Page:The Fraternity and the Undergraduate (1923).pdf/84

 are the only fellows, and Monday night concludes that he just must be a Sigma Chi or be forever unhappy, by Tuesday noon he has probably become strong for the Phi Psi's, and by the end of the week he does not know whether he is afoot or horse back, and no one wants him. The comfort of it all, however, is that when a man consults his own best judgment, thinks the thing out, and comes finally to a decision, he is usually contented and happy for all time. There are few freshmen who get the button on, no matter what hieroglyphics it bears, who would have it different. He sees few faults in the brothers, he begins at once to make heroes out of them, and from the outset is confident that he is in the "only fraternity."

I have always felt that when a man had made up his mind to accept the invitation of a fraternity and still has other social obligations unfulfilled, there are certain conventions which he ought to respect. With us, often when Brown is pledged and still has dates with other organizations which he has not yet met, it is the custom for some member of the fraternity instead of Brown himself, to call up these organizations over the telephone, and announce the fact of his having been pledged, and ask that his social obligations with them be cancelled. I do not know how common such a practice is, but whether common or otherwise, it has always