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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1894)
THE HESPEKIAN constitutions of both societies, the effect of which would hereafter debar fraternity men and womon from membership. Ho coolly added that opposition was useless, since a majority in each society had already been pledged to vote with the barbarians. The amemdment would of course bo tabled for a week, and to give the frats a chance at the unpledged minority a mass meeting would be called for Saturday evening pro vided the faculty, which met that afternoon, would grant permission to use the chapel. The dumbfounded president was further pledged to secrecy until the question as to the use of -the chapel was decided. On Friday morning the scheme became public and the most intense excitement prevailed. At five o'clock the fraternities met at the homo of Miss Ellen Smith to give voice to their woe, and decide on a course of action. Wo were practically in the position of a victim forced to throw up his hands and then politely invited to discuss the ad visability of so doing. After much hesita tion it was decided th'at wo had nothing to gain and much good temper might bo lost by accepting the challenge, and on the following night when the barbs, big and little, assembled to hoar our response to their summons, we appeared only in the person of a stenographer. This was unex pected, and no doubt was the cause of some of the rancour that provaded the speeches of the barbarians. At this meet ing and during the week following, various of the intrigues of the barbs came to light which their chronicles will no doubt recount. By means which the fraternities could not accept as honorable, W. E. Johnson, the least scrupulous of the barbs, had secured possession of the constitution, oath and ritual of the Sigma Chi faternity, had un successfully attempted to procure the with drawal of the charter of this chapter, and had made a statement under oath of what ho had learned of this fraternity. For tunately the whole ritual and constitution had since been abrogated, and his efforts were without result. Owing to the recent fulfillment of certain predictious as to the fate of this Mr. Johnson, John Mockott is considered a prophet by his follow Sigs. The week was one of unsuppressed ex citement to every one from the Chancellor to John Green. The faculty did its best to remain neutral, but all attempt to hold us to our usual work was fruitless; classes, and examinations which wore finally resorted to, wore cut regardless of consequences. Everyone felt relieved when the night of October 31st brought this week to a close. For once hallowo'en passed unnoticed by university boys.- The programs in both societies wore uncommonly good, and the halls wero crowded. In the Palladian the music, as the critic romarked, was heavily charged. The usual exodus failed to take place at recess, and when the business meeting was called there was littlo standing room left. After some minor matters had been disposed of, the amendment was made the order of business. We knew we were outwitted and outnumbered, but the temp tation to make one last struggle was so great that it was midnight before the vote was taken. The Union society passed the amendment first. It had been agreed that the debate should cease and the question be called for, in one society as soon as a signal was given that the amendment had carried in the other. Ed Churchill's somber countenance peering through the door in the Palladian hall told us that all was over in the Union. A fraternity man was holding the floor and it was no doubt a surprise to the barbs when the question was called in the Palladian. In the Union the vote stood 11 to 33, and in the Palladian 17 to 40. The defeated party at onco with drew their membership, and fraternities passed out of tho literary societies. The next day a meeting was held in room 5 and a new society was formed, the Philodicean. But its rise and decline lie without the province of this chronicle. The struggle was not ended, for guerilla war fare continued for years. i tr