The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-19
THE COLLEGE SEASON.

The college commencement season is
upon us. 1t is subject for congratulation
that the college world moves and in the
right direction. There are not so many stu
dent walters in the New England noun
tain and seashore pleasure resorts as there
were few years ago. The student
waiter" craze was punctured by the press
bluntly saying that while bankrupt
statesman, a lawyer, clergyman. without
loss of self-respect, could shovel coal, chop
wood, make hay, drive a truck or market
wagon for a mere pittance, he could not
cut rich mans corns and groom him
with bath towel every night without
feeling of disgust, even if he was hand
somely paid for his service.
1t has finally filtered through the col
lege brain that a student and scholar had
better work on farm, in a lumber camp
or at any other legitimate outdoor en-
ployment than be the personal attendant
of anybody. Student haymakers, wood
choppers and outdoor laborers ought to
be possible if college athletics bear as good
fruit as reported. On this advance of self
respect the New England college youth
deserves to be congratulated. Another
mark of college progress is the disposition
TO stamp out of existence that brutal and
demoralizing sport known as "hazing,"
which in plain English means ruffianly
abuse and outrage OF the personal rights
and immunities of the new recruits that
practced elsewhere would bring the Of
tenders before police court. These out
RACES had no limit but the cruel caprice
their perpetrators. Sometimes the So
called hazing did not pass beyond the
bounds of mere "horse play" or coarse fun.
but quite as often it meant the destruction
of private property and most painful and
humiliating physical violence.
In many colleges ten years ago acts of
great and shameful brutality were COM
mitted, and worse than all, the practice
created tyrannical public opinion in col
lege in favor of such lawlessness, so that
frequently boys. Individually of generous
and manly natures, caught the contagion.
Just as good soldiers take panic by the
touch of the elbow, and become involved
In transactions that IN their better ma
turity they deeply regretted. 4 single
man was often oyerpowered by sheer force
OF cowardly numbers and compelled to
submit TO whatever disgusting ordeal his
tormentors chose 10 dictate. The victims.
of course, the next year became in turn
Che victors IN these riotous proceedings.
hut the moral effect Of "haziny." whether
you were the lamb or the butcher. was
very mean IN lis influence, and there was
always a loss Of real manhood involved in
aiding such abuses It's noteworthy fact
that the ''hazlng" that has been largely SIM
pressed by the discipline of the faculty
and the public opinion OF the students
survives in certain secret" societies; that
A, the "hazing" Of the novitiate IS mart of
Abe initiation. The recent death Of a yaIs
student from injuries received durin,
sharing preliminary 10 imitation has ex-
torted strong protest from the BODY Of the
students against such secret" societies
Another mark Of improvement in col
leres is the higher courtesy of inter
course between professor and pupu. SIN.
dents no longer deem il decent 70 MAY
bcorish tricks upon the professor. ani the
result is there is mutually more conf
dence. kindness and cordially Of fee.in,
between the faculty and the stu
dents. This is as it should be. A
Young man old enough to become s stu.
dent is either one shing or another; he i
either student seeking to become a
scholar. or he is not. Ii be is not = stu.
dent seeking 10 become a scholar he ouch,
20 get out Of the university and stay cut.
for institutions Of Learning are not found.