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EDITORIAL
VVedrsssdoy, November 7, 1962
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Sub-Tosas an example . . .
TNE: Is It Dead?
Eleven years ago an organization
known as Theta Nu Epsilon came to ver
bal blows with the officials of our Uni
versity and apparently came out the
loser. Under the leadership of Chancel
lor R. G. Gustavson, the organization re
ceived its "Sunday Punch". If the blow
was not fatal, it was hard enough to
render the organization senseless, for a
period of time.
At the time Chancellor Gustavson an
nounced publicly that "Theta Nu Epsilon
has agreed to dissolve itself now and
for all time to come." As is usual with
this group and its two counterparts, Pi
Xi and Red Dot, the lie is always the
means to an end. TNE did dissolve, or
rather it went underground, but the or
ganization continued to exist at varying
strength and apparently continues today
from the reports of the TNE insignia
(skull and cross bones) appearing on Ag
campus.
The events that surrounded the "dis
solution" of TNE in 1951 gives a great
deal of insight into what kind of organ
izations these sub-rosas are and why the
University has outlawed their existance
and prohibited membership.
Following an episode in which TXE's
met the city police one Wednesday eve
ning, seven of its members spent the
night in the city jail. They had been
found painting the traditional skull and
cross bones (one red eye and one green
eye) at various bouses and intersections
around campus. Four of these students
were suspended by Dean T. J. Thomp
son, but were reinstated following a con
ference between high University officials
and active and alumni (the strongest
force TNE and other sub-rosas have)
members of Theta Nu Epsilon.
At this conference. Chancellor Gus
tavson and other University officials ex
tracted from the members of TNE a list
of all its members. They extracted also
a promise, in writing, that there would
be no recurrence of the sign painting
and general "ten-raising" that had
plagued the campus for years. Both the
list and the promise were housed in a
safety deposit vault. This list has sup
posedly been kept current through the
years.
The Chancellor was quoted by an ed
itorial as being "amazed" at the people
who were active and alumni members of
Theta Nu Epsilon. He expressed shock
at "the infiltration of TNE into the facul
ty, athletics and student organizations."
It is obvious that this incident in 1951
was weaker than thought because the
group did arise as did the two other sub
rosas. Now the Administration is left
with the only weapon effective against
sub-rosas quick, strong action against
known members. This the Administration
has done and win continue to do.
Thirty years ago, Theta No Epsilon
was an accredited national fraternity (it
is the only sub-rosa that was ever a
legal fraternity) with 14 active chapters,
11 of which had bouses on national cam
puses such as the universities of Illinois,
California and Ohio State. Among others
Nebraska's Iota chapter, chartered local
ly in l&S, was not one of these. At one
time, the society had 2 active sub
rosa chapters but most of these were
suspended and were m longer legally en
titled to recognition by the grand coun
cil of the fraternity. In 1S25. the fraterni
ty was recognized and provisions made
that members could not belong to any
other college fraternity.
The fraternity in those days was
more of a group of mature recognized
campus leaders in various positions.
Through the years, it degenerated into
purely a drinking and political organiza
tion. Many chapters reached this point,
among them Nebraska's. Baird's manual
of American College Fraternities esti
mated that at one time, nearly 400 clan
destine chapters existed. It had hardly
originally been founded in 1870 at Wes
leyan College, to bring together "a group
of congenial fellows who possess ability
for leadership and representative stu
dents in all phases of life."
On the University of Nebraska cam
pus, Theta Nu Epsilon (and this may be
applied to all sub-rosas for they are es
sentially the same except for name and
"rituals") exert no constructive influ
ence. It selects "good joes." some of
whom are prominent in activities and
some who are relatively nonenities the
latter being more and more from which
sub-rosas must draw on for membership.
At one time they exerted a great and
terrible power and force on campus, but
their power has rapidly declined in the
past several years as students mature
and Administration takes stronger stands
against them.
Each time TNE and the other two
sub-rosas have become active enough to
come above ground, the Administration
has forced them to return to their stag
nant underground existence. Administra
tion has proved ineffective at the task
of completely eliminating sub-rosas from
this campus. Why? It is not their fault.
It has been, is and will always be up to
the students themselves to do the final
job of eliminating them. As long as these
organizations, if we might call them such,
have students to draw upon for mem
bership they sill continue to exist, wait
ing for a time to become active again.
The real responsibility lies with the
underclassmen, especially the freshmen
classes.
