The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-25
rnErRINCErON BoMBsnELL.
Complete Lists Of the secietv Men In tho
Profossers' Hands.


While the students Of Princeton College
were packing their valises preparatory to en-
joying Tr anksglving at home. the faculty made
an announcement that may give twenty nve Of
them amuch longer vacation. Fifteen Of the
twenty nve dismissals or erpulsions so ordered,
were for violating plodge taken by every can
ddatc for matriculation, which Is as follows;
We the undersigned, do individually for ourselves
have connection Whatever with soce,yuor
DC pre- cnt at ~ meeting OF any secret society g tnis
College Of New Jcracy It being undcrsood thai this
GRspc soo,e SIC e also 30 declare @ hat W c our
sclvcs bound 20 Keen this pronisc, aud on 10 ac'
Princeton College was one Of the nrst Of the
large colleges to oppose secret socottes. when
such societies or frnernites, "a they aftcrward
developed lnto st lrted In the New England
seats OF learning, they also had short lease OF
life In Princeton. 1t was believed at frat that
they might prove beneficial In their debates and
essays; but the "Greek Letter" societies. rs
they were distlnctively named, soon began to
depart from their literary purpose and to degen-
crate into social clubs. Tho literary societies
wero neglected and gave promise Of early e1-
tnction unless their rivals were aOated
The pledge given above was resolved up-
on by tho faculty in 1856; but its en-
forcement was dlflcult task Half
dozen more secret societies were speedily
organized. Chapters of Sigma Phi. Alpha
Delta Phi, Phi Chi, ID. X. t.. were char
tered ana successfully run, aud the faculty.
protected American Whig and Cliosophie
cieties languished. students soon found that
secret-society men were neither expelled nor
otherwise disciplined. They met secretly, oil
though they did not dare wear their badges OF
membership. For forms sake they added their
names to the rolls OF the open literary societies,
but the secret-society men numbered annually
from thirty to hity per cent. OF the UNDER
When Dr. McCosh was chosen President, the
faculty made another determined effort to sup
press the Greek letter evil" They undertook
All active supervision and direction Of the open
socieiies, and revived the students interest In
them. They had difhculty In finding who were
members OF the secret societies, but clear proof
was obtained against two students. and they
were promptly expelled. Since then there have
been several periods of intense apprehension OF
speedy expulsion on the part Of the students,
but they In some manner began TO believe that
they had an influential friend In DIR. McCosh II
he was their friend, he did not permit them to
see that he was a whit less opposed to the OBJ
noxious fraternties than were the rest of the
professors. The result has been decrease in
tho fraternity membership and their growing
unpopularity among the students.
The few who maintained their allegiance to
the secret societies were first apprscd OF their
danger about week ago. Some of the alumni
in this CITY heard that the faculty had by shrewd
detective work procured full lists OF the secret
brotherhoods membership 2, and were consider
ing what to do ABOUT =. No httle consternutlon
ofsendinG lists OF their membership to DIR. Mo
Gosh. together With their written pledge TO alb
the Others were debating the same course thoir
deliberations were cut short by the edict OF dis
missal. The expelled students were members
OF the Delta Phi, Phi Kappa, and Zeta Psi So
cietes.
Surprise was soon lost In sorrow. for mniori-
~ OF the victims were in the senior class. and
several had been conspicuous IN tine boating
and other athletic intercollegiate contests. The
wall went up, " "Pnncetons athletic prominence
Is killed for year at least" This was made
the principal argument Of an appeal to the
| faculty to reverse the order. On Monday the
| dc tnQueutS were summoned, and cdcn one was
| furnished with a copy Of his broken pledge aud
| VI the resolution of dismissal.
| DIR. McCosh says that the faculty intend to
show the students that they are terribly In
| earnest about breaking up the fraternities.
They are determined to concentrate the literary
strength OF the undergraduates In the two oren
| societies that he says are the best In the coun-
| try. lie hints that when the students recognize
| this purpose, those under ban may oe permit
| ted to flush their course.