The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-08
PRICE TWO CENTS.
THE C0LLEGIANS PLEDGE,
PRISCEToN's ALvMYT DEMANDING
THIT IT BE REMOVED.
Arguments Of tho Committee BEFORE the Coi-
lego Trustecs-A Strong Plea for Sccrct
Societies Opinions of Distinguished Mon.


Arguments Of tho Committee Before the Coi.
lego Trustecs-A Strong Plea for sccrct
Societies Opinions of Distinguished Mon.
The Princeton Alumni Association OF
Now York held lts reedi r monthly meeting In
Delmonoo's last evening. The fact that tho
special committee that was appointed nt the
last meeting to coni.! with tho Board 81 Eu,.
tees OF Princeton College as to the pfopricty OF
removing the m circulation pledge against So
cret societies was to report called out many ~
the alumni. MIR. Parke Goodwin wis in tho chair
MIR. james w Alex luder presented a rcsolu-
tion declaring that the association looked with
Interest upon the intercollegiate literary and
oratorcal contests, and desired to encourage
the undergraduates Of Princeton in their efforts
at success in these contests.
DR.. $. Iren Gus Prime was nrescn, b. Invita-
tion az a representative Of family which had
been represented in the college for the past ono
hundred years. lie said that he verify believed
that these contcsLs we're the very bc-t thlng out.
a. the presonl time, there was MT better thing
Tor giving stimulus and Impulse to Young men,
=, lhen the suecial committee, composed of
Hugh l.. Cole, 20, the Corporation counsel
James w. Alex ,nder, 20 Jonnthan f. igar, ~
Dr w oolsoy Johnson, "; aud the Hon. Alex
and n l. hcGill, Jr., '6i, m tdc ts report OF tho
interview with the Board Of Trustees of Prince
ton Cplisse, tnat on the - OF December, tne
committee eppc red before the board, and that
Mr.. Cole and alr Edgar presented Arguments in
favor rt tue removal OF the prohibition ot secret
societies. and moro especially II the pledge re-
qiIired OF ma riculants Tot to Join.
II was said that the Grcek letter societies
were bad In their Influence upon the under
graduates. President Porter In reply to a
letter asking for iufmtmati.n conceru-
ing. the societies In Yale COLLEGE, wrote
with the discipline OF The College. nor had they
inJurOusly Affected the morals of tho students
tenn ot collegiate education, or embarrassed the
faculty In executi gcollego law. Their general
influence upon members had been In many cases
very good, both intellectually and morally.
Ihe experience OF other colleges proved that
when societies were recognized 10y college au-
thorities, they could be 50 regulated as tu make
them powerful cOadiutor5 IN the discipline OF
the college. Tho badge was jcalously guarded
| by the societies, and youth who "dlsgraced
his badge" was liable to be disciplined In q way.
| TO him, much more terrible than any discipline
| the college authorities could inlict
Tue speaker then answered the objection that
the Greek letter societies were inJuriou. to the
welfare Of the two great literary societies Of
WING. proving that they were not Injurious.
After Mr.. Coles address to the board Mr..
| EdRan said that ho had hrsitsted to act
| upon ths committee In consequence OF
| n prejudice agaiust secret societies in
general. lie coul1 from expcrlcnc9 say noth-
! ms for nor against them. but ho had
| sought Information from college pre-id nts and
professors, and from eminent graduates OF va
riOus institutions. and their testimony bad been
! almost un Inimuu. aud without qualification in
| favor of the societies
81 speak f,r myself ana other fathers" said
| Mr.. Eigar, In con fusion t. tle ttustccs, " who
| wish 10 have our sons educ ted here, and we
| entreht you to IeueaI the obnoxious law aud
| plsdres, and educate our boys 70 DO not only
| scholar, but men ana gentlemen"
The trustees, after he ring these arguments,
decided To take no action ht the time.
Inc report OF Mr. t9le Wa oagcrlv listened to
and Loudly appaudcd. Then there was u long
| ana vigorous debate, In which Mr.. Parke God =
win and other wcll-knuwn gentlemen TOOK plTt.
The prevailing feelln was IN II the pledse ought
| 10 be removed and tue question OF allowing the
secret societies 10 hs IN the college left as .
secondary consideration.
| "a lett-r Wa read from President Cladi o rae,
| Of Williams College. IN wtich ne spure in high
| terms of the good inf Ience of the Societies.
| AT a late hour the association voted to resume
| the discussion Of the question at another meet
| ing.
! There Is good reason to believe that the
/ wishes Of ~ such an inlucnti organization as
| the New YORK Alumni AssOcIa' ion will induce
| the trustees to remove the pledSe.