The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-04
GREEK LETTER SOCIETIES.
PRINCETON MEN Discussing Sc
CRET COLLEGE CLUBs.
Their Nature and their Enects-Tbe Mntri-
cuinton PledRes-The Long Controversy
betweeu the students and the Faculty.


betweer the students and the Faculty.
The New York city alumni OF Prince
ton College held their regular monthly meeting
In Delmonco's parlors last evening" Pnrke
Goodwin wes I'm the chair, and among the
alumni and underRraduatel present were
D. Remscn. John A. Stewart the Rev.
Dr. NcVus, II. NJ. Alexander, Of the Board Of
1rustees; ". t. Cole, Assistant Corporation
Counsel; c. Scribner, Of the nfm Of Scrbner &
Co.; u. Patton, Surrogate Hutchings. George ID.
Parmly. 20, the unfortunate member OF the
University crew who fiinted In the race at = r
atogi last summer; Robert Nicoll, -, & plain
Of the University crew. and William Allen
Butler, 20. In making the report Of the Exec
utiye Committee Mr. J. W. Alexander thought
that IN the discussion which would probably fol-
low in regard TO the recent action OF the faculty
In respect TO the secret society men, the New
Nok alumni ehOuld bo very careful and con-
servativc. Prof. CYRUS r. Drackett the Henry
Professor Of Physics, delivered an interesting
address upon physics as relating to medicine,
and showed me great need II more thorough
WORKING laboratories In order to attain great
suits. lie thought the world was on the eve OF
great discoveries ~ THIS branch u science.
In Introducing Capt. Bon Nicoll. MIR. Goodwin
said that Dr. McCush had told him that most OF
the men who eXcclled In athletic sports were
among the best students and as a proof ofthfs,
Mr. Goodwin said that.the Steinecke prize of $500
vear Tor three years had Just been awarded to
d. :. stuart one Of the Sophomore boat crew.
Captain Nicoll said that there were already
twelve men training hard for positions In the
University crew. aud there were good reasons
Tor hole ~ success at the next inter COLLEGIATE
race. MI W. A. Butler said that when the crew
came home from Saratoga disheartened and In
"A bad financial condition, MIR. Porter, an alum
nus, had subscribed $1,000, and given new life to
the club. still they were IN uecd OF money and
the outlook was not encouraging. Mr. Henry
NJ Alexander, trustee, assured the young ren-
tlemen that there need be no odiscOuragement on
account Of money matters, a. he would agree to
rt hat tIa n
Archibald McMartin offered q resolution, in
which lac said tho Alumni had seen with pain
Greek prize in the intercollegiate literary con-
test. and hnped that the standard OF Greek In
Princeton College would be raised as high as In
other American colleges. There was much ap-
piause and laughter, amid which the resolution
Mr.. cole offered a resolution for which nil
the gentle men present had evidently been anx-
iouslv waiting. He offered II, he said, at tho re-
quest OF In oolsev Johnson, aud II asked that
a committee to appointed to confer with the
Trustees OF Princeton College rs To the pro-
called Grcek letter societies In the college lie
further said that very many society men had
asked him TO present before the Association OF
the Princeton Alumni the reasons for the re-
quest.
rhe history OF the effort to rid the college OF
the secret societies began while he was IN col
lcre, and he had watched the movement care
fuilN. lie was ON a committee tn appeal to tho
unencc was allowed TO wish "A friend OF his In
tue country for 1--WE months. The whole sub
u MA
came the vOrite child ~ It's mistaken rents.
So real had the spouk which tire faculty and
trustee rdised become, that he really believed
that they thought Greek letter society was
really dangerous thln.. These secret societies
were either literary, half literary and half social.
or entirely social. To tho purely literary so
cicties the faculty could have no objection. ana
very little 70 the seni-literary. hut as to the
soci.l societies. there was the trouble.
openns Inc Trinceton Bnc,s,bree,"
publication containing lists of tn the
Princatou.
and publdshsd with tue sanction OF the
the EpicurIans. aud tue Eta Ma ii society. and
even the Alpha Omega-Greek letter societies,
thbl shed reputable societies uf the lard. they
get up others. For seventeen wears This nrht
between the students and the Faculty and
tue sending away Of many of the te.t
men In the college. and keeping many
Young men have been + quired to take pledge,
with their matricuation Uledge, that tn v
been broken. II ought not to have been but
many good men in the seventeen yegrs have
in"u-nt that u was not plhding ana had broken
H. lne recent develorments proved that the
faculty were utterly unable TO break up the
secrt societes; and now the question arose,
nat snail they do next Au examination
into the charhc er of the secret societies. and
many members would willingly tell much in
order to GIVE light To the faculty and trustees
a glance ut the character OF the members Of
these societies would show that they were not
the pernicious Things they were believed To be-
The young men who were ext elled for joining
them felt that they had dune no moral wrong
nor urJhen any .st llW. anu tnay said they
Ildnt care. ANY college government that
tiu TT young men that expulsion from college
meant hoihin- for which the, should care
Was "a bad government and ought to be rcctiieu.
Inc speaker saiu tnat DIR. McCOsh had written
to htm on the subject, and admitted that his
pre- iidice against secret societies urose from
what he had seen 81 their workings In Ireland.
lLauchterl There should be an Investigation
into the character OF the tabOoeu societies, and
II they are harmless then the trustees ouRnt to
withdraw the pledge.
MIR. Stewart touched the keynote when he
shid that young men were anxious to 20 to
Princeton College, where their fathers had
graduated. and join the same secret societies to
when they had BELONGED.
MIR. Henry NJ. Alexander, a trustee, thought
the resolution respectful appeal to the trustees
Tie effect upon the young men OF going into
the world with this broken pledr @ upon their
souls was terribly Larmiul. lie thought tho
pledge should Toe Withdrawn aud "a rule made
1Thidding students joining tnes lcieties, or that
the whole rcstrtctt' rs Oe swept away. lie WIS
not In favor of the latter course, because he
Thought tue In reduction Of secret fciettrs
wnul inJure the TWO great literary societies
the tlio aud the Wing
Alr Coe said that when the secret societies
were allowed in tn cnlirg" every man In GOOD
standing bet nged To either Wing OF clio. Now,
since The law against the secret societies. II had
become fashionable not 10 belong to either 4
the literary So clctIes. There were 90 men in
college who did not belong, and some of the
bcsl men too.
Air. Cross IN fed to bile the resolution, and
Mr.. Alexander hoped ne would not, hut desired
tnat The whole question be plainly presented to
the trustees. ne resolutions were accepted
VITA only one dissenting voice.
Then the Alumni sat down to a good dinner,
afttt which there were speeches from the old
men ana songs itOn tho young ones,