altogether too much attention to the cut of the fellow's clothes. If the chapter would scrutinize the men's characters a little more and their clothes a little less, fraternities would advance more rapidly than they are now doing." In illustration of this point is the story of two men who, a few years ago, came to a little college in the Middle West. One was well dressed, smooth, and self-possessed. He was bid at once. The other was a green, awkward country lad, ill-dressed, and inexperienced. He had beeen recommended to the same chapter as the first man, but when the fellows looked him over they laughed; he was undeniably impossible. A little later, however, as the men came into closer contact with him in class, in spite of his ill-fitting common clothes, he grew on them. He had a charm and a strength of character which made a vital appeal to their good sense. His name was brought up again, and after much opposition it went through. The first man proved to be commonplace; he never disgraced the fraternity, though he never did it any good. The second was adaptable; he learned quickly to break away from his crudities. The chapter looks back upon him and counts him the best president it ever had. Today he is one of the leading ministers in one of the leading Protestant churches of the country, and the head national officer of his fraternity. The
Page:The Fraternity and the Undergraduate (1923).pdf/64
