The only class-event of the Junior year is the Junior promenade,—a decidedly dress affair, occurring about the middle of the winter term, and attended not only by students and professors, but by towns-people and others. The Senior year of course brings to an end the college course with the usual graduating exercises.
In each class there is a society organized for social purposes, which is handed down from class to class. The outgoing members of each society elect a certain part of the members for the ensuing year from the next lower class. The members so elected choose the remaining members for the year from their own class. Banquets are held by these societies from time to time during the year, which serve to unite members of the same class into a closer friendship with one another.
These societies, however, have comparatively few members, and their influence upon the social life of the college is very slight. The student organization which undoubtedly exerts most influence upon Cornell life is the "Cornell University Christian Association,"—the C.U.C.A. With a membership of over three hundred, it claims to be the largest college Christian association in the world; and its zeal may be seen from the fact that nine thousand dollars have recently been subscribed by its members towards the erection of a club building. At present the society occupies a room in one of the college buildings. Though its aim is, of course, chiefly religious, it has great influence upon the social life of the university. At the gatherings which it occasionally holds, as well as at the regular religious services, acquaintances are formed between members of all classes more easily and more rapidly than they could be formed in any other way. The organization is strictly non-sectarian. Most of the prominent churches are, however, represented by smaller sectarian organizations, each exerting within its sphere an influence similar to that of the C.U.C.A.
Socially the "chapters" of the various Greek-letter fraternities are, next to the C.U.C.A., most important in Cornell life. Of the general organization of these societies it is sufficient to say that each "chapter" here is more or less closely connected with similar "chapters" existing in other colleges, and that all are under a parent society or governing body. To a certain extent, therefore, these societies serve to unite the student body throughout the country.
At Cornell each "chapter" either owns or rents a house in some part of the town, or, in two cases, on the campus, and at this a few of its members usually live, while all meet here for social purposes. In a majority of these club-houses the expense of living is from two hundred dollars to five hundred dollars more than the expense outside. Hence none but rather wealthy students can belong to these fraternities.
