Page 28 - 1913 November - To Dragma

TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 33

THE YALE SOPHOMORES' PROTEST AGAINST THE

SOCIETIES' SECRECY AND TAP DAY AROUS-

ING WIDESPREAD INTEREST

Special to The New York Times.

N E W H A V E N , Conn., A p r i l 19.—The famous stand taken by
militant sophomores at Vale has at last found open expression through
the usually staid columns of the News. Much idle rumoring and
wild conjecture has been indulged in here, and still more so outside
of Yale, as was the case with Stover last year. But, at any rate,
"The Truth of the Sophomore Movement" featured The News for
Tuesday. To begin with, the sophomores say they do not aim at
abolition of the societies, at least not necessarily so, but rather for
a change in their system. Two chief points are made, excessive
secrecy and inadvisable choice of members. Exactly what is meant
by excessive secrecy is in itself a problem, for secrecy is a self-explan-
atory word, and how it can be "excessive" or "reasonably private," (as
1915 wishes it,) is a question answerable only by the coiners of the
euphonious phrase. Just how much secrecy or how little, meets with
their approval they alone can say.

Within this very vague and abstract charge there is a concrete
attack upon Tap Day as being too public and sensational. On this
ground mention may be made of the fact that, supposedly with the
approval of the societies, Dean Jones has this year made Tap Day
far less public by excluding all visitors.

The lack of any substitute to take the place of Tap Day is notice-
able in the sophomore petition. Abolition of Tap Day, as it now
exists, is the most definite demand, but no constructive word as to
how, other than by Tap Day, society elections may be given out is put
forward. The second general basic trouble with senior societies is
said to be because their members are unwisely chosen. "Family in-
fluence or personal interests" are inveighed against, and it is said that
men should be judged "on their characters as revealed at Yale," "not
on any indefinite assumption of future possibilities." Men who will
"reflect the greatest credit on the societies" themselves are those who
should be elected. Members of the different societies, from the
present senior class, seem disposed to discuss this entire subject with
some freedom among their classmates, and with no excessive secrecy
they state that society elections are always made with great care and
deliberation, and that, indeed, the societies always elect those who,
as they think, will reflect the greatest credit upon their organization;
that, indeed, it is obvious that they desire always to have such men as