The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-07-21
Collegiate Boycotting

Williams, failing to pass successfully
the closing examinations of the course,
is refused his degree. Thereupon
the other Seniors, in high state of
indignation, resolve that if their COM
rade cannot have his degree they
will not take theirs; and so the pomp
and ceremony of the announcement
of the degrees lack their customary
impressiveness, because of the alb
sence of the class for whom they are
designed. The published accounts
add that the Senior, who missed of
his degree, is "very popular" and
that the class propose to "stand
by him" The young men concerned
in this episode are supposed to have
passed through the callow period Of
immaturity. They have received
their training and equipment, and
stand upon the threshold of active
lite. But the capacity to make fool
of himself is something which seems
to be kept perennially fresh in the
undergraduate nature. 1t is some
thing which is in him when he enters
the college walls and goes through
the meaningless form of agreeing to
be obedient to college discipline,
and it abides with him until he re-
ceives the plaudits and the bouquets
of the Commencement Day audience.
Among other studies which these
incipient Bachelor of.Arts may be-
presumed to have mastered is that of
logic. 1t may not be entirely irrele-
want to invite them to consider for
a moment the logic of their action.
The principle for which they appear
to be contending, if once recognized,
would make examinations virtually
superfuous. They might, indeed,
be persisted in, for the appearance
Of the thing, but it would be with
the understanding that no disagreed
BILE consequences were to follow a
failure to meet theft requirements.
A veto power upon any disciplinary
measures would be always lodged in
the class; and no Senior must under
60 the unhallowed process of "pluck-
ing" or the class will take things
into its own hands, and put the
Faculty under correction. More
over, it appears from the action of
the students, in the present instances
that the point involved is one of
popularity rather than of scholarship.
1t is not, we believe, asserted that
the examining committee "tampered
with the returns" Of this students
examination papers, or that they
fraudulently reduced his general
average. 1t seems to be conceded
that as a matter of fact the student
did not meet the tests which the
Faculty had ridiculously set up as
essential to graduation. But the
student is every POPULAR" and so
the class decides to "stand by him."
The inference is that if the student
had not been popular" his treat
ment by the Faculty might not
have aroused indignation; and it
follows that unpopular students will
do well to look out for themselves, for
if the Faculty descends upon them
the class will not "stand by them. +"
But popular students can treat ex-
aminations as an empty form, for il
they fail the class will adopt resolu-
tons, wait on the Faculty, and de-
cline to be graduated themselves
unless their unfortunate companions
can have diplomas also. This is
"boycotting" extraordinary. The
young men, however, upon mature
consideration, and upon learning the
merits of the case, apologized for
their ill-advised course, and will
accept their degrees.
| 1t is easy to magnify such an
episode as this. 1t is probable that
the difficulty will be compromised,
but we should prefer to think it i'm
possible that the Faculty could yield