History of Hazing

[madmax]

Originally posted by James
This is probably the most comprehensive, yet brief, history if hazing, I have read on the net. It s from the Kappa Sigma ideabank http://www.kappasigma.org/ideabank/historyhazing.html

No source for it is given.


HISTORY OF GREEK HAZING


To most fraternity men, hazing in its various forms is regarded as a perpetual problem -- regrettable in many ways, but like the common cold, always with us. In actual fact, this widespread impression is completely mistaken and misleading.

Hazing is a comparatively recent development in fraternity life, foreign to our basic principles, and increasingly harmful to us every year.


Hazing, although it had some slight use in English nautical circles (crossing the Equator, etc.), is regarded by the English themselves as an American word and practice which became prominent only after 1850. It stressed horse-play and pranks, not personal service (like fagging); it was erratic and occasional, rather than an everyday affair.




About 1850 or so, hazing on a class basis -- that is, hazing of freshmen by sophomores, usually -- began to develop in the Eastern colleges. It had developed even earlier at the military academies -- West Point and Annapolis, and their college imitators. This tendency was greatly increased by large university populations and the use of athletics in the 1880's.

I think the writer contradicts himself. If hazing became prominant after 1850 then how can he say hazing is a recent development? Isn't 1850 about the time when most fraternities started?