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we Atere - WT.U MINI OWE KLY
FOR FRESHMAN SOCIETIES.
A Discussion of the Underclass Soci-
ety System.
To the Editor of Yate ALUMNI WEEKLY:
The Society system in the Academic
Department at Yale is unique. So far
as I know, no other college or university
has anything closely resembling it.
From time to. time and particularly
within the last two or three years, some
unfavorable criticism has been made
upon it. Sometimes the critic goes to
the extent of demanding as a remedy
for real or fancied evils connected with
it, the entire abolition of secret societies.
A demand for so drastic a remedy. may
be dismissed with the statement that
the system is so completely bound up
with Yale’s history and traditions as to
make this difficult, if not impossible.
But, if practicable, would such a
course be desirable? I have closely ob-
served the system for four years as an
undergraduate and for more than
twenty-five years as an alumnus, during
which time I have visited New Haven
on an average three or four times a year,
and have been to some extent thrown
with members of almost every class
graduated within that time. Such ob-
servation leads me to think that there
is very much that is good about the
system, although there are unquestion-
ably some imperfections which ought to
be remedied. These are not so much
in the theory underlying the system as
in the practical application of it.
Yale’s societies should be a means to
an end, and that end the welfare of the
University. There never need be any
antagonism between devotion to the So-
ciety and devotion to the University.
Each society man ought to be a more
devoted Yale man just because he is a
society man. If he is not, he is injuring
the welfare of both.
THE IDEAL RULE.
The rule of the Yale society system
should be that exemplified in the most
perfect Civil Service laws, namely:
“Promotion based on merit and fitness.”
An election to a Senior society is de-
servedly one of the most laudable ob-
jects of undergraduate ambition. In the
college world and in the outside world,
where Yale’s traditions are known, it
is concededly the highest honor of its
kind that can be attained. Every un-
dergraduate ought to feel that it is
possible for him to attain this honor if
he fulfills the conditions of merit and
fitness as determined by fair competi-
tion.
Each society ought to realize that its
welfare, even its life, depends upon the
adoption of this standard of selection
and no other. Just in this direction the
sharpest criticism is made. It is claimed
that the large preparatory schools send-
ing as they do to each Freshman class
a considerable body of men previously
acquainted, and who naturally act to-
gether until they come to know their
classmates who are fitted either at
smaller schools or by special instructors,
exercise an unfair advantage in behalf
of their graduates.
THE DIFFICULTY OF ACQUAINTANCE.
Owing to the size of the classes at the
present time, the difficulty of making
acquaintance through the class is
largely increased. It follows that the
men in each class do not come to know
each other as they did twenty-five years
ago, and not a few eminently worthy
men in each class fail to be justly ap-:
preciated, because, in part through their
modesty, they are not well known.
As a consequence when elections are
given to Sophomore societies (the first
society honor bestowed at Yale), these
elections are largely controlled by cliques
composed of the men graduated from
these large preparatory schools. These
societies, taking as they do only a small
number from the entire class, tend to
make the line of cleavage more sharply
defined. Those in the societies are
anturally drawn more closely together
and become an organized force of great
power and influence. Those without are
disorganized and by force of circum-
stances, jealously tends to foster hos-
tility toward the Sophomore society men.
Although the Junior societies take in
a somewhat larger number of men, the
dominating influence of the Sophomore
societies seems to lose little of its force,
but it extends through the year, so that
it is even claimed that elections to
Senior societies are largely controlled
by these same societies, as they are in
turn controlled by the large preparatory
schools.
By reason of this powerful influence,
a feeling has arisen that a man out-
side of this circle does not obtain a fair
show and that “college politics’ and not
merit and fitness of the candidates en-
ters altogether too largely into the choice
of men for society honors.
I think I have stated fairly the only
reasonable criticism made to my knowl-
edge upon the society system at Yale,
even by its bitterest critics. *
I have within the: past two or three
years discussed the subject with some
of Yale’s most prominent graduates,
most of them members of societies, up
to and including Senior year, and with a
considerable number of undergraduates
some of whom have been members of
the Sophomore societies. Quite a large
majority of them felt so strongly upon
the subject that they have advocated the
entire abolition of Sophomore societies,
if necessary for the welfare of the Uni-
versity at large. ;
A DIFFERENT BASIS.
I venture to suggest reform on a
somewhat different line. Society honors
at Yale should be according to a regular
gradation starting with Freshman year,
when every member of the class who
desirés to be, should be a member of a
society, and proceeding by a gradual
process of elimination in each year (the
number being smaller and as a conse-
quence the honor being greater) until
Senior year is reached.
Twenty-five years ago every member
of the Freshman class was a member of
one or other of ‘the Freshman socie-
ties. The competition between the so-
cieties was in the first instance to ob-
tain the largest number of members of
the Freshman class.
Quantity, not quality, was the test.
The result was that every: man was a
society man.
