Quote Originally Posted by tulip View Post
Mr. Silver, c'mon! I was in college in "your day" and the term "frat" was used extensively, by those in fraternities and independents. Granted, we went to different schools, but big public basketball schools still. Nothing wrong with "frat" as a term, it's just shorter is all
Not challenging your observation, just stating fact. The phrase was only used by the anti-Greek movement...usually as "frat rat". . Greeks at Alabama cringed at the sound

Like trisk's son's experience, at that time, the organizations were struggling to be more than a drinking club and to provide support to round out the experience.

As silver pointed out to me recently, sorority living was actually cheaper than dorm or apartment living...the extra expense came in the unofficial 'social requirements'