Meet the Class of 1912: Hazing and the Freshman Experience in 1908 at Vanderbilt
The Vanderbilt University Catalog from 1908-1909 has a line about hazing under the requirements for admission. The 1908-1909 catalog states: All students are required on admission to sign a pledge promising to abstain from every form of rushing or hazing. This requirement may not seem odd to you, but this was not a commonplace requirement at other institutions of that time. During the early 20th century, freshman hazing by upperclassmen was a common occurrence and even considered a tradition by some. This requirement was a result of a 1907 hazing incident that unfolded over a period of several days on the Vanderbilt campus. See this incident through the students' eyes as recorded in articles linked below from the 1907 Hustler.
