This, the earliest
description of fraternities at the University of Pennsylvania, was written by
George D. Budd (1843-1874) A.B. 1862, LL.B. 1865 shortly after his graduation.
There
were four "Greek Letter" or "secret societies" at the college
when I entered [1858]. These societies are known by Greek Letters, which stand
for some word unknown to any but the initiated. They have chapters in many colleges
and their organization is similar to that of the Free Masons. In some colleges
they may have a literary character, but in this city they are merely social clubs.
They have rooms in Chestnut Street, for which they pay high rents, and where they
spend much time. Besides being the cause of much waste of time they are very detrimental
to the morals of their members, as there generally is a great deal of dissipation
connected with them. They are in many cases very prejudicial to the standing of
the student in college; and are condemned by the faculty. Still they have some
advantages, and serve to inculcate social feeling among their members; but I do
not like the splitting up of classes into little cliques. There is no doubt but
that these societies rule the college in all class elections. They all vote for
their own men, and often unite to prevent non-secret society men from succeeding
in obtaining any office. They have got the upper hand of the literary societies;
but since the Zelo[sophic Society]
has formed this League, and the rooms are open at College every day, much of their
thunder is stolen.
The Zeta Psi
Fraternity have for a long time had their rooms at 10th and Chestnut, S.E. corner,
third story. They have a powerful chapter, but their members are almost all "babyish"
in their character. In order to obtain control of the Philomathean
Society, most of them joined it; and worked its ruin. They seem to be very
wealthy, and in our class had the two highest honors.
The Delta
Phi has its rooms in Chestnut St. below 11th South side. It is a
very numerous and powerful society throughout the United States; and the chapter
here is very aristocratic and rich. It is very exclusive, and is confined to the
"upper ten" of the college.
The Delta
Psi had its rooms in Chestnut St., above 10th, North side. It has
a very large chapter, and has the fast set of college. They are very noisy in
their room, much to the disgust of the Young Mens' Christian Association which
has its rooms in the second story of the same building.
The Phi
Kappa Sigma has now [1862] no chapter here, it having died out
about the beginning of the [Civil] war. Most of its members belonged to the Zelo[sophic
Society]. It was fast declining, and finally gave up the ghost. It had some
very fine fellows in it, but many of them were hard cases; and were always the
foremost in the college rows.
All these societies have beautiful badges
of gold, and when a new member is initiated and puts on one of these badges he
is said to have "swung out." Their expenses are very heavy, and their
dues must be large.
More histories
of Penn fraternities