1905-06 Volume 30 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

214 THE SCROLL.world know it. If indeed there was ever any domination of a particular setor class there, it is true no longer, and everybody knows it is not true. Outof this knowledge has grown Gamma-Eta chapter of K S.One of the charter members, writing for the Caduceus, says:"With a student body of 5,000, and under the free electivesystem, the forces of disintegration are very strong at Harvard,and it is only through clubs or fraternities that a manmay get that close fellowship which is so dear a part of one'scollege experience. Therefore, there is a growing tendencytoward the formation of new societies, clubs and fraternities,to meet the social demands of our enlarged student population."Another contributor to the Caduceus gives the followingaccount of societies at Harvard:In spite of Harvard's late advancement, the student of today inheritsmany customs and lives under many influences which are difficult to understandor estimate. There is a surprisingly large number of clubs and societies.A long list is given in the Harvard Club Book, but this is evidentlyfar from complete. It includes the usual state, city and school clubs, aswell as athletic, musical and professional associations.Of the social organizations, the large local societies, some of which wereestablished more than a hundred years ago, are the most prominent andinfluential. These societies have varied and interesting histories and havecounted among their members many of the greatest men of the country. Inrecent years membership depended largely on family connection and socialposition, though at the present time this is becoming less marked. Withina year or two their influence with the student body has suffered through thesuspicion that they sacrificed the athletic interests of the university for theadvancement of their own members.The Institute of 1770 was started as a literary society in the year 1770-The name has been changed several times, and the society has had inactiveperiods. Atone time it was merged with A K E but now exists as a separateorganization, with well furnished rooms. It is the largest and oldest ofthe social societies. The Porcellian club, which occupies a handsome clubhouse, is said to have been organized about 1789,and has records as far backas 1791, in which year it derived its name from a very successful banquet atwhich a young pig was served roasted whole. The society is secret anddoes not publish its membership. The Hasty Pudding club was founded in1795, as a patriotic society. It is now a purely social club, and occupies abeautiful house.Of the more recent societies the A. D. club. Signet, II H and K T X arerepresentative. The A. D. club is the successor of that chapter of A A "!•which was withdrawn on account of faculty opposition in 1858. The A A *chapter itself was revived in 1879, and is prosperous, having a large clubhouse.B 9 II established a chapter in 1843, but withdrew its charter in 1901.The chapters of Z '^^ and A $ separated from their general fraternities in.1892 and 1901 respectively, and continue as separate organizations, thoughthey retained their names. In 1891 the AKE chapter withdrew from thefraternity and formed the Dickey club. In 1865 members of the * K S fraternityfrom other colleges formed a chapter of that fraternity, which lastedless than a year.