St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-11-02
AREMEDY FOR HAZING.

When man has more than hall
forgot his undergraduate days, it is
the easiest thing in the world for
him to say in a light and airy way
that hazing is relic of barbarism
and should be suppressed. Pretty
nearly all mature, sensible, and
gentlemanlike men have been agreed
for many years that this is so, and
the college authorities have also
been unanimous i'll condemnation Of
it. And yet it has not been suppress
ed, nor will it be until the young
men in the colleges are taught by
stern lessons that they are entitled
to no privileges beyond those ac-
corded to other citizens in this coun-
try. An assault is breach of the
peace, a felony, and it is eminently
proper that college students should
be held accountable for such infrac-
tons of the law, whether they are
committed while hazing or in any
other vulgar way. The law in this
country is no respecter of persons,
and he who breaks law should be
made to pay the penalty. The civil
courts and the college courts have
been all too tender in dealing with
the young ruffians who find sport in
the sufferings of their associates and
comrades. 1t is therefore crafty
ing sign of progress when the judge
of a high court tells the grand jury
that it is its duty to inquire into
cases OF hszing, and indict the
hazers, so that they may he punish
ed like any other offenders. 1t is
gratifying, too, to know that in the
particular instance to which we
refer the college authorities express
an entire willingness to assist the
civil authorities in their investiga-
ton, besides taking vigorous action
on their own account. When the
hazer realizes that that both civil
and college authorities are seriously
in earnest and determined upon his
suppression, he is sure to quit his
hazng without even protest.
Colleges are primarily schools of
learning. But they are also schools
of morals and schools of manners.
If a college course does not tend
towards the making of gentleman,
then the little learning that was
acquired at these places is not half
worth while. A knowledge Of Greek
and the higher mathematics will
not help a man very far in this
world if in learning these things he
has also learned how not to be a
gentleman. Neither Greek nor mathe-
mates bide with man very long af-
ter he has given up their study. but
the other knowledge holds on with
deathlike tendency. AS matter of
fact, not only very small percent
age of college men are silly enough
ever to act like ruf1ians, or even
momentarily to forget their obliga-
ton to gentility. But, singularly
enough, this preponderating major
ity has thus far declined to send the
offending minority to Coventry
The undergraduates not having
solved this matter of hazing, it is
high time that these offenders should
be taught that there are judges and
juries of a sterner sense of duty than
the college officers, who try to hush
up every indiscretion, however great
for fear that it may injure their in
stitution in the public regard. VIZ
are fully persuaded that the college
that supplements its own authority
by invoking the aid of the strong
arm Of the civil law will be able eff
iectually to put stop to hazing, ant