HIGHACEES COLLEGIAN SO IOU WANT TO GO FRATERNITY ? During the last few weeks, some of the students have been entertained by several fraternities on the main campus* This is fine, for fraternity life on the Penn State Campus Is of the best. There are fifty-four fraternities and twenty-three sororities to chose from} easily one for every type of personality. Therefore, gentlemen, please let me caution yous make your choice slowly and carefully. I realize that most of you feel that you know only one fraternity} you think you should grab the first bid given you, so that you are not left out. This is only natural, —but this is where you can go wrong. Some of the fraternities have been trying to take the "cream of the crop" from Highacres. They are accomplishing this be dsvious means, such as showing long-range plans for a glamorous new fra ternity house, spreading stories of an exaggerated house-standing on campus, and using other forms of unethical bribery* So you say that you don’t know anyone in another fraternity l This is no prob lem J Each fall during Orientation Week, all the fraternities have "open house" to which all men students are welcome. If you impress i<hese various fraternities, they will invite you back, or ask you to fill out a rushi.ng form. By this means you can easily find a good house that you will like and one (or more) that will be very interested in you* These houses are looking for good men, They are .eager to get men like you, as you are in finding a good house like theirs* But do not grab the first bid you rec eive just to get into a fraternity house, unless you are absolutely sure. Remember—you must live with the men of the house of your, choice for three years] And they really will be long if you are unhapp or dissatisfied. Eventually, you may feel that you are in a second-rate house you will not feel like being a part of the fraternity, and because of this you will lose the whole essence of fraternity life. Being a member of a •fratrnity c&n be a great advantage if you choose the right one. If I can be of any help to you,' or if you have any queso ions please feel free to see me any time in the Collegian office. INFORMATION ON FRATERNITIES AND RUSHING New students sometimes arrive on the main campus with biased and erroneous im pressions of fraternity life. The purpose of this article, a condensation of a pamphlet on fraternity life from the Office of the Dean of Men, is to encouragf an open-minded approach toward fraternfti e> to impart accurate information, and to en able the student to come to a sound con clusion about this aspect of college life. Fraternities at Penn State continue to fill the apparent need of students to associate with one another in a well defined social group in accordance with certain membership standards, rules of procedure, and ideals. They serve as a medium through which those students who so desire and are selected may engage in a living experience of a more organized and purportedly more inspirational nature. Most of these fraternities are within easy walking distance of the campus. In each group there are between thirty and fifty five members. Freshmen and upperclassmen who are rushing fraternities must meet scholastic standards established by the Tnterfrater ni ty Council which requires, at. least an all-college average of 2 or a previous semester average of 2.2 before pledging or initiation. Official pledging begins after the second semester, as determined by the T. F.C. Residence may be taken up in the fraternity houses in the third semester or the sophomore year. (continued on page four) PAGE TWO —Assistant Editor
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