Morning journal and courier., 1888-09-25
.rvAIE AND nLsEwMrRE.

College clubs and FelIowship-Chap-
ter Houses and Fraternal Reunions.
John Addison Porter, Yale man and an
authority on his subject, has an interesting
article on "Collegs Fraternities" in the Sep
TENDER Century. His title is elastic, for he
does not treat merely of the Greek letter
societies, but also of such organizations az
the Hasty Pudding club at Harvard and
"Bones" and 'tKeys" at Yale. We are glad
TO note that Mr.. Porter hasn't rendered him
self liable to condign punishment for betray-
ing fraternity secrets. His article is impair
tial and tolsrably accurate, but sometimes
the glimpse he gives as must be bit tan
TALKING to an outsider. In telling the his
tory of that earliest American college So
.ciety, the Phi Beta Kappa, he gives one or
two facts which show that in its early days
the organization was not altogether scholas.
tic in its aims and aspirations. OF its first
members he says: "Youths OF hne feellng
and good digestion, they enjoyed together
many symposium like that on the occasion
of Mr.. Bowdoin's departure for Europe, when
after many toasts suitable to the occasion,
the evening was spent by the members IN q
manner which indicated the highest esteem
for their departing friend, mixed with SORROW
for his intended absence and joy for his ~
ture prospects in life.'" But why should
not Mr.. Porter have partic1larized little
more concerning the annual reunions OF the
"Alpha of Massachusetts," at Harvard-re-
unions at which orations have been given by
such men as Emerson, Wendell Phillips and
the present enlightened head of the college,
President Elliott The first secret society IN
the modern sense established in this country
was the Kappa Alpha, founded at Union col
lsge In 1926, and it was probably suggested
bY the more venerable Phi Beta Kappa. The
idea az then modified multiplied rapidly IN"
til these institutions form an important fea-
ture of college life.
The distinction of having the finest chap
ter houses of any college in the country is
generally given to Williams, though Yale and
Cornell are not far behind her. Harvard's
conservatism and the long continued opposi-
ton of the faculty, now thing of the past,
have retarded the growth of the fraternities
pure and simple in that college, and it has,
we believe, no chapter house whatever. The
illustrations which accompany the article will
give the reader good idea of the relative
rank of the colleges in point of society archi-
lecture. They are by Brennan and Taber and
represent buildings at fifteen colleges. Our
western Massachusetts, people will be inter-
ested in the sketches of the Chi Psi and Del
ia Kappa Epsilon lodges at Amhert and of
the Alpha Delta Phi, Kappa Alpha, Sigma
Phi and Delta Psi chapter houses at will
lisns. The designs for all the buildings are
the work, chiefly, of our foremost American
architects, and give the warmest encourage
ment to those who believe that architecture
Is making q great advance in this country.
There are so many styles from which to
make choice that we shall not pretend to
select one building as the most handsome.
Eyeay reader will have his private prefer
ence of course.
The old hostile attitude toward secret soci-
cites has been generally abandoned by college
presidents and college faculties. Not only
are ex-President White of Cornell and Presi-
dent Seelye of Amherst quoted in favor of
the fraternities in Mr.. Porter's article, but
among the open letters in the same number
of the Century DR.. Seelye has brief nste
declaring that there can be only q favorable
Judgment concerning them by any well in
formed man. The secrecy is largely nominal
he thinks, in fact it is "little more than the
familiar intercourse of families and friends"
The aims of the societies, reasoning from his
experience with them at Amherst, ere high
Improvement in literary culture and in
manly character"-and he adds that 'they
certainly give gladness and refreshment to
our. whole college life at Amherst" Ex-
President Whites views are substantially
the same, and it is noticeable that where So
cieties are more than tolerated by the col
lege authorities, the tone of the whole col
lege is elevated. Both at Cornell and AM
herst members of the faculty are likewise
fraternity men; they attend the meetings
regularly and encourage everything in the
organizations that works for intellectual and
social well-bsing. And what college man
could not tell, if he would, of early lessons
in sslf-sacri6ce and charitable work arising
from his connection with societyl But no
defense is needed where there are SO many
good and strong elements. Mr.. Porter's ar
ticle, however, will give the general public
an insight into the claims of college frater-
mites, not only to tolerance, but to favor
Springfield Republican.