FRESHMEN RAGGED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 304, 18 August 1932, Page 3

FRESHMEN RAGGED

STRIPPED THEN PAINTED j . j Discussions in England a short time ago on customs in public schools in- ; cluded "ragging" but this was never anything like the experiences of 22 , new students of Adelaide University. They were stripped naked and blind- i folded and then the "initiation" ceremonies of 1932, lasting an hour and a half, began. First of all the victims were rushed through' and along passages, in and out of buildings, round and round until all sense of direction was los't. If they lagged the freshmen were punished. At the close of the last "rushing scene" a hose was sudden- i ly brought to play on them. Then, still naked, they were made to weed a lawn. Then again, still naked, they were stretehed out on large slahs of ice and dragged on a small harrow. The next command was to jump into a manhole and swim across the water beneath. When the jumps were made the victims found that the water was only a few inches deep. They ! fell heavily on concrete, granite chips, and gravel. The ordeal was not ended. The next proceedure was another "bath" this time from a huge pipe of dirty water. j The climax came when each student was painted, in different colours. The students were then left to clean j themselves as best they could and to j sneak away in as inconspicuous a ! manner as possible. — British United Press.