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 EIGHTH 
 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 
 
 -of- 
 
 Deans of Women 
 
 Chicago, Feb. 23 - 25 
 1922 ; ; >-r 
 
 Papers Read Before Sectional ilf'e^^h^V, ^,'i ^* J *, *'« 
 Deans of State' l/'Tt/Uer^Ue^ ' i* » » ^ 
 
 METHOD OF OBTAINING WOMEN'S DORMI- 
 TORIES AT KANSAS EDUCATIONAL 
 
 INSTITUTIONS - 
 
 by Ann Dudley Blitz 
 Dean of Women, University of Kansas 
 
 Ten years ago, there was little sentiment for Dormitories in Kansas. The older 
 and more influential alumni had not yet realized the change that had come about 
 in the living conditions of students. They thought of their own almost ideal college 
 life where students were taken into the homes of citizens and faculty and made 
 members of the family during their college course. A movement undertaken about 
 1910 to collect private funds for a "Building for girls" at the University of Kansas 
 did not reach the goal but did succeed, at least, in informing the alumni of the un- 
 favorable conditions in which the young women in state schools lived, and making 
 the alumni sense the need for college homes. 
 
 The attempt to collect money having failed, thought was then turned toward a 
 legislative appropriation. Several times after 1910 the University included a dormitory 
 for women in its budget, but without avail. It now became a question of education, 
 not of the alunmi alone, but of the people of the state. 
 
 Very soon after the movement had been undertaken for a "Building for Girls" 
 at the University, there chanced to be formed the Kansas Council of Women. This 
 organization is made up of presidents and past-presidents of state-wide women's 
 organizations such as the State Federation of Women's Clubs, the American Asso- 
 ciation of University Women, the W. C. T. U., the D. A. R., the W. R. C, the League 
 of Women Voters. Deans of Women are also ex-oflBcio members. The object of 
 this organization is to be of service to the state. Fortunately for the cause of 
 dormitories, one of the women who had been closely associated with the 
 movement for the "Building for Girls" was an active member of the Kansas 
 Council, and it was through her influence that the Coimcil voted to undertake the 
 securing of an appropriation for dormitories as one of its principal pieces of work. 
 
 
2 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 For several Legislatures the Council merely supported the bills introduced 
 by the schools, but finally a plan was made for independent action. The plan was, 
 in reality, developed at the state meeting of Deans of Women and Deans of Girls 
 that was held in January 1920, at Pittsburg, Kansas. There a motion was intro- 
 duced and passed to request the Presidents of the State Schools to form a state- 
 wide committee on student housing. The committee was to be constituted of four mem- 
 bers from each school to be appointed by the President of the school and to be made 
 up of the Dean of Women and one representative each from the faculty, the alumni 
 and the student body. 
 
 The Presidents received the suggestion favorably, the state-wide committee 
 was constituted, and had an early meeting in Topeka to discuss plans. 
 
 Cost of building was at that time almost prohibitive but the Committee after 
 consulting the Presidents of the schools, the Board of Administration, and the Gover- 
 nor, recommended a plan that had the favor of all these persons — namely, that 
 a bill providing'for a bond issue of 1:000,000 dollars be introduced into the next 
 legislature, in older to initiate » binlmng program for dormitories at the five state 
 schools. Eventually this plan wafe taken over by the Kansas Coimcil. Indeed, it 
 was originated by t^e Deangt who are members of the Council. Thus a state-wide 
 organization waie effected which ,l»ad. 'the favor not only of five schools, (which had 
 usually appeared as rivals before the* Legislature) with their faculty, alumni and 
 student bodies, the Board of Administration and the Governor, but which also had 
 the solid support of a vast body of women, more than 80,000 altogether. The cause 
 too, was an asset, since no personal interests were involved. 
 
 The Council entered with great vigor upon the prosecution of the plan. A com- 
 mittee of five was created to provide necessary publicity, to draft the bill (see note, 
 Page 7), and push it in the Legislature. Incidentally the Committee had also to 
 provide funds. No worker was paid for her time, but all actual expense for railway 
 fare, hotel bills, printing, stamps, stationary, and telegrams were met by friends 
 of the movement. At two of the schools, a large percent of the expense incurred was 
 raised by small contributions of the women students. It mav be of interest that 
 while the estimated budgets made by men of experience on legislative lobbies, ranged 
 from 1500 to 2500 dollars, the actual total of the campaign in question was slightly 
 over 700 dollars. 
 
 It was no small task to conduct the campaign, of course. The formal support 
 of the various constituent organizations of the Council had to be made real and 
 active by personal appeal. For this purpose the cause was laid by the Deans and 
 others vitally interested before the state, district, county and city meetings of 
 many organizations. The publicity woman was very active. Bulletins from all the 
 the schools were sent out to the Alunmi, stories were run in all the leading news- 
 papers — all this throughout the fall months. After the Legislature assembled in 
 January, petitions, letters and telegrams were called for from local constituents 
 to overcome opposition or stir the active interest of Legislative members. 
 
 The Council members themselves, sixty to seventy-five in number, did admirable 
 work, in fact the chief work of the committee in charge was to direct and organize. 
 At the annual meeting of the Council, which occurred soon after the Legislature 
 convened, it was voted to register en masse to lobby for the bill. At this meeting, 
 too, the names of the members of the Legislature were divided up among the women, 
 in order that each member might receive full information about the needs of the 
 schools. The chief characteristic of the lobby was its educative policy, the thought 
 being knowledge of actual facts and conditions would secure the votes. 
 
 Frequently conferences of the Coimcil were held in Topeka during the session 
 of the Legislature. These conferences were more or less open; wives and members 
 of the Legislature were invited to be present: so were also as many women as possible 
 who were leaders in the local community. Some of these women rendered valuable 
 assistance. 
 
 It was an interesting and valuable experience to watch the bill on its progress 
 through both houses — an identical bill was introduced into each house at the same 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 
 
 time. It was introduced into the House of Representatives by a woman, had the 
 support of all the women members, and was intended to be treated as a woman's mea- 
 sure. In the Senate it was introduced by the Chainnan of the Conmiittee on State 
 Affairs. 
 
 The choice of persons to introduce the bill and the selection of the chief support- 
 ers was carefully thought over in advance by the Committee in charge, great care 
 was given to the drafting of the bill in the first place. 
 
 The possible committees to which the bill might be referred were carefully con- 
 sidered with the probability of their favorable report in mind. The members of the 
 committees to whom the bills were referred were interviewed preparatory to the 
 hearings and the presentation of the cause at the hearing was planned with the great- 
 est care. After the bills were reported favorably and before they came up for dis- 
 cussion, every member of both houses was interviewed. When a member was found 
 to be doubtful or opposed, every endeavor was made to win him over, especially 
 by giving him information and by securing the interest of his constituency "Back 
 home." At least two members of the Committee in charged stayed almost con- 
 tinually at the Capitol, and for days together they had the assistance now of one 
 woman, now of another, whose interest was keen and whose support was felt to be 
 needed at various jimctures. 
 
 The actual obstacles to the passage of the bill itself were considerable. Building 
 prices were still high and farmers were complaining of high taxes. There was strong 
 opposition to any bond issue, because Kansas had burned her bonds some years 
 before and was proud and boastful about being out of debt. The bill called, besides, 
 for the limit of mdebtedness under the state law. The bill passed the Senate as orig- 
 inally introduced, however, by a majority of one. In the House a lively fight was 
 made against it, and it was not passed until it had been amended by substituting 
 a direct appropriation for the bond issue and by cutting the amount from 1,000,000 
 to half a million dollars. At the urgent request of the friends of the bill, the Senate 
 voted favorably on the House amendment. It did not seem safe to play for an 
 increase. While there was a very real need for all the money for which the bill orig- 
 inally called, the women felt that the effort put forth had nevertheless been rewarded. 
 
 A great American architect has recently said that success is due to three ele- 
 ments, untiring work, interest (rather than inspiration) and cooporation. These 
 three elements the Council certainly had in rich measure. The success of the under- 
 taking was due to the cooperation of many interested, untiring workers. Here and 
 there a leader stands out, to be siu-e, but in fairness to the many, perhaps, no names 
 should be mentioned. 
 
