The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-15

To the EditoT.-The death OF young
Rand at our State University as d
result of hazing has arouse
beyond the borders Of our State, and
within our borders perhaps So STeat
excitement over such a tragedy has
never had occasion to exist before.
Will you allow me to express through
the columns Of h News and Obser-
yer my impressions Of this aW1ui
calamity. viewing 1t as | do from
this distance and, | trust, with an i'm
partial eye.
I am no a~polog1st for hazing but
only a grateful son Of the University
| who knows and appreciates something
Of its life, spirit, and ideals.
]. This promising young MAJ was
a fellow c~ounty-man OF nine, and
Johnston is proud to claim. His
fathers public letter is the agonized
expression OF a manly heart. The
courts unfortunately can not give him
the Justice he desires and deserves.
Not money, not the Imprisonment OF
the hazefs, nor even q life for a lie,
can give him satisfaction, can bive
him back his son. He feels something
Of that sacrifice God made in the
death Of his Son for the benefit OF the
| world. It Is not justice. it is Sacrl-
fee, and It can never become justice.
Young Billy Rand's death will make
it easier next year and all the coming
Years 1OT 1ToSuIflcu d. AIc CA1FCi DAY
and elsewhere to be treated as men.
This is the higher life made possible
by that midnight sacrifice; this is
some compensation.
2. Hazing g unJustifiable and should
be abolished root and branch. But 1t
is Reason condemns 1t
| but custom justities it, and custom in
this world is slow to yield to reason.
/ enclose you two clippings from New
| York papers with accounts of hazing
in this big city this fall. One clipping
shows a picture Of a freshman at
Columbia standing in a perilous posi-
ton on the University fountain, sing
describes a virtual fight between
sophomores and freshmen at the City
College. A fatal termination Of these
escapades might as readily have hap
pened as in the Chapel Hill case, but
as there was no unexpected tragedy
the papers report the news only as a
matter Of course.
5. Hazing is applicable, but not
justi1iable, as the process Of assi1nila-
ton of the new students by the old.
In one form or another it IS as old
as the public limitations of primitive
man. HaElng tests the mettle Of the
nerves and shows whether he is a
good fellow or not. re take mild
hazing in q good spirit is a way 10
leadership among students and it
appears that Billy Rand was making
such Il beginning. It must be as
serted there are better ways Of assimi-
alton and better approaches to stu
dent leadership, but this is one. I
am trying to help people understand
hazing st the very time We condemn
it.
4. have no hesitancy ia affirming
that death In this instance was an
accidental incident in the hazing. 1t
might have occurred this fall at any
one OF the more than four institutions
of higher learning in our country.
The death was obviously not premed-
itated. nor intended, nor anticipated
at the time. The desertion of the
dying boy was impulsive. 1t was
cowardly, but the instinct Ct seIf-pres-
ervatiOn was at the bottom Of it, and
this instinct rules everybody except
the few heroes among men.
5. Clearly to the University futhor-
tiles have no part or lot IN coun-
!, tenancng hazing they forbid hazing,
; they exact pupils against it they pea
a'ize it heavily. But the University
= can not maintain a system OF espion-
age to prevent that which ii forbids.
Manhood is not cultivated In such an
! az atmosphere OF suspicion. In this
instance the action OF the University
authorities has been pronpt and dras-
tic.
&. Finally. Mr.. Daniels, you prob
dOiy AS1St "llN me tOA4 THIS Is a
time for sympathy and progress. not
condemnation and detaliation; sympA-
thy for the stricken father and rela-
tivea. for the University. and for the
parents Of the hazers too: progress in
I the elimination Of hazing: not con
7 ~de4nnation OF the States great Uni
varsity; not retaliation upon those
four young fellows guilty indeed OF
hazing, but guiltless Of murder. /,
is q time TO make hot feeling sub
servfest TO cool reason. a time for
everybody to forgive everybody (Which
l myself might not be able to do
were I the afflicted father), a time
for the consultations OF religion. no,
the weak s~atisfactions OF the court
If something must be blamer, let Us
; blame the bottiee!
An apology Is due you for tres
passing upon your time at SO busy
S a reason for you. with so long a letter
q . The xeEx great lIrSeucx Of tka-o-a<