The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-04
PLEA FOR The PRATERNITIES
GOOD POINTS or SECRET SOCIE-
TIES or STUDENTS.

The College, Fraternity and the Princeton
Ciub system Compared MANY Evils
of the Former Said TO . Bcen EIiml-
nated-The Matter OF Ex~trsvsgsnce.
wILLIAMsrowN. Mass. Aug. The
upper class club system ut Princeton was
described In The SUN repently. Here is
an account Of It's rival development. the
collage fraternity. which may be said TO
have become a factor in the social life OF
the American college when Kappa Alpha
was founded at Union in 1928.
This form of the student club. which
vas ruled out OF Princeton At n time when
il threatened TO become an academic evil.
has in other colleges met with increasing
popularity and Success. until its aggregate
membership roll, including the dead and
the living. now numbers more than 25o'0cO
names. In many ways it closely resembles
the Princeton club. but it's adherents at
tribute 10 il a more useful place and in
fuence in the college world.
In point of luxury il is not much behind
the Princeton club. The Chi Psi house ut
Cornell, which burned down last winter.
was said to have cost s250,oO0. II was the
finest fraternity house i'm the country.
Al bOtn NOluU1DlH dlu tue cnetleiu NN7
rife School, the home Of Delta Psi-generally
known as St. Anthony Halls noteworthy
and other examples of fine fraternity ar
chitecture are plentiful throughout the
country.
Here the fraternities have taken posses
sion Of Main street with its extensive lawns
and towering elms. and the fraternity
houses in dignity and beauty are quite
on a level with the college buildings, Kappa
Alpha, through its recent purchase OF the
colonial Proctor mansion. rakes the lead
for expensive quarters. though its new
move In this direction has been much criti-
c;sed. This house contains hfty-three
rooms and is said to have cost $780, coo
when erected a few years ago. and the and
about IL is easily worth $40 900 more. House
and land were purchased this year for about
$40. 900.
Other notable fraternity houses are the
Sigma Phi house. valued AT about 800 900,
and the home of Alpha Delta Phi. which
is often pointed out as the finest adapta-
ton OF the colonial style to the needs and
Uses OF the college fraternity. h other
lodges-there are twelve in all-possess
each some distinctive feature that lends
q charm OF its own.
As at Princeton, there appears the same
constant desire for more expensive quar-
ters, so that now there are two new houses
in course Of erection and other societies
have the same move in contemplation.
But even now, though there are degrees
OF luxury, the interior of almost every
house has it's own atmosphere Of ease and
comfort.
Years ago, when the Greek letter fra
ternities first sprang into prominence, they
met with opposition on all sides. They
we're few in number and tended 10 en-
clusiveness and arrogance. a spirit con-
trury to all ideals Of democracy in college
life. Almost Immediately a student or
ganization opposed 90 their methods arose
in every college where they existed soon
uniting under the motto "Dikaia Upotheke
Justice our foundation), 10 form a new
national fraternity known as Delta ps'ion.
Almost seventy-three years DID, tins