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20
AMERICAN COLLEGE FRATERNITIES

fraternity and to the inspection of its chapters. Usually he has been designed a traveling secretary. In some instances he unites to the duties above stated that of editing the fraternity journal. This feature of administration is still in trial period and it evidently is not adapted to the more widespread organizations.

Among all the fraternities, one of the greatest problems has been how to keep the alumni interested in the work and progress of the order. To effect this, alumni chapters have been established in nearly all of the large cities, forming circles of cultivated men who would not otherwise know each other, and who, by keeping alive their interest in college life and affairs, advance the cause of education in many ways. In some few cases the alumni chapters act in every way like collegiate chapters except that they do not initiate members. They transact business, send delegates to conventions, and hold regular meetings. But in the majority of cases these chapters are only such in name, and an occasional supper or assessment is the only reminder which the members have of their existence. As the fraternities have become older and gained in importance the alumni have become increasingly interested in seeing that persons known to them favorably were brought to the attention of the chapters of their respective fraternities when they were admitted as students at institutions where such chapters were located and state and locality organizations have been formed to assist the college chapters in making a proper selection of members.

In New York City, however, where there is a natural