Vot IX. -No. 21
NEW HAVEN, CONN., WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21, 1900.
SOPHOMORE SOCIETIES
Petition of the Seniors to the Fac-
ulty—The Latter’s Attitude.
On February 12 and 13, a petition was
circulated among those members of the
Senior class who are not connected with
any Sophomore society, asking the
Faculty to abolish the societies. The
petition reads as follows:
“Whereas, It has long been a recog-
nized fact that the existence of the
Sophomore Societies is both unjust and
harmful, because they are the destruc-
tive factor of that democratic feeling
and spirit “Or Unity. “which has’ dic-
tinguished Yale life; and
“Whereas, We realize that friendly
cooperation with the Faculty is neces-
sary to bring about a wise and adequate
readjustment of this system; and
“Whereas, We believe that a remedy
lies in extending the Junior Fraternities
over Sophomore and Junior years, and
that such an extension should be de-
termined upon by a committee of repre-
sentative graduates and undergraduates ;
and
“Whereas, After nearly four years of
contact and experience with the present
system we feel that the need of change
is becoming more and more urgent, and
because we are unwilling to leave Col-
lege without an effort to make a bene-
ficial change, as members of the Senior
class we feel ourselves forced, as an
expression of our loyalty to the best
interests of Yale, to go on record as
thoroughly opposed to their existence.
“We therefore respectfully petition the
Faculty to codperate with the graduates
and undergraduates in putting a stop to
the evil by abolishing the Sophomore
Societies.”
The petition was circulated with great
despatch and in a. little over a day, out
of 272 members of the class who are not
connected with either of the three
Sophomore societies, 254 had annexed
their names. The other 18, it was re-
ported by the promoters of the petition,
could not be reached in the given time.
The petition was handed to the Presi-
dent and has been acknowledged by him.
As the WEEKLY goes to press, it has not
yet reached the Faculty.
No formal attempt has been made to
secure the opinion of the members of
the Faculty in regard to the petition, but
it is possible to say that the sentiment,
as far as it has been expressed, has been
one of strong hope that it would not be
necessary for the Faculty to step into
the matter. The members of the Faculty
are individually exceedingly interested
in the situation and expect a speedy and
satisfactory solution of it. They con-
sider, however, as far as the WEEKLY
can learn, that the matter is one for the
undergraduates to settle themselves.
Following the petition from the Senior
class, those who have been foremost in
agitating the matter have continued their
efforts among members of earlier classes.
No attempts has been made to canvass
the sentiment of Juniors, Sophomores
or Freshmen, because of the feeling that
their relations to the societies, present or
prospective, put them in a position where
it was neither fair nor advisable to ask
them to register their opinion in such a
matter. A number of circular letters
have, howéver, gone out to graduates
of recent classes, although just how far
this movement has gone it is not an-
nounced. These circulars are headed
“An Appeal to Yale Graduates,” and
read as follows: |
“On Wednesday, February 13th, the
following petition requesting the aboli-
tion of Sophomore Societies was pre-
sented to President Hadley and the
Faculty by the Senior class. Out of 274
men who are not members of a Sopho-
more society, 254 have signed and 18
could not be seen.
“In view of the fact that the Sopho-
more societies will use all their influence
to delay and prevent their abolition, it
is hoped that the graduates will interest
themselves in assisting the Senior class
to secure this result and to establish
without further delay a society system
which will by its justice win the sanc-
tion and approval of all, and best con-
serve the interests of Yale. The per-
sonal support of each graduate is essen-
tial and an immediate expression of
opinion to the Faculty would be of the
greatest help in bringing about the best.
results.” |
There are no signatures to the circu-
lars,
——_—_<$<$~—___-_—_
YALE CLUB QUARTERS,
The Plans for the New Building En-
dorsed— Financial Scheme.
At the special meeting of the Yale
Club of New York City held Friday,
February 16, it was unanimously voted
to accept a proposition of the council for
new quarters at 30 and 32 West 44th
street. The land it is contemplated to
purchase is 50 by 100 feet and situated
on the south side of the street, east of
the Bar Association Building and al-
most directly across the street from the
new home of the New York Yacht Club.
The house of the Harvard Club is in
the same block on the other side of the
street nearer Fifth avenue. The plan by
the architects, Messrs. Tracy & Swart-
wout calls for an eleven-story building of
red brick and white stone. Several upper
floors are to be taken up with sleeping
rooms for members, this feature being
deemed a wise means of meeting the
expenses of the new building, until such
time as the Club desires to occupy more
of it for strictly club purposes. There
will be one large dining room occuping
an entire floor, so arranged that it will
be adapated for use as a general meet-
ing room. There will be another din-
ing . floor for class dining rooms and
smaller rooms for private parties. As
a means of financing the project, it is
proposed to organize a building company
which will buy the land, erect the build-
ing and lease it to the Club. The
building company proposes to borrow on
mortgage $200,000 and raise upon its
stock $175,000, or so much thereof as
may be needed. It is believed that the
cost of the land and building will not
exceed $350,000. The stock of the
‘building company is to pay dividends at
4% per cent. and the stock is being
offered to members of the Club, who
have already taken considerably over
$50,000.
i ene
Forestry School Fund.
It has been announced that a fund
large enough to establish a School of
Forestry in connection with the estate
of the late Prof. O. C. Marsh, has been
made. Neither the size of the fund
nor the names of the donors will be
given out at present.
——_-—_ + ¢
More Building Land Bought.
Yale added another lot of land, on the
North side of Wall street, to that already
purchased in the square where the new
buildings are to stand. This lot was
bought from George R. Cooley, Yale
75 5. and has a frontage on Wall street
of 47 feet. The price paid was $25,000.
