Page:The Fraternity and the Undergraduate (1923).pdf/227

 so that I feel sure that my figures as to percentages of men who do or who do not graduate are reasonably accurate.

I included in this inquiry also a question relative to the reasons which had induced the various men to leave college before graduation time. For sixty-three per cent of these men no reason was alleged, and I am not inclined to put much faith in the accuracy of the replies to the thirty-seven per cent for which reasons were given, although I include these. The men who answered the questionnaires were of necessity acquainted with only a very small number of the men concerned, since they were not in college when most of these other men were, and could know but little other than that which comes through hearsay or tradition as to the influences which induced their brothers to withdraw. Neither the records of the fraternity nor of the University ordinarily indicate why a man has withdrawn or failed to return to finish his course, so that at best it must be a matter of conjecture or of memory in drawing any conclusion as to the causes operating. Since I have known practically all these men personally to whom reference was made in the questionnaire, I am inclined to think that only general conclusions can be drawn, and that it is impossible accurately to set down percentages.