The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-22


ment had been conducive to what
we Americans inelegantly term
swell head" was brought face
to face with conditions tending
to democratise his philosophy
Of social life, and make him
realize that despite feudalistic
titualizatiOns "a man was a man
for a that Later, when his
lesson was learned and he had
advanced in scholarship, and
learned by tagging how a fag
should be treated, he was ele-
waited to the class Of the tagged
for.
This custom, while certainly
not without merit, is impossible
in this country. However, the
spirit that brought it about has
found expression, to some small
extent, in college haZing.
The Freshman's View of Hazing.
The freshman objects to haZ-
ing o particularly because Of
the class Of hazers than because
Of hazing itself. He enters col
lege expecting some sort Of
initiation, just as a candidate in
a secret society does, and he feels
that if his hazing or initiation
is conducted without a spirit OF
hostility or malice, but merely
in a spirit Of fun and rough
goOdfellOwship, and by his
friends and those he has reason
to believe will become his
friends, he has no kick to make.
If, on the other hand, his haz-
ers are men or boys who will put
him through his degree solely
for the pleasure they get out Of
it.; put him through roughly and
maliciously, and then having
finished with him. pass him by
for the balance Of the year as
nothing but "a ID freshman
he does resent it.
The ROwdy Class Of Hazers.
The rowdy hazer makes haZing
a vice, an obnoxious offense
against all decency and fair
play. His way is the bully's way.
His methods slinky or over
bearing. His purpose is the same
that once made possible gladi-
tOrial cOmbats and the slaughter
Of helpless men and women by
wild beasts in Roman arenas.
His purpose is to satisfy certain
b"A IL NJ
which have somehow survived IN
the human breast despite the in
fluenceS of religion, education
and culture.
A bunch Of sophomores,
coming back to college after
their first vacation, assemble and
plan a raid on the freshmen.
This particular bunch" is almost
,~;,oxeollx VI 1F ~0rr1;a~
Of the f1ukes Of last session, those
who have misspent their first
year in college, skipped classes,
disSipated, failed on examinations
and lost the respect of both the
faculty and the student body.
AS is commonly alleged, they
often tank up on JOY water be-
fore starting out-and this one
thing is more responsible for bru-
tai hazing than anything else.
For an hour or more they stroll
in a body up and down the halls
Of the dormitories and around
the campus, singing the old ia
miliar song
80, Freshman. you'd better lie
low, lie low
Till you get to be a SOpho-
more"
Then, the Joy water" having
taken effect and their victims
having been sufficiently terri
fled, as they think, they proceed
TO the serious business Of the
night. They knock loudly on
some new mans door, or else
very. very softly, according to
their idea Of the disposition Of
the man. II he is the sort to be
easily inundated they make a
fuss; if they conceive it possible
that he will blockade or put UP
a fight, they approach him
stealthily. If this freshman
opens his door and welcomes
them in a manner that catches
their fancy. the chances are they
will let him off with a song and
dance, because this sort Of haz-
ing crowd is very capricious-
DRINKS generally are-but should
he appear terrified or resentful.
he instantly becomes the pie
Of the crowd. They may an
ONT him with shoe polish: they
may pile everything he possesses
in one grand heap in the center
of the floor; they may force him
through uncomfortable and hui