Pi Phidelity

Oct. 30, 1907
Los Angeles

The young men of Los Angeles High School have issued a direct challenge to the Board of Education, defying its authority by enlisting fraternity members despite a ban issued last year.

The chief offenders are the Pi Phis, who just added seven members, The Times says. “Another ‘brat frat,’ as they have been dubbed, recently held high jinks at Levy’s restaurant and made a burning declaration of independence in which the city superintendent of schools and all persons concerned in opposing them were relegated to a place where a fire company would not be a circumstance,” The Times said.

The young women of Los Angeles High are equally rebellious, The Times says. “The sororities at Los Angeles High School have made a number of pledges among the younger girls and the small sisters of sorority members are wearing pins up under the ruching of their high collars—pins of which they are very proud.” (Ruching, in case you are unfamiliar with women’s clothing, is a pleated or gathered strip of decorative fabric).

Greek institutions at Los Angeles High School include the Geks, the Pi Phis, the Phi Sigmas and the Phi Delta Kappas.

After a protracted legal battle, fraternities and sororities were banned in Los Angeles high schools, although the issue flared up intermittently. The final blow apparently came in 1916, when the National Panhellenic Congress ruled that no member of a high school sorority would be admitted to a similar group in college.

Lmharnisch.com
Lmharnisch.blogspot.com
e-mail: lmharnisch (AT) gmail.com