Project Editor: Anastasia Smallcomb, UCARE, 2007

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THE BARBARIAN REVOLT.

A review of the events connected with
the adoption of the "fraternity amend-
ments" in the literary societies of the
university in the fall of 1894 does not
necessarily include a discussion of general
fraternity ethics, and none will be at-
tempted here except as it is necessary to ex-
plain the motives of those who took part in
that social upheaval. It would be a source
of great pleasure to several of the survivors
of that memorable struggle to write roaring
encyclical letter on the evils of the system
and the fortunate escape of the University
of Nebraska from its most dangerous
features, but this quarter centennial cele-
bration is not time for heated argument over
old college problems. It is no time for
war, especially among the graduates. We
all want to gather in peace and harmony and
sing the old songs, rehearse the old stories,
recall the old jokes, and so far as we can
live over our jolly lives here on the campus
before the scientific departments became ag-
ressive, and before the spirit of progress de-
stroyed the old school and put in its place a
rushing, pushing, modern university.

The institution was in its second decade
before the greek letter societies made their
appearance. They were not received in a
hostile spirit. On the contrary their
coming was regarded as a welcome evidence
that the university was growing and was at
last securing recognition from student
organizations in colleges outside the state.
We were so small and so poor twelve years
ago, with our one building and our meagre
attendance, mainly in the preparatory
department, that we would no doubt have
been glad to get the scarlet fever, or the
measles, or anything else, providing it
came to us from a bigger college duly en-
dorsed as a thing that every progressive
student ought to have.

The first fraternity was organized by a
lot of the best fellows in the university.
Nearly all were members of the Palladian
society. There was a lively fight for
supremacy in those days between the Palla-
dians and the Unions and every man was
needed. After awhile it was charged that
some of the fraternity boys had lost a good
deal of their old time ardor. They skipped
meetings with discouraging frequency, and
as this had not been noticed before the
secret society was naturally enough held
responsible. The Palladians who were
here in 1882-3 remember that on account of
the graduation of their leading members
they had a very lively time keeping even
with their friends, the enemy, at the other
end of the building. Some of the hardest
and most conscientious fighting the univer-
sity has ever known was done in that year,
and it not only brought the Palladian
society to the front again, but it fused that
little band of fighters into a compact body
of defenders of the literary society as

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an institution against attacks from every
quarter.

That marked the real beginning of the
opposition to fraternities, in the University
of Nebraska. Some members of the Palla-
dian society who were asked to join the
fraternity did not do so because they
wished to devote their spare time and
means to the society, and not because they
had any objections to the secret organiza-
tion. Later, when more was known about
the 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 the literary societies. In an-
other year a new fraternity appeared, select-
ing its members mainly from the 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 the student body would soon
be dominated by the fraternities and that the
literary societies would be shorn of their old
time importance.

It has been charged that the barbarians
were the aggressors in one or two of the lit-
tle brushes that were indulged in by the op-
posing forces in the spring of 1884. That
all depends on the 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
the organization of the fraternities. One of
the most objectional features of the whole
system is its ostentations secrecy and its
widely advertized friendships. Perfect
frankness 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 indispensable part of
the business. A fraternity would be flat,
stale and unprofitable, according to its wide-
ly published code of morals, if it did not ad-
vance the interest of its own members at
the expense of students outside. It would
not be considered worth the price of initia-
tion if it did not have vitality enough to
breed a scrap, having for its object the dis-
comfiture of those without the pale of its
membership.

