Theta Nu Epsilon Society - History of the Oregon State Chapter

The Theta Nu Epsilon Society.

The Chapters at Oregon State University.

This is the history of illegitimate chapters.

There were at least two chapters at Oregon State University, one from 1916 and a second in the 1940’s.

In 1916, an illegitimate chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon was established at Oregon State University, (then Oregon State Agricultural College). In 1919, a torn up membership card was found in the town of Corvallis, and published without explanation in The Barometer on February 12 of that year. A week later an exposé was published. Apparently there had been a large initiation into the society on November 2, 1918, and the creation of so many new members caused confusion in the organization, inducing some of the new members to resign, (hence the torn up membership card). The Barometer showed little restraint in the matter and played it up all it could, it even accused the members of “Bolshevism.” Yet at the same time in the College’s yearbook, the Beaver, there was an extended poem on Theta Nu Epsilon, which we include here. (It was later claimed to have been written by a member named “Hink the Dink.”)

Once on a midnight dark and dreary,

When all the world was sleeping,

Of my studies I was weary;

Through my mind wild thoughts were leaping.

At my window came a tapping,

A mystic, weird sounding;

It was some brother who was rapping,

It sent my pulse a bounding.

Once before I had heard that knocking,

From a brother tried and true,

And it sent my life-boat rocking;

Just a thinking of the brew.

So I donned my rain-proof garments,

To protect the inner man.

And I left to join the varmints

Who compose our secret clan.

To the mystic, silent, churchyard,

We all wended on our way;

And each one was thinking hard,

Of the headache of the next day.

’Til we came unto the temple,

Where before we’d often met;

And set forth the great example,

That a dry state can be wet.

Long we sat around and pondered,

As we tapped the home-made keg.

And our hazy thoughts they wandered,

’Til we wobbled on the leg.

And very soon we owned the earth

Bursting forth in joyous song,

There was no bounds to our morth,

O’er the brew we tarried long.

Warm as June, cold as December,

so my spirits rose and fell.

That is all I remember;

It is all I care to tell.

But the day that follows after,

Does its best to compensate,

For the mirth and joy and laughter;

We indulged in just of late.

I broke allegiance with the clan,

I desired to be free.

But after all I’m just a man,

And a loyal T.N.E.

—1919 Beaver

The Barometer also declared that Chapter No. 12 was “sliding to a never ending oblivion.”

However, the Barometer was premature. There was another public episode in 1928. The Portland News reported chapters at both Oregon State and the University of Oregon. In 1934, (April 20), the Barometer again reported that the chapter was again permanently dead.

We know from the above that there was a chapter that started in the late teens, and continued through 1928 and 1934. However, we believe the 40’s chapter is distinct based on parallel events at other colleges and universities.

One of the characteristics that showed the 1946 Oregon State Chapter to be different from the 20’s chapter was that the latter chapter was a part of the highly irregular and nearly dangerous Society of 1870. Chapters of this organization, a faction illegitimate three times over, did more to detract from the reputation of Theta Nu epsilon than had ever been done before.

In 1946, the Barometer switched tactics and accused Theta Nu Epsilon of fascism since the 1919 accusation of bolshevism was a little dated. The Barometer actually reprinted an editorial of the University of Oregon Emerald entitled “Fascism on Campus.” We presume both that the University of Oregon chapter was of a similar ilk to the Oregon State Chapter, and that the only reason why the Barometer took the time to reprint the Emerald was because they felt Oregon State had a similar chapter operating as well.

And finally, the Barometer had one last joust with Theta Nu Epsilon on April 29, 1947. In an editorial written in a breathless style and at least one tenth written in ALL CAPS, the editors of the Barometer implore the students to abandon Theta Nu Epsilon : “These are facts YOU should know! These are truths about the most disreputable student organization in America. Every freshman in every college should have this information. The Barometer regrets it could not obtain this data earlier.” The particular accusations are drinking, control of elections to college offices, and generalized deceit. As far as that goes, certainly Society of 1870-type chapters, illegitimate and disreputable, pobably were indeed guilty of all charges. Though it does not necessarily justify the breathless rants of the editor of the Barometer. Didn’t they have more interesting things to worry about in Corvallis in 1947?

There was no further mention of any chapter of any stripe at Oregon State or at the University of Oregon, and presumably the chapter died sometime in the 1950’s when hazards to the moral rectitude of Oregon’s undergraduates multiplied by orders of magnitude.