The Theta Nu Epsilon Society.

The Phi Chapter at Rutgers University.

The Phi Chapter at Rutgers University was founded in 1889, or possibly earlier. It is currently recorded as the first chapter that existed ‘off the books,’ that is, organized without authority of the Alpha Chapter. It may have been the production of enthusiastic but impatient members from Cornell. It later became a legitimate chapter, and was legitimized by the Alpha Chapter in 1894. It may have operated as the Chi Chapter prior to being legitimized.

The first initiation made such an impact on Rutgers life that the event was written up for the New York Times :

Life Was Made Bitter.

How Some Rutgers Freshmen were Initiated.

New Brunswick, N.J., April 24. Life was made exceedingly bitter for over a score of Rutgers College students. They were Freshmen who had expressed a desire to join the Theta Nu Epsilon Society. They were accomodated. The Theta Nus took the men across the raritan, blindfolded them in the woods and then brought them into town. The victims were walked through the mud in the lower streets of the city, trotted over piles of stones, bumped against posts, walked against buildings, and finally led down Peace-street to the lodge room of helvetia Lodge. The hall is being improved, and a great bed of mortar was open in the street.

The Rutgers Chapter in the teens.

The bilndfolded students, unconscious of the danger, were brought to this, and then one after another were tripped and dumped head first into the mortar bed, only the bands over their eyes preventing them from receiving injuries from the lime. Those of the students who did not escape were then made to climb, still blindfolded, over a huge hill of loosely-piled bricks, which slipped and slid down upon those underneath them. it was at this point that the police put in an appearance, and the bedraggled studenst escaped further persecution. Some of them were so badly used up that even after a thorough bath and a change of clothing, they were unable to attend the big dinner that followed at the Café Bates.

Great efforts were made by the students today to keep the matter a secret, as they feared the action of the faculty, but the police officers who had witnessed the initiation reported the matter at headquarters.

The members of the Phi Chapter saw the need for a senior society at Rutgers and organized Cap & Skull on January 18, 1900. It is believed the chapter and the senior society worked together in a manner similar to situations at other universities.

The Phi Chapter was a traditional chapter and was driven from the society in the 1913-16 Interfraternity Conflict. It is not known how long the chapter continued.

The National Organization of the Alpha Chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon 1999 - 2009 ©  All rights reserved.