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Excerpt from ‘A History of Wesleyan’s Fraternities,’ Christopher Kylin, The Wesleyan Review, (Part 2 of 2), May 1990. This description of Theta Nu Epsilon was a part of a larger article submitted to Wesleyan’s Hermes magazine as their guide to underclassmen in 1988. That article was expanded and printed in a two part version in The Wesleyan Review in April and May 1990. Theta Nu Epsilon. Not a more dread beast has ever been thrust upon the college world than when at Wesleyan was spawned the nameless horror of Theta Nu Epsilon. This hulking monster of a society spread from its origins here out to chapters at over two-hundred colleges and universities; and none of it was for the cause of good. In 1870, meeting with representatives of Skull & Bones at Yale, a group of students together designed a society for sophomores; this was Theta Nu Epsilon, and it became the largest class society in the nation. It became a plague. It was never found to be guilty of any acts worse than relentless assaults on civic statuary, cigar store wooden Indians, and perhaps a picket fence or two; there was, of course, inebriation. Yet it was one of the most infamous societies of all. Its existence at Wesleyan has been continuous, though often underground. Recently it has gotten itself back on its feet again, asserting its position as a national organization. It has both female and male members, and has held annual cocktail parties, or actually martini soirees. It also has no building, so there is no question of dining clubs and the like. For the past two semesters it has tried to get off the ground with a larger event, but to no avail. No doubt it will be making headlines soon though, especially since the society and its members walk that line between decorum and trouble.
The National Organization of the Alpha Chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon 1999 - 2009 © All rights reserved.
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