 While the Council bill had the favor of the schools, it was of course entirely 
 separate from the appropriation bills for the schools and had no adverse influence 
 so far as could be noticed upon those bills. 
 
PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 THE DELINQUENT STUDENT 
 
 by Ruby E. C. Mason 
 
 Dean of Women, University of Illinois 
 
 Delinquency is the offspring of deliquency, and the parent of deiiquency, — 
 hence the relationship of the responsibility of the university administrative officer 
 is three-fold. 
 
 The delinquent student is the offspring of poor parentage or of poor teaching, 
 or of poor parentage plus poor teaching. We and our output are yearly becoming 
 more and more responsible for the character and quality of both parentage and teach- 
 ing. Thus our dehquents multiply themselves in over increasing numbers. Thus it 
 behooves us to lessen the number of our deliquents in very self-preservation. 
 
 Mrs. Martha P Falconer of the American Social Hygiene Association has said 
 quite pertinently to our subject, "We must find out in every case what lies back 
 of the low standing, lack of interest and disobedience, and the earlier the child is 
 taken in hand intelligently, the better. Let us get hold of the child early, but what 
 we really must do and are doing, is to get hold of the parents of the next generation 
 while the next generation is still in the distant future." 
 
 As a natural outcome of the democratic spirit of this country, the parents gave 
 over their children into the safe-keeping of the public schools. In doing so, they trans- 
 ferred to the public schools, to a lamentable degree, parental authority. In the State 
 of Illinois, approximately one-fifth of the people of the State are to be found in the 
 classrooms of the public schools each day, and 34,000 teachers are required to teach 
 these students. Already in the last ten years, attendance of the American High 
 Schools has increased 400 per cent. Last year, the University of Illinois, which gradu- 
 ates about one thousand young people each year received 2,079 calls for teachers. 
 With the teacher shortage, doubtless many of our delinquent students found their 
 way into the ranks of teachers and are already breeding deUquents. 
 
 The average cost of instruction per pupil is 48 dollars and the elementary and 
 secondary schools spend about 70 million dollars each year for education. This woe- 
 ful waste of money, to say nothing of the waste of endeavor and courage, 
 should be an arousement to the tax-payer whose business it is finally. With the 
 ever increasing so-called democratic spirit and the greater efficiency of the Americani- 
 zation movement, the great avalanche of these high school graduates is at our college 
 doors clamoring for admission. What shall we do with it? And what of the future? 
 
 "To indicate the future strains for which colleges and universities must now 
 be preparing, Julius H. Barnes, Chairman of the Institute for Public Service, has 
 issued a summary for 210 colleges and universities which shows enrollment for 1914, 
 1917, and 1920 in colleges and professional courses excluding summer and exten- 
 sion classes, and also what the registration will be in 1930 and 1950 if the growth 
 of the last six years is continued. These 210 colleges, which in 1914 had 187,000 
 students and last year, 294,000, will have 471,000 in 1930 and 831,000 in 1950, if 
 they continue the same number increase each year; if they keep growing at the average 
 percentage rate of the last six years, they will have 659,000 in 1930 and 1,138,000 
 in 1950." — Assoc, of Coll. Alumnae Journal. 
 
 While it is possible to multiply physical equipment indefinitely, it is not pos- 
 sible to multiply a suitable faculty. To sacrifice excellence to mere physical growth 
 is disastrous. 
 
 The number of delinquents in all of our universities and colleges is appalling. 
 From one end of the country to the other the wail has gone up. Already the endowed 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 
 
 schools have begun to curtail the numbers and to become naore selective. Prince- 
 ton University, which last year announced its determination to limit the under- 
 graduate enrollment to 2,000 students, wUl choose from the candidates on a basis 
 of scholarship and character. In addition to passing regular college entrance exam- 
 inations, candidates for admission will be required to file certificates of good charac- 
 ter and statements signed by the principals of their school concerning their personal 
 record. 
 
 The enrollment at Columbia University lastfyear was 31,000. This fact and 
 the complexities that are the outcome of the huge enrollment are probably the cause 
 for Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler's outburst that "the modern college is a high class 
 country club." 
 
 Professor E. C. Sihler of New York University says: "Enjoyment of luxury 
 and ease for four years and a little study.'on the side constitute satisfactory f uU-fil- 
 ment for requirment of a college degree nowadays. Industry and hard study are 
 no longer a part of a college man's life," he declares, "with the present system of 
 elective or honey courses. It is about time that the university authorities throughout 
 the country should get together and set strict entrance requirment," Professor Sihler 
 added, "and insist on a satisfactory completion of such required subjects as the 
 classics and mathematics. The average student spends his time smoking cigarettes 
 and wasting his father's money and his own time. I think a good spanking and pair 
 of stout shoes would be better for the college boob than a racing car and silk shirts." 
 
 The expressions of President Butler, President Lowell of Harvard, President 
 Hibben of Princeton, concerning their discontent with the content of the student 
 body brought the 'comeback' in an editorial in the New York Times stating that 
 the presidents are legally responsible for the faults they remark in many of their students 
 since they are in a position to have much to say as to qualifications for entrance 
 and more as to the qualifications for remaining. 
 
 Mr. S. W. Linslay of Webster, Mass., in answering says: "Harvard and Col- 
 umbia and others take what high schools and boarding schools furnish. Discipline 
 has fallen down in homes. Parents will not generally 'stand for' needed school dis- 
 cipline. At length youths swarm into colleges not always influenced by the scholastic 
 or moral worth so much as by the social and athletic standing, and many professors 
 know their departments are hardly more than tolerated save by the rare man. The 
 home, the common and the secondary school have their part for years and no Lowell 
 or Butler can work miracles." 
 
 Just last week the scholarship requirement of the University of Chicago was raised 
 in an effort to limit attendance. The passing grade for maj or students was made C, two 
 grades higher than formerly. "We are doing this to prevent an overflow attendance 
 and to limit our graduates to the highest possible grade of students," said Dean 
 L. A. Robertson. "This places our scholarship requirements among the highest 
 in the country." 
 
 Colleges for women are silent. But they have for years, from the nature of their 
 being, had a selective system. As the pressure has become greater, they have been 
 able to tighten more and more on their entrance requirements. The endowed college 
 will continue to raise its standard of selection and more and more of the unselected 
 will seek admission to the State University. 
 
 Of the 7,745 undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Illinois last 
 semester, 330 were dropped from the college because of delinquent scholarship, and 
 1,010 were placed upon probation because they failed to make a passing grade in 
 a minimum of eleven hours of the work for which they were registered. From every 
 University represented here today could come the story of the increased number of 
 delinquents from the greatly increased registration, but delinquency comes high. 
 The money that it cost to carry our 1,340 delinquents through one semester could 
 have been much better expended in providing preparation in the High School. The 
 money loss is as nothing compared to the loss of human endeavor, the loss of time, 
 the discouragement that is most destructive and the disappointment that comes 
 to parents. 
 
PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 From all the foregoing, I would say that we can best do our part towards re- 
 ducing the number of delinquente in our State Universities by doing all in our power 
 to have the citizens of the State realize that their first responsibility to State Uni- 
 versities is to insure them the right to control the requirements for entrance. The 
 standards of Universities ought not to be lowered to meet the deficiencies of High 
 Schools. The elimination of delinquents should take place before matriculation, 
 and the responsibility placed for the great proportion of delinquency where it belongs. 
 
 Professor Guy M. Whipple of the University of Michigan recently gave the 
 Alpha Test to 325 probation students and to 150 volunteer non-probation students, 
 and deduced from the results that not more than 7 or 8 per cent of the students plac- 
 ed on probation are so handicapped by inferior native ability that they could not 
 escape failure if they were reasonably industrious and were able to arrange their 
 daily life in such a way as to favor their college work. Our part of the program is 
 to help them in this arrangement. 
 
