The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-14
OPEN GAMMA ROOMS
Active Members of Old High
School Fraternity to Take
Radical Move.
INITIATIVE FROM WITHIN
Other FratcrnIilcs Expected 10 Fol
low Sult.-Whnt an Alumnus
Thinks of the Move.

Gamma Delta Psi fraternity in the
New Haven High school have taken n
step which Is particularly timely In
passing rule that hereafter the |
rooms Of the chapter viii be open to
outsiders, including parents and
teachers The rooms of the chapter
are now situated ut the corner of
Chapel and state streets. over Brooks
Il Co, on the third floor. The boys
| have but recently moved from rooms
on the opposite corner over the Yale
National bank on the fourth floor.
1t Is expected that the move viii be
met with like one on the part of the
rival fraternity, Alpha Delta sigma,
which at present has its rooms over
Judd's book store on Chapel street.
The two girls fraternities also have
secret rooms at present to which out
slders may not go. They are 3. T..
which atiliates with Gamma Delta
Psi and Alpha Alpha, which ahillates
with Alpha Delta Sigma. They will
probably take similar action.
II was stated yesterday by one of
the members Of the local. chapter of
Sigma Lambda Nu at the high school
that the step taken by Gamma Delta
Isi Is not entirely a new one for high
school secret societies here. He de-
clarod that Il is one of the fraternity
rules IF Sigma Lambda M to allow the
parents of the active chapter to come
] "a la
not been in existence long. however
In New Haven, 1t was established in
1906 as a sort of boys club by non
fraternity boys and as such was not as
secret as the older organizations.
The local chapter of Gamma Delta
Psi Is the original of Alpha" chapter.
1t was established in 1879 at Hillhouse
High school when 1t used to be sit
uatcd on Orange street At that time
it was the only fraternity at the
school and It's rooms used to be in
the school building until the boys
were driven out by action of the board
of education.
The fraternity has some twenty-five
chapters about the country, and
|
organization of the kind existing. The
local chapter counts among its alumni
numbers some OF the best young blood
in the city, Among them are John
l.. ellison. clerk of the probate court:
Samuel Kirby, Il. =. Tyler, Victor NJ.
Tyler, George S. Fowler, of the Yale
Alumni Weekly; Fred G. Beck, the
| Va ID ai.a ho ,,,I,
lain, of the Chamberlain company;
and Prof, Henry b. Wright, of Yale.
one of the alumni in discussing the
move of the active chapter In opening
the rooms to outsiders in the future,
had this to say last night: 1T must
be understood that the initiative has
come entirely from within, from the
boys of the active chapter. BY their
move It is believed they will not only
benefit the chapter itself by getting
into the good graces of the parents
and the faculty, but benefit will come
to the other chapters at Hillhouse as
WELL for 1t Is almost certain that they
will see the wisdom of following the
. lead set Ever since the time when
, Gamma was put out of the high
school building on Orange street by
the board of education, the breach
, has widened That has been the only
6 natural result That the move in the
q other direction comes from the boys
! themselves now seems highly com
mendable to me. II will be far more
q effectual than as the result of an or
o der from the faculty to that effect"
The recept disclosures about activ-
a tiles In certain OF the high school fra
ternity chapter rooms in Chicago has
made profound impression upon the
: while country. OF course 1t Is not
necessary to say that nothing Of the
, kind has ever taken place in any of
the local fraternities, much less In
the rooms Of Gamma, but still there
- Is always the sneaking suspicion
4. which will hover in the minds Of some
l. parents and faculty members after
J. such a story as that has gained cir
Z cuIation. But n few weeks ago the
Z Teachers Magazine, which is pub
/ lished by educators of the state, con-
Il tanned an article which was much
! quoted, 1t was written by Hill.
\ house teacher and 1t took occasion
Z to criticize tho secrecy of the loca
+ fraternities and the evils that arise
u thorefrom.
\ "ro put to rest all rumors that the
4 boys indulge In Objectionable practice!
y, or waste their time at Gamma's looms
J. this move has been made The plar
&. is to invite the parents to come t.
i, the rooms at certain times and in.
+ spect them If they wish. Non-fra
" ternity faculty members Will also b'
u invited to come TO the rooms to sneak
Il, to the boys Just as one proof Of the
j. fact that the Gamma boys arc no
\ ncgleeting their studies because o
4 their outside interests in connection
j with tho fraternity mention nigh
Z he made Of the fact that no less thar
y eight Of the present eighteen memo ~
y of tho School circle at the High schoo
4 which corresponds in some manner tt
i Phi Beta Kappa in Yale and in Whicl
Z membership is based upon scholar
i ship are Gamma boys
IL The interests Of the Gamma boy
80 are many Among them is the pub
LEGATION Of a school paper called IN
Crescent, monthly. The paper take
It's name from the pin the member
wear, which Is Of crescent shape
The members are usually spoken Of a
Crescent boys" a dance Is also civ
on each year by the chapter With
play preceding. The play and dane
"A this year will come on May 8.