Brothers under the Rose

One morning last week, lessons were proceeding as usual at Oak Park (Ill.) High School, when a messenger from Principal M. R. McDaniel's office entered one of the classrooms and haled Student Sam Givens into the corridor. He was wanted at "the office." Having lately won a local oratorical contest, Sam flushed with pleasure, thinking to himself: "Ho, ho, this will be something that Mac [Principal McDaniel] wants to say to me about the national oratorical contest."

The office messenger haled Student Al Adams, football luminary, from his studies. Al headed for the office wondering if they wanted the correct spelling of his name for his diploma, or something. "Buck" Halperin, another footballer, captain for next fall, followed Al and Sam. So did Lawrence ("Larry") Forster, baseball captain; so did Arthur ("Art") Bramhall, star pitcher; so did Edwin Fogarty, social light; Millard Meyers, Oak Park funnyboy; the two popular Hadfield boys, Bill and Bud--and many another. It was a veritable procession of Oak Park notables, 51 of the leading boy students.

Upon arriving at "the office," one and all were informed that they were suspended for one year.

There is a law in Illinois forbidding the existence of fraternities and secret societies in public high schools. The 51 suspended leaders were all offenders against this law, of which the purpose is to stamp out snobbishness and secret practices, and of which parents are duly apprised by letter upon their sons' entrance at Oak Park High. All 51 had joined societies--four different Greek-letter brotherhoods that persistently, furtively, hugged their insignia and traditions despite attacks three years ago and in 1916, when Principal McDaniel was installed at Oak Park to stamp them out. A detective had been employed to "get the goods" on these brotherhoods, and in a session with this sleuth last fortnight the 51 had confessed all, promised to disband. Solemnly, regretfully, the "grip" (private type of handshake) had been given a last time all around. A last time they had whispered their passwords and unguessable secrets. Then, like brave men, they had declared their fraternizing formally at an end and gone their ways in sorrow. They had thought the matter was closed but last week the school board met and voted their suspension.

According to the colorful Chicago Tribune, "By noon it was a dreary place, the campus of the high school. Many girls were crying, and some boys." There was a critical ball game scheduled for that day and virtually the whole Oak Park team was "fired." Some of the 51 went into legal conference to get a special injunction restraining the school board from taking action until after graduation day. Others went to other schools, tried to enroll and finish their year's work. Principal Mc-Daniel refused to comment. Board President George Harvey Jones said: "There is nothing sensational about this affair. Every student, upon entering school, knows exactly what the law is and what the penalty, , , ."