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