The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-08
HAHNG At GALLAUDET
Three Students Suspended for
Cruelty to Fourth Class Men.
Unique Forms of Punishment In
ficted on the "Ducks" Mute<
Forced to "Decinimv UnfI Their
Fingers Were SwoIIen-Ice Water
Poured on These Who Complained.

Hazing among the students of Gallau-
det College, the institution for the deaf
and dumb has been punished by the sus-
pension of three young men. A. H. Norris.
OF Indiana and Samuel Nichols and John
Fisher of Pittsburg. All were seniors
who would have completed their four
years course next June. The things of
which they were found guilty is hazing
the fourth class men, called the ducks,
are in some cases unique in the hazing
line. Deaf and dumb college students
have peculiar tortures to suit the affiic
tion that sets them apart.
In this school. as at the Military Acad-
emy the traditions of the perogatives of
the upper class man to haze the new
conner have been lived up to The soplio-
mores, or the second year men. called the
wise FOOLS the juniors, and seniors
join in making life miserable for the
ducks One of the favorite forms of
hazing is to compel duck to de
claim with his fingers. until the muscles
become so stiff that he cannot talk" any
longer. Then the duck" performs for the
amusement of the hazers by going through
gymnastics of approved mute form. The
result is that the duck next day is un-
able to recite his lessons and his hands
remain swollen in some cases for sew
eral days.
1t was for doing such things as these
that Norris Fisher, and Nichols were sent
home. They were caught; one of their
classman said. or rather wrote yesterday,
because. "one of the ducks quacked."
Each of the professors of the institution
has in charge three or four of the fourth
class men. There are twenty members
of 9
dents n the institution. In January the
faculty began an enquiry into the hazing
practices of the past winter, owing to
complaints of some of the fourth class
men.
When the upper class men learned that
the ducks" had been ''quacking' they de-
cided to find out the guilty ones. Three
in one squad were suspected and one
Saturday night in the latter part of Janu-
ary the upper class men went to the
rooms of the three suspects and demanded
in their own peculiar way that the doors
be opened. The scared ducks" refused
to open and the doors were pound
ed down. The ducks were taken IN
blankets and on rails to the Lyeeum.
hall in one of the buildings where regu-
lar trial was gone through with. There
was a judge and jury, lawyers. sheriffs,
witnesses, and audience all mutes.
The ducks were compelled to confess
that they had been complaining and were
punished while being escorted back to
their rooms.
Ice water poured down their backs was
one OF the punishments. They were told
to talk read talk tongue talk and
were tossed in their bedclothes because
they could not They were then kept
awake by relief squads Of the upper class
men and were compelled to talk with their
fingers until physically unable to do SO
longer.
There was great stir in the institu-
tion the next day The ducks say that
a paid spy told about the nights proceed
ings. When seen yesterday by Times
reporter the wise FOOLS" with much
scratching Of pencil on paper, denounced
the ducks as ''quackers" and tattlers.
The men of the two upper classes who
were seen wrote that the faculty had been
suspicious for some time owing to fire.
quent complaints Of the freshmen, and
when the doors in the dormitory were
found to be broken the seniors were asked
to explain. The seniors say that the
ducks" told who the leaders were in the
door breaking and trial hazing of that
Saturday night Dr. Edward NJ. Gallaudet,
President OF the institution called Norris.
Fisher and Nichols before him and sus-
pended them.
President GalLaudet. when seen yester-
day by reporter, admitted that the three |
students had been suspended. When asked |
to express his views on hazing, he said:
Il am not opposed to the student rub
biug elbows and taking the big head out |
OF newcomer when he IS troubled that |
way. provided it is done individually and |
not by classes. / cannot allow any organ |
ized practice of hazing in The institution, |
and the faculty will not put up with it. |
Boys will be boys. however, and we can /!
not prevent their having their fun. Deaf |
students ... ... .= as any |
.e. #.E ... E. HH.f. It A. Fir prac |
ar-a
Wa.H .r -r. Ha# .as. z1ts sus-
rsut.7 would Pr .a.. raduate, |
Pres irr gai-.a.-. said t. would if the |
having Hal.H5 l .h. i-r.Hl.
sHCR--C AlEs4 IAN EJSY.