 Many of the causes for delinquencv comes from the problems of registration 
 week and many of them can be reduced to a minimum. The girl who has to work 
 her way throu^ school should so state on her registration card. She should be re- 
 quired to carry a reduced schedule and be advised concerning her program in order 
 that there will not be a conflict between her classes and her duties. The girl who 
 has failed to make the full number of hours the preceding semester should be ad- 
 vised to keep her schedule within her capacity, notwithstanding her desire to make 
 up the hours to cover her delinquency. The physical examination reveals many weak- 
 nesses and tendencies hitherto unknown to the student. Troubles from thyroid 
 glands, diseased tonsils, and weak hearts cause many a girl to fail, who, with proper at- 
 tention might become a good student. Co-operation of the Health OflBcer, Dean of 
 Women, and Dean of the College could remove many causes of deUnquency and of 
 failure. An explanation by the Dean of Women of the Regulations for the Guid- 
 ance of Undergraduate Students given at the beginning of each semester to new 
 students, with the requirement that each student have a copy of the regulations 
 with her at the time for explanation, would prevent many misunderstandings. Di- 
 rect information concerning rules for probation, overcutting, concerning responsi- 
 bilities to University organizations, to the Hospital Fund, and to regulations for 
 conduct, rather than misconstrued interpretations from the student body, will pre- 
 vent much delinquency. 
 
 In seeking to eliminate the causes of failure, proper housing and proper feeding 
 play an important part. We cannot overestimate "the power of light and air, quiet 
 and cleanliness, space and beauty, in determining the physical stamina, the temper 
 and temperament, the mental alertness, the character and ideals" of our young people. 
 Mr. Frnak Crane's article on "Benefits that Crowds Cannot Offer" expresses a thought 
 that is quite compelling in our consideration of the crowded conditions under which 
 our young people are trying to find themselves — and not each other. "Scientists 
 tell us that every atom, even in the solidest substances, as iron, is relatively and in 
 proportion to its size as far removed from its companion atoms as one star in our 
 
 heavens is distant from the other Nature intended everything, even atoms 
 
 to have elbow room." 
 
 With our crowded class rooms, crowded walks, crowded boarding clubs, crowd- 
 ed rooming houses, even our attics for sleeping quarters, crowded dance halls, crowd- 
 ed movies and even crowded swimming tanks and crowded hospitals, we would do 
 well to reflect carefully on Mr. Crane's conclusion and work harder to apply the 
 solitude cure to the ills we are so read^ to attribute to our young people. "All this 
 makea one ready, alert, skillful in busmess and quick in repartee. But the stronger 
 and more substantial traits of human character, which grow only in spacious areas 
 of solitude, have no chance to develop. There are such soul growths as wonder, the 
 appreciation of beauty, the love of nature^ the knowledge of what is worth while, forti- 
 tude, humility and poise, and finally religious feeling. Not one of these things which 
 make a man really and inwardly prepared against fate and strong against the re- 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 
 
 verses of destiny, will grow in the trampling and press and hurry of crowds and 
 affairs." 
 
 When it happens that our large state universities are situated in comparatively 
 small communities the problem of housing students becomes a very serious one. The 
 long period in which practically no building was done, the increased cost of build- 
 ing smce the war, the inflated prices of selling and renting houses, the high cost of 
 up-keep, the commercialized attitude have all tended to bring about a condition 
 in which it is very difl&cult for students to buy at a reasonable price any semblance 
 of an environment conducive to study. 
 
 To meet these conditions, we have encouraged student organization 
 to have more organized houses. About one-half of our women are taken care of in 
 this way. 149 are living in our residence hall, 609 are in sorority houses, 140 are 
 Y. W. C. A. building (or McKinley Hall), and in Church houses, and 30 are in Co- 
 operative houses. 
 
 The following figures will show more clearly than any argument in words that 
 a modem residence hall, conducted under capable social direction and good physi- 
 cal administration, is one of the greatest factors in reducing student delinquency. 
 
 At the end of the first semester of the year 1921-22, of the 1909 undergraduate 
 women enrolled at the University of Illinois: 
 
 41 were dropped because of failure 2% of total; 
 
 233 were placed on probation 12.2% of total; 
 Of the 1000 organized women (including town girls) 
 
 30 were dropped because of failure or 3% of total; 
 
 109 were placed on probation or 10.9% of total; 
 Of the 606 Sorority women 
 
 7 were dropped because of failure or 1.15% of total; 
 
 91 were placed on probation or 15% of total; 
 Of the 180 town women 
 
 11 were dropped because of failure or 6% of total 
 
 20 were placed on probation or 11% of total; 
 Of the 149 in Woman's Residence Hall 
 
 2 were dropped because of failure or 1.34% of total; 
 
 9 were placed on probation or 6% of total; 
 
 The scholarship average of the women in Residence Hall was 3.40. 
 
 The scholarship average of an equal number of sorority women taken at ran- 
 dom was 3.26. 
 
 During the recent final examination period, lasting over a period of two weeks, 
 concerning the 149 women living in Residence Hall, there were absences for illness 
 from but two examinations. 
 
 Absences cause much delinquency. I shall read the regulations concerning ab- 
 sences to show how we seek to meet this form of delinquency. 
 
 Regulation 48: Instructors report all absences daily on blanks furnished for 
 the purpose. The absences of the men are reported to the Dean of Men, and those 
 of the women to the Dean of Women. No absence is excused or omitted, but such 
 information as the instructor has may be transmitted with the report. 
 
 Regulation 49: A student has no right to be absent from any exercise in a course 
 for which he is registered except for serious illness, or by action of University rule, 
 or for other unavoidable circumstances; or unless he has secured permission in ad- 
 vance to withdraw from the course, according to Rule 19. 
 
 A record is kept of all absences. When a student has passed the limit in any one 
 subject, the Dean of Men or the Dean of Women informs the instructor in charge 
 and drops that student from the course. — Absence caused by serious sick- 
 ness or other unavoidable circumstances shall not count toward dropping a student 
 from the course. — — — 
 
8 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 A student who allows himself to be dropped from a course by absenting him- 
 self from it for causes other than those specified in the preceding paragraph, and there- 
 by reduces the number of hours for which he has registered to fewer than 15, violates 
 Rule 22, and unless he is reinstated in the course from which he was dropped, or 
 secures permission from the Dean of his College to carry fewer than the required 
 number of hours, he goes automatically upon probation; such probation to be re- 
 ported by the Dean of Men or the Dean of Women at the next meeting of the 
 Council of Administration for record. In case such student fails to pass at least 
 eleven hours of work in the semester in which he is thus placed on probation, and in 
 the succeeding semester, he is dropped from the college. 
 
 A student who has been placed on probation under Rule 53 and who then allows 
 his registration to fall below fifteen hours, by reason of absences as just prescribed, 
 unless he secures the consent of the Dean of his College to proceed with fewer than 
 fifteen hours is dropped from the college; and a student who has been placed on pro- 
 bation under the preceding paragraph of this rule and who then allows his registra- 
 tion to fall below twelve hours, by reason of absences, unless he secures the consent 
 of the Dean of his College to proceed with fewer than twelve hours, is dropped from 
 the college. 
 
 To aid in obtaining better scholarship at the University of Illinois, on the fourth 
 Friday of October, the second Friday of December, and the third Friday of March, 
 each instructor reports to the ofl&ces of the deans of the colleges upon the work of 
 all freshmen and special students, and upon all other students whose work is pre- 
 sumably below C. 
 
 The Dean of Women investigates to learn the causes of poor work in the case 
 of women students. She advises the Dean at the college if a change of schedule seems 
 advisable, the Head of the House, if the student is an organized girl and supervised 
 study seems necessary, the girl herself to reduce her social program if it seems some- 
 what overworked, and the parent, if the reduction does not follow. 
 
 It is often said that sorority rushing causes many a girl to lose out from the start, 
 and I am afraid that this is only too true. I would like to suggest that raising the 
 requirements for initiation will reduce this cause of delinquency to a negligible de- 
 gree. 
 
 Universities and colleges in smaller towns face different social conditions 
 so that some of their problems are not reflected in big city imiversities. I can 
 quite understand that Columbia University would not appreciate Princeton's cause 
 for taking its recent stand against the students' use of the automobile. 
 
 A recent announcement is to the effect that the thefts of automobiles through- 
 out the United States for one year amounted to a money value of one hundred 
 million dollars. I am sure that if we could measure in money the loss to scholar- 
 ship and high endeavor that has come to the students in a small-town college com- 
 munity it would measure no less. 
 
