Clarifying the Hazing Issue
Last week the Emerald said in an edit
orial that perversion had occurred in con
nection with fraternity hazing. This infor
mation came from reliable sources in which
we had much confidence. After investiga
tion, however, we have found no proof to
substantiate this accusation in any way.
We regret any damage that such a charge
unjustly did to the University’s fraternity
system or its members.
We are sorry to find that the matter of
perversion has obscured the main issue, the
widespread hazing which many people have
admitted occurred on this campus within
the past few weeks. We hope that the in
vestigation now being conducted by the
Office of Student Affairs will help eliminate
the whole range of objectionable practices
which has traditionally been a part of haz
ing activities.
We also believe that the perversion mat
ter should not influence the investigation of
those houses charged with other hazing.
For example, excessive hacking is not made
any more acceptable by the absence of
some other practice.
Although we are in complete agreement
with the tone and severity of University
President Arthur S. Flemming’s statement
on hazing, we also realize that the state
ment has, because of this severity, made it
more difficult for the Office of Student Af
fairs to gather information.
Nevertheless, we are confident that the
investigation will gain sufficient informa
tion for President Flemming to make an
equitable decision. The eventual result
should be beneficial to the entire fraternity
system.
Footnote
In last Friday’s paper, the Emerald ran
a series of questions on Arab-Israel. In all
fairness to the two students who answered
the questions, we should point out, even
at this late date, that the last two questions
and the answers submitted for them were
left out. in both cases obscuring the mean
ing to some degree.
The omissions were made because of a
misjudgment on the amount of space avail
able, and we offer our sincere apologies to
the authors, Tony David and Maher Quad
dumi, for the damage done to their presen
tations.
Another Campus Looks At Hazing
The following column is re
printed from the January 10
edition of the Daily Texan,
student newspaper of the Uni
versity of Texas. It helps
show how hazing is being con
sidered on a campus other
than our own.
* * *
“A law is only as good
as the people it is made for!”
Two years ago in California a
college freshman was murdered
by his fraternity brothers-to-be.
He was dead at 18. strangled to
death by a piece of liver forced
down his throat during “hell
week” activities.
Four years ago in Ohio anoth
er college freshman of 19 years
was electrocuted during “fun
and games week” when he was
placed on a bare mattress
springs connected to an electric
current. The boys responsible
were heartbroken. It was all in
“fun.”
This type of “fun” has been
responsible for more lives taken
than the two examples listed
here. When will the headlines
shout of another murder com
mitted just in “fun?”
Not only at the University,
but throughout the nation, many
fraternities have already begun
to prepare for “hell-week” ac
tivities and initiation ceremon
ies.
Hell weeK is me period De
fore the informal initiation
night, usually five days. This
event usually takes plate the
first week after spring registra
tion.
The schedule of activities is
designed for the pledges that
have survived the various “ral
lies” and passing of the black
ball box during tneir regular
pledgeship training. The final
period before initiation is like
sadistic icing on the cake for
the members.
During the period, now polite
ly referred to by many as “help
week,” the pledges are subject
ed to midnight smokers, food
eating contests, physical work
outs, and mental hazing.
Midnight smokers consist of
each pledge smoking a cigar in
extremely closed quarters — a
locked closet or under a wet
blanket.
Food eating contests are de
signed to see which pledge can
hold do wn the largest amount of
some stomach-turning concoc
tion, usually spiced with an am
ple amount of hot peppers.
Physical workouts are com
posed of pushups, holding heavy
loads with the arms outstretched
over long periods time, duck
walking, and any other exercise
a member might entertain in
his mind.
Mental hazing is constant. At
all times the pledge is reminded
that he just might not be accept
ed for membership. He is
quizzed on chapter history.
Greek alphabet, and fraternity
rules in general
This all takes place during the
week. And the pledge receives
little or no sleep during the en
tire week.
Once the ‘ hell week" is over,
the pledge has informal initia
tion to look forward to. These
initiations are always secret, but
they climax and outdo the trials
of “hell week.” Fortunately they
last only a few hours.
The big question remains:
“Has there been something done
to eliminate this hazing?”
The answer is “yes,” some-'
thing has been done. The stu
dent regulations handbook at
the University in Appendix A,
section 12 reads: “So-called "hell
week” practices have been abol
ished, and their revival is strict
ly forbidden.”
Article 1152 of the Texas Pen
al Code calls for a fine of not
less than $25 nor more than
$250 and a jail sentence of not
less than 10 days nor more than
three months or both.
With such well-defined laws
and regulations, one would be
led to believe that the practice
of hazing is on the way out.
But far to the contrary, the
practice is very much alive.
When will its stop? Only when
the members of the fraternities
begin to act like the men they
say they are.