Sub-rosas are a common problem of
large campuses. We are not alone. Sub
rosas at Nebraska, however, are slowly
dying of starvation of their membership
roles. They are disorganized, but the
death is too slow. Students and organiza
tions have been doing just this. Most of
the sub-rosas are becoming centralized
in just a few houses on campus where
the leaders are weak and irresponsible to
the laws set up by their national head
quarters as well as the University and
the oaths which they took when they
joined their Greek bouses.
The sub-rosa is dying and will die,
but the damage it does now w hile it is
trying to regain its lost strength is im
menseboth to the University, the Greek
system and the individual. Of the three,
only Pi Xi has shown real activity on
campus but the others still exist
Let us help them to die. The Nebras
kan w ill- The Administration has.
Another student confessed today of
activities in Pi Xi. Before the year is
over, more wffl be revealed as members
in not only Pi Xi but also TNE and Red
Dot, and the list will include many promi
nent students on campus.
Students must help to rid the campus
of the sub-rosa. This will include whole
support for Dean Ross. He is new on
campus and has not yet acquired the
complete confidence of the student body.
Many are still suspicious. But be is now
earning our respect, confidence and help.
P
a jaundiced eye
by snsan Stanley
Monday evenings at 8:30 KUON-TV features probably the finest television drama
extant.
It's the "Play of the Week," now in its second season on the University's educa
tional television station. Through its auspices, we are offered performances of some
of today's top stars among them Helen Hayes, Julie Harris, Richard Basehart,
Carol Lawrence, Shelley Winters, Siobhan McKenna, Eli Wallach ... the list goes
on and on.
Last Monday night, the unsuitable Tammy Grimes was an alley cat with none-too-questionable
morals named MehitabeL Archy. a philosophical cockroach, was
played by Eddie Bracken. The occasion was "Archy and Mehitabel," a musical
adaptation of the stories of Don Marquis.
The whole performance was deligbtfii, due to the performances of Miss Grimes
and Eddie Bracken. Miss Grimes' Mehitabel was deliriously corrupt. Her voice is an
indescribable raspy purr, and her upturned nose and ridiculously bouffant hair lent
themselves well to the part of the object of Archy's reforming tendencies.
The music for the most part was forgettable; the rendition of it was excellent.
It's hard to be a convincing cockroach, but Eddie Bracken did it. and with real
feeling. He did a wonderful "drunk" scene drunk, that is, from drinking Flit with
a DDT chaser), ending with an encounter of Jadv bugs who weren't. Much of his
action was set on a giant typewriter, and he hopped from one key to another bewail
ing his cause and love for his friend.
There were a number of production numbers which rivalled anything Gleason has
ouered.
Next week-"Tbe Velvet Glove." with Helen Hayes and Pbert Morse,
Nov. Highlights of "New Faces," with Ronnv Graham and Paul Lynde
Nov. 26-The Wingless Victor." with Eartha Kitt and Hugh O'Brien.
Dec. 3 -He Who Gets Slapped," with Julie Harris and Richard Basehart
ve a real ciaaretta-havi
Writer Proposes
Jolly Red Giant
To Replace Huskie
There has been much
critical comment about
Huskie the Husker recent
ly. Much of it is well-deserved;
however, the only
thing wrong is that no one
has come up with a better
idea in the way or con
structive change.
Nebraskan Sports Edit
or Rick Akin recently re
marked in his column,
"I don't like the looks of
Huskie either, BUT I can't
think of anything that
signifies the Cornhusker
more appropriately, and
the Cornhusker symbol
should not be abolished."
I think there is a symbol
that can better signify
Cornhusker. It's a natural,
and everyone has been
using it for years "Big
Red."
Since the school colors
are red and white, and
since the term "Big Red"
is already in many of our
cheers and is well known
around campus, and since
Cornhusker is associated
with agriculture, and since
everyone across the na
tion knows of the Jolly
Green Giant advertise
ment and associates it
with husking, it seems a
natural move to make our
symbol "Big Red, the
Jolly Red Giant!"
This symbol could quick
ly become famous
throughout our area be
cause of the above rea
sons. Also "Big Red"
could be painted entirely
red (just as the jolly
Green Giant is entirely
green) which would make
him easy to see.
His structure could
easily be as massive as
Huskie's, but we could
give him a physique that
would be both powerful
looking and, at the same
time, graceful appearing.
Indeed, we should make
an exact replica of the
Green Giant, and have the
Giant smiling in a tri
umphant manner.
This would be a great
improvement over the
clumsy-looking Huskie.
"Big Red, the Jolly Red
Giant" would quickly be
come a symbol of power
and majesty. He would
symbolize the spirit of the
University, and he would
speak well for the football
team and the student
body.
In short, be would give
the University one more
thing of which to be
proud!
Larry Myers
Daily
Nebraskan
SEVENTY-SECOND
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