Page:The Fraternity and the College (1915).pdf/17

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

in preferring these charges as in failing to observe that the extravagance, and moral irregularities of which he accused college young men are in a much larger degree true of young men who do not go to college. It is true no doubt that fraternity men have in many cases been extravagant and dissipated and lazy, but it can be shown that in every institution where these fraternity derelicts are found as in every town or community there are plenty of men outside of the fraternities who with an equal amount of money at their disposal and equal opportunity are equally sinners.

The indiscretions of a man who belongs to an organization attract more attention and arouse more comment than do those of the individual not so connected. When a fraternity man errs, the character of all his brothers suffers just as when one man in a group coming home late at night is drunk the whole crowd is said to be "stewed." A good many years ago an alumnus of a fraternity with which I am acquainted, during a summer vacation, planned and carried out a party in the chapter house at which some of the men were disgracefully drunk, and the matter became known. He was the only member of the fraternity present, the affair was contrary to the rules of the organization, it was without the knowledge of any one in the active chapter, and the man was severely disciplined. Wise objectors to fraternities remem-