The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
LESS DRINKING AT YALE.
DECREASE or DISSIPI TION SEEN
AMONG THE STUDENTS.

, Tho Change Particularly Noticeable mt the
! Inauguration of President Hadley-The
| Improvement Attributed TO the Eli
forts of Both students and Faculty.
NEW HAVEN. oct 2S--Whcn Mrs. Poteat
/ the wife of New Haven minister rose in meeting
! few years ago and declared that she would
rather have son of hers go to he'll than To Yale
/ College" she based her opinion chiefly on her
belief regarding drinking at Yale Yale men
/ first laughed at her and then. when they found
that some folks took her seriously, replied TO her
! uttcrdnccs with great wrath and vigor They
! were compelled to admit that many Yale UNDER
graduates were not total abstainers and that a
few were not strangers to intoNication. But they
| did deny that dissipation the distinguishing
characteristic Of Yale life. 1t was established
that the habitually dissipatcd member Of tho
college community was regarded by his fellows
very much as the habitually dssipated member
/ OF any community is regarded by those about
| him-as h nuisance.
! Whether it result Of Mrs. Potcats words
OF IA merely natural progression Of the spirit Of
| the college, dissipation has decreased noticcably
| at Yale since she made her speech A most con-
| spicuous demonstration Of this state Of affairs
was the undergraduate celebration Of President
| Hadley's Inauguration last Wednesday night
| The entire undergraduate membership Of tho
university marched through the streets with red
fire torches and bands and danced around bon
fires for five hours and more II is the unanimous
comment of those who have watched Yale under
graduate demonstrations for years that there
was never one cforc so free from evidences Of
alcoholic or malt stimulation.
/ II has always been true that at such times Of
general Publication the men who never drink q
drop in their lives do more fool stunts" and mako
more noise than the men who prepare and for
! fifty themselves at tho most convenient drink
ing places The unspukrn theory used to he
that tho artifcally inspired individuals made
! the pace so to speak. and the rest outstrippcd
them. There was not a single instance Of drunI;-
cnneSs IN the procession rom the first To the last
| This Is frankly remarked upon unprece-
| on hilarty and noise making. II was patt of
| the understanding between the student body and
the college authorities that the boys might do
| i everybody would keep away or be kept away
from the saloons, Such an understanding would
| ago. 1t would have been grinnrd ut by the stu.
dents BUTT is apparent Tint times havc changed.
that the exemplary abstinence was the result Of
heroic effort made for show purposes. Tho
| CHAPEL street, half block from the quadrangle,
CLOSED, its windows, covered with cobwcbs and it's
comfort to such explanations Of the PHENOMENON.
~, dl ", ! Years ago II was The most prominent Of
Haven OF course there are still Yale men who
Are not total ahstnincrs and great many Of them.
| Ihere arc MANY places loft for them, though
| Iracgcr's Is gone. But the proprictors Of the
drinking places all complain that the undcrernd-
uatc thirst is less and less source Of profit "Kcg
parties. that used 70 come shouting and singing
| long after midnight, up through the quadrangle
shout and sing no more The man who drinks
gain by advertising his habits In tho college
term II 1uecrs a man TO be drunk. That is 10
say II affects unfavorably his chance of election
What has hccn the influence that has made
intemperancc to be avoided zcaIousy? is thcqucs-
| who CppliDtr Incl n Npu
after considerable absence, has been struck
! by the decr"asc almost TO disappearance Of the
nlrendy small number Of dissipated students
making things hard for the man who drunk.
us SICK Excuses wcr" scrutinizcd with eHcep-
tional vigilance his requests for cavc Of absence
were not cordially received: his excuses for poor
IecltGuons were mcrciIeSslv commented upon.
traditions with marvellous powers Of second sieht
| The story has been handed down for many college
tho esn of s, f who soory IS
after effects ri liquor TINT ailed him The dean
advised him TO protest with moderation and asked
tered Tracgets the night before with two class
mates and ordered hc"r which was brought, to
| Heubl"in's from Traegers, there consuming
a a.. GGu;nntity e champagne naming the brand;
| and " ne did not then go 10 the Osborn Hall
drug store there purch asi ng bottle Of whiskcv.
which he consumed all alone in his room drink
Ing il notfIom glass but from the bottle itself.
| The legend saws that the errine sorhomor-a
hair stood on end and hat he then and there swore
| never to drink another drop as long ms he lived =
/ and kept his word. II may he easily understood
| that with Dom Of whom such stories are told
in the solemn belief Of their truth The news lint
| the facult- will get after the man who drinks
has certain terrifying force.
tn" faculty on the other hand say that the
| athletic leaders Of the undergraduates, md the
| leaders In all the ort-"f cnss room movements.
/ have steadily discouraged the spirit that lends
aman To beli"vc that he Is devil of a fellow if he
| drinks ten glasses OF beer