October 16, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



545 



the freshmen are the fraternity average would 

 probably creep up a notch or two farther. But 

 as it is, the gain for the upperclassman is con- 

 siderable, for a good start in the freshman 

 year is likely to stand him in good stead for 

 the three years thereafter. For this reason the 

 fraternity average ought to show the effect of 

 the introduction of this rule by a rise for the 

 next two years, or during the period while the 

 first two classes to enter under the rule are be- 

 coming juniors and seniors. 



An interesting sidelight on the new state of 

 affairs is the fact that at the end of the first 

 semester of 1913-1914 five freshmen were re- 

 leased from their pledges to fraternities mainly 

 because they had turned out to be hopelessly 

 poor students. 



The gain shown in the fraternity average as 

 a result of the working of these two factors 

 is gratifying. It is, however, perhaps too 

 much to expect that the gap between the two 

 averages will be closed up entirely. The 

 normal position in most universities for the 

 fraternity average is slightly below the gen- 

 eral average. The explanation usually given 

 for this condition is that the fraternities har- 

 bor the lowest average men in the university, 

 and are thereby handicapped. Even the aver- 

 age fraternity men will advance this explana- 

 tion. The following table, based on grades 

 made in the first semester of 1913-1914, how- 

 ever, seems to indicate that such explanation 

 is not the true one : 



TABLE TO SHOW A COMPARISON OP GRADES WITHIN 

 SPECIFIED LIMITS 



Non-fratpr- Frater.nity 



nity Averages, Averages, 



Per Cent. Per Cent. 



90-100 9 7 



80-90 58 54 



70-80 27 34 



0-70 6 5 



This comparison shows that although there 

 is a larger percentage of non-fraternity aver- 

 ages above 90 than fraternity averages, there 

 is also a slightly larger percentage below pass- 

 ing. Apparently, then, the high and low aver- 

 age men are not responsible for the difference in 

 the general averages. The middle average men 



seem to have the responsibility instead. Fra- 

 ternity men seem more likely to be content 

 with grades between 70 and 80 than do non- 

 fraternity men. 



It is perhaps true that in certain chapters 

 two or three very low men are to blame for 

 dragging down the chapter's average, but it 

 would seem to be true that the general fra- 

 ternity average is dragged down by the men 

 who could do 85 per cent, work, but are con- 

 tent to do 80 per cent, or Y5 per cent. work. 

 Fraternity men are more generally represented 

 in outside activities than non-fraternity men 

 and it is barely possible that this fact explains 

 their lower average. But it has been the ex- 

 perience of this ofiice that the men who are 

 active within reasonable limits in outside 

 activities are usually pretty good students. 

 The loafer in the classroom is usually a loafer 

 outside. Another explanation, which I think 

 is somewhere near the true one, is that among 

 fraternity men the desire for high grades 

 usually gives way to a feeling of satisfaction 

 with passing grades. Other rewards, not open 

 to non-fraternity men, come to take the place 

 of the delight in high grade work which very 

 often is the most satisfying delight of the non- 

 fraternity man's college life. 



A vast amount of chapter history is involved 

 in the record of the ups and downs of the 

 various averages. Chapter conditions will 

 almost always account for the variations from 

 year to year. Any sudden rise or fall in any 

 chapter's record can usually be accounted for 

 by the character of the men who were in con- 

 trol in the chapter at the time. For instance 

 the sudden decline of Delta Upsilon in 1912 

 can be explained by an examination of the 

 upperclassmen at that time. The quite phe- 

 nomenal rise and fall of Theta Delta Chi in 

 1913 is explained by the coming and going of 

 a particularly forceful man in the chapter 

 during the year. In most cases high averages 

 or low averages are not dependent so much 

 upon the presence in the chapter of a number 

 of exceptionally high or low grade men aa 

 upon the presence or absence of a masterful 

 leader. 



The curve of the average of Zeta Psi is 

 interesting. For five semesters it is very 