Only when the members be
come mature enough to see a
mature outlook on life. Let’s
hope that day is not too far in
the future. —Wes Hocker
Letters to the Editor
Booing Is Good
Emerald Editor:
I am glad I attend the Univer
sity of Oregon. Before, I thought
that booing, whistling, and oth
erwise throwing tantrums while
opposing players threw free
throws was childish and poor
sportsmanship. Now that I am
a College Man, I have learned
that these ideas are old fashion
ed, Booing is Good. This is how
we show school spirit.
I am glad I attend the Univer
sity of Oregon.
James W. McCoy
Math Graduate
* * s>
Matter of Alliance
Emerald Editor:
In regard to Mr. Tom Hoyt’s
contention that Harry Bridges
is closely allied with the Demo
cratic party, I think he might do
well to check the rolls of his
own party, for it is a well-known
fact that Bridges is a registered
Republican.
William Wroth
Graduate in Political
Science
* * *
Crusading Editor
Emerald Editor:
One cannot help but be in
trigued with the investigation of
fraternity hazing which has ten
tatively concluded that the al
leged evils are nothing more
than the delusions of a crusad
ing editor. Those who foresaw
the outcome and from it con
cluded that the affair was pur
poseless were unduly pessimis
tic: on the contrary, it has pro
vided valuable insight into the
survival proclivities of the poli
tician.
J. W. Barchfield
Economics Graduate
About Letters
Letters to the editor must be
signed and should include, if
from a student, the writer’s
year and major. If not from a
student they should contain the
writer's position at the Univer
sity or his address.
There is no maximum length
for letters but those under 300
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tial treatment. Letters should
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The Emerald will also publish
intelligently-written columns of
campus or more general interest
either by students or faculty
members. Columns submitted
should also be double spaced.
Preferred length is between two
and three typewritten pages.
FiU-'e*; up."
Letters to the Editor
On Socratic Method
Emerald Editor:
I was astonished to learn in
Professor Summer’s letter on
Monday that "the lecture went
out with the invention of the
printing press," and the Socratic
method should replace the lec
ture system across the board,
and at all levels.
Professor Summers stated
that he has seen the method
work well in classes of one
hundred and fifty, adding the
somewhat hasty conclusion that
it will therefore work anywhere.
What he neglected to point out
was that his observation was
made at the law school level,
hardly a convincing basis upon
which to build such an ambi
tious scheme.
In short, we have been given
nothing but an opinion that the
Socratic method is an excellent
teaching device. And it is—in its
place. But how many of us
would survive in a physics or
calculus class with a text hook,
a pile of mimeographed sheets
and class notes which border
on chaos?
The syllogism used by Profes
sor Summers appears to be this:
The goal of the liberal educa
tion is to develop critical judg
ment; the Socratic method is
the best means of developing
this faculty; therefore, the Soc
ratic method should replace the
lecture method. To put it mild
ly, this is less than compelling
In the first place, it ignores the
very real difference between the
goal of education and the means
utilized in each class in con
tributing toward that goal. It
would seem that the goal can
best be reached by lecture in
cases where the Socratic meth
od isn’t practicable. But Profes
sor Summers assures us that
there aren’t any such situations.
The only thing notable about
this contention is a conspicuous
lack of proof to support it.
The development of critical
judgment comes to students
through an assimilation of fac
tual matter and mental exer
cise, combined with native abil
ity. Some classes, because of
size, quality of participants and
subject matter, lend themselves
to the Socratic method of en
hancing this assimilation; oth
ers simply do noi.
Moreover, if there is a good
argument for indiscriminate
adoption of the Socratic method,
Professor Summers hasn’t shar
ed with us. The scanty substan
tiation of his view .is exceeded
only by his apparent unwilling
ness to recognize and dispose
of the serious problems which
would arise.
It is understandable that one
would subscribe to such an ex
cellent, though limited, teach
ing method as a matter of per
sonal preference. But l submit
that zealous infatuation with a
theory, however commendable,
is no excuse for gross over-gen
eralization and no substitute for
close "examination of the facts.
Robert Burns
First Year l.aw
Hoyt Proposal
Emerald Editor:
A thorough dissection of Tom
Hoyt's letter of Jan. 25 would
require more time and verbiage
than 1 am willing to expend at
this moment. One point, how
ever, must be challenged Hoyt’s
contention that "one of the ma
jor responsibilities of University
political clubs is to uphold the
reputation of the University of
Oregon”.
Two definitional problems
arise Who. besides Mr Hoyt,
views the "responsibility" of po
litical clubs in this manner?
Second, who defines "reputa
tion ?
My own personal approach to
the latter in this context would
be to grant prestige - ic, a good
reputation—to that university
which not only allows but open
ly encourages controversy Free
dom of thought, it seems to me,
is the hallmark of those institu
tions universally acknowledged
as prestigious. For the Univer
sity of Oregon to become one of
these should be the goal of any
concerned with its “reputation”.
The appearance of Gus Hall on
this campus moved the institu
tion towards that goal Mr.
Hoyt’s proposal would only neg
ate that advance.
David Dobkin
Graduate in Political
Science
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TKI) MAHARf Managing Editor
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K rette Dennis, Davt Sands
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