Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-26

Thuggery In
Our Colleges
By Rev. DR.. WASHINGTON GLADDEN.
of Columbus. o.

we are cleaning up monumental abuses there is a
bit of work about the colleges that should not be neg
WV 1T is THE TASK OF EXPERIMENTING THUeeERY.
Y There would seem to be good reasons for the feel
ing that a rufanism which puts ordinary savagery to the blush is out
of place in one of our modern institutions of learning, especially in
what are known IS our "CHRISTIAN COLLEGES" Yet the out
RACES which are reported from time to time in connection witheollege
fraternities + enough to make us ashamed of our civilization r
There is no longer any reason for doubling that a poorfboy who
was crushed to death recently was tied to the railroad track. We
know that such has been the common practice of these young barba-
rians. There are quite a number yet alive who have testifspdhat they
have been subjected to this ordeal. There is one, L learn, ina neigh
boring city whose hair is white ON ACCOUNT OF THE FER
ROR WHICH HE SUFFERED.
This is a sample of the fendish practices which these&dheated
Christian gentlemen think amusing. It is high time that their minds
we're dsabused. Such things are really not funny. NOT EVEN A
SIOUX INDIAN WOULD SO REGARD THEM.
sss
There is a loud call upon college authorities everywhere for vigor-
Gus action upon this matter. If they cannot put a stop to such enormi-
ties let them shut their doors and send their young barbarians home.
There is no college in this land which might not better be blotted out
of existence than be the shelter of such savagery.
There are other performances connected with these college initia-
tons less brutal, BUT NO LESS DISGUSTING. The indignites
and humiiations which the initiates are often forced to endure in the
public streets of the cities r. simply shocking. That grown mel
should submit to be paraded in public places clad in the garb of clowns
and performing the antics of imbeciles is sufficiently amazing. 1t is
undoubtedly the expectation of those who direct the performance that
1t will excite the mnth of the bystanders, but [ have never seen any
one laugh at it. The look upon the faces of the spectators is always
one of shame or Reflective minds are probably
trying to estimate the degree of refinement to which college humor
has attained.
1t is a deplorabe fact also that some of the college fraterniies for
women are beginning to ape the methods of the male fraternities.
Two or three remedies would seem to be clearly indicated.
In the first place, the governing body of the colleges should abso-
luhy forbid, UNDER PENALTY OF EXPULSION, all out of
door limitations. The fraternity which engages in any performance
Of this kind should be outlawed and abolished. II
In the second place, let every self respecting young man who goes
ITO college make it perfectly plain to all who solicit his membership in
fraternites that this is a thing that he will not put up with that he
does not propose to submit to any pranks; that he will not be subjected
to injury er peril OR HUMILIATION; that if such is the price of
their fellowship he can very well afford to do without it.
THE MEN WHO ARE WORTH MOST TO THE FRATERNlTIEs
ARE THE MEN WHO CAN AFFORD TO TAKE THIS STAND, AND
WHEN THEY DO THE CURSE AND THE SHAME WILL BE DONE
AMA