Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-06
SOPHS. IN COMMAND.
Freshmen of George Washington Uni
versity Do Numerous Stunts.

The upper classmen of the George Wash
ington University medical department ran
the whole gamut of horse play last even
ing and several poor, unwilling. and unsus-
pecting freshmen were made the victims
The innocent freshmen performed every
stunt known to the hazings program, being
al the mercy of their tormentors for three
solid hours. Through cleverly devised
plan members of the class of 1908 were
first decoyed into the medical building on
III street After rounding them all up IN
room and tying them together they were
started out upon a long march of the
streets and were forced to make speeches,
sing songs and dance the pigeon wing until
their captors voluntarily released them.
A circular letter was at first sent out to
all the members of the first year class in
which 1t was stated that society was
about to be organized for the purpose OF
advancing the interests Of the new men ana
this would be accomplished by consolidat-
ing the freshmen classes of ell departments
In the university. The freshmen did not
doubt the sincerely of the letter, from It's
wording, as it had been written with most
careful elaboration by one Of the leaders
of the sophomore claSs. "A number or the
freshmen were at the hall half an hour be-
fore the time at which the meeting was
called They waited patiently, little realiz-
ing that they were soon to become the
victims Of a huge joke.
About a dozen freshmen had been cor
rallied by the sophomore entertaining COM
mittee and the hour was waning, when one
of the freshmen whispered that some
thing was up and he would like to my
de COOP" but there was no retreat at this
stage of the game
With great caution the sophs. had supplied
themselves with several thousand feet of
rope as a means of compelling attendance
One of the dozen innocents attempted to
break camp, and, with mighty center
rush. leaped into the street from the build
ing and ran. He was only touching the
ground on the high places when discoy-
cred. He boarded street car, but the
sophs soon had him in custody again. and
made him wear the cone-shaped cap and
take the principal part in the stunt which
followed All OF the freshmen were made
to wear coats and hats wrong side out and
to almost make the government buildings
tremble with the university yells.
The young students were first marched
down Pennsylvania avenue, headed by the
lowed by the laughing and jeering upper
classmen. When near the corner of 18th street
and the avenue the innocents' were made
to ascend the high steps of one of the large
buildings and relate the story Of his life to
the assembled throng. After the speech
making had been concluded to the satisfac-
ton of the sophs. ring was formed in the
street. and the victims were pushed into the
center. where they gave pretty good
vaudeville bill with dances, songs and origi-
nal monologues as the features. After an
hour or so had passed they were taken down
the avenue to watering fountain and
made Ito take water"
The sophomore leader, before going into
the details of the ceremony. explained that
he would not take this action IL he had
not heard there were several expert swim.
mers among them" After this the fresh
men were allowed to go home, after swear
ing allegiance forever to the sophs.