davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
BREAK UP COLLEGE SPIRIT
Fraternities Called InimicaI to the
Good of the Many.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: 1t is our opinion that fraternites on the
whole are not good for the college and for the
students for the following reasons:
Ffrst-They are not good for the college. because:
(a) They tend to break up college spirit. Men
living fraternity houses become so ensrossed IN
their own fraternity affairs that they very apt
to lose interest the affairs OF the college at large
and so overlook the primary requisite Of col
lego man. namely. duty to college first. This duty.
Familiarity known college spirit. is the founda-
ton and primary germ OF patriotism.
Oh They tend to put the affairs OF the college in
the hands of a few. and thus do away with college
democracy. A monopoly of college Offices almost
always exists among three or four fraternites and
destroys the freedom OF choice which would pre-
vail if every man equal footing
(c) They break up the dOrmitOry system. This
system Is distinctive feature Of great universities,
tending. it does to broaden the sphere of a
mans college. as well as social. interests.
SecOnd-FraternitteS not good for the students,
because:
(a) They form cliques By being thrown together
IN the fraternity houses men form interests in one
end of the senior year comes the fraternity man
finds his circle Of friends very limited. The making
of friends is after all. of the main objects OF
college course.
Cb) They cause as a rule. bad feeling among the
members of different fraterniteS. The rivalry and
enthusiasm which naturally arise between fraterni-
ties at times of election to cause more or
less jealousy and bad feeling.
For these reasons. then we believe that fraterni-
ties are not on the whole good for the college and
the student. s. W. FLEMING, JR.
No. 81 Blair Hall Princeton. y. ].
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
BEAR AND LEOPARD FIGHT.
Indian Story of Struggle Between the
Beasts for a Buffalo.

GUAR was grazing his buffaloes in the Kangra
valley about sunset. when suddenly a couple of
bears put in an appearance. one a monster the
other about half grown. They started stalking one
OF the buffaloes that somewhat separated from
the others. He never thought they would be able
TO XIII It, so lay low and watched their operations
1hey approached from different directions At
first the buffalo seemed to think 1t great sport and
chased them when they came too near him All
this time the big bear used now and then 10 run up
TO the little one and appeared to be giving hin, d.
rections how 10 proceed. The little one gradually,
drew the buffalo toward a drop Of about nftv feet
,Nneh the Duualo again made a rush at IL tho big
ppeaI seeing his opportunity, made n rush from he
i,na M ana over went tho buffalo. breaking its neck
The little bear first on the carcass and
thought he was going to have his share bUt ths
uis peaI coming up gave him a couple OF cunfs an
. ,tto .SS ana arove nm away. The GUAR was hor-
IorstrucE; but, wishing for revenge drove the ofb
ahlulals nome and set out in quest OF the local
shlkarl' BY this time the moon was sbirin@
% sisttiS' anu When they came wishin some distance
growing and roaring going on and tbongbt etSSt
the young bear had returned for Ms sbgra iNstl.S
WUI W MniSh they saw large leopard and the bear at
II tooth and nail. - 80 SN'' o.
This sight was such an uncommon one that tba,,
waited within striking distance tho s.sbthsri',
knowtng that he could take his shot wherevsr ha
TO the XIII After a time the leopard feeling he
was getting tee worst OF it, gave n hugs oro,vi
ana. roxHke seemed to subsida as fr dead ,Tbs
e pear snlTed az his enemy long and lovingly and
proceeded to enjoy the repast from which ha ea5
been disturbed Before the could recover frNr,,
SSleir astonishment the leopard was up and on tha
pears back, when, takirg him al a disadva ntars
ne soon turned hiEa over and got him by the thrNt
Ihen there a regulac rough ana t,trnbis -
some minutes. but the bear could not free himselr
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
THEY BREED DIsCoRD At YALE.
Where Membership Is Limited Hard Feeling
Is Unlimited.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Take Yale example OF the type where
fraternity elections limited. What warrants
election? High scholarship does not. for OF the
thirty highest scholars of each class an average
Of four five belong TO fraternities Literary abi
ity is no guarantee. because editors of THE Yale
Literary Magazine and THE Courant' rarely 'go'
on that merit alone. intercollegiate debaters
ceve no recognition for their services. and by fra
ternity prize winning is second thing TO a dis
grace. Athletes of course, nearly all receive cleo
tions but who of whom the college
might boast thirty years after he graduated? What
does warrant election. then. since merit, rule,
does not? Simply this: If a fellow has pull with
the class before him, worms himself into clique,
or has money. he is elected, and there s no fur
ther talk about 1t.
The evils of fraternites now obvious A linn
tied Ifumber of is elected, and the best
do not 60" The faculty sometimes objecJs,
hence lack of harmony between the faculty and the
student body. Men who are not elected feel hurt
and Jealous OF those who are, hence dscord in the
student body itself. Subsequently these men gradu-
ate. Then, rejected of their fellows disappointed
in ambitions. dissatisfied with merits unrewarded.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29