The societies did good literary work
in the line of essavs and debates, and
the second field of competition between
them was in this direction, and the so-
cieties were active rivals in securing
through their members as many literary
and scholastic as well as athletic honors
as possible. Their existence tended to
make the men, of each Freshman class
better acquainted with his classmates,
for a man soon came to know those of
his own society and then naturally
sought the acquaintance of the men of
other societies to ascertain whom he
had to measure up against. As a result,
by the end of the second term of Fresh-
man year, every man in the class knew
all of his classmates fairly well.
It might take a little longer now, but
the same result would follow. Ee
I would advocate the organization of
at least six Freshman societies of say
fifty men each, but sufficiently large to
include the whole class. These socie-
ties would afford not only social advan-
tages, and by making the men génerally
acquainted tend to break up “cliques,”
but the advantage of training in debate
which Yale so much needs and which is
now sought for in other ways.
In the Sophomore year I would ad-
vocate either increasing the number of
Sophomore societies -or their average
membership, or both, so that at least one
hundred and fifty men should be mem-
bers of these societies. The natural
process of elimination founded on actual
acquaintance of and experience with the
entire Freshman class, would result in
the selection of the better men of the
class for these societies. In Junior year
the process of selection might be still
further carried on and a somewhat
smaller number chosen, and the same in
Senior year. By this repeated process of
elimination, as a rule the best men would
be chosen to the societies. Of course,
in every class there are men who de-
velop later than others, and there would
occasionally be found men who did not
make a Sophomore or even a Junior
society, who by the end of Junior year
would be entirely worthy even of Senior
society honors. There would be noth-
ing to stand in the way of their choice.
But they would be the exceptions. The
rule would be as above stated.
A’ PRACTICAL STEP.
There is nothing impractical in these
suggestions. The class of 1903 within
a month after their entrance, if they
choose to do so, can organize a number
of societies which shall. include every
member of the class. It may be urged
that opposition will be made to the plan
by the Sophomore societies, who would
not be willing to sacrifice their influence
by increasing their membership or con-
senting to addition to their numbers.
If it is for the interests of the Uni-
versity to make the change, I do not be-
lieve that any member of those societies
would deliberately sacrifice that- interest
to any selfish purpose. In no place is
sound public opinion of greater weight
than at Yale, and if a general public sen-
timent were once aroused that the good
of the University demanded a change,
the Sophomore societies would have to
yield. If in the face of such sentiment
well founded, they attempted to and did
successfully resist it, it is time to con-
sider whether they should be wiped out
of existence, even if it becomes neces-
sary to invoke the power of the Faculty
to accomplish this. Yale’s undergrad-
uates and Yale’s graduates must get to-
gether in the interests of the University
at large. Every spirit of factionalism
and jealousy must be destroyed. Her
past reputation in every field of activity
can only be sustained by the hardest
kind of hard work.
boast of Yale men up to this time that
all that they asked was a fair field and
no favors; that every mau should have
as good a chance as every other man.
It will be the beginning of the end of
our boasted Yale democracy if any other
spirit permanently dominates her society
system.
JosEpH A. Burr, ’71.
Brooklyn, N. Y., Sept. 12, 1899.
>
Dr. Brown’s Lectures in Yale
Divinity School.
Rev. John Brown, D.D., of Bedford,
England, Author. of “The Pilgrim
Fathers of New England,” “Life of
John Bunyan,” and other writings of
great interest and value, will give the
first lecture of the Lyman _ Beecher
Course on Preaching, in the Marquand
Chapel, on Wednesday, October 11, at
3 o'clock, Pp. mM. The general subject of
the course is “Puritan Preaching in
England.”
The topics of the several lectures of
Dr. Brown, with the dates on which it
is expected that they will be delivered,
are as follows: ~
Lecture JI, Oct. 1r1—Introductory.
The Preaching of the Friars.
Lecture II, Oct. 12—John Colet and
the Preachers of the Reformation.
Lecture III, Oct. 13—The Cambridge
Puritans.
Lecture IV, Oct. 17—Thomas Good-
win and the Cambridge Platonists.
Lecture V, Oct. 19—John Bunyan as
‘a Life Study for Preachers.
Lecture VI, Oct. 20—Richard Baxter
the Kidderminster Pastor.’
Lecture VII, Oct. 25—Representative
Preachers of Modern Puritanism, (1)
Thomas Binney and C. H. Spurgeon.
Lecture VIII, Oct. 26—Representative
Preachers of Modern Puritanism, (2)
R. W. Dale of Birmingham.
Lecture IX, Oct. 27—Representative
Preachers of Modern Puritanism, (3)
Alexander Maclaren, of Manchester.
Opening of College.
All departments of the University, ex-
cept the Medical School, opened accord-
ing to the schedule, with nearly full at-
tendance. The Medical School term be-
gins Thursday, Oct. 5.
»- wey *~
www
The Phillips Brooks building at Har-
vard, which is the new home of the
religious and philanthropic societies of
the University, has been completed and
is ready for occupancy. The building
is of brick and granite, three stories
high, and cost in the neighborhood of
$50,000.
It has been the.
2 ee eee
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