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
