Evening journal., 1898-12-03
SATURDAY. DEC. 3. 1898
H.AzING Ar PRINCEroN.

49, ~@~+e~A
at last been taken. and that this relic
Of barbarism is in a fair way to become
thing Of the past at Princeton. The
feeling. which has been increasing for
many years past, that Princeton had
or should have outgrown such child
ish practice, has become SO strong
this year, that some action had to re-
suit. The sentiment first expressed IT,
seGf in an attempt OF the sophomore
Glass to abolish hazing upon certain
conditions, notably the reinstatement
by the faculty Of the men who had
been expel,sd for hazing. AS was nat
ural, the faculyy paid MO attention TO
the matter drawn up in such form, ana
the resolutions. which had been pass
ed, fell through entirely. The move
ment, which is now on foot, and which
seems likely TO be entirely successful,
is due to the feeling Of the entire una
verslty under the lead Of the two upper
classes
The fact that this is the first move
menf Of the kind which has arisen,
SOLELY from the undergraduate body
without any external influence what
ever, Is a most favorable sign. Nothing
Of the kind has ever taken place be-
fore. 10 be sure. in the rall OF '94
the sophomore class agreed to abolish
hazing, but 1t was merely an effort TO
get some members Of the football team
back to college who had been sus-
pended for indulgtng a little too often
in their 'horse-p.ay." or course a
movement 50 original could not havs
any lasting effect or influence, as IL
did not embody the sentiment Of the
undergraduate body. Since the failure
Of that arcmpt. the faculty has real-
lied that the action must originate
among the students themselves, and
has waited patiently for what It knew
must come sooner or later, mean
while taking decisive action in such
cases as came before it.
There has only beel one drawback
to the aboishing OF hazlng at Prince
ton, and had it not been for that haz.
ing, which is now an unfortunate
reality. would long ago have been bui
q memory. When a freshman comes
to Princeton he realizes that there Il
something pervading the atmospherl
which is not perceptible to the senses
but holds him within its power from
the frst week OF college Throughout
his life 1t is the famous Princeton
spirit. which has enabled her to holN
her place in athletics, as wen as othe
matters. among universities two o
three times as large. It's influence
felt In every part Of college life, and ]
Is a thing OF which Princetonians ar
justly proud. This has arisen from tn
observance OF many curious and tim
honored customs peculiar to Princeton
and which have originated and foster
Cd that democratic spirit which ha
characterized Princeton. Many Of tn
students have seriously thought tha
these customs could be maintaine
only by hazing in some mild form, a
though opposed to the hazing itsel
and II has been the possible danger {
losing this Princeton spirit which hs
hitherto prevented concerted acton. T
one who has NOT passed through co
lege lie, and does not understand co
lege feeling. this may seem absurd. bl
II has. nevertheless, been a matter K
consids ration.
The plan by which hazing is now
be abolished has been arranged wit
thar In mind, and for this reason h
obtained the almost unanimous su,
port Of the student body. It is az
misedly only an experiment. but Wit
such a powerful sentiment back OF
there is no reason why it should n
be the death blow 10 hazing
On Tuesday afternoon the SEMI
and junior classes held joint NEE
ing and passed resolutions by lar'
majority. On Wednesday the soph
more and freshman CLASSES gave the
unanimous approval, and on Thursds
the entire student body in macs mee
ing ratified the resolutions. Numero
speeches were made. and the meetil
was very enthusiastic. The followii
are the resolutions passsd:
"Inasmuch as the custom Of HAHN
in all its forms. is a demoralizing pra
tice, involving an unreasonable and
tolerable interference on the part
one student in the rights and priv
l9ges Of his fe.low student: and,
"Inasmuch as this practice has be-
carried on 10 an unwar1anted al
baretul extreme. endangering there's
the position and standing Of certa
men who are already members OF u
university and exerrsng a most dar
aging influence on the univeIsity's
teTests and reputation in the outsi'
world, therefore be it
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