YALE AND NEW HAVEN.
A Speech from the Treasurer on their
Business Relations.
Before the Chamber of Commerce of
New Haven, at its meeting Wednesday
evening, February 14, Mr. Morris F.
Tyler, Treasurer of Yale, read a paper
discussing the business relations of New
Haven and the University, and con-
sidering the University as a business
institution. He said in part:
“If there has been any fault to be
found with the relations of the city and
the University in the past, it is due to
that fact that neither party was ac-
quainted with the other. Well now, I
think that so far as the business side
of the University at present can be con-
cerned, it may be said that the Univer-
sity knows the town. I suppose it is
not assumption on my part to say that
I represent the business side of the Uni-
versity. J have charge of it, so far as it
is a business concern in the midst
of us. And I think I know the town,
and the town ideals and town ambi-
tions. Circumstances have, in the last
twenty years, shown me a good deal
of the University, of the young univer-
sity. I have been thrown into intimate
relations with men who are as totally of
the University in their origins and asso-
ciations as I am of the town. I think
I know, too, how the two classes look
at one another, or rather how they used
to look at one another. For after all
the difference is largely a mere tradi-
tion.
A GREAT BUSINESS INSTITUTION.
“T meant to speak of the University
as a great business institution, among
the other great business institutions of
our city. I use the term ‘great’ ad-
visedly. I think you will agree with me
when I say that, were it not for the
traditional method of looking at things,
which is unavoidable where these things
have been known from their youth, and
where growth has not been carefully
_ watched, the University would be ranked
as a great business affair. A factory
that had a weekly pay roll of $8,000,
that, moreover, by the character of its
work, required 2,500 men to live in this
town, and that, too, under conditions
which made them wholly consumers, and
competitors in almost no sense at all;
and that turned out a product which
carried the name of the town as well as
that of the factory throughout the. civi-
lized world and into the highest circles
of that world, would be called a great
business establishment. Well, that is
one side of the University.”
RELATION TO NEW HAVEN BUSINESS.
Speaking of the position which the
University, as a business establishment
should take in its relations with other
business in New Haven, Mr. Tyler said:
“There is one peculiarity in the posi-
tion of the University which ought to
be noticed; and that is that it is ex-
clusively a buying and not a selling
establishment. Of course it charges a
price for its services. But so.far as this
community is concerned, it charges that
price to so small a number comparatively
that it does not count as an influence;
and it is perfectly well known to every-
body that this price has no relation
whatever to the cost of the service
rendered.
“In other words the University is a
great consumer and not a great competi-
tor. Now I am obliged to confess that
I do not know just how the University
Copyright, 1900,
by Yale Alumni Weekly.
has hitherto conducted itself in this
matter of buying in all regards. I find,
however, that as a general thing it is
doing what we expect a good citizen of
New Haven to do, making itself as far
as possible the consumer of home trade.’
It must not be forgotten that, like every
other buyer, the University must buy
in the cheapest market. As it is not
a money earner in the sense of a money
maker, it must make the expenditure
of its income go as far as possible. It
must do as much for each dollar as it
can. But with this understood, I can
say to you, frankly that-I think it ought
to buy as much at home as possible.
“There have been some complaints
made to me that it did not do this, but
that outside merchants had been favored,
to the injury and exclusion of home
merchants. Upon a careful examination
of the manner in which things have been
done I cannot admit this to be true.
It has been simply a question of prices.
Wherever the same goods have been
offered by a New Haven dealer at the
same rates as by an outside dealer, I
believe the New Haven dealer has al-
ways been preferred. I can assure you,
however, that whether or not this is true
of the past, it shall be true of the future.
“But I am free to confess that in one
department of the University’s purchases
we are obliged to go outside of New
Haven because New Haven’s things are
too good and its prices too high. I
mean in the matter of investment. It
would be a great pleasure to me if the
funds of the University, the evidences of
the generosity of its alumni and other
friends, could be set to work right here,
to earn the income which is to support
the University. But New Haven invest-
ments are too good. We are not yet in
condition where we can afford to live on
3% and 4% returns on our capital. So
we are obliged to go where money is
dearer: and fetches better prices. But
that is not the reason why the agents
with whom we deal should not be usu-
ally New Haven agents. I do not care
to go into details in this matter: it is
not necessary. But I wish to state that
the policy of the treasury, so far as I
can control it, will be to deal with our
friends and neighbors at home; with
men whom we know and trust; men
who have, we believe, more than a dol-
lars and cents interest in the University,
rather than with others. I believe that
I shall get as good advice and more
disinterested advice from a New Haven
financier than from a New York finan-
cier. I believe that a New Haven bank
will keep our money just as safely and
will pay. our checks just as cheerfully
and will in all ways accommodate us
just as fully, as a New York bank.
HELPING TO IMPROVE THE CITY.
“What attitude should the University
take, what attitude will it take, toward
those general public movements which
look to the material prosperity of the
town in which we live? It has been
said by some that the University has
thought it for its interest that the town
should remain small and unprogressive.
Some have maintained that it has been
obstructive, and that it has stood in the
way of the general advancement of this
community. Do not confound the per-
sonal opinions of some elderly gentle-
men who in times past may have be-
longed to the University, with the atti-
tude of the organization itself. There
have been a good many old fogies in
New Haven in times past. You and I
have known them in business, and [
fear the University has not been without
its share. I have heard so-called busi-
ness men say that they thought the town
was big enough; that its progress was
rapid enough; that they did not want
to see it any bigger or any more pro-