 To conclude: We have heard from one end of the country to the other wholsesale 
 condemnation of the youth of today. But youth is the same as it has always been. It 
 does not change, we have taken away home life, care and discipline of parents and 
 have substituted life on the streets and in public places. Instead of the quiet and 
 repose of home we give youth the white lights, jazz, the sex appeal of motion pictures 
 and books of scandal; youth accepts the program. The backbone is not yet set. 
 
 If we object to the demoralizing influences we can always resort to substitution. 
 Youth will accept one as readily as the other. If we realize what dimly-lighted, bad- 
 ly-ventilated, over-crowded dance-halls are doing for us, let us substitute plenty 
 of dancing space in attractive, clean, wholesomely-environed halls — and the dance 
 will go on. If we know what jazz is doing for the youth in our care, and they do not, 
 let us supply good music and I believe they will swing off just as briskly and just 
 as happily to the waltz, or two-step, or new step, if needs be, as they did to synco- 
 pated music. 
 
 The announcement has just been made that Princeton will have a half -million 
 dollar ice-skating rink. I believe that a few hundred yards of artificial ice would do 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 
 
 more for those of us who are in institutions in flat country and moderate temperature 
 than volumes of regulations. 
 
 I believe that the time wDl soon come, if it is not now here, when the State Uni- 
 versity will have to provide more directed wholesome play — more real recreation, 
 instead of the tawdry amusements which destroy instead of recreate. 
 
 The State is saying to us that higher education is enormously increasingly ex- 
 pensive; that health service departments, residence halls, scientifically-conducted 
 commons, stadiums, theatres, gymnasiums, skating-rinks, recreational halls, music, 
 and directed play are expensive luxuries. Let us say to the state that none of these 
 is as expensive as the lost human endeavor of the thousands of the upper stratum 
 who are making the final effort in preparation for leadership, that these expenses 
 are as nothing when compared with the cost of failure. They are as nothing, if with- 
 out them the University must send back to the state, after four years, its sons and 
 daughters unfitted to assume the obligations of citizenship. 
 
 The deliquent student is produced by: 
 
 1. Inadequate preparation, inefficient teaching in the High School or mental in- 
 adequacy. 
 
 2. The difficulties of adjustment to the newness and bigness of the University. 
 
 3. Unsuitable housing. 
 
 4. Mal-nutition. 
 
 5. Physical inabilities. 
 
 6. Lack of sufficient University supervision of extra-curricular activities and of 
 recreation. 
 
 Delinquency may be greatly reduced by: 
 
 1. Having the citizens of the State realize the necessity of giving to the State Univer- 
 sity equal opportunity with the endowed institution to maintain standards by 
 having complete control of the requirements for entrance. 
 
 2. Complete advice at registration. 
 
 3. An early explanation of the regulations for the guidance of undergraduate students 
 together with a statement concerning the obligations that accompany privileges. 
 
 4. An adequate Health Service Department requiring a physical examination and 
 re-inforced by a Physical Education Department equipped to do corrective work 
 in addition to the regular work. 
 
 5. Better housing and by scientific feeding. 
 
 6. The organization of groups into responsible groups. 
 
 7. Closer co-operation of the Dean of Women and these organizations, and of the 
 Dean of Women and parents. 
 
 8. University supervision of recreation. 
 
10 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETINGS 
 
 RECREATION AND THE UNIVERSITY MIXER 
 
 by Mrs. Jessie B. Ladd 
 Dean oj Women, University of Minnesota 
 
 Dean Wells of Indiana, in her request for a paper on the subject of "Recrea- 
 tion and the University Mixer," says that she understands that we have practically 
 solved this problem in Minnesota." Knowing well how far we are from this blessed 
 consummation, I am rather loath to speak on the subject. However, I am glad to 
 tell you of what we have done, if you, on your part, will remember that we do not 
 consider the problem solved. 
 
 What opportunities are there for social contacts at the University of Minnesota? 
 In the jBrst place, as the center and heart of the recreational activities of the women, 
 we have our Woman's Building, Alice Shevlin Hall. Shevlin HaU was given 
 to the women of the University of Minnesota about fifteen years ago, by a wealthy 
 Minneapolis man, the late Mr. Thomas Shevlin. We were very fortunate in that a 
 man of large and generous ideas was able to see the need. It was due to the efforts 
 of the Woman's League and the Young Woman's Christian Association that this 
 need was made clear to him. First then, there was the need; second, the need made 
 clear, and third, the need supplied. 
 
 We might walk through the building, in fancy, to see just how it serves the Univers- 
 ty women. From the spacious hall there is a generous view into the Uving room. This 
 is a lofty, panelled room suggestive of old English comforts. There are inviting chairs, 
 pleasantly uninstitutional; davenports, and tables on which are the latest papers 
 and magazines. On cold, wintry days a fire blazes in the great fireplace. Thirty to 
 fifty girls may be seen here at all hours of the day, visiting or studying. 
 
 On Wednesday afternoons, for the last fifteen years, I have read aloud in this 
 room to groups of girls. The Fireside Reading Hour has come to be quite a feature 
 in Minnesota. I read short stories and the girls come and go as they please. It has 
 proved a very restful and pleasant hour. We serve cocoa and cakes, and I have an 
 opportunity to chat with the girls in a most informal fashion. 
 
 During the week of examinations, I serve refreshments. This gives an oppor- 
 tunity for lessening the strain of this trying period. The girls flock in and seem so 
 grateful for the hot tea, the informality, and the atmosphere of "nothing is expected 
 of you now." 
 
 Then for those students who wish a smaller and more intimate meeting place, we 
 have a room, cozy with fireplace and candles, where groups of twenty of more may 
 gather. This may be reserved in advance, and there is seldom an afternoon when this 
 room is not in use for small teas, for committee meetings, for various women's or- 
 ganizations on the campus. There is no charge for this privilege. 
 
 Opposite the Living Room is the Assembly Room, white enameled, sunny, 
 with a good floor and graced by the portraits of ex-President Vincent and our be- 
 loved Maria Sanford. Here, at the noon hour, the girls dance. They are mostly non- 
 sorority girls. This has always seemed a happy, carefree time, when they can chat 
 and play and cast off the strain of the classroom. The room is provided with piano, 
 victrola, and stage curtain. Evening lectures, plays, dances and musicals are also 
 given here. 
 
 I will mention some of the Clubs which entertain at teas and evening parties 
 at Shevlin Hall. There are the State Clubs, the woman's Class organizations. Bib 
 and Tucker, Pinafore, Tam O'Shanter, and Cap and Gown; Pharmacy, Dental and 
 Chemistry Clubs; Girl Scout Clubs; the Menorah Society, made up of Jewish men 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES U 
 
 and women; the Woman's Glee Club, Scroll and Key, the Architectural Club, Torch 
 and Distaff, a new Home Economics Honorary Society; and the Mortar Board. 
 Then too, there are the Literary Societies, Dramatic Clubs, and so on almost with- 
 out end. 
 
 In this connection, I might say a word about the chaperonage of parties on 
 the campus, which is under our immediate jurisdiction. Practically all evenmg parties 
 are dancing parties, and are given on Friday or Saturday nights. We ask for two 
 faculty chaperons for each party. Printed slips are sent out asking each chaperone 
 to report to the Dean's office as to the style of dancing and the courtesy which they 
 receive. We feel that some gain is made in this way, as chaperons tend to take the 
 duties more seriously if they think an accounting is requested. 
 
 To return to Alice Shevlin Hall, the Young Woman's Christian Association 
 rooms are just beyond the Assembly room. Religious meetings are held here once 
 a week. Many general teas are given to the University girls by the Association. 
 The Christian Association parlor afifords another opportunity for girls to meet and 
 visit with their friends. Early in the year the Young Men's and Young Women's 
 Christian Association give one or more receptions to the new students. 
 
 The lower floor of the building is occupied mainly by the constantly expanding 
 cafeteria. Fiteen years ago we could only seat 200 in the dining room. Now, owing 
 to a generous appropriation from the Legislature we are able to seat 600. About 
 700 girls lunch here daily. This lunching together helps the girls to become 
 acquainted and to form friendships. There are both large and small private dining 
 rooms for the use of any group signing up in advance with the cafeteria director. 
 For the non-sorority girls this is a most desirable feature. A successful innovation 
 of this year is the small kitchen which has been furnished for the use of the girls 
 who want to prepare their own spreads and teas. 
 
