The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
yALE'S ALTERED COMMONS.
-p1RTr- THREE <FRIOANS DESCEND
nv Az aNCIENT INSTITUTION.

natter Riots Past and Present at Yale.
rrw HAVEN. Oct. 14.-hodern conditions. or
..,hsr modern inclinations. are attacking one
10 ancient usaRss which have been jeal-
wi, observed at American universities for
.an, decades. II not for centuries change
"a. A. Yale this term. one which has at
..,,,sd more or less criticism. has given
"a, blow to ono OF the oldest Institutions OF
A.. c,llege The Commons or college dining
Iii has always been under the direction OF
~. Treasurer OF the University and COM
ri,tss OF the Faculty composed OF professors
no ara supposed to he closest in touch with
AZ. Ivs, OF the students. The avowed pur-
80 n, the Commons from the earliest days OF
Via has been to assist the poorer students by
.snrI,,ne Thorn board at the lowest possible
LAS The Institution has always gone farther
,s,n this; 1t has afforded to countless poor
,,ndspt. an opportunity to work their way
through the University. or. as the process Is
,,lsd TO work their board " during
,S.,r ouadrennIum by serving at table
:, the college dning-hall. Until within
.onn,r,tIyely recent years the Commons
w.. sImpIy a very large students eating club.
,,pd,nt in the senior year acted as steward
~ rsc.ved not only his board free but also
.ar,s,n salary 10 addition: some thirty-threa
.ohoI,rs waited on the tables under the orders
this. snior and thus gained their livelihood
Mia at oollege The student stewardship was
.ho,ish.d several years ago The change ap-
,,rsntly proved satisfactory. for now. after
.rrdrv warnings tho student walters have also
MAN replaced by professionals. This radical
.b,pss raa carried into effect this month. 10
tb.,urpri.e o. returning students. thirty-three
nssro walters were placed in attendance AT the
dining hall. Tho significance OF this change
lie, in the fact that it has wiped out the last
,rn,s OF tIme-honored custom in Commons and
conyerts the ancient institution into modern
,..,,urant. run on purely business principles.
mpplying board to students at 81 week
This triumph OF business methods lie being
criticised by many students who declare ehat
twill deprive thlrty-three men annually OF
chance to go to college. and that. therefore.
the original helpful purpose OF the FACULTY In
ipstitutlng the Commons has been forgotten.
Those responsible for the change urge that the
stop has been simply business necessity
They mead that as the faculty had ordered tho
frightening OF the hours Of service OF meals
And that as rrotracted serving would conflict
with studsnt-walters' Rotations. there was
nothing for It bu, to have recourse to the handy
African The student walters have also been
charged with wasting and improperly serving
the food and with failing to prevent disorder.
noise an confusion. as they have ever been
too lenlent in enforcing tho rules against their
hungry fellows The long and the short OF the
whole matter is that the move has been actu-
ated by desire on the part OF the management
to feed 800 instead OF 400 students to make
more money. and to make the Common more
attractive. Whether Successful or not In other
directions. IL will scarcely 10 possible to hinder
crowding by lenG thening the hours OF service.
for There is any Predominant CHARACTERISTIC
over, it IS his ability to appear at the tabls at
the last possible moment in the morning and
sharp on time at noon and night Owing to
the stern law at Yale that each undergraduate
must be in his seat in Chapel for morning
prayers at $40 O'Clock. breakfast at Com mons
Tor many bslated disciple o'Xenophon means
arush at muffin and hasty swallow OF coffee.
The deposed walters are not slow to prophesv
that all A'rca's urbany will not stand proof
against the matutinal com bined assault.
The Commons at Yale stands to-day bereft OF
until recently and reveals the modern restau-
G rant spectace Of thirty-three negro walters
hitting about with towel on arm and low-heeled
shoes, To old Yale men this sight will be
s. o the H5 sh ss.os r tn So:
te-ous memories OF the Commons Of the past.
Since those very early days OF the famous
back two Rundrsd years Tie ii. I at Yale
rom tn, the stand OF an epiSqre has
s1 patasS had rs
at machs Cheap food like the corn OF 1915.
which was supplied generously by the families
comfortable provision Tor the dict Of such
students as stand in need OF support" has not
been eaten without grumblinga and dissent.
from the days when the stu tents boarded
rsciest chapters in Yalas History centre about
me prlme eva gnnty OF the butter or the thick;
toarl The steward has usually been a storm
Hdr e., The first officer n Ione line Of
able Arrangements for dieting the scholars. 1t
we're ong to TO- how many stewards strove to
give themen Of Yale their weekly oysters and
N.r uhlly NreaO, how many noble and long
suffering stewards were forced to bend or
break when tho students. sick of lamb. we're
many college dons undertook to step in be-
tween opprsss2rS and oppressed
etldens OF Yale in this present year OF grace
e s5e i;d IN a manner which would have been
SSenlSsdered prncely by their forefathers. In
tss me steward was obliged to pr9vid. for
ns sa Sn n ono oat q hrtad The d?9xh weigh
mra AtInner the fare was heavier. consist
nH Of nd another loaf OF bread and two and one;
.nLseiquarters pounds Of salt pork about twice
swetk IN the summer time. one quart OF beer
NV I9 ~ owH ptnnyworth OF vegetables. This sup
supper again brought a simple menu. At the
o; raiIhR meal the 1uartette received two quarts
maze Of one AMI three -fourths pounds of
cough, one quarter round hog fat,two ounces
hhs44Ihy fore a'hers OF New England happy to
e! sometimes peas were served for dinner
vi Nhlch re- letter days all undergraduates
were required to lend a hand in the Smelling
t SEnIer lrna.ty OF having the pods flung into
Wer rooms
Toward the close OF tho last century beer b.
,ah % How on the college able at supper r. while
n.r beverage FOR dinner was cider. which was
V.tla hel IN large pewter pitchers. tum blers
~ may remote date being an unknown luxury.
~ H. htmuSphcr" was one of great good fellow
~, lot Inc nrec lous peWterS went around tho
t10le' each man drinking in turn : and the care
oun's"NSTN saw 10 ii that no man drank too
UIs dEau !ht Some where about tho begin
I.mk OF ne century dish much resPm bling
ESnns,NW appeared at the Yale refectory. 1t
HutNh %! mysterious contents. then called
III NiI, and "a the stew included the remnants
~" lrFElous dinner the boys OF 800 SXer-
S.ri ,another act Of brotherly Kindness at
%,SSAlaS,. This SUM, truly suggestive name
S, me Ilhht ot the present-day fad. was washed
oU U"I win oofes; there remained. however
81 Nv l-hoia Of ESCAPE from this ola podrida,
IN IN ma was to plead dyspepsia or, better still
tsL 20 lc IN order to be sent to the ipyalldS'
isUe where life had greater charms: Cngal-
To- SoI !omafks concerning the durability Of the
A. ~ gave he tutors. who sat In severe majesty
r,,nicNaen tables. constant employment in
nprgphg " tn their knife handles on he table for
v..tt', NV tutors were often p0werleSs to pre-
or n. ,hutIny, rs the refractory stewards fire.
tu,,,h, drove their noisy boardprs TO bread and
w Sver tebeillons. In times of peace vengeance
iooa euStonarlly wreaked on the defencelesS
,y'u ana fragile dishes. both OF which were
tboluehIy thrown out OF the windows to strew
h..lH, IA IEVla