Let such g one as a man or q scholar be what he
rfn. the recos7itlon he gains VIII be limited
The fundamental factors which determine mans
teEition during his college career are not manly
rcrth and scholarly achievement, but rather hnan-
lial pTonnence or athletic prestige. Money Is the
efnitv ne Gaman6s !t Let man make q show
y wealth and hs Is sought after. Let him be
nlaeessfui athlete aod he needs not TO have the
tusities that make man. But let his birth be
iurnbe his circumstances such that he must earn
ais way through college by manual labor. then he
eeers = social stigma, and no matter what his
achievements. VIII be the butt OF secret IL not
lpen rsdicule.
The attitude Of exclusiveness developed by the
fraternity system. coupled with its control OF the
iocial Ife shuts OF great body OF non-fraterntty
men from the advantages which Il is their unques,
5u-ehc risht enjoy. In athletics this control
lKists TO the extent that fraternity influence and
pull" rather than ability ali too often determine
Vhc shall represent the class or the varsity. In
loint that many capable men 60 through college
naking attempt whatever 10 participate in ath-
efics, while others whose ability goes unrewaroed
the university with hearts full Of bitterness.
This IS IN itself trivial enouGh-tn fact, II often
e6Ounds 10 the mans ultimate advantage: but tnat
more ways than one these conditions inJure the
university can hardly he denied.
As TO scholarship II the questionable assertion
lf Judge Irvine be true that the fraternity men
the whole the brighter men" President
schuTuans statement that he believes their stand
trds OF scholarship 10 be somewhat inferior is evil
lsnce enough that the fraternity does not promote
scholarship. The only other Interpretation possible
raternities less capabe-is from the standpoint
y It's effect upon Ihe university. even a stronger
trgUment against the system.
ithaca. y. y. ". W. GAIL
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
THEY INTRODUCE POLITICS.
Fraternities Care More for Themselves Than
for the College.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: One thing which does more harm to q college
than any other is the spirit OF competition among
the fraternties This spirit while in evidence
the smaller institutions, is not however confined
entirely to them. The cause of this competition
may be traced directly to the expense of keeping
up fraternity house. Take. for example, a col
lege where three or four fraternities own or rent
houses. The receipts from initiation fees. dues
and board OF members living at the house must be
enough to meet the expenses of rent possibly in
terest mortgage heating. lighting. a servant
and incidental expenses. the chapter must ask
help from its alumni. To meet expenses the mem
bership must be kept up to a certain standard and
as each fraternity IS so speak, In the same boat
there is a great rush to get what Is considered the
best materar>in each incoming class
To get members the fraternity must be popular,
in the sense that 1t must have it's quota Of men
the different teams and holding the different
class and college offices Right here is where the
fraternity works the greatest detrtment to the
college and the student body. Each fraternity is
trying TO get the greatest number Of men on a
team, and there is bound TO be injustice some
where. If the captain whoever selects the team
preference to belonging to his fraternity. The
result is that the college is not always represented
by the best possible team. and the students who
not slow to realize this. do not support the
team they should.
Fraternities introduce politics into class and coll
lege elections, and here again the best is often
lege before the election of senior class officers
fraternities formed a combination to keep another
fraternity from getting the choice offices. With
the help OF several "neutralS' they succeeded 10
such extent that out of eight seniors in one
frat seven elected to office, while the
other fraternity got the class presidency and
All these things tend to kill college spirit.
New-York City A. j. NJ
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
FALSE BOND OF, FRIENDSHIP.
Fraternities Do Not Let Nature Take Her
Own Course Here.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Tho most obvious disadvantage that a man
who joins fraternity feels is that 10 a great ex-
tent he has walled himself up with his fellow mem
bers and walled himself In from the whole body of
other students. With men of different fraternity
the relations Of the fraternites constantly inter
fere. and with men who belong to no fraternity he
can never have quite free intercourse. because ne
has something-and very grave and delicate some
thlng-which they have not and though he would
forget this fact. they can never overlook it,
Another drawback to fraternitles is that every
fraternity acquires reputation or standing IN the
college that almost never changes and that afgcts
very seriously the reputation and standing OF every
freshman who Joins it, IL a young man co,,os =.
college under inauspicious circumstances and a,
taken into society OF standing socially precar,o,
he Is seriously handicapped throughout his entIro
course
But the real and vital objection to secret societies
lies in the fact that they would substitute g. ~,
bond of natural attraction an artncial ana me
trary one that cannot take Its place In coIIaee 81
In every other congregation OF men there are 800
who inevitably Will appeal 10 each other and. WIZ
will form friendships. and In their fTlendshins aeya
rate themselves from the rest OF the students
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
THEY BREED sNoBBIsHNESs.
The "Frat" Man Thinks Himself Better
Than the "Non-Frat."
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: OF the evils college fraternities produce
among their members. foremost is the tendency to
snobbishness. to which may be related. II they
not essentially the same, class distinctions-by
which I do not mean that class distinction arising
purely from seniority-and undue Difference to
wealth These tendencies arise from a common
source. the method Of recruiting members
Freshmen members are chosen under the pres
ent system. during the first two or three
weeks of their course, when show OF
money good clothes and a ready speech will
complish more toward bringing the coveted invita-
tion than that strength of character and ability
which make leaders Of college activity. Once he Is
thus selected, the freshman feels himself better
because Of the selection that the who Is left
Inasmuch his elders in the fraternity have Inn
bihed and retained the same ideas. the freshman
meets with no discouragement in his belief: rather
It is fOStered until he becomes first rate snob, cal
culated to judge man purely by the standard:
What fraternity did he make %
The fraternity becomes more important to the
undergraduate than does the college; he thinks
more of II. his energy is devoted to it, and when
he becomes a graduate he will aid his fraternity
more than he will his college. F. s.
Syracuse. n. Y
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29