 The third floor is given up to the Woman's Self-Govemment Association Office, 
 the Study Room, Rest Room, the Woman's University Club Room, a small sewing 
 room, and the office of the Housing Bureau. Our Housing Bureau, under the super- 
 vision of a most competent woman, Mrs. Mary Staples, is taking an increasingly 
 important part in bettering the living conditions for the students. In connection 
 with this, you might be interested to know of the success which we have had with 
 Householders Council. This was started four years ago by Dean Gertrude Beggs. 
 Semi-monthly meetings are held at the different rooming houses. Meetings of the 
 same sort are held by the sorority chaperones. Matters of interest concerning the 
 health and well-being of the girls are discussed. In this way the Dean of Women 
 has had the confidence and co-operation of the heads of the houses. 
 
 To return to Shevlin Hall, my own office is on the first floor, a most desirable 
 feature as it is easy for the "new" students to find, and convenient for the older 
 students. 
 
 The soul of Alice Shevlin Hall, if you will allow that a building may have a soul, 
 entered with the class of 1907. This class was most appreciative of the wonders 
 of Shevlin in that they had known what it was to go without it. The delight in 
 the building, with its opportunities for comfort and the forming of friendships, has 
 somewhat cooled as the years have passed. The students are less conscious of its 
 joys but their use of the building and its steady influence in their lives plays as im- 
 portant a part as formerly. 
 
 The second most important factor in providing a satisfactory recreational and 
 social life for the women students is our splendid Woman's Self-Government Asso- 
 ciation, with its Council Room in ShevUn Hall. It is an organization to which all 
 the women students belong. Two of its express purposes are: 
 
 1. To create a sense of unity and fellowship among the women. 
 
 2. To promote and to maintain the highest standards of University 
 life. 
 
 I cannot speak in terms of too great praise of the place the Woman's Self-Govemment 
 Association holds in University life. There are eighteen members on the Board. 
 
12 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETINGS 
 
 The Dean of Women, at the invitation of the Board, attends all meetings. I am al- 
 ways highly pleased at the serious and enthusuastic manner in which business is 
 conducted. The Woman's Self-Govemment Association is a tower of strength to 
 the Dean of Women. I will mention some of their activities. 
 
 Every two weeks, on Saturday afternoon, they give sunlight dances. These 
 were started in 1914 to help the girls who have few opportunities of making acquaint- 
 ances among the men. The men are asked to pay twenty-five cents, the girls pay 
 nothing. Two or more faculty women act as chaperones. Introduction committees 
 of both men and women are appointed. These parties are given during the fall and 
 winter quarters and are attended by from two to three hundred couples. In the 
 spring, the students seem to prefer the out-of-doors. The students have attempted 
 to have good music, not jazz, and I think that it has made some difference in the 
 manner of dancing. If a couple are noticed to be dancing objectionably, a card bear- 
 ing this inscription is handed to the man: 
 
 UNIVERSITY 0/ MINNESOTA 
 School Year 192U22 
 
 We do not dance cheek to cheek, shimmy, or dance other extreme 
 
 dances. You must not. 
 A second notice will cause your public removal from the hall. 
 
 "Help to Keep up Minnesota Standard" 
 
 Signed: Woman's Self-Government Association, and 
 
 Association of Minnesota Upperclassmen. 
 
 The threatened public removal from the hall has occasionally been exercised by 
 a strong armed force of men. The most favorable and hopeful outlook on the style 
 of dancing is that our strong women's organizations, such as the Women's Self- 
 Government Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, the Women's 
 Athletic Association, etc., do not favor extreme dancing. 
 
 Lord NorthcUff says, in a recent publication that "what interests a person one 
 year may not interest him the next. We are always outgrowing ourselves. Old people 
 cannot set their mental clock back and see things with the eyes of youth, I am fifty- 
 six and for the life,, I cannot understand young folks' interest in dancing." Now, 
 although I am older than Lord Northcliff, I can perfectly comprehend this great 
 interest, even passion, for dancing, for I have loved to dance from youth to age. 
 
 To cite the other activities of the Women's Self-Govemment Association. 
 Early in the year, they have open house on Sunday afternoons, at Shevlin. A general 
 invitation is given out and many lonely students, both men and women, come and 
 enjoy the open fire and the opportunities of meeting other students. Occasionally 
 the Young Women's Christian Association acts as hostess at these meetings. 
 
 Also, every Friday afternoon, a social hour is held at Shevlin. Some little enter- 
 tainment is given, and light refreshments are served. A general invitation is given 
 to all University women, and seventy-five to one hundred girls attend. The Pan- 
 Hellenic Association is also giving teas at Shevlin once in two weeks. All University 
 women are invited. Sorority and non-sorority girls attend. I am sure that this mixer 
 makes for a better feeling and is a move in the right direction. A genuine attempt 
 is being made on the part of the sorority girls, for more democracy m the sororities. 
 It is an interesting fact that if these Pan-Hellenic teas were given in sorority houses, 
 very few non-sorority girls would attend. 
 
 The House Council is one arm of the Women's Self-Govemment Association. 
 They attempt to improve living conditions at the University, and also to regulate 
 matters of conduct in connection with the houses. Just now, they are trying to reach 
 the lone girls in the boardine houses. A big party, the first of its kind, has recently 
 been given, to which all such girls were especially invited. About one hundred and 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 13 
 
 twenty-five attended and was a great success. An organization of these girls has 
 just been formed for mutual enjoyment and benefit. The girls at the head of this 
 movement are so fine and democratic that I am hoping for great results. The House 
 Council has also recently passed a ruling whereby the domitory and all the sorority 
 and rooming houses may hold Open House on Saturday evenings. 
 
 The valuable work of the Big Sisters is also under the direction of the Women's 
 Self-Government Association. These Big Sisters are appointed in the spring term 
 from the ranks of the junior and senior classes. For some years the attempt was 
 made to have a Big Sister for each incoming Freshman, but it proved to be unsuccess- 
 ful in that the Big Sisters had too many Freshmen to be able to look out for them in a 
 satisfactory manner. Last year the Board decided to appoint Big Sisters for all out- 
 of-town Freshmen. This has proved much more satisfactory. Big Sisters do not have 
 more than three or four Freshmen to look after. The Freshmen are written to during 
 the summer. They are often met at the train and assisted to find a rooming place 
 and helped in registration. Later, a tutor is found for them if they have difficulties 
 with their studies. Parties are given for them, and they are escorted by their Big 
 Sisters. In this way a sisterly eye is kept upon the Freshmen until they become ac- 
 customed to the University and learn its ways and traditions. I am sure than many 
 Freshmen have been much helped and heartened by the Big Sisters Organization. 
 
 The Women's Self-Govemment Association have a dancing class every Thurs- 
 day from seven to eight p. m. in Shevlin Hall. A fee of $10 is charged. The class 
 is taught by University girls, and is well attended, especially by Freshmen who have 
 not had many social opportunities. To work together or to play together seems the 
 best way to form real friendships. 
 
 The Women's Self-Government Association also gives a Thanksgiving Dinner, 
 each year, to out of town girls, and they make great efforts to see that the lonely 
 ones really come and that they have a good time. 
 
 The second orgaization which offers recreational opportunities is the Women's 
 Athletic Association. "The purpose of his organization is to promote an effort for 
 physical efficiency, to stimulate an interest in athletics and to create a spirit of good 
 sportsmanship." About fifty girls belong to this association. 
 
 The membership basis of the Women's Athletic Association has recently been 
 changed from the open to the closed type. A certain number of honor points are 
 an eligibility requirement, the points to be won by class team membership, and other 
 ways. The number out for the various sports is an indication of the variety of inter- 
 est shown: 
 
 Fall Field Hockey 
 
 Winter Ice Hockey 
 
 Basketball 
 Skiing 
 Spring Baseball 
 
 Archery 
 
 These are all contestants for Class teams. In addition, there are about one hundred 
 more girls playing in the House Baseball and Basketball teams. The House teams 
 were begun in an effort to stimulate interest in sports among the sorority girls. The 
 teams playing in the House Contest are from all the sororities. East and West San- 
 ford Hall (our one dormitory) and the three co-operative cottages. 
 
