College students have always shown a more or less marked tendency to form themselves into societies. Whether founded upon a national, literary, or social basis, these organizations seem to have been coeval with the colleges themselves. Throughout the United States there is a class of students’ societies, usually secret in their character, which rapidly grew in favor, and have become of great importance in the college world. They are composed of lodges or branches placed in the several colleges, united by a common bond of friendship and a common name, generally composed of Greek letters. From this latter fact they are known among non-collegians as “Greek-Letter Societies,” or, more frequently, from their secrecy, “College Secret Societies,” but among themselves they are styled “Fraternities.” Before tracing their origin and progress it will be well to give some description of their customs and practices.
The distinctive badges or pins of the fraternities are of three kinds. First, a shield or plate of gold, displaying upon it the fraternity name, together with symbols of general or peculiar significance. This kind of badge is worn as a pin, as a pendant from the key-chain, or as a watch-key. Secondly, a monogram of the letters composing the name; these pins are by far the handsomest of all, and are almost always jewelled. Thirdly, some symbol representing the name of the society or some of its degrees, as a skull, a harp, or a key.
In addition to the badges, which are worn as pins and attached to the vest or necktie, many of the fraternities have chosen distinctive colors. As the fraternity chapters are generally known by letters, the members of each chapter frequently wear their chapter letter or letters as a guard-pin, and attach it to the badge proper by a tiny chain. When the college colors are worn in connection with the badge, and no fraternity colors are used, the college, chapter, and fraternity of an individual can thus be told at a glance.
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