1993 Volume 116 No 1–4 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

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C o n f r o n t i n g
HAZNG
Despite our best efforts to regulate the practice
out of existence, hazing continues. How can we
be rid of this tradition By Sparky Reardon
E
N
M E M B E R S
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly
when hazing became a part of
the American fratemity
tradition. Some say the
practice came from European
university students who,
during the 18* century,
brought the tradition with them to
Harvard and William & Mary. Some
blame students at the military schools
at AimapoUs and West Point who
may have carried hazing to pubhc
schools. It is certain, however, that
our Founders did not practice it. But
whatever its origin, hazing has
become one of the darkest traditions
in Greek life. It is our most ugly and
most visible blemish, and it is the
flaw most pointed to by critics of the
Greek community.
As an undergraduate, I experienced
hazing firsthand, and throughout
my years as a university
administrator at the University of
Mississippi, I have dealt with a
number of hazing incidents in
fraternities. But I'U never forget my
first incident as an admiiustrator.
I remember clearly to this day
how desperate Rick, a freshman
pledge, sounded when he called me
one afternoon in the first week of
February, 1986. In my profession you
learn to read a student's tone and
choice of words, and Rick sotmded
like he needed help. I told him to
come by my office immediately.
I had known Rick since before he
participated in rush. He was an eager
freshman, and he had received bids
from his choice of fraternities the
previous fall. He was a good student
and had applied for membership in
the freshman academic honoraries.
He was also a fine athlete who had
thrown numerous touchdown passes
and won the Pledge League championships
in November.
"Can I shut the door" he asked
when he finally arrived.
I nodded and waved him to a
chair. He looked exhausted and very
froubled, and he avoided my
inquisitive stare. When he finally
raised his head and faced me, his
eyes filled with tears.
"I want to drop my pledge," he
said. "1 don't want to be in a fraternity.
I'm thinking about transferring
schools."
I was shocked. Rick had been one
of the most popular freshmen on our
campus. But from his appearance, the
time of the year, his tone of desperation,
and knowing what I knew about
his fratemity, I guessed.
"Rick, are you being hazed"
He looked at me and nodded. 1
think he was surprised I apparently
knew what was going on.
"It's been going on since the
middle of the semester," he confessed.
"And I didn't think anything
of it at first. But this last week, it's
gotten a lot worse."
Rick told me that the actives and
some young alimini he didn't know
had gathered the pledges late one
night for pledge activities. He rattled
off a list of things the pledges were
forced to do. The hst included eating
dog and cat food, performing long
sessions of calisthenics, being
deprived of sleep, and being forcing
to remain in cramped positions for
long periods of time.
"I'm a better man than to have
this happen to me," he said.
I asked if he would cooperate with
the University by giving the adminisfration
details of the hazing practices
of his chapter. He agreed.
Immediately, the Uruversity
launched an investigation into the
Spring 1993 * TheScroU 53