 The Aquatic League is also a branch of the Women's Athletic Association. This 
 has a membership of about twenty-eight. They meet once a week and an exhibition 
 of fancy swimming is given about once a month. 
 
 Another group which offers recreational opportunities to aU women is the Trailers 
 Club. To quote its constitution: 
 
 "The purpose of this Club shall be to foster a love of the out- 
 of-doors and of sports which create good fellowship." 
 There are forty active members and a large and enthusiastic group of Alumnae. 
 
 75 
 
 to 
 
 80 
 
 25 
 
 to 
 
 30 
 
 90 
 
 to 
 
 100 
 
 40 
 
 to 
 
 50 
 
 90 
 
 to 
 
 100 
 
 25 
 
 to 
 
 30 
 
14 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETINGS 
 
 A rather unusual feature of this club has been that increased rather than decreased 
 activity in its behalf has been shown after leaving college. The Alumnae have re- 
 cently bought a cottage on a river about twelves miles from the University. This 
 makes an objective for hiking and a place for both winter and summer sports. 
 
 Every Saturday afternoon, the Trailers Club, with some outside girls, get to- 
 gether for some sort of fun — skating, hiking, swimming, snow-shoeing, and skiing. 
 Also, during the spring vacation every year, we girls — this includes myself — have 
 a "spring running." We start out with knapsack on back, for a two or three days' 
 tramp. We cook our lunches out of doors and stay over night wherever night over- 
 takes us. A rest of ten minutes out of every hour, or "Owres", so named for our 
 Dr. Owre who started this custom, helps one to tramp all day without excessive 
 fatigue. This hike is a joy to anticipate through the winter months. To awaken 
 the love of tramping, or as Stevenson puts it "the delight of the tightening of the 
 muscles of the thigh," to know the joy of the open road, this is a most worth while 
 endeavor. 
 
 Somewhat later in the spring, the Trailers have a two day canoe trip down the 
 beautiful St. Croix River, and at the close of school an annual house-party is given. 
 Membership in this club is on a strictly democratic basis. 
 
 In conclusion, let me say that we at Minnesota recognize the importance of 
 recreation. Our task is to make the student's recreation serve her best interest. 
 When I think of the way in which some students dance, of the excessive gayety of 
 the few, of the lonliness of the many, I feel almost discouraged. But some of this 
 we may lay to the war and justly so. The method of dancing is much better than a year 
 or two ago, and more hands are being held to the lonely girl. So there is hope. With 
 patience and the active co-operation of the fine student leaders at the University, 
 we may accomplish the impossible. 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES IS 
 
 THE FUTURE OF SORORITIES FROM A 
 PANHELLENIC STANDPOINT 
 
 by Lillian W. Tompson 
 National PanheUenic Delegate for Gamma Phi Beta 
 
 Since Apollo no longer grants interviews, even to Greeks anxious to inquire 
 about the future of Panhellenism, the only way to forecast coming events is by study- 
 ing the past and present. What did the National fraternities set out to do when 
 they started the PanheUenic movement? They were determined (1) to increase inter- 
 fraternity friendliness, (2) to guide fraternity activities into the best channels, and 
 (3) to attack the faults of the fraternity system. What success has twenty years of 
 constant endeavor produced along these lines, and what does the future seem to 
 offer? 
 
 Interfraternity friendliness first developed, naturally, among the national 
 ofl&cers who attended the yearly meetings of the National Panhellenic Congress. 
 The intimacies and the new ideas which these meetings brought the delegates, they 
 shared as best they could with their grand Officers and fellow members. Delegates 
 started College Panhellenics in all colleges where national fraternities were repre- 
 sented in order to force the more or less unwilling active girls to know each other 
 also. In the last ten years the fruit of this movement has appeared in the establish- 
 ment and rapid growth of City Panhellenics all over the United States. The very 
 girls who when active found Panhellenic irksome, insisted when they became alumnae 
 on forming Panhellenic associations in their home towns, so that they might keep 
 up the pleasant interfraternity associations started in college. About sixty of these socie- 
 ties are affiliated with the National Panhellenic Congress. Many more are not affiliated . 
 All are carrying on various interesting activities which range from helping College 
 Panhellenics and encouraging scholarship with cups and funds, to supporting 
 local philanthropies. Akron, Ohio, has started a kind of Panhellenic fraternity house, 
 in which business women, fraternity and non-fraternity, find a pleasant horne and 
 echoes of college life. A group of alumnae have built Camp Panhellenic on Washington 
 Island, where active and alumnae girls from all fraternities spend the summer to- 
 gether. Groups of fraternity girls, traveling in Europe last summer, with the Ray- 
 mond Tours, arranged to visit certain places together and thus added greatly to 
 the joys of travel. Reports from these Panhellenic undertakings always emphasize 
 the delightful social life which is the basis of their wide popularity. It is evident that 
 the future will see a still further strengthening of these interfraternity intimacies. 
 
 The development and guidance of fraternity policies has also met with sub- 
 stancial success. Women's fraternities are now exceedingly well organized. They 
 all have a staff of experienced, long term officials, many of whom are paid. Most 
 fraternities have a central office in which is carried on the immense volume of secre- 
 tarial work necessary for the management of from twenty to sixty active, and nearly 
 as many alumnae chapters. Fraternities control and improve their active chapters 
 through visiting delegates. They finance their plans by ample yearly incomes and 
 by growing endowment funds. Of late considerable sums are spent on scholarships, 
 and philanthropies for women and children not connected with fraternities. A moun- 
 tain settlement school, a summer camp for underfed children, a teacher for the Mame 
 coast islanders, a hospital truck for southern mountain people, a vacation home for 
 children— All are now being supported by N. P. C. fraternities. Secrecy, except 
 concerning initiation, has almost disappeared. It is not at all unusual to see conven- 
 tion reports, financial reports and all sorts of business affairs in fraternity maga- 
 zines, while at the first session of each National Panhellenic Congress full accounts 
 
16 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 of all the latest developments in each fraternity are presented. Beginning with 
 an intense interest in their own problems, fraternities are now adding to that an al- 
 most equally intense interest in the world's problems, and if we may judge the future 
 by the present their tendency to philanthropic and educational work for other than 
 fraternity members is likely to become steadily stronger. 
 
 (But how about the third object which National Panhellenic had in view — 
 the improvement of the faults of the fraternity system?) This has to do with the 
 the field most familiar to deans of women — the active chapter in the chapterhouse, 
 and in this field lie the most difficult problems that confront the national officers. 
 There are at present 592 active chapters of Congress fraternities, situated in 112 
 colleges, which are located in all but four of the states of the Union. About 17,000 
 girls belong to these chapters. This stream of young and eager life flows 
 continually in at the freshman door and out at the senior, but in the chapter house 
 itself the time, as Tennyson would say, is always morning, and the girls are always 
 young. With only a year or two of experience these girls must meet the perplexing 
 problems of rushing and entertaining, of finance and study, of self control and con- 
 trol of others. They themselves are intensely conservative and intensely radical. 
 They want the very latest, and they cling tenaciously to "the way we have always 
 done in our chapter." Every difficulty that comes before a dean of women, comes also 
 before a national fraternity officer, only it comes to her from every quarter of the 
 United States and in the most varied forms. But twenty years of steady effort 
 have produced some improvements in chapter house life and in college Panhellenic 
 relations. Rushing has been better controlled. High School bidding has been eUm- 
 inated and High School rushing greatly reduced. The expense of rushing has been 
 brought within reasonable limits at most colleges. Panhellenic agreements have 
 mitigated the old free-for-all scramble for desirable freshmen, and preference bid- 
 ding has done away with the undignified performances of former years when personal 
 bidding prevailed. Sophomore pledging, so dear to the hearts of deans a few years 
 ago, has been experimented with and given up as unsuited to girl nature. A short 
 rushing season and a high scholarship requirement for initiation have been found 
 to work much better. Panhellenic associations have given girls valuable training 
 in making, abiding by and enforcing laws. Some feeling for fair fighting and good 
 losing has been aroused. Back of every chapter, and at the disposal of every dean, 
 if serious trouble arises, is a body of well trained and efficient officers who can give 
 council or exert authority. 
 
