Lake Forest College - Forester Yearbook (Lake Forest, IL)

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THE Fokzfsfifc. 2 I history of llge Zeta Epsilon Qilerarg Society.. HIS year the Zeta Epsilon Society looks back upon fifteen years of steady growth and progress. No society's life is all sunshine. We have had our struggles and disappointments but they have only developed in the members the power to overcome, that spirit which finds in failure but stimulus to more determined effort. Those entering now are confronted with the records of many noble and inspiring men whose influence is still felt in their legacy of earnest purposes and high ideals of life and culture. VVe shall not attempt to review the causes which led to the organiza- tion of this society. They were many and sufficient. In fact there is little doubt that two societies do the worlc better than one could do it, what- ever causes lead directly to their organization. B. Fay Mills, W. Chap- man, Harry Safford, T. D. Wells, john E. Tarble and J. D. Pope made the first moves toward a new society in the spring of '79, but the organization was not effected until the following fall term, when, although Mills, Chap- man and Safford had left college their ranks had been swelled to seventeen. The preliminary organization occurred early in the school year of '79-'80 but the first regular meeting was held jan. I4,'SO. Except the motion to adjourn, the only motion recorded for this first meetingprovided for literary programs. So literary work began lan. 21, ISSO, before the adoption of the constitution QFeb. 4j. There need be no clearer evidence than this to prove that the founders of the society 'meant business' and to this day Zeta Epsilon stands for constant and systematic work. In all its history the society has followed the statement of its purpose found in the preamble of its constitution, to promote moral, social and literary culture and to discipline ourselves in self- government. The work of the society is, then, the cultivation of the whole man, the improvement of its members morally and socially aswell as intellectually, the creation of such an atmosphere as develops men. In the words of our motto Zr1T05,Llf1f Ffrzfffliwyv,-we seek wisdom. We endeavor to find the highest ideals of manliness and lead men toward them. We aim to throw about right and truth and purity the most pleasant associations of college life, the

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22 TIIE FORESTER. charm which always surrounds the thorough acquaintance and mutual con- tidence of college men. Four years of such association develop in the mem- bers that peculiar feeling of loyalty to college and to society, which is the exclusive possession of the college man and gives rise to many a pleasing story of self-sacrifice in the earlier years of our society history. The society meetings of our first two years were held in the President's recitation room, now part of the library,but the desirability of a regular meet- ing place where possession and property would be undisturbed was so appar- ent that a move was made toward squatter sovereigntyn in the hitherto un- occupied fourth story fthe floor was not laid yetj of the college building. The task was formidable. The stair had to be built, the Hoor laid, the partition- ing ancl finishing was all to be done, but under the energetic supervision of Mr. E. P. Baker with assistance from Mr. Lind, Sen. Farwell and others,the hall was finished and was dedicated May 19, ISS2. Although the University and many friends had assisted by bearing part of the expense the greater part of the work was done by the members themselves so that the hall was indeed their own. Thus the Zeta Epsilon Society secured its present quarters, the First society hall in the college by at least two years. The furnishing and equipments were extremely simple at that time and have been gradually changed. From this state when every man brought his own chair to the meeting and took it away with him, to the present condition of the hall is a long jump, but details would be cumbersome and we can only note the most radical changes in their order. That the early members of this society were not dismayed at trifles is proved by many instances. The most significant facts we can adduce in proof of this are not stories which might be apocryphal, but minutes. Com- mittees were appointed in those days not to consider, investigate or recom- mend but with terse instructions to DO things, the inference being that the society did not tolerate any half-way business and that men could get over obstacles by taking off their coats if necessary. The hall was rehtted and re-furnished and the piano bought in 1887, when there were but twelve active members in the society,-in the minutes the treasurer was instructed, with characteristic brevity, to furnish the means. How he did it we are not in- formed but the bill was a large one. To such men as these the members of Zeta Epsilon have always looked back with pride. Their constant enthu- siasm and unswerving loyalty did much to give society its power in our col- lege life of to-day. Although it would perhaps be clifhcult for one of them