The history of events in the spring and
fall of 1884 will show that the barbarian
forces were knit together by a belief that the
fraternity was a distinct evil to the Univer-
sity. It is usually charged that opposition
is aroused by student with personal griev-
ances. When there is nothing more than
"soreheadism" behind a barbarian party,
that party speedily disappears. The 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 the
leaders had been invited to join societies al-
ready here, while others had been entreated
to unite in the organization of new chapters.
At one time, a young man came all the way
from the Kansas State University to take a
batch of barbarians into his fraternity all at
once. The boys heard all he 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
the meetings of a fraternity until he was
thoroughly familiar with its mysteries. These
meetings were held in the office of the state
superintendent of public instruction at the
capitol. The young man sat at his ease on
the broad window-sill, watching the proceed-
ings through the shutters and hearing, as the
window was generally raised to admit the air,
every word of the doubly sacred ritual. This
young man, W. E. Johnson, was heartily
disliked with 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

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think of the awed horror with which his pro-
fanation of shrine was received by the fra-
ternity party. It makes them laugh again
when they reflect that Johnson was at the
time of his visits the recipient of a cordial
invitation to join this very fraternity. He
believed in investigating before he invested
his money and as he found nothing in the
organization but a general "stand in" and a
mutual admiration society, he declined to
become a member.

The barbarian party, therefore, was found-
ed on knowledge and not on ignorance and
jealousy. The students of ten years ago
penetrated to the very holy of holies of the
fraternity system. They studied the situa-
tion in other colleges. They interviewed
eminent educators. They found the system
attractive in many respects, but expensive,
irritating to the student body, and as they
believed enervating to the manhood of those
in its ranks. The whole problem was dis-
cussed earnestly and in a patriotic spirit
during the spring and summer of 1884, and
the conclusion was reached that the only
way to save the literary societies and to
make a permanent place for non-frater-
nity students in the social and political life
of the University was to decree that no more
fraternity members should be admitted to
the literary societies, and that joining a fra-
ternity should be a resignation of literary so-
ciety membership. The standing of those
already members was not to be jeopardized.

The irritation caused by the display of
fraternity pins and artificially hatched friend-
ships during the whole of the college year
of 1883-4 put the student body in condition
to accept this proposition, and when it was
proposed in the fall term of 1884, it was re-
ceived with favor. Some unwise boasts
made by the "frats" in their organs about
"running the University," or something to
that effect, added fuel to the flames. In the
middle of October, the amendments were
proposed in both literary societies. On Sat-
urday night, October 25, a public debate was
held in the chapel, but the frats failed to
appear, and their stenographer took down as
faithfully as he could the impassioned oratory
of the barbarians. The vote was taken on
the next Friday night, October 31. This
time the frats were willing to debate, and
many able speeches were made on both
sides. IN the Union society the amendments
were carried as early as half-past ten o'clock,
by a vote of 33 to 11. The fight in Pallad-
ian hall lasted until nearly midnight, and
the affirmative side was victorious there also,
the vote standing 35 to 17. This vote did
not expel the fraternity members, but
they immediately showed that their hearts
were more with the fraternities than
the literary societies by resigning their
membership in the latter. They soon
organized the Philodocean literary society
and again demonstrated the truth of the charge
that fraternities weaken literary societies by
allowing this organization to die a lingering
and inglorious death. The old societies felt
the shock of the loss of a large number of
their brightest members, but the removal of
the causes of suspicion and distrust among
the members soon made them stronger and
more active than ever.

While the fighting during this revolution
was the bitterest the University has ever
known, it left few scars of personal enmity,
because after all was said and done each
party respected the motives of the other.

Ten years after the fight it gives me pleas-
ure to subscribe my name to a deliberate
opinion that it was the most important and
most beneficial action ever taken by the stu-
dents of this University. By adopting those
amendments they conquered a peace. Young
men who come here to fight their way
through poverty to a degree, as so many of
us fought in the old days, will not be obliged
to choose between an expensive fraternity
membership and an insignificant place in the
student world. There has been less conflict
and less irritation over the fraternity ques-
tion here since this thorough understanding
was reached than in any western college in
which these organizations have obtained a

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foothold. When the literary societies said
"We cannot agree; you go your way and
we'll go ours," it was a great victory for
white winged peace, a great victory for de-
mocracy, a great victory for the student who
knows poverty, and a great source of good
to the University. In my opinion there are
few things more worthy of approving men-
tion during this quarter centennial celebra-
tion than the barbarian revolt of 1884.

Will Owen Jones. '86