Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1894)
THE HESPERIAN 25 an institution against attacks from every quarter. That marked tho real beginning of the opposition to fraternities in tho University of Nebraska. Some members of the Palla dian society who were asked to join tho fraternity did not do so because they wished to devote their spare time and means to tho society, and not because they had any objections to tho secret organiza tion. Later, when more was known about 1I10 fraternities they were opposed with some vigor, partly because they were considered objectionable on general principles and part ly because they were considered a menace to the welfare of. tho literary societies. In an other year a now fraternity appeared, select ing its members mainly from tho Union So ciety. Opposition on the same line soon de veloped there. A young ladies' fraternity followed, and it was seen that unless some thing was done tho student body would soon bedominated by tho fraternities and that the literary societies would bo shorn of their old time importance. ' It has been charged that tho barbarians were tho aggressors in one or two of tho lit tle brushes that were indulged in by the op posing forces in the spring of 18Si. That all depends on tho point of view. It can be said in their favor that even if they were the first to attack, a thing which is by no means admitted, they had ample justification for it in the challenge that was virtually made by tho organization of the fraternities. One of the most objectionable features of the whole system is its ostentatious secrecy and its widely advertised friendships. Perfect frankneso can hardly pass across fraternity lines, and "barbs" and "frats" cannot, ex cept in exceptional cases, get along in the same organization without a clash sooner or later. It is an almost indispensible part of the business. A fraternity would bo flat, stale and unprofitable, according to its wide ly .published code of morals, if it did not ad vance tho interests of its own members at the expense of students outside. It would not bo considered worth tho price of iniatia tion if it did not have vitality enough to breed i scrap, having for its objoct tho dis comfiture of thoso without tho palo of its membership. Tho history of events in tho spring and fall of 18S4 will show that tho barbarian forces wore knit together by a belief that tho fraternity was a distinct evil to tho Univer sity. It is usually charged that opposition is aroused by students with personal griev ances. When there is nothing more than "sbrcheadism" behind a barbarian party, that party speedily disappears. Tho mem bers flock off to found a new secret society, or attach themselves to those in existence as fast as they receive invitations. Perhaps there were a few soreheads in this reform movement, but it was a matter of common knowledge at the time that nearly all of tho leaders had been invited to join societies al ready here, while others had been entreated to unite in the organization of now chapters. At one time, a young man came all the way from the Kansas State University, to take a batch of baibarians into his fraternjty all at once. The boys heard all ho had to say about the advantages of his order, plied him with questions, and -ended the incident by telling him that they were more than ever opposed to the fraternity system. One of the students in his zeal for knowl edge even went so far as to attend unbidden tho meetings of a fraternity until he was thoroughly familiar with its mysteries. These meetings were held in the ofiice of tho state superintendent of public instruction at the capitol. The young man sat at his ease on tho broad window-sill, watching the proceed ings through tho shutters and hearing, as the window was generally raised to admit tho air, every word of the doubly sacred ritual. This young man, W. E. Johnson, was heartily disliked when the story came out, and there are some people in this vicinity, perhaps, who would like to see him cooked over a slow fire, even at this late day. There are others who are obliged to laugh whenever they IM ft