 But the fraternity house is the heart and center of active chapter life, and in 
 it both the advantages and the difficulties of the fraternity system appear. Out 
 of the 592 chapters belonging to the eighteen national fraternities, 323 five in houses. 
 Of these houses, 137 are owned, and 186 are rented. Of those owned forty- 
 seven were built by the fraternity, the others were bought and remodelled. 
 The smallest percentage of chapters of one fraternity living in houses is 
 thirty-seven, the largest is ninety-two, the average is fifty-eight. Most fraterni- 
 ties have funds which are used to help finance new houses. An alumnae corpora- 
 tion usually buys or builds the house, which is then rented from them by the active 
 chapter. These houses cost from $10,000 to $30,000, rarely more. Years of ex- 
 perience have convinced fraternity Grand Officers that chapter house life is of the 
 greatest value. Girls get there a training that is of the utmost use to them in after life. 
 They plan meals, buy supplies, select furnishings, keep accounts, attend to repairs 
 and learn besides as members of a group to make decisions for the common ^ood, 
 and then to put them into effect. Such experiences develop self reliance, efficiency 
 and leadership. A sense of responsibility is developed in the seniors by the duties 
 that come to them. They must tram the Freshmen, hold the highest offices, 
 and meet all the difficulties that arise. The very fact that adequate chaperones are 
 so hard to get, and that Grand Officers are so far away adds to the training of the 
 seniors, who must make good all deficiencies. It is certain that the future will see 
 more and more chapters living in their own houses, and whUe this will always give 
 deans and national officers some problems, these are not at present fundementally 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 17 
 
 What, finally, is the attitude of the eighteen national fraternities towards ex- 
 pansion? Expansion is gaining in popularity with all fraternities. From 1915 to 
 1921 the women's fraternities founded 162 new chapters, an average of twenty-seven 
 chapters a year, and entered eight new colleges, raising those on the eligible list from 
 104 to 112. It is probable that the future will see these figures surpasseed, for colleges 
 are crowded, ehgible girls are so numerous that only a small number of them can 
 be accommodated in existing chapters, and the National Panhellenic Congress 
 has for several years offered to help the expansion of any new National Fraternity. 
 This year several are starting and will probably soon appear in N. P. C. 
 
 What then in a word are the tendencies in fraternity life today? 
 
 1. Toward greater interfratemity intimacy. 
 
 2. Toward improved internal organization. 
 
 3. Toward greater helpfulness to women and children not connected with 
 fraternities. 
 
 4. Toward buying and building chapter houses. 
 
 5. Toward the development of chapter house life as a training in coopera- 
 tive living and leadership. 
 
 6. Toward steady expansion. 
 
 It seems probable that around some or all of these tendencies most of the fraternity 
 activities in the near future will center. But there are some apparent changes in stan- 
 course of dards among women, both moral and social which may modify or deflect 
 the fraternity development, as they may that of society at large. Fraternity officers, 
 however, cannot at present see these changes clearly enough to prepare for them, 
 but must meet them as they come with what wisdom the future provides. 
 
18 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 FUTURE OF SORORITIES 
 
 by Mary Ross Potter 
 'Dean of Women, Northwestern University 
 
 I remember with a smile, how some years ago, when I, as an enthusiastic young 
 dean, was trying to find my way, with confident anticipation of solving all pos- 
 sible problems in short order, I used to say with much unction, "A University 
 is not a kindergarten, and it is not a reform school." As the years have gone 
 by I have come to realize that often the girl who comes to college a mere child, 
 needing help at every point, "grows up" fast and outstrips her more self-reliant 
 sister; and many times the girl who tries us most reveals the truest metal once 
 a showing of patient and sympathetic interest has won her. The University 
 of today takes all this into account and no need of the student is beneath its 
 concern. Loans of many are made on easy terms; a hospital is provided with doc- 
 tors and nurses and surgery, often free; there are domitories with trained 
 dietitians and social heads. 
 
 When the colleges, having provided the best instruction possible, considered 
 their obligation fulfilled, there was great need especially for women, who were 
 none too welcome, of help in providing suitable housing and right conditions 
 of social life, and the sorority was created out of a very real need. It met that 
 need well. 
 
 In this day the colleges strive to meet every need of the student, and so they 
 have gradually approached success in this endeavor, and less and less has actually 
 been left to the sororities, the sororities have changed in their nature. They still 
 supply a genuine demand, and supplement in valuable ways the efforts of the 
 college, now grown large and perhaps sometimes helpless before the needs of 
 the individual student. They provide stimulus for high scholarship, whereas 
 formerly the need was rather to provide diversion from the monotony of heavy 
 work. They afford congenial groups, relatively small, whose members feel re- 
 sponsible for the standing of the group as a whole and obligated to each other 
 to teach each other helpful things. They offer opportunity for the develop- 
 ment of leadership and executive ability for larger numbers than would be 
 possible without the smaller grouping. Are they measuring up entirely to their 
 opportunity for service to college women either within or without their ranks.? 
 
 What is the advantage to a child of the public school over the private school? 
 The answer is obvious — the opportunity for the child to adapt himself to children 
 of all classes and thus to realize the rights which they have here in common 
 and the obligation of each to all. Up through the secondary schools to the Uni- 
 versity come the boy and girl who are to receive there, the finishing touches of 
 their formal education for citizenship — citizenship in that America which has 
 been characterized as "an experiment in faith in human nature." Tomakesuchan 
 experiment a success each person must trust his fellow, each must be worthy 
 the trust of his fellows, and each must not only recognize the rights of his fel- 
 lows but be deeply concerned that those rights be realized. No man may prof- 
 it at the expense of his fellows, and no man's doom may be sounded by another 
 than himself. And as a means to all this, each man must know and understand 
 his fellow. The same need of broad contact exists here as in the Public School. 
 America has not realized her ideal, but that she is constantly setting to work new 
 agencies which move in that direction and eliminating elements which militate 
 against it nobody can doubt. The University has not yet attained its ideal, 
 but it too is marching toward it. Not the least of the signs of progress in the 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 19 
 
 past few years is the new spirit of self-determination on the part of the students. 
 When any body assumes responsibility for the solution of its own problems, 
 then the solution is well on the way. There needs only a clear understanding 
 of the problem itself, and the American student is quickly "on the job." 
 
 The University trains for citizenship. The University graduate, then, 
 should go out to the serious duties of a citizen after four years of practice in 
 a fine senitiveness to the rights of others; a conviction of his obligation to assist 
 in maintaining those rights; a sense of the "preciousness" of every human life 
 and its right to a "realizable chance of happiness;" an appreciation through 
 experience of the value of contact with many types of people and with varied 
 interests in order that his culture may be broadened and his horizon widened. 
 
 The University Freshman comes in with the expectation justly conceived 
 of an open course before him, with opportunity of initiative and self-develop- 
 ment, with no barrier to the highest attainment — mental, social, spiritual — 
 of which his nature is capable; with every possibility of winning honors, friend- 
 ships, happiness. 
 
 Then in the University must be developed all possible agencies for ful- 
 filling these ends, and no influence should enter there which will detract from 
 these high achievements for every student. First of all, to quote Mr. Bridges 
 — whose book "On Becoming an American" mav naturally apply to that 
 section of America, the American College, as well as to the entire country. 
 
 "It is not possible for a human being to live without a supreme loyalty." 
 But that loyalty must not be narrow. To the student as a student that supreme 
 loyalty should be his college — the alma mater which affords him the opportunity 
 to develop into his best, his finest self; which offers him membership in a body 
 large enough and varied enough to broaden his culture and widen his horizon 
 through contact with many and varied types; not too large or too varied to en- 
 list the loyal devotion of its members to, not merely the body of individuals 
 who compose his own generation, but to the spirit of the institution as expressed 
 in its continuous life. 
 
