14
U n iv er sity
of
O r eg o n M o n t h l y
of a pleasant club-house, the society of three or four members of his
own class, and that of ten or twelve juniors and about the sanie
number of seniors. He pays as much attention as he deems neces
sary to studies, spending the greater part of his time in the clubs
where he finds congenial society and 'makes lasting friendships. In
his junior year he is elected to become a member bi the coveted
Hasty Pudding Club, and the height of ,his social career is reached.
Into these Social clubs about one-third of Harvard’s men go,
satisfied with the ease and good company which theÿ afford and
blissfully indifferent toward all college activities. It sometimes hap
pens that a few superior men get info them, who continue to be
forces in college. They are leaders of men and it. is the instinct
of leaders to lead wherever they may be, even if for rio. other pur
pose than for mere leadership’s sake'.
The feeling of envy and petty jealousy among non-fraternity
men is not so bitter as formerly when the societies had smaller
numbers to select from. Nearly two-thirds of the students are left
out of the purely social clubs; many as well qualified as those who
have been selected. Their failure to get.jnto one of these clubs
implies no serious disparagement of social qualities.
The’ system of-secret societies in ,Yalé is strongly organized,
and more extensive in its operations than at Harvard. Like Har
vard, there is the class basis, each year having societies, peculiar
'to. that class. In thè fréshmari year there are the Kappa Sigma
Epsilon representing literary excellence, the Delta Kappa reprësent-
ing good fellowship, the Gamma Nu, an Open society òf hard-work
ing Scholarship.
Among'sophomore societies are the Phi Theta Psi and Delta
Beta Xi which are select in character, and whose, members have
turned their backs on heavy ljterafy performances'^! freshmen days
to the.Other extrenie of doing as little as possible. .The' verdiet
against them is that' while they do not exactly encourage dissipa
tion they are mefely purposeless In character.
Belonging to the senior year are the famous5 “Skull and Bones”
and “Scroll and Keys,” clubs absolutely secret and whose members
approve neither of pledging rior electioneering. 'in theory'; mem
bership is made.up-of the best men of the year, fifteen in each soci
ety, noted either for scholarship, literary ability, athletic prowess,
good fellowship, or great wealth? Nothing in the world seems more
desirable to the Yale senior than an election to one Of thesè’èócìetjes^
It is valued more highly than any other college prize of honor and