New-York tribune., 1874-05-06
UdZING At INN ARBOR.

The University OF Michigan, which IL one Oh
those richly endowed and admirably admins
tered institutions which can afford always to
do what is right, has just struck what cannot
fail to prove an effective blow against the
brutal and silly custom of "hazing" in Amerl-
can colleges. 1t has suspended at one sweep
thirty-nine SophOmOres and forty-two Fresh
men in yindication of the stand the Univer-
sty has taken against this puerile barbarism
Six youths were some days ago convicted OF
participation in it and were suspended. Upon
this il seems that some seventy Others, led by
a spirit which doubtless appeared to them
cbiyarOus but which was probably merely i'm
pertinent, avOwed themselves also participants
in the practices in question, and demanded the
remission of the sentences of their comrades
10 this summons the Faculty promptly re-
sponded on Monday evening by the suspen-
sion of the entire batch. sympathzers rs well
as culprits. Since many of them, by virtue OF
their age or their circumstances, could not
lose an entire year without serious loss, the
suspension extends only to the beginning OF
the next academic year. Before regaining
their places in their classes the suspended
students must stand examinations upon the
studies they thus lose, and must sign writ
ten assurance of obedience in future to the
regulations of the University in regard to the
disOrderly practices for which they are now
suffering.
The Faculty of Ann Arbor are to be con-
graduated upon their energetic treatment of
this question. They say with perfect truth,
that "the University can better afford to be
"without students than without government"
dent and so firm can remain without students.
Any parent would think twice before he would
send his son to a college where he would be
subjected to such degrading brutalties as
those in vogue in institutions where the Fac
ulty shut their eyes to the dOings of the stu
dents. The real nature of "hazing" is not
generally understood by the public. 1t is
usually spoken of lightly as an informal
visit paid by members of one class
to another, accompanied by some form
of innocent practical joke. But it is
always liable to degenerate at any moment
into ferocOus cruelty if the victim is timid or
unsophisticated enough to exhibit any ner-
yOusness, or has self-respect enough to show
resentment at the visitation. There are in
stances of fatal accidents arising from this
senseless custom. Many youth who has been
accustomed to decent treatment at home and
among his fellows would rather lose his life
than submit to the vulgar orders of a party
of lOuts to whom perhaps his fashionable dress
and his polite manners are insufferably often
sive. At Brown University some years ago.
| President Sears, one of the most exemplary of
Christian men, said to the assembled Fresh
men, at Q time. when hazing season was
anticipated that their rooms were their own,
and that they would be justified in defending
them at the risk of their assaiants' lives.
The custom recently attained such disgraceful
lengths at West Point and Annapolis that the
Government was forced to interiors, and it
was found much harder task to teach our
budding warriors and mariners to treat those
younger and greener than themselves with
common humanity than it was to beat Bow
ditch and Jomini into their heads.
1t il sentimental nonsense, gathered from
English novels, to say that it makes boy
manly to be kicked and cuffed by his elders
If man kept only the company of gentle
men and ladies from his cradle TO his grave
he would be all the better for it. This is un-
fortunately impossible. but it is the duty of
teachers to see that while youth remains at
school he shall see as little of the vulgar
brutalities of life as is consistent with the
conditions of human existence. IL ia not alone
in the interests of the victims of hazipp that
it should be put down with the strong hand.
Ii is the best thing that can be done for the
rough hobbedehoys themselves who consider
it such pleasure and privilege to bully the
youngsters, to show them that if they act like
ruffians and backguards they will be punished
for it. A single decided act, like that of the
Michigan Faculty, will do moro to convince