PRINCETON OPPOSES HORSING

As the result of a post card canvass of the Faculty and Senior class of Princeton recently made by the Daily Princetonian in an endeavor to discover the attitude towards "horsing" in the university, 55 percent are seen to favor abolishing the custom and 45 percent favor its retention. The exact count was 65 for and 79 against. The Faculty are more generally opposed to horsing than are the undergraduates.

The Princetonian continues as follows:

"Although in substantiating the various opinions a wide diversity of reasons were given, a few central ideas were emphasized practically by all. The friends of horsing based their case on its alleged three-fold influence in furthering class democracy, class unity, and a proper attitude of the Freshmen toward the upper classes and toward the college. The opponents of the system maintained that the rushes and Freshman restrictions, not horsing, unify the class, that the prominent men escape horsing while the friendless Freshmen bear the brunt of it, with a resulting effect away from democracy instead of toward it; and that whatever doubtful good it may do in opening the eyes of the Freshmen to their own unimportance is more than neutralized in Sophomore year. Its enemies maintain further that it is childish and in every way out of accord with Princeton spirit, while its advocates believe that it is one of the factors which go to make up the individuality and charm of Princeton atmosphere."

Answers to the cards were not confined to "yes" and "no" and some interesting arguments may be quoted as throwing light upon a custom the defense of which nearly all declare is not to be based on "traditional" grounds. One professor thinks horsing out of accord with Princeton democracy: "Every man should stand in Princeton for what he is, unaffected by the question whether he has been here a year or a week." Another says:

"Horsing is based upon the tactical advantage which the Sophomore has over the Freshman. It is therefore a lesson in bullying. Apart from this it is childish and silly, and only serves to bring ridicule on the men who practice it and the institution which tolerates it. The system turns the Freshman in time into a bully, and Princeton does not need the system because there is never any need for a system that is base, cowardly, and immoral." When asked for a substitute he says: "The substitute for being a bully is being a gentleman. The only way to make a system and tradition of manliness is by practicing it individually."