The Advocate-Messenger from Danville, Kentucky • 8

A8 The ADVOCATE MESSENGER THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25 1999 Throughout history some campus traditions linked to danger By HELEN AP National Writer In the Middle Ages fresh noses were pressed to grindstones literally as an initiation into college life At the turn of thb century mass fist fights were common on campus es around the United States In the 1990s student rites of passage' have included every thing from streaking across the first snow in Princeton to skin ny dipping in the hot springs of the Yellowstone river in Montana Tradition and danger have always formed a potent mix on college campuses Last Wednesday they produced dis aster Twelve people were killed and many more injured by the collapse of a 40 foot pyramid of logs being built for the annual football game bonfire at Texas University The blaze is a 90 year old Thanksgiving tradition so hal lowed that students are willing to don hard hats and haul logs in order to be part of something bigger than ever been part of before They want brag ging rights to a memory they can cherish for all time Students have sought the same for centuries traditions and ritu als are about bonding and belonging about linking stu dents of 1999 with those of 1909 and says Hank Nuwer author of rongs of a study of student rites through the centuries are about people knowing they can be accepted forever as part of this noble Nuwer who teaches journal ism at Anderson University in Indiana traces such to the 4th century when St Augustine complained about a group called the tormenting new students in Carthage "There was something very like the action of devils in their behavior" Augustine wrote not ing that once newcomers were accepted they became Jethro Wood improved the plow LEDYARD NY (AP) Inventor eJethro Wood (1774 1834) helped the farmers of early America by his innovations and improvements to the plow In 1814 he first patented a cast iron plow He introduced a perfected plow in 1819 It was light well balanced cheap to manufacture and fitted with replaceable cast iron parts designs were widely copied and contributed to the development of farming machin ery WE GIVE THANKS To all the hard working men and women who represent our commitment to quality To all the clients who value our dedication to sj! service and true partnerships We invite you to become part of our family Inlm 0 I S' 4 th I Danville KY 4042 traditions and rituals are about bonding and belonging about linking students of 1 999 with those of 1909 and Hank Nuwer author themselves abusing the next crop of stu dents Things changed much Despite serious attempts by campus administrators to curb college rituals over the years traditions persist often fueled by alcohol and laced with dan ger At Princeton the annual "Nude sophomore sprint through the snow landed 10 people in a hospital last year mostly for intoxication The event which also drew com plaints about women being groped by male students has been officially banned by the university this year although no one is counting on the ban being upheld In Yellowstone National Park rangers have tried for years to prevent students from Montana State University in Bozeman from skinny dipping at a spot where hot springs boil up' into the icy Yellowstone River Members of the freshmen class of the Naval Academy in Annapolis Md slither up a greased granite monument just before graduation At Cornell University in Ithaca NY mobs of students mark the last day of classes by climbing a hill and getting roaring drunk so many participate in that campus police stopthem The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has its own proud history of mischief making or which dates least to the 1920s our years ago hack ers placed a police car on top of the Great Dome In 1982 they dug a tunnel under the Harvard Stadium and launched an exploding blackrubber balloon at the 50 yard line during the Harvard Yale game Defenders of the Texas bonfire say it is unfair to put their tradition in the same cate gory Theirs is an organized event they argue structured and supported by the university administration And until this year it was considered safe Even people who lost friends in the accident publicly urged uni versity officials to continue the tradition bonfire is a serious said' Sheldon Steinbach general counsel for the American Council on Education a Washington based group that represents higher education is as much a les son in engineering and team work as it is a memory to be Steinbach argued that with 17 million students in higher education in America accidents are bound to happen happen on a geology field trip on the hockey he said was a terrible tragedy but it was not a frater nity prank that went wrong It was an But critics contend that col lege officials often turn a blind eye to events that are inherent ly dangerous simply because they are part of campus lore are treated as a hal lowed even a sacred thing that everyone says Eileen Stevens of Sayville NY whose son Chuck died in an alcohol related hazing incident in 1978 like a conspiracy to create this very special our characteristics that determine the quality of a diamond Consult us JEWELERS A diamond is forever Choose it with care Ask to see our selection of loose diamonds Trust our 5 1 years experience JEWELERS 117 North Third Street Danville KY (606) 2366612 Indian Hills Chdisti an Chuqch 56 Grabruck Danville Ky or more information call (606) 236 7575 OJi Chirk Minuter Ninvrv Provided I I i I Invites You To Hear This Sunday Bob Russell Bob Russell Sr Minister of Southeast Christian Church Louisville KY Sunday November 28th 5:00 6:30 pm Church and the New Nursery Provided Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving We have scheduled the 5 o'clock service especially so you can hear Boh speak and attend your own church service Special Of hristnias Discount I Up to TWO HUNDRED ITY DOLLARS pt 25000 S25 oripurthaspui 1 99 Entertainment Centers on Sale NOW! 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