New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-06
COLLEGE SECRET SOCIETIES.


TIES INJURED-IIAs THE COLLEGE RIGHT TO
EXACT PLEDGES
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir The public are aware that about
month AGO the faculty Of the College OF NewJersey dis
fifteen students on the ground that In viola
ton OF pledge taken their matriculauon they had
connected with certain secret societies Ihs action
of the Faculty brought MP questions for discussion
First are such societies evil in our colleges
and second, suppong them TO be an evil is 1t rght 10
exact plogc vi the students not 10 be connected WIN
any society long they remained in The Coege
These questions wero discussed at meeting oil the
NewYork Association of the Alumni of the College held
carly in the present Such the interest felt IN
the subject That the association resolved 10 appoint
committee present their views to the Board OF TITUS
tees at their meeting the 22d inst. The Committee
was appointed and discharged the duty assigned them in
highly crcditabe manner The trustees comlimented
them on the marked ability which they displayed, and
for the courtesy which they exhibited And, On the
other hand the Committee thanked the trustees for the
respect with which they had been listened to, ana the
cordially with which they had been received com
unication from the faculty received by the Board.
in which they express their decided conviction that these
secret societies great evil in the college, and that
the laws existing for their suppression ought not TO
lie repealed The evils attributed TO these societies are
First That they arc at least fer as Princeton Is con
eerncd secret merely to their constitution ana
rules OF procedure as tho with the Wing ana
Ciosophc Societies. but to their design Some
arc said literary others, social others social ana
literary. Social ia understood to mean "eat.ng an"
drinking" They secret as to their ncnlbersmpi as
10 place times OF their meetings. as 10 the eAe
sion OF The faculty from membership III
apetion or control Every one what facilities sueh
secret organizations offer FOR all kinds of combinations
aud Vaccinations. college is like large fanny, ana
for family 10 be divided up into secret 90 rival CO.
teries would destructive. such secret combinations
are equally destructive TO the life of college.
A. ~ los
binstior human nature beu, what il, it s inevitable
that they shOuld be used for evil purposes According
to the testimony of college officers and students Aey arc
IN fact used TO control the distribution Ot nan ana ci>S
honors Not merit, but membership in iavorlte cey
ia made to determine aSpiranVS success. ms o.
course gives rise to hard feelings and leads TO all kinds
of clectoncerns and to what in politics is called log
rolling" Thus We have all the devices OF political
primary meetings, caucuses. and as IS aihrheo biDey
direct OF Indirect II do such things, why should
not boys DO thom. you give them the necessary APP
plianccs7 IN. evil Is still greater as it affects
the discipline OF tho college, If a student Is
subjected any penalty, the membeTS oil DIS
society max it a society affair. II memh1s OF TWO OF
more societies brought under censurc then the re
slstnc force is duplicated. All discipline comes al I''t
20 be exercised in the face OF organized and HischieVo
oppa,t1n The next stop is TO interfere Win he laws
of the institution until affairs of our colleges pass ou
OF the hands of the proper officers into sose OF these
secret societies. We hear Of colleges in Wth tlS mas
already come 10 pass II is in this matter as with me
"tradcuninns" which undertake to rtglllte not only
tha rate Of wages but the hours Of labor the nunoer o
employee, the use OF machinery, etc, etc prom
inent builder in Eew-York recently sid that ~
q time Of great pressure, having discharged
LbJrer for drunkenness, the whole gahs
left HIM Such is the power OF combination.
This question of secret societies is likely 10 become
vital ono in our American colleges The question Is
whether the faculty the students, parents or children
are 10 govern. gentleman connected with one OF or
Eastern colleges recently said ave watching with
great this controversy about secret societies.
We feel mat Princeton j. fighting the baitc for all our
colleges" IL Is a matter for sincere gratitude that
Princeton has won the battle. Presidents and officers
of colleges most Oyerbone ana dsnorazcd ~ these sOci
cites have urged that the great colleges should combine
TO extuguish them.
Third. Another prominent objection 10 the societies
in question is their manifold injurious infl-
enco on the established literary societies Ia
tho College OF Ncw,Jorscy the American Wing
and Chosophic Societies have existed for century
They are recognized institutions. They have er halls
and stated times of meetings They are purely literary
An the officers of the co are neplers Of one or Of the
other and have free TO all their me tlgs ana are
or may b. oozant OF ali that is done. Their cduca-
tionsl p,wer has been great and sauiary Their men,
bers ar, trained 10 order obedience TO parliamentary
rules and 10 the exercise OF all their gifts Fr attach
ment OF a loyal Wing or ChOsOlhin % ais haii is
scarcely second to lis love for his Aims Mater WIZ
over therefore injuries those societies injuries tho college
When tle members OF the secret societies were
allowed In the halls they constituted parry with 80
own offsets AID aspirations And since tAe'~ exclusion
the rivalry IS pronounced. The fact that hC lusesab
lished societies the Wig and Chos0l hc, Lave felt
necessary 90 establish the rule that 40 member Of
secret prohibited society should be admitted 60 elmer
hall il proof enough that the Influence Of such societies
threatened 10 be destructive. They have dceoye1 he
great halls in Yale Dartmouth and are doing Do in ohr
coerc. In this contest doubt rs 10 tie SIDE
on which the authorities aud friends Of the College
should throw their influence.
Foup Another objection strongly urged IS that the in
anenee of ihess societies is injurious to their own mem
bora IL ia not said that II Is 80 awayS ana everywhere
II ia freely admitted that where they are purely literary
whore they are tolerated ard subject to duo control
whore thcy arc not conflict with older and more i'm
o,,au, institutions thcy may be harmless mprov-
nc But such a conjunction Of circumstance rarely does
m can occur and Princeton, and many other OF our
colleges these societies cannot fan TO exert an cy nu-
ence even their members The very iaet ihat ley
have constantly carry system Of deception and
conceaonf, is itself demoralzing ShoWd an ohccf W
the college make his appearance, theJ scatter a. acAnO"
edged criminals before a policeman. Is this o
bealthful influenced Is this the way TO develop man
Illness and independence OF characerg BESIDES there is
no security that these societies should be purely literary
in their character Indeed, it is ayowed that many OF
them are rot Some years since officer OF the college
appearch unexpectedly at one OF the meetings. Inc
members dispersed with marvellous aiaenty leaving
twenty empty bottles scattered about the ROOM what
!, true here we know be indeed it must be. largely
truo m other colleges where they not prohibited
Other grave objections that they ag8rayae expense
and originate or intensity clques castles, etc. 80 con
,rsry to the true genius of literary communities
Such are the leading objections against secret societies
urged by those who, by long observation are best u
aed 60 indge OF their influence And their judgment is