The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-02-23
THE RECENT HAVING AT PRINCETON

Itwoald be supposed that at colleges
and other institutions of learning. if at
any place, ordinary civilities would pre-
vail, that Young men would pay due
regard to the rights of others, and that
they would sbun rufiiansm fit only for
Western bar-rooms or the civilization
of the frontier. To the ordinary frivoii-
ties and amusements and the tendency
to indulge in pranks and jokes natural
to young people, there can be no rea-
sonable objection. But when the spirit
of mischief is carried to the very verge
of murder, as was the case at Prince
ton College a few days ago, it is full
time to call halt The practice of
"hazingn carried on in American col
le@es, and, indeed, in all colleges so far
as we are aware has about it no re-
deeming circumstance. 1t is simply
an exhibition of physical power on the
part of students who, singl and alone
would not dare to offer the indignitics
they do. A single student is the vie
tim of the hazing, and the hazing is
done by from two to half dozen stu
dents Of an upper class. The student
who is "haZed is at every disadvan-
tage He is seized at an unguarded
moment and at place where there is
no one present, except those who are
participants or anxious "to see the
fun" Before he has an opportunity to
cry out or to call for assistance, a gag
is placed in his mouth, his arms Sc
curelv fastened, and while he is in this
condition his tormenters proceed to
carry out their programme If the
hazing proceeds to extremes, the vie
tim is stripped of his clothing, his head
is shaved and water pumped upon him
for five, ten or fifteen minutes During
the whole time that the hazing con-
tinues he is tainted and ieered at, and.
after he has been beautifully covered
with tar or paint, is left lying, it may
be, in an exposed position until re-
lieved. Instances Of this kind have
frequently come under the notice of the
writer, and he has known Young men.
for no other olfense than that they were
members of an under class, to be sub
jected to insults and indignities that
would have been cruel if visited on a
Sioux Indian
Such was the character of the recent
outrage at Princeton. Two sophomores
had treated a freshman to "haze" of
the most aggravated description. The
classmates of the freshman retaliatcd.
caught the sophomorcs at late hour
Of night, shaved their heads, stripped
them of their clothing, beat them with
paddles and left them bound and gagged.
The sophomores, freeing themselves,
seized revolvers, followed their assault
ers, overlook them, fred upon them.
and, in the general melee that followed.
one OF the students fell, pierced with a
bullet Such an outcome, it is true,
does not often attend these affairs, but
it would not be strange if it should
The natural inclination to resent insult.
even when the insult assumes the suise
of a joke, would prompt blow for blow
and make serious consequences ex-
tremely probable.
1t is about time that college presi-
dents and faculties understood that this
species of barbarism must be rooted up
from among the students under their
control. 1t would be better that our
sons should grow up in ignorance and
without any of the knowledge contained
in books than that they should be thus
exposed to outrage and physical danger
and the evil influence attending such
practices.