were 80; Of these Is were fraternity members AZ
the same institution the class of O4 consisted OF
19S members; of this number SO were fraternity
men; the number not graduating with the class Was
% of these 16 were members OF fraternitles1 NE
class of '02. Union University. schenectady N -,
consisted Of 66 members of which As We're fraternity
men; the number not graduating with the class
was 23; OF these Is were fraternity members. Inc
class OF '04 at the same institution consisted OF
81 members; of this number 4S were fraternity men
of these 16 fraternity members The class OF
'O4 Rensselaer, Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N J.
consisted of 95 members; of these a. We're fraternity
members; the number not graduating with the class
was SO; of these Is were fraternity men. The class
of co. Columbia University. consisted or lsS mem
bers: of this number 81 fraternity men, the
number not graduating with the class was 20; OF
these 10 fraternity members. Total number OF
members of the six classes mentioned, I69: total
number of fraternity men who graduated .S0l total
number of non-f fraternity men who graduated, Sl6;
total number of fraternity members who failed so:
total number of nOn-fraternity men who failed. o..
Philadelphia w. ALLYN REID.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
FUNDAMENTALLY UN-AMERICAN
Fraternities Divide College Into Unsym-
pathetic Factions.

To the Editor or The Tribune
Sir; Here in our West-Central society is found
the mean between the aristocratic tendencies of
the East and the Observation-Disclosures tendencies of
the further West. We look with disapprovaI upon
any Institution which tends recognize class dis
unction and this tendency toward class distinc-
uoh IS displayed in none Of our institutions more
strikingiy than In the fraternties The fraternity
Is fundamentally un-American. II IS aristocratic
ana Is gradually becoming (and we are tempted to
say. already is) plutocratic It divides a college
INTO two distinct and often bitterly hostile factions
one of which looks with condescension or even con-
tempt upon the other.
Almost every activity of the Students outside of
actual classroom work furnishes evidence of this
lire or demarcation. The college elections are run
upon the platform of Vote for the fraternity man"
or vote for the independent irrespective OF other
ua.lhcatons Tor office At social functions the
fraternity man takes precedence over the indie
pendent In the student body cases of intimate
friendship between member OF a fraternity and
an independent are exceedingly And further
more. this feeling OF separation is not only main
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
DEFEAT THEIR OWN ENDS.
Sometimes Fraternities Separate Men Who
Should Be Friends.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The fraternity cannot produce the strongest
truest and most abiding friendships. Such friend
ships may arise within fraternity but the fra
ternity has little to do in promoting them. Strong
oaths. Snowy pin, and constant appeals to show
loyalty to the organization not the subtle In
huences that bring hearts into the closest sym
pathy. Members of these organizations are chosen
for various reasons. One is voted in because he
is the strongest the football team another
because he has made reputation in some line of
study, another because he has superficial
social qualities and another because he spends
money freely, and is good fellow. These causes
often tend to bring together those who are not
the most congenia The spirit of fraternity Is Of
ten more apparent than real.
Frequently a man finds in rival fraternity a.
