University which has not first submitted its Constitution
to the Faculty and received their approval.

The students involved, however, were willing enough to give lists of
their members, relying upon their numbers and their affiliation with
similar organizations in other colleges to avoid any unpleasant
consequences. The Faculty thought otherwise; though as events proved
their authority was not too well defined. Meanwhile another society,
Alpha Delta Phi, had submitted a constitution to the Faculty for
approval; but owing to the press of other matters it was not considered
and the chapter was organized with no action by the authorities. The
greater number of the students in the University thus became members of
the three Greek-letter fraternities.

The Faculty was disturbed, but apparently did not take the matter too
seriously at first and decided to allow the societies to continue,
merely exacting pledges from all new students to join no society without
approval by the Faculty; thus providing as they thought, for an early
demise of the fraternities. It did not work out that way, however. The
chapter of Alpha Delta Phi held that their society existed at least by
sufferance of the Faculty, and proceeded to initiate members, a fact
that was not discovered until March, 1847. Then followed a series of
suspensions and re-admissions of students who had promised not to join
these societies. Not only were they obliged to resign their membership,
but the original members of Alpha Delta Phi were compelled formally to
submit to re-admission to the University, pledging themselves not to
consent to the initiation of any members of the University in the
society in opposition to Rule 20. The matter rested here until the
following November, when the society presented a second constitution,
which was received by the Faculty with the announcement that they had no
authority to legalize the society. This reply was answered by the
students with a plea that if the Faculty had no authority to legalize
their fraternity then they had no authority to forbid it. Later another
fraternity asked for re-admission with similar results.

Meanwhile these organizations were maintaining themselves. Letters to
the Presidents of six Eastern colleges brought replies most unfavorable
to the fraternities and seemed to indicate to the Faculty that elsewhere
the fraternities were under a strict ban. The students, however, knew
that the facts were otherwi