Page:The Fraternity and the College (1915).pdf/184

 will be out of humor, will make us all unhappy, and will probably bring liquor into the house no matter what we say against it." One such experience will ruin all the good work which may have been done by the officers of the active chapter during the year.

Only this week I had a conversation with a group of old college men whose escapades had not been quite creditable and who excused themselves on the ground that what they had done would not influence the upperclassmen, and that they had not allowed the freshmen to take any part in the performance. It would be an imbecile lot of freshmen who did not know what was going on and who was either not ashamed of it or made worse by it. Not even the ritual sets before the undergraduate members of the fraternity the ideals of the organization as do the words and actions and general bearing of the returning alumnus. Without giving a word of direct precept he may yet leave behind him an influence and an inspiration which are immeasurable. If his return, however, is in order that he may live over again the follies of youth and if he leaves behind him the memory of a beery breath and a vulgar tongue he is not helping to raise the standards of fraternities as their best friends wish might be done. The sensible undergraduate officer of the fraternity always deplores such escapades, but he does not