Page 25 - 1912 February - To Dragma

90 TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

in their action to a marked degree. Last year Dean King issued, and
enforced through her authority, a rule under which the sororities were not
to initiate new members until Thanksgiving time of the past month.

Just before Thanksgiving, it is stated, when many of the sororities were
"planning to take in members, the question of abolishing these sororities was

brought so prominently to the front that official action was taken by the
college authorities.

ALUMNAE FORCED ACTION
Dean King said yesterday that the matter would not have been acted
upon until some time later than the present if alumnae had not forced the
question. She stated that three locals desired to go into nationals, and that
it was thought by alumnae to be the better plan to settle the matter once
for all now.

Matters would have been complicated, Miss King says, if the locals were
allowed to become national chapters, and were soon afterward ordered to
discontinue.

Under the old agreement the sororities could have taken in members this
Thanksgiving, but Miss King said yesterday that because of the discussion
which had started, the societies voluntarily decided at that time not to
initiate until the matter was settled. They will now be unable to increase
their membership under the new vote.

Juniors and seniors who are members, there being no underclass mem-
bers, will continue in membership until they are graduated, and the sororities
will, therefore, die out, being unable to perpetuate themselves.

D r . Faunce was asked yesterday if any plan was being worked out for
the abolition of the fraternities in the men's department. He said: 'That
matter has not been taken up."

GIVE OUT STATEMENT

The executive committee and the advisory council of the women's college,
after canvassing the matter thoroughly, prepared the following statement,
which nbont three weeks ago was read to the women at chapel:

"The growth of the Women's College in buildings, campus and endow-
ment makes it necessary to provide more definitely for the development of
the social life of the college, and such development should be assumed and
controlled by the college itself.

"While the existence of fraternities was helpful during the earlier years
of this college, we have now come to a parting of the ways. Either we
allow the fraternities to be greatly multiplied in number and affiliated with
national organizations, or must ask them to give way to other forms of
social life.

" I n our opinion, the multiplication of exclusive self-perpetuating societies
and their permanent control by exterior organizations would be deleterious fo
the welfare of the college.

"We express the hope that the existing fraternities will voluntarily cease
to perpetuate themselves, and assist the faculty and administration in de-
veloping social groups, organized for definite purposes, to which all students
are eligible. In the future, our students should be grouped not along lines
of social cleavage, but on the basis of definite interests and purposes. Such
change would be in line with the present trend of opinion in our preparatory-
schools and in the leading colleges for women."

Recently the formal vote was taken and the ^sororities were ordered not
to take in any new members.