Page:The Fraternity and the College (1915).pdf/141

 chapter house, the former is of course much the less desirable, for though the stay-at-home may be of little or no service in helping along the business of managing and directing the internal affairs of the chapter, such influence and attainments as he has count toward the betterment of the organization and add to its prestige. The other type of man is a distinct injury; he is a good fellow who never gets the fraternity anywhere.

If the taking of town men into the house does not in all cases seem feasible or possible an alternative suggests itself. The man who can not come into the house and so assume his share of the fraternity's responsibilities, should be required positively to demonstrate his scholastic ability before he is initiated even if his initiation has to be deferred to the sophomore year. The boy who lives at home is, because of this fact, not likely to serve the fraternity or be influenced by it in anything like the same degree as does the boy who lives in the chapter house. For that very reason he should be made to demonstrate his claim to some superior ability before he is taken into the chapter, and the easiest way for him to do this is by getting at least an average if not a high scholastic standing.

The brother who lives in town is not infrequently, because of the very reason which brings his parent or his parents to town with him, a petted indulged son. The plan of making such a