THE SOCIETY SYSTEM OF YALE.

The May number of the New Englander contains a lengthy discussion of the secret society system of Yale. In this article the writer takes a firm stand in favor of the present system, and invokes the public to judge whether "when the good name of the university is draggled in the mire by her own sons, these reformers should be held to prove their damaging charges, or else, be silenced with the deserved contempt which awaits men who have not hesitated intentionally or unintentionally to compromise the innocent." These somewhat strong expressions have been evoked by the increasing frequency with which the merits of a dark and mysterious collection of clubs such as Yale possesses, have been challenged.

There have been several disturbances and outbreaks in connection with the societies within the last few years, and even the Yale faculty, which probably interferes less with the actions of the students than any other college faculty in this country, has twice made use of its authority in a very forcible manner. In 1875 the sophomore societies were abolished by the order of the faculty, and a few years later the freshman societies ceased to exits by decree of the same powers. In 1876 a band of undergraduates broke into one of the senior society halls and made havoc generally with what they could lay hands upon, and in 1878 another gang of collegiate marauders embellished two of the senior society halls by means of a bountiful use of paint, laid on in original designs. These last offenders were tried in the city court, but they escaped free of fine or imprisonment through legal technicalities, thus avoiding welldeserved punishment. During the same year an anti-senior society paper was started and conducted vigorously and successfully. Recently an elaborate pamphlet appeared, written by an alumnus, formerly a member of each society from year to year, who tried to prove that the system was pernicious, and ought to be abolished. These facts show the state of affairs, and it is not surprising that under such circumstances considerable adverse criticism of Yale's societies should arise.

In defense of the society system, the writer says that the societies are put at a disadvantage in one respect, because they do not, and will not offer explanations to their assailants on account of this very secrecy. The objection to class societies that they tend to produce too great exclusiveness, and to magnify class distinctions, is met by the reply that class feeling is a good thing, and that the experiment of university societies for social purposes failed at Yale. It is sometimes claimed that the senior societies govern the college press. The fact that on the editorial boards of all the papers except the Yale Literary Magazine, the non-society men greatly outnumber the society men, efficiently disproves this. The charge of favoritism, the writer dismisses as almost groundless, and asserts that many instances have been known where an intimate friend or relative of a prominent society man has failed to be elected worthy of the honor. Some detractors of the system say that the societies tend to keep the non-society men from coming back to commencements and other reunions after graduation. The writer has collected statistics from the secretaries of several leading American colleges, and these show that the number of graduates at the Yale commencements is larger relatively than at any other college. This is attributed to the enthusiasm and strong class feeling, which the societies assisted in forming and keeping alive. The discussion concludes as follows: The advantages of the societies could not probably be fully appreciated by any except their members. The societies gather together representative men of every class and imbue them with a strong affection and respect for one another and the college. They set a goal of ambition for right living, fine character, and solid attainments before every young man entering the institution. They are extremely useful as introducers of men of congenial tastes in college. Yale College would not be Yale College without societies."