A study of secret societies in the secondary schools

89 Pages·04.817 MB·English

by  Axford, Florence S

This thesis, having been approved by the
special Faculty Committee, is accepted by
the Graduate School of the
University of Wyoming,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Ma_s_ter__e_£_iir_ts______
_______
Dean of the Graduate School.
Tint*. December lit, 19S>1
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
A STUDY OF SECRET SOCIETIES IN THE
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
by
Florence S. Axford
A Thesis
Submitted to the College
of Education and the Graduate School
of the University of Wyoming in Partial
Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
December, 195>1
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
UMI Number: EP20683
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HEBARD ROOM
"I : f
\ /
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The -writer wishes to egress deepest gratitude to
Dr. L. R. Kilzer, Head, Department of Secondary Education,
University of Wyoming, .for his encouragement, guidance, and
untiring efforts throughout this study.
F.S.A.
Dedicated to my husband.
Q/f
..O 4 0.1. *
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE?
I. INTRODUCTION........................................ 1
Statement of the problem ................. ' 1
Importance of the problem......................... 1
Limitations of the study................. 2
Procedure.......................... 3
Definition of terms ............................... $
II. REVIEW OB’ PERTINENT LITERATURE....................... 7
Origin .......................................... 7
Redsons for the existence today . . . . . .......... 9
Arguments for secret societies . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Objections to bigh-school secret societies . . . . . . 12
Effect upon the life of the school............. lit
Effect on the members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Effect upon non-members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Ways of eliminating ............... 2k
Adult responsibility ........................... 29
III. INTERPRETATION OF D A T A .............................. 33-
SUMMARY OF STATE LAWS AND COURT CASES THROUGHOUT
THE NATION . .................................. 33
Arkansas . . . . . . . ......................... 38
California............... 39
Colorado .................................. J4.I
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iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Florida............................................ 1+1
Georgia............................................ 1+2
Idaho.............................................. 1+3
Illinois.......................................... 1+3
Indiana............................................ 1+5
I o w a .......... 1+5
Kansas............................................ 1+6
Louisiana.......................................... 1+6
Maine.............................................. 1+7
Maryland........................................ . 1+8
Massachusetts...................................... 1+8
Michigan . ...................................... 1+9
Minnesota.......................................... 50
Mississippi........................................ 50
Missouri.......................................... 5l
Montana............................................ 5l
Nebraska.......................................... 52
New Jersey........................................ 52
New Y o r k .......................................... 52
North Carolina.................................... 53
O h i o .............................................. 53
Oklahoma.......................................... 511-
Ore gon ............................................ 51+
Pennsylvania ...................................... 55
Rhode Island...................................... 55
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V
CHAPTER PAGE
Texas................. 55
Vermont........................................ 56
Virginia...................................... 56
Washington . ................................ 57
SECRET SOCIETIES IN IYOMING ....................... 58
School A ...................... 59
School B .................................... . 59
School C ...................................... 59
School D- ...................................... 59
Other schools.................................. 60
SUMMARY.......................................... 61
IV.S UMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AM) RECOMMENDATIONS............... 66
SUMMARY.......................................... 66
CONCLUSIONS...................................... 69
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................. 70
SELECTED REFERENCES ........................................ 72
APPENDIX.................................................. 76
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LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1. LEGAL STATUS OF SECRET SOCIETIES ..................... 62
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Secret societies have been and are a constant source of trouble to
the school administrators. The rise of the high-school secret societies
in the last half-century has a causal factor in the schools’ neglect to
meet youths' needs. There has been a long and legal struggle against the
existence of secret societies, but the problem, remains in the high school
of today. Until the schools broaden their allied-activities program to
guide the teen-agers in a constructive ana democratic way, secret socie­
ties will continue to flourish.
Statement of the problem. This study proposes to present, as accu­
rately as possible, (l) the present state legislation against secret so­
cieties throughout the United States and (2) a summary of court actions
which have been adjudged by the Appellate and Supreme Courts of the Na­
tion.
As the State of Wyoming has enacted no state laws against high-school
fraternities and sororities, the present ■writer has sought to determine,
as completely as possible, (l) whether secret societies are in existence
in Wyoming high schools, (2) whether local board action has been levied
against them, and (3) whether administrators have made exceptions for cer­
tain clubs or societies which possess some of the bad characteristics of
a secret society.
Importance of the problem. New emphasis on the individual pupil
has directed attention to his development as an individual with social
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