COMBINED KKK, tammani
Campus Politics Reach Lull
Following TNE Expulsion
By Dorothy Her
Emerald Feature Editor
Student politics on the Ore
gon campus just aren't what they
used to be. Political campaigns
no longer result in exposes,
charges, counter-charges and
near-riots, as they have several
times in past years. This calm
ness in the realm of student gov
ernment at Oregon came just
four years ago with the abolish
ment of a mysterious organiza
tion known as Theta Nu Epsi
lon—TNE.
TNE was a secret and illegal
fraternity acting as a political
pressure group on many cam
puses. According to a Time mag
azine article in May 28, 1945,
on a TNE chapter at the Univer
sity of Southern California, the
group was “an outlaw inter-fra
ternity society whose members
often work in secret to control
student government, campus
newspapers and fraternity mem
bership in flagrant defiance of
faculty edicts." The writer called
TNE “an approximate equiva
lent of a combined Ku Klux Klan
and Tammany hall.”
Theta Nu Epsilon was organ
ized Dec. 5, 1870, as a legal fra
ternity, an organization of stu
dent leaders. Gradually, how
ever, it became an undercover
political group. When the na
tional TNE was reorganized as a
legal group in 1925, the small
secret political groups remained
on many campuses.
Disbanded in 1936
TNE’s presence on the Oregon
campus was first recognized in
1936 when the illegal group was
disbanded by the administration
and its members placed on pro
bation. In 1939. however, a TNE
chapter was in operation again
at Oregon.
The secret society's member
ship supposedly was composed
of one or two members of each
of the most powerful fraternities
on campus. TNE held secret
meetings in hotel rooms and
operated with funds provided by
interested alumni. Promising stu
dent leaders were approached as
prospective members and, if in
terested in joining TNE, they
underwent a training period of
activity in campus politics be-:
fore they were initiated.
Meet
GOVERNOR
PAUL L.
PATTERSON
And MRS. PATTERSON
At a Reception
!n The
Veterans' Memorial
Building
1626 Willamette Street
Tonight
8:00 -10:00
♦
Sponsored by
The Lane County
• Women's Republican Club,
Assisted By The
U. off O. Young
Republicans
Operated l ntil 1!).»0
The group evidently operated
in student government circles at
Oregon from 1939 until it was
abolished in 1950. An attack
against TNE was made by stu
dent leaders in 1942 at an A$JUO
nominating assembly. However,
the attack was ineffective and
TNE continued to function here.
Meanwhile, many persons, both
faculty and student leaders were
seeking actual proof of TNE's
existence on the Oregon campus.
In November 1946, a blank TNE
membership card was discovered
and other bits of evidence led
to the belief that TNE members
and their activities might be ex
posed. However, the existence of
a TNE chapter here couldn’t be
proved conclusively then, and
student leaders had to continue
seeking evidence until May 1950.
Charges against the outlawed
secret society were made by stu
dent leaders during the ASUO
election campaign that year and
the University officially recog
nized the existence of the illegal
group. The board of deans and
office of student affairs began an
investigation.
Students Mock Idea
Many student, however,
mocked the idea that TNE, a
secret and illegal political group,
could exist on the Oregon cam
pus. These students staged a po
litical parade and rally mocking
the TNE investigation. The rally
developed into a near-riot which
was broken up by Eugene city
police and firemen.
A few days later, the adminis
tration's investigation turned up
the names of 25 men students
who admitted either past or pres
ent membership in a TNE chap
ter here. The 25 were placed on
probation for the remainder of
their college days at the Univer
sity. And thus ended the era of
TNE on the Oregon campus.
Tri Delts, DG
Pix Planned
Pictures of Delta Delta Delta
and Delta Gamma are scheduled
to be taken today for the Ore
gana.
Women’s houses will wear
white blouses and dark blue bla
zers. Blazers will be provided by
the photographers.
The following organizations
are scheduled for this week:
Tuesday, Carson 3 and Sigma
Kappa; Wednesday. Kappa Al
pha Theta and Orides; Thursday,
Carson 4 and Pi Beta Phi; Fri
day. Carson 5.
Oregaua representatives will
continue to contact houses the
evening before pictures are to
be taken to remind students of
their appointments, according to
Claudia Fairweather, contact
chairman.
Today's Staff
Make-up Editor: Sam Vahey.
Copy desk: Sally Ryan, Kath
leen Morrlaon, Jackie Warded.
Night ataff: Pete Taussig.
News Desk editor: Mary Alice
Allen.
CLASSIFIEDS
Lost: In or near Gerllnger Hall,
Oct. 5th, Green Parker 51
fountain pen. Call ext. 482,
Carson Hall. 10-7-tf
Typewriter In good condition
priced to sell. Come to Apt. 7,
200 W. 0th at 4 pan. or after.
10-18
__
Eor Kent: Modern 2 bedroom
house near University, grade
school. Modern heat. Lease.
Ph. 5-1297. tf
Tutoring in English —
3-3509.
Phone
11-9
^VTed really studied
ALL NIGHT LONG, AND
KNEW HIS LESSON WELL...
BUT THEM HE FELL ASLEEP
IN CLASS AND FAILED
TO RING THE "BELL!
_ " I I
Bur A/QtVHES LEARNED TO
KEEP ALERT TVtE EASV NOpOZ WAy.
THIS HANDY, SAFE AWAKENER
HAS REALLY
SAVED THE DAY
l» TA■1ITt
33c
Wt AWAHtnCK
£2^27
i nuiuUw
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