The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
SMITH COLLEGE CLUBS,
SOME ARE SECRET. SOME Learned,
AND SOME JUST 1--WE EUN

frat Ave- of her class is one of tho greatest
honors of II Smith iris course. These two So
%cietics, the best known OF all at Smith College,
are literary in character. Alpha has been IN
existence since the first sophomore class,
while Phi kappa is only half Il dozen years DID
A girl is not eligible until the htst society
meeting after Christmas in her sophomore year,
but for weeks before the excitement runs high.
Morning, noon, and night tho probable cleo.
lions make absorbing table talk when every
other topic flags. II is comparatively easy TO
pick out the ten most prominent girls in n class,
but which five each society will select Is us un'
certain us drawing tickets in a lottery. To
make the game perfectly fair, Alpha has the
first choice OF five girls in one year, Phi Kappa
In the next. The favored society holds its meet
ing on the first Saturday evening after the
Christmas vacation, tho other society on the
week following. From Saturday night until 5
o'clock on Monday morning the non-nembers
nrc consumed with curiosity. Not a hint or
elections will II society girl give until that time.
She looks mysterious and cNaspciating and
sends tho hopes of cNpcctant sophomores up 10
summer heat or down to zero by her smiles or
her Indifference. But ut 8 o'clock on Monday
morning the secret is out. The secretary OF
the society sauntcrs forth TO bear invitations to
the Ave fortunate sophomores, and is straight.
way Joined by u procession Of members and
non-members that gains the proportions OF q
urmy before the first invitation is delivered.
IL a prominent sophomore is conscious of her
fame, or belongs TO the orderly species OF gen
ius. she will be found seated in her neat room,
bed made, hair smooth, coming Greek or old
English; but II. pcrchance. she BIO very modest
or :unassuming, she may be caught in a wrap
per, her hair down her back, an open jampot
on the table suggestive of the previous even.
49, N--l
ing, cha,tcring crowd Of girls troops into her
loom is as good fun as a comic opera.
For the next week the FIVE sophomorcs live
Ga an atmosphere of congratulations and well
wishing. Flowers pour In upon them, and
they arc fiattered like any debutante. At the
oud OF that time the other society takes In a re.
lay OF 1--WE and. interest centres about these in
turn. These societies have about fifty mem
hers each. AS there are q thousand students
IN the college, 1t is al honor to n girl TO he asked
10 Join either society at any time.
Meetings are held every three weeks and
three times u year each society has an open
meeting, when it invites its friends to hear
some well-known lecturer, poet, or author.
There is no tapping system at Smith. 4 girl
las no chance 10 say yea" or may" until her
official invitation arrives. but a refusal is al.
most unknown. The societies are supposed to
bc CIHoi IA HhaiitJ uiIu ItputdtlOn. lutS are
seni.secret only. A Smith secret society is O
lnisnomer. Prexy has rs deep.rooted a preju-
dice against them as against cap and gown.
The latter no class yet has been able to shake,
and any attempt to found a chapter he as
promptly discourages, though he does not OBJ
ject TO the secret business meetings which both
societies hold.
Department societies under the shadow Of
the faculty's wing show the stern professors in
ondress uniform. Colloquium, tho Chemical
kociety, under the leadership Of Prof. Stoddard.
Is very exclusive and limited in number. One
black ball throws a candidate out. To nom
the coiloquium tea, given once in three years
IN the spring. The science building is turned
ed 10 Lemonade in glass retorts, crackers on
glass slabs. and chemical coffee made with III
Ter paper and slipped through glass tubes. The
Joy, too. OF seeing pedestrians outside walking
Upside down Oh u screen Is theirs for tbs look
Ing. Experiments with electricity, Roentgen
istry are carried on by the members in contin-
nous performance. The club works, however,
IS we'll as plays. at its meetings twice a month.
ana such moments OF complete relaxation are
few and far between.
The Biological Society, under DR., Wilder,
BILLY Hall. One Of the Alpha songs to the tune
OF Susan Brown" characteriZes 1t thus:
Then there's a club of purpose silly:
Which meeteth IN the hall called silly:
@poSen} nc Great az, heaven ,mr Wy Irs all they've sosl
spoken>. Do they like that? y would seem so,
and shellnsh grow!
The Creek Club, Latin Club. History Club, and
Voice Club are all department societies, under
the general charge OF the professors. The head
particular branch compose the clubs. They
usually bave one open meeting, at least, during
some way. The Latin Club gave last year an
English translation OF q Latin, play, and under
me auspices Of the EoIGs Clu6 Mr.. rHowells
the Philosophical Society, another club OF re.
cent date, several prominent psychologists and
Non:members are always pleased at receiving
I'm invitation to these lectures, thou Oh they
",primordial prOtoplasms differentiated into
brain and muscular tissue" the "Doppel-ich,"
and the "subliminal self" ..
cred hypnotism, and the members who conducted
i6s discussion performed experiment., on their
ierial would To highly appreciated at the meet
ins' They were SO successful that IT. caused
e ,@s Pss,o ss . Of titPP hfilGi sc|asnt ai ,Roi fs az m M 6l. q IN;
several years ago. It happened that his phi
rs obhy class besought him to extend the time
bilious attempt Of the whole course. The class
thought it had most excellent reasons for ask
s sSs sp eo of baSE.,. pSEe sa ba4 t Rfes prHfs. Of weak %as
liked, he said, it'the skies ieli: The day cam,
Wv ,thic ~ ~ puliOEOpbg iCSitutio
the professor waited for the papers. but thu
giris, filed past the desk one by one without SC
much as a glance in his direction. All day he
haunted tho teachers room and watched thu
bulletin board. Not a paper appeared; To
yard night he began to grow worried. ant
no papers. At 10 his light went out. But a
il;i2 a small messenger boy eluded the nigh
whtchmi m and made his way Ia an open win
dow In one Of the campus houses. A package
nrofe5sor's house. He rang the bell as the tow
rlock Changed the first stroke OF ~, and afte
much pounding and ~r.ttling. he slipped hi
package in through the door to the sleepy
Hruinbling housekeeper, who delivered IL Il
NE professor, lie OPENED II and found Their
mo missing sixty papers. lie Is very ~reticen
on me subject, but ~ tho papers were ia be
iiCTe the close OF the day set, tho class had full
med tho letter Of the law, and the entcrlrie
iMS yonns woman whp had gathered togcthe
ih1tcs; mus, escaped punishment.
BESIDES tho department societies there ar
The s''callcd eat clubs made up of SINAI
Eroqp. o! girls Their object is fun and, rC
RESENTMENT, and they may be as secret as thei
members desire. Tho Order of Hibernians
one OF the best known of these, The require
mems Tor entrance are very strict. Each car
uilItG must tell an Irish story, repeat an Iris
IITIn- and Tnnat gnu,n n q L. n, 10 =, . ,,,in 4 4