man who is most congenial and who becomes his
most intimate associate and companion. The two
men are often together. and each unfolds to the
other the secrets of his heart that he would
not disclose to any of his own fraternity
Too often the 'frats' are synonymes for drinking
clubs. In some institutions these excesses pIaY
sad havoc with scholarship and the fraternity men
are noted for low rank in scholarship. w. w.
Cedar Falls, Iowa.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
NOT LIKE OTHER CLUBS.
Fraternities Exercise Too Much Power in the
College World.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Upon the question of college fraterntles the
that the unlnformed easily fall into is to
consider them merely clubs OF students bearing
but little different relation to the college than or
dnary clubs and fraternities do to the city But in
order TO appreciate the defects they bring into col
lege life. realize at the outset that they
not simply phases OF life at college as clubs
are of life in city, but exert continuing,
trolling, partisan influence upon the athletic the
social and the political" sides of collegiate ac-
tivity.
among the fraternity mtn. they find their paths
considerably smoothed by their fraternity rela-
tions; but having found their own advancement
easy, they tend to become more exclusive and to
cast uncailed for obstacles in the paths of their
nOn-fTaternity fellow students. on account OF this
a strong antagonism is aroused and college spirit
which rests on freedom and equality, suffers ex-
ceedingly h. w. X.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
FRATERN1TIEs MARROW A MAN.
Cost Heavily in Time and Money and Really
Limit His Acquaintance
To the Editor of the Tribune.

To the Editor Of the Tribune.
Sir: Social evolution shows the existence of
some sort of society among men, whether it be
social political spiritual to be necessary in
stitution Of mankind in order to satisfy mans social
instinct. Consequently it is than natural to
find social, spiritual. political, literary and other
societies in a college. 1t is rather unfortunate,
though that the social institutions commonly
known fraternities. Greek letter societies,
should have developed along the lines they have,
and that they should have become detrimental TO
college life and to the students themselves. To
many young men they are the dominant attraction
of a college career. for know men who have gone
TO college, not to receive education but to join
a fraternity in which they satisfy their social
aims and ambitions. Some fraternity men may
extol the benefits derived from having a number Of
intimate friends whom they can rely to help
them through college and make the road compare
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29

Their loyalty to each other is natural and volun-
tary. They need fraternity, either to tnd or 20
hold each other. But man taken into fraternity
finds there who. in the closer life OF the So
ciety. he neither like tolerate; men or
whom he cannot approve and men who rouse ~ .a
fellow members In the fraternity chosen on
many grounds. Sometimes IL is because tney are
congenial to Of the members. sometimes pc
of their regulations social or tntellectuau'
and too frequently because there are so rev pos
sble' men available. a.,
All the brothers OF the members are takeh IN
without question. And with these the man ls ex-
pected to maintain the most intimate relations TO
consort with them daily. and before all the woTio
TO be uniformly loyal TO them. l. ID. SUI l.
Pembroke Hall. Providence, r.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29

