Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-11-05
z AT COLLEGE.

nAZING AT COLLEGE.
There have been few events Of re-
cont occurrence that are more widely
known and variously used as texts for
editorial sermons than the death of
young Leggett, who was killed at Cor
noll University, In New York. about a
month since, while being Initiated into
a secret society connected with that To-
stitutlon. The popular manner Of
treating the accident has been 10 lee
ture all young students, and college
boys especially upon the evil Of such
associations, and In many cases to
make this sad accident the excuse for
fierce invective and angry diatribes
against all manner OF college fraterni-
ties, and In some instances even
against the colleges themselves. Fol-
lowing up this course, and no doubt
stung by the criticisms Of the press
upon the accident referred to, Prof.
Burt G.. Wilder Of the above Univer-
sity, writes q letter to the New York
Tribune ON the subject, in which he
takes most ultra grounds against all
secret societies and renders himself ex-
cessively ridiculous. He presents the
following plan to crush secret socie-
ties, which, 1t must be acknowledged
proves Its author more endowed with
zeal than common sense or discretion
81. Let the members Of secret or
r~anizations be at once looked upon as
only partial men ) a happy phrase
employed by Haeckel to Indicate the
undeniable fscs that only Que. hall. and
that the poorer, belongs to humanity
the better Is the slave OF a clique.
9. Let Us deny their eligibility to
any position Of honor and trust, in
yoiving discrimination between indt-
viduals.
3. lie: no woman marry until her
sutton takes n solemn pledge never to
remain In or join n secret organization
Of any kind, except for the protection
Of life, health or property during war
or other exceptional circumstances.
4. Let colleges prohibit the forma-
ton or continuance Of secret societies,
exact a pledge from every entering
student, ard, if necessary, make un-
h~esitating expulsion the penalty OF
membership.
8. Let the reason be embodied In a
printed pamphlet to be placed In the
hands OF all who are or seek TO become
students, and sent likewise to their
parents or guardians. Ten times the
expense which this would involve
would DO saved to the colleges In time
Of trouble"
The fault Of the learned Professor Is
that he fails to distinguish between
"hazing" and brushes" and the work
OF secret societies ; but assume that
the two are Identical. This Il fatal
to his propositions, for It is a we'll
known fact that while the orgies and
sometimes the brutality ofthe evil CON-
planned Of are yearly diminishing In
the better class Of our colleges OF learn
Ing, the number Of secret societies has
been increasing and their influence
widening even more rapidly. Few Sc
cret societies have any Objectionable
features. and their power aud In
fluence for good will DO attested by
every student. They are secret, 1t Il
true. but In nine cases out Of ten the
ceremony Of Initiation, II 1t does
afford a little sport, Is quickly sue
ceeded by an ambition to excel In the
debates, essays, ETC., which are the
pronounced and beneficial features OF
the organization. Occasionally, as. at
Cornell, the ceremony Of admission il
carried to al absurd and rel dan.
gerous extreme, but this Is no reason
for an indiscriminate condemnation
Of this class Of educators, for so are
they regarded by all clear thinking
men. College graduates are scattered
all v the land. Next to love for
Alma Mater, away down In their
hearts, lies n love for the society to
which at college they were attached.
Often remembrance of its strifes; Its
emulatlons ; Its successes-cheers the
toiler in his life work, and IL by
chance he meet with one OF his
fellow members In foreign lands the
hand instinctively closes in q warmer
grasp than that Of mere friendship.
At reunions Of Alumni what more en-
joyabls than to talk over old times IN
the Calllopean or the Philorhetorian
Societies where fresh wlth,youths' aspi-
rations and before the keenest points Of
LIES ambitions or enjoyments had
been broken Off by rude shocks or
rounded by the worlds attrltion, the
happiest hours Of life were passed In
intellectual contact and innocent en-
joyment. We condemn "hazing." 1t
Is a relic Of barbarism and should be
ended. But to the secret society to
which we had the honor to belong,
nany-it seems so few now looking
backward-years ago, memory gives
kind thought, albeit mixed with some
degree Of sadness. No condemnation
from the press or pulpit can abate our
love for or convince US OF Its Wicked
ness or Injurious tendency. And there
are all over the land thousands who
feel likewise.
TREASURER SKINNER, In his thir-