University of Virginia Library

I

Apologists for the University's fraternity
system will not be amused if we pause for a
moment to recall an editorial printed in these
columns two years ago. The piece concluded
unequivocally: "Don't rush. Don't
pledge."

Having characterized the system as "a
slowly dying anachronism," the author
rendered a categorical indictment of
fraternities across the board listing fraud,
bigotry, perverted practices of
"socialization" and elitism among other
offenses. He may have proven himself more
prophetic than commutative in suggesting a
"lag in social trends has allowed the
fraternities to remain essentially unchanged
from the days when they were founded to
preserve and foster the elitist concept of the
racist Southern gentleman." The editorial
continued, "But here too they will fail,
perhaps when the houses deteriorate beyond
repair, but more probably when the typical
entering student has no need for them."

Such a day may have arrived. Many who
were members of fraternities at the time of
that editorial long since have resigned in
disgust. (All the arguments on either side
seem very, very old.) They clutched their
battered copies of This Side Of Paradise and
marveled at the delay: what was going on at
Scott Fitzgerald's Princeton half a century
ago was only now beginning to happen here.
They reasoned, cajoled, argued and even
fought. They heard the slogans: THE
GENTLEMAN'S CLUB IS DEAD! One finally
threw his hands over his head and ran
screaming from the room. Boring. Boring.
Boring.