lively easy yet these are the very things that are
going to injure their development. Instead of cul
tivating self-reliance, industry ana fertility of re-
source by acting independently and by meeting the
problems and difficulties of college life alone the
fraternity learns to depend upon his friends
for assistance and impedes the development of his
mental resources by relying the counsel
and encoura cement of his fellows
There is another danger to which the fraternity
man is subjected and frequently succumbs. He IS
liable to restrict his acquatntances to men of his
society. and in this way warp his social being.
limit unduly his range of friends and miss the bene
fits which only varied acquaintances can give
NeW-YOr< CITY. SENIOR
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29

tafned I'm college but continues after the college
man has been graduated out into the world.
The question of the alumnus has become not
"Are you University of Michigan man?' but ''Are
you a d X f a Psi UP Consequently that feel
ing of loyalty to Alma Mater the strongest and
most cherished feeling of hygone college days, is
sacrificed to the petty clique spirit which is fos'
tered OF necessity by the college fraternal organi-
cations How. then. may ask. can the college as
a whole fail to receive positive injury from this
division of spirit within its walls?
There many noble and manly fellows in our
fraternties-men who make their mark in college
life as we'll in the world IN maturer years. But
is this because of fraternity influences or in spite
OF them? e M. g., University OF Mlchgan.
krbo Mich
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
FRATERNITIEs DEVELOP CADs.
Members Often Look Down on Outsiders for
No Good Reason.
To the Editor of Tho Tribune

To the Editor OF Tho Tribune.
Sir: The fraternity frequently makes a self
ish and conceited. Fraternities, Of course,
elusive. and 1t is something of a distinction to be
invited to join. Too many boys have their heads
turned by invitation, and they become what we
commonly call "cads" You have probably seen
who, simply because they belong to a frater-
nifty act If they were better than their fellows.
Too often the fraternity takes man in solely be-
of his money, his clothes, or, perhapS his
athletic ability, having no regard whatever for his
character. External appearances and the posses
sion of material things rather than character and
purpose, too often made the tests for member
ship in the fraternity. T. j.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29

from the leopard. who chung like a leeoi
throat. sucking away his life blood ,,,r3 rosg
At last the bear fell dead. and as the - shouy
the "shikart" gave him bullet behihU = dso1ta
der rolling him over dead. Then arose a. = a viea
as the ''shkari'' claimed both skins, VII ,sseh
10 the government reward of rupees To- =, - thei
rupees in all So IL finally asIeev, ,s.{.,r set
should return In the morning. but tue '-etnFnst
friend at work IN the night. 50 when SlgS .bs he'd
at daybreak the bodies were there, but W ulS ashb
Rad been careftlliv skinned The GUAR an sgiu
kari" az once went away and nlsd etS~ esN ,ovV u
against each other ana this weighty case y NV
court Amarfta Bazar Patrtka.
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
WORDS WITHOUT RHYME.

From The London Chronicle. III erllf
Bulb has no rhyme. Culu, cusp IsSi-ss word
month. DOTH amongst other ftil ftilss,s cafriciaI
having the sound OF "u a. IN put uLx,.i sound 81
commonplace and without dignity hehSss turbu
10 II only for blood hOOd and a rev sl.' noWevsr
lent mOnosyilablCs Thev use IL often, ir-afs syl
in forcing the accent from the antsResaf sound
concealed by the softened stress . ingloroSz
rhymes. such as fellcltous. mysterious
etc
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
THEY INTERFERE WITH STUDY.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Fraternity life interferes with scholarship as
the following figures will show:
The class If 'Os University of Pennsylvania con-
sisted OF LES members. OF which So fraternity
men; the number not graduating with the class
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
FRATERNITIEs NOT HARMONIOUS.
Even Among Themselves Jealousy and
Enmity Are Created.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: In a small college practically every student
is fraternity This results in the division
OF the student body into numerous cliques. The
welfare of the college is but incidental to these
factions, each expanding its energies TO what it
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
EVEN SEPARATES BROTHERS.
Fraternity Attractions Weakened Family
Ties in One Case.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: II is a fact that many college men put the
fraternity first and the college second I know Of
New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
ID FOR MANCHURIA.

and sometimes aching at heart. they pass into the
world with the interest in their alma mater diving
and withered. w
NeW-IIaYen. Conn.