New-York tribune., 1875-07-01
YALE COLLEGE.

YALE COLLEGE.
xLECrIONEERING TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO THE
STATEMENT OF FACTs-CUTnNG DOWN THE EX-
ERcIsEs-CoILEGE ENTHUSIASM OVER A BALL
MATCH.
IrRoM IA srAFP CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUYE.l
NEw-HAvEN, June 3O.-Another thing they
do not do now that they used 10 twenty twenty-five
years ago Is 10 elccOnecr the Freshmen for the liter
AIRY societies Ilnoa Brothers in Unity These
the two largo societies of the College, In which all the
classes met on ground. There was one other,
Callope a small society on the same plan but having
membership composed wholly Of students from the
South Southern students were not as rule election
eered" by the two larger societies. it being understood
that they would Join CaOpe by natural ailiaon But
young men from the NewEngland, Middle or western
States upon immediately on their arrival ny EN-
ssaries OF societies ans bcsought to join the
strife between the two being for majority OF the Glass
! said "set upon" their arrival; they were rather
sought out at the preparatory schools pursued TO tho
family Hresde waited upon by committees, and fairly
surrounded and besegcd from tie hour became known
that they intended TO TO college The two s0ceues
schools and centers Of college politics There was
what was called Statement OF Facts 10 the Freshmen
they called with unusual and very ansltoIy
polieness" the young gentlemen who have recently en-
tered college, the beginning OF the first term OF the
collegiate yearwhich consisted Of addresses TO the new
class by three representatives of each society urging the
claims OF their respective organizations To be elected
fO either
os outside OF awards for scholarship made by tho
Faculty The "statemcnt of Facts had for its main feG
lures for many years elaborate arguments the side
and the other upon the question whether John g. Cal
houn was Lnonian a Brother In Unity. Both socie-
ties claimed him. and each side supported lis claim with
documentary and other proofs which kept increasing
every year until the array startling, and much
more confusing tho Freshman than any Of the won
derul developments OF the past six months in Brooklyn
In addition to this principal feature were statistics OF
dsuc ucushed graduates from the two societies, lawyers
physicians cergynen, &c, and Of college honos taken
by the Representatives OF each.
The Statement OF Facts after while TO be mere
formay so FAR the effect OF the arguments was con-
cerped "a not half a dozen in class came 10 college
without having previously pledged themselves TO one or
the other "Pledgng carried to the extent oil send
ing committees year advance 10 the principal pr'pdr-
story ochools and academies and sometimes the children
OF graduates pledged in the cradle 10 noua or TIE
Brothers. The pulling and hauling OF Freshmen by the
committees who seized them at the depot or went ont
and met them the incoming train, and TOOK them In
charge bag and baggage until they had run them H. got
20 be quite nuisance; and at last the college authores
ordered the whole business stopped, and established
TILE for opportionng the Freshmen equally between tie
two soccties CaiOpe having died out With this the n-
tore IN the two largo debating societies ceased and
few years ago they were discontinued entirely. Ihey
were In their day. and Two or three years ago some
Of the older Alumni, among whom WAS the Hon VIM NJ
EvArts quito lament ONcr tlclT ueCduthCc
the consequent deprivation Of opportunities for the young
men to cultivate the gr1ces Of oratory Their places,
however are supplied by class debating societies. and
Am told that these much largely attended than
the old literary societies were Besides these are the
Freshman societies in which questions Of morals,
philosophy, politics, and religion. are discussed with tho
usual largeness vision and breadth OF beam which
characterize such debates The Alumni Hall building.
which was built mainly 10y contributions from the two
literary societies. and IN which each had handsomely
hall Is devoted 10 recitation rooms and the
uses Of the debatug societies The room in which
the Alumni meetings held is dreadiully bare and
unnvitng place aud 10 be hoped that the next pas
sase o the contribution box will have I'm view its decOra
ton and sdorBment at least the making 1t decent and
comfortable The libraries OF the LnOna and Brothers
IN Unity amounting 10 some 27OOO Volumes were turned
over 10 the Library Committee OF the College, and are
now under their direction and control The College
Library by the way, never in good condition as
now II contains about $4,000 volumes and annual
Of $1,000 for the purchase of books to which
has added for the past year or two the Gum of
$500 by the Hon. wm Walter Phelps, the income from
. legacy Of his father.
The number Of visitors here thus far is much smaller
than IN any previous year The tendency TO cut down
the exercises aud compress the anniversaries into two or
three days had the effect to lessen the public interest
In the proceedings Formerly there annual
ton poem before the Phi Beta Kappa Society which
called together large audiences. The Commencement
exercises proper longer and more varied and the
professional schools and other departments OF tile Col
lege added features Of interest 10 the occasion Com
mencement much gala II used 10 be-
Still 4! is not altogether duh On Tuesday night. the stu
aents celebrated tue victory OF the Yale Base Ball Club
ever the Harvards IN old fashioned noisy way, with
very loud explosions and great many OF them until the
police nerfered carried OF young followed
by two or three hundred ethers The extemporaneous
debate College fence the rights Of the students
. Ne campus tie volsiseOs Law by ths cops in
invading the College grounds lively and entertain