Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-30
BETA THETA ri.
Members Of That Fraternity Have an Enjoy
able Dinner at tho shorenzm.

1ttN DahlitT NJ sttF rnofFnam.
There is m undesirable something about a
dinner Of college men. and especially fraternity
men. thai lenos TO a gathering Of that character
a charm which leaves it's impression. Wit. oul-
tu-e and good fellowship are always present at
such banquet board. and when the gay.l Of
the presiding officer finally declares the toast
list TO be completed and the dinner st an end
those who have enjoyed the few hours go to their
homes wrapped in the memories Of their col.
lege days, the hrppiost AID the best Of their
lives.
Snch Was the annual banquet Of the Wash
ington alumni OF the Beta Theta Pi which was
given al the Shoreham Hotel lsss night. This
fraternity is one OF tie largest in the coan;ry
and on it, rolls are names which ART familiar
throughout the United States. Their members
are numerous among those who have reached
the upper walks of life and include members %
Congress, four justices OF the supreme Court.
sixteen governors Of states and twentv-ons
college presidents II was organized ~ 1883 -:
Miami University. Oxford. Ohio, and from
there enlarged its scope until il Is located in
siNty-tvo colleges and universities and has
total membership OF shcu. 10 600.
Before the diners gatbered sooat the banquet
table an hour or more spent in the psrlors.
during which the white haired men Of the
forties recalled their college DAVIS compared
with those of the present dav. for at fraternity
banquet Tue Wlckcd En.erEran uafe touches
eibows with the sedste graduates OF fifty vesrs
ago, and in the recounting of pas; memories all
meet on the common level of brotherhood.
1t was after clock when the march 70 the
banquet hall was taken mp. The table was a.
shaped and covers for ffty had been laid Few
remained untaken. At the head of the table
was John |. Covington Of Ne~ York on his
left was Representative Springer, Prof. Gordon,
Prof. Eastman, [. 5. n, and Frank O. Carpon-
ter. On bis right were Secretary Noble and
I Ax-,a T.f,-
the Washington Association of Delta kappa
Epsilon, Was invited guest
THE SPEECH MAKING.
An elaborate menu was discussed. while sallies
of mirth and college jibes few back ard forth
across the table. and now and then a good
rousing cheer or sally would make the banquet
hall ring. When the chairs began TO be moved
back and the cigars had been passed around
Toastmaster Covlngton assumed command. He
announced with regret that Justice Brewer
who was to preside had notified him Of his ina
bility to be present owing toa threatened at
tack Of the grip. With the remark that the
Beta had missed securing a man whose interest
In college fraternities intense, he in
troduced Senator Calvin s. Rrice a d. X f.
which society is a rival OF the Betas at odd
Miami " He recalled his college DAYS, than
which no recolleciions were more pleasant nor
any friendships made so lasting and sincere.
As Daniel Webster said of Dartmouth Miami
Is Small. buh tntre are tho q OF Us who love
Il. He had been an enthusiastic secret society
man and had lived in ID. X E.mCch more han in
his college course. There Is in the secret go
ciety something Of the highest valae for u,
for II Is often these associations which urge w.
on TO deeds OF yslor and integrity.
In the absence of one Of the speakers Mr.
Ralph Upton. who Was one of the founders OF
the Yale Chapter Of the society. was called On
and regsed those present with a number Of
bright witty stories. which he told in way that
was most interesting and amusing Senator
| Voorhees, was TO have responded TO the toast OF
''Betas in the Senate" but solici;ude for his
health would not permit him TO venture forth
after nlghtfsll. and MS place was filed By Judge
| A. W. McDiil, who changed The toast TO BE as
/ on the bench He spoke at some length on his
memories OF his fraternity days at college and
| amused the college men by his reference to the
many awful secrets. the burden Of keeping which
bad often made him lie awake at night. He an
| nounced that he has now forgotten the terrible
| secrets, but if any one would tell them to hun
he was still willing TO assume the load OF silence
| Frank q. Carpenter. the weli-known news
paper man, responded to the toast of ''Noog-
| lin, which Hon. John Allen of Mississippi was
TO have answered. Mr.. Carpenter said that he
had heard many things about "Wooglin. but
had never until recently been able to exactly
discover what or where Father .'Mooglin" was
He thought he had finally discovered him AZ
| the man in the moon. and read from a clipping
James Whitcomb Reilly verses on that subject
THE HOUSE AS POSTGRADUATE COURSE.
''Be.as in the House" responded TO BY
Representative Springer Of Illinois, who was in
troduced by the POSTMASTER as being a member
of the Delta Chapter at DE PAW University
the most remarkable in point of prominent
men who had been members of il that the fra
ternity contained. Mr.. Springer referred 20
the list of prominent men which the fraternity
| contained. and then turning e. the Young men
present recommended the House Of Represen-
| tatives as good place for a postgraduate
| course. But 1 would not advise you. he said
ITO take more than two terms. The first Is for
educational purposes and the second as a yindi-
cation from your constituents. IL had this
life 10 live over again | would retire after the
second term in the House Of Representatives
and go to building railroads or practicing law
! in the District of Columbia. Devote yourself
to building up fortune. that YOU NAV have
something to depend upon in your old DAYS
but if you persist in staying in The House you
viii always be surrounded by the bes, men in
the country. Taking that body altogether
believe IT 10 be the best representative body ia
| the world. 1t is at once to the people the best
evidence OF their intelligence and n proof Of the
fact that men are capable of self government"
Secretary Noble was then called on TO re-
spond to the toast Our name and fame" As
/ the qualities which have brought about these
| factors Of The fraternity he said thst he be-
lieved that they were. first, the mental training
1
! ical conclusions; second, an intelligence which
! allowed them to dissect AMI snalyze social and
! political questions with precision, and third
and best, the integrity of character that allows
| them when they reached q conclusion TO stand
| by it As truth. Mr.. Noble referred at some
length upon his belief as TO the great strife a.
| TO human right and law which this country
| would enter upon at the beginning Of the next
neutrality-suspicious. which would be as great a.
| any our foretathers had TO deal with The So
| luton of these prolems he said. will depend
largely on men Of your culture, intelligence,
| youth and patriotism. In the next century
the contest Of intelligence will be greater than
| those of the past century. The college bred
man and the man Of business will have TO stand
together shoulder to shoulder TO solve the prob
! lem.
Mr.. James Lyons responded to the toast Of
"Iribulation. and referred to il as q strange
! subject to deal with such an occasion as
| this. To "Our future" Rev. o. A. Brown re-
sponded. He said that those who had preceded
him had dealt considerably in futures and he
was left q little short. He boldly challenged
| all the sister secret societies to produce such a
roll Of honor among public and prominent men
as the Beta Theta ri.
Prof. Gordon closed the toast making BY read
ing list OF those members of the fraternity
prominent in life who have died. The circle
was then formed abou. the table and to fra
ternity song the banquet came to an end.
Great credit is due to the committee on
arrangements, Lewis P. Oephane, James I.
NJ q