 What is the effect of the sorority as it exists today upon the possible reali- 
 zation of the real purpose of the University? It contributes much, and all that 
 it contributes must be conserved. I should like at this point to "give credit," 
 as the authors say. I could not have undertaken the following outline, incom- 
 plete and merely suggestive as it is, without the assistance of the dozen or more 
 Deans of Women who generously responded to my request for their answers to 
 two questions, i. e. What should be conserved in the sorority system? What 
 should be eliminated? By "conserved" I mean not simply kept for the sorrori- 
 ties, but extended to all who desire it or earn it. Here are the answers: 
 
 What should be conserved: 
 
 First of all, the small group of congenial and mutually responsible friends, 
 who provide an impetus to high scholarship, assume to teach other helpful things 
 and provide that backing from which comes a sense of being a representative 
 of a group rather than an isolated individual, and which brings the deep satis- 
 faction, that come with the close of lasting friendships. 
 
 Second, the spirit of loyalty which the sorority engenders in its members 
 and which furnishes a splendid impetus to activity and an incentive to high 
 standards and high ideals which are handed down from generation to generation. 
 
 Third, the fine initiative and power of leadership which a sorority develops 
 in its members. 
 
 I might add a fourth point the training which comes from assuming re- 
 sponsibility for a house, with its making of budgets, and general training in 
 right proportions. This, however, valuable as it is to both the University and 
 the members of the household, would probably never become the privilege of 
 every college woman. 
 
20 PAPERS READ BEFORE SECTIONAL MEETING 
 
 And what in the light of the high calling of the college and in the interest 
 of its realization, should be eliminated? 
 
 First, the emphasis of the group at the expense of the campus at large. 
 Such emphasis is expressed when a sorority pushes one of its members for office 
 regardless of her fitness for the position, and more still when sororities combine 
 to exchange votes for their respective members. It is expressed when any sort 
 of sorority interest is permitted to take precedence over a general college in- 
 terest. It will not be corrected by simply compelling the members to enter cer- 
 tain activities or to conduct themselves in a certain way, but only by an actual 
 shifting of the center of interest. 
 
 Second, the emphasis of the group at the expense of the individual in the 
 group. This is done when the individual is drafted to represent the group in 
 an activity for which she has neither taste nor time — a whist tournament, for 
 example. On a certain campus was heard this conversation one day: *'Are 
 you going to vespers today?" "No, it isn't my day." "Who does go today?" 
 "So-and-so and So-and-so." It is done when a Freshman girl is induced to swear 
 lifelong devotion to thirty or forty persons whom she has known for three days 
 or even three weeks. It is done when a sorority member is expected to humiliate 
 herself before a Freshman girl who is considered "material" for membership. 
 It is done when the sorority hampers in any way the freedom of the individual. 
 And indeed, what affects the individual affects the group as a whole, so there 
 is loss all round. It is done if the sorority even unconsciously tends to dwarf 
 the interest of its members in a relationship of hearty give and take with the 
 students of a different type from herself. 
 
 Third, the emphasis of the group at the expense of the girl outside. "No- 
 body wishes to harm a girl outside, but if the good of the sorority demands it, 
 then it must be done," says the sorority. But no human being has the right 
 to gain his own ends at the expense of another, and he who does it must shrink 
 and shrivel thereby. For the good of the sorority member, then, as well as for 
 the girl outside, this thing is wrong. It is done when she is passed upon and 
 pronounced wanting by a small group of privileged persons, perhaps the ac- 
 quanitance of a day or two, whose decision is as a rule accepted by the campus. 
 It is done when her neighbor is taken, for no reason which is apparent to her 
 or can be made clear to her, excepting that she is a failure at making friends. 
 It is done when she is deprived of campus social life through the monopoly of 
 it by the sororities and fraternities. It is done when in any way the sorority 
 is made to seem to those outside or inside to represent a higher social caste. 
 There is no social caste in America. 
 
 The sororities were not originally in danger of committing many of the 
 wrongs just enumerated. Now, however, as women have flocked to the college 
 in larger numbers, and sororities have multiplied, the prosperity has wrought 
 to the sororities a two fold detriment; First, since they cannot, as they are 
 now organized, assimilate anything like the entire number of women or even 
 all who seem in their eyes desirable, they have fallen into the way of selecting 
 with a view wholly to their own self-interests; and when self-interest becomes 
 the dominant motive of action the effect on the doer is destructive, and indeed 
 the keen edge of satisfaction must sooner or later grow dull. Second, through 
 sheer necessity of self preservation in the face of competition, they too often 
 choose their members with an eye to the contribution which the recruits can 
 make to the standing of the organization, as an organization, on the campus. 
 And this competition has led also to the thing called "rushing." It is well named. 
 The sorority member hates it, the college authorities condemn it, the Senior 
 on graduation thanks goodness that there will be no more of it; the girl who is 
 not rushed is hurt; the girl who is rushed and dropped is abused. The girl who 
 is rushed and "bid" has many thrills; but even she, before it is over, would 
 almost sacrifice her entrance to the Promised Land to be free from it. 
 
 So much for the pros and cons. 
 
 We are living in a time of great and significant change, the keynote of which 
 is greater consideration and understanding of the aims and ideals of others. 
 
BY DEANS OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 21 
 
 People no longer care to be banded togther for exclusive reasons and at the 
 sacrifice of broader relationships; and women especially scorn to accept per- 
 sonal gain at the expense of other women. Is not this the time, then, when a 
 movement toward the really best thing would be easy? 
 
 It is not for me to offer a ready-made plan; I have none. It is for the sorority 
 women themselves to do it, and to them the colleges and universities look, conscious 
 of the fine contribution already rendered, and believing in their power and desire 
 to meet the challenge of the present. If I were to make suggestions, I would 
 recommend the following basis for organization: 
 
 (1) A clean cut basis of membership worthy the loyalty given and such 
 that it may be defined and may be understood by non-members. 
 
 (2) Either the inclusion of all women who can qualify on the basis stated, 
 or a form of organization so flexible and with the visible point of distinction 
 from the rest of the campus so insignificant that other similar organizations 
 can be formed without limit and can take their place on the campus on an equal 
 footing with the older organizations. 
 
 (3) Either membership entered upon late enough so that both sorority 
 members and candidate may know one another well or a less binding bond, 
 with provision for severing it and transferring to another group easily and with- 
 out odium attached. 
 
 (4) That social prestige be abandoned as a consideration of the group as 
 a group. 
 
 (5) That there be no rushing. 
 
 These suggestions are, as I have said, not intended as a comprehensive 
 plan, but simply as a statement of certain fundamental principles which, as 
 it seems to me, should be embodied in the sororities of the future. I believe 
 that I express the sentiment of thinking sorority women, alumnae and under- 
 graduates, everywhere in saying that reorganization along these lines would 
 bring greater satisfaction to sorority members and a contribution to the ef- 
 fort of the colleges and universities toward equal opportunity for all students 
 of self-realization in an atmosphere of breadth and freedom worthy of the fine 
 calibre of our present day young people. A great movement like this would 
 do much to free this "wild young generation" from the froth and general be- 
 wilderment through which they are struggling, much of which they have in- 
 herited from the recent years, and from which I truly believe they would 
 gladly be free. 
 
 It is a tremendous thing to suggest — this cold blooded inspection and re- 
 generation of so time-honored an institution as the system of national sororities 
 — but this is a day of big things, and the sororities, I truly believe, will niove 
 along with other big things. They are in a position to assure for the American 
 college campuses this problem of much needed universal campus organization 
 because of the prestige which their long experience and service have given them; 
 because of their splendid national machinery, ready to hand for setting the move- 
 ment in motion; because of the fine example which they have already given on 
 many campuses of a kind of housing which provides successfully for both physi- 
 cal comfort and the human need of happiness through companionship. I am 
 thinking that, as campus possibilities shape themselves more clearly in our con- 
 sciousness, the house may prove the natural unit, whether owned by the students 
 themselves or otherwise provided. 
 
 To reconstruct will mean to lose some cherished traditions; but is not all 
 progress based upon the sacrifice of really good things to larger and better things? 
 Would not the really valuable elements of the sorority be preserved and even 
 enhanced in value through a frank and whole-hearted pledging of the sorority 
 to the highest good of the campus as a whole and every individual on it? A large 
 contract, yes; but not too large. I wish that this time when big undertakings 
 are easy — small ones with short vision do not enlist out interest any more — 
 that this time might not go by with any powerful factor of college life not yet 
 brought to the full measure of its possibility of constructive contribution. 
 
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