The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-25

TAP DAY SCENE Ar YALE
er life. Members Of Skull and Bones,
Scroll and Keys and Volts Head arr
among the leaders in every profession,
and the man who leaves college with
the insignia Of one of these societies ON
his waistcoat IL sure Of a powerful
backing in whatever work be may take
up. Membership in them is active I'M
til death, and while the work Of choos-
ing new members is going on noted
bankers, lawyers, doctors and states
men may be seen in New Haven lend
ing their<aid to the graduating mem
bers who are choosing their successors.
The organizations are confined TO the
academic department, and each society
takes but fifteen men out OF q total of
over 900 Juniors.
The senior societies maintain the Mt
most secrecy, especially In regard to
elections. No man outside their walls
knows until the actuaI tapping who
is to be chosen. though books are
freely made on the chances OF this or
that man. On the afternoon OF the tap
day the entire undergraduate body
gathers at the historic fence In front OF
Durfee hall, and the senior society
men, CARRIED in sober black suits, one
by one thread their way through the
crowd until each man has slapped on
the back the junior whom he has been
appointed TO modify of his election. The
order. Go to your room, sill. Y sccompa-
mics the resounding tap, and as the
novitiate walks of, followed by his
mentor, cheers or silence from the
crowd shows the popularity or unpopu-
iarity OF the election
It il hard for one who has not been
through 1t all to understand what re-
lection means to man who has looked
forward to being tapped from the day
ne entered prep. school" small boy
10 knickerbockers. Many man has
left college at the end Of his Junior
year because he was not tapped.
Bones was founded early Id the cen
tury and Keys soon after. Wolf's Head
+ comparatively new. Both the older
societies are incorporated and possess
rich endowments. Il.
Another feature OF the precommence-
ment festivities is the Initiation into
the Junior societies. These societies are
much larger than the senior societies.
and from their ranks the members OF
tfe latter are taken, so the interest in
elections to them is not ais great.
Omega Lambdu Chi night is cele.
brated by all students This is In mem.
Org Of q freshman society suppressed
~ the faculty many years ago Six
abreast the men, with hands on each
others shoulders, dance a kind OF
Pyrrhic dance, with vocal accompani-
ment, about the campus. stopping in
front Of every building to give long
cheer. with the name Of the buildings
as q tiger" After the procession 4
mass meeting is held at the fence.
The fence is the most revered ira
difion Of Yale, II is to this institution
that Yale is alleged to owe her vaunted
democracy. Formerly fronting the
green on College street, with the cree.
ton OF the new buildings the fence
was removed to its present position be-
Tore Durfee hall. Each class. with fhe
exception of the freshman, has i sec
tion Of this bread topped fence. which
serves as college forum. The cere-
mony by which the sophomores rein.
quisn their part OF the fence to the
freshmen as they move up to the place
assigned to the juniors is one Of i1npor-
lance The Office OF fence orator. il
much sought and almost invariably car.
les with It election to Bones later.
Bottle night and the nightshirt IA
.ade, senior customs. are modern,
Bottle night, on which the departing
'eniors throw from their windows At
given signal all the glassware and &
'rockery collected In their four wears
2 New Haven. was discontinued sir
ears ago by order of the faculty ],
PUSHES are almost as unknown a
lazIng at Yale. It Is only once iii three
Z feur years that rousing intepclass
|ghf occurs, 20 certain Is retrihution Il
one " the shape of cl,rtailed athletic
sas1eges n. FERRIN