearts of all college women.
ices that they render the institutions, particularly for the housing facili-
ties provided. Increasingly and through cooperative relationships the There are sub-chapters of Phrateres for women living at home who
institutions should regard these social organizations as instruments and 'eU they had no share in university life. Many women join Phrateres
agencies for social and community education. They may well be made
examples of the advantages and benefits to be derived from the social
association of small groups of students and serve to encourage similar
nonfraternity organizations upon the campuses of the state institutions."

Dean Helen Laughlin, dean of women at the University of California j
at Los Angeles, has been interested in having as many women as pos-
sible in organized groups. Since it is not possible for every girl to be
admitted to the national fraternities on her campus, she has organized
new groups. She has recognized that young people are happier, more
cooperative if they are living a group life. Unlike some persons with her
responsibility, she is seeking every benefit to be derived from such
groups. Eventually every dean will come to realize that in the fraternity
they have the ideal means of working with a large student body.

The fraternities must, in turn strive to hold the confidence which is
being placed in them. Their work should be ever with the person in
whose hands the duties of student affairs are placed. Carelessness in con-
forming to regulations often leads authorities to believe that the fra-
ternity likes to show its independence. Our chapters must cooperate in
every action.