CRANWELL COLLEGE
SIR,—Mr. C. LI. Griffiths defends 'hazing' Cranwell, including the drilling of juniors I the nude in the open with snow on the groan after lights out and making them jump 611 feet from a beam into the swimming-P°( whetheir they can swim or not, by suggesti.r: that such `self-imposed' tests make for wo power and the ability to think quickly. The and other tests arc, however, not self-imposc' theeY are inflicted by seniors on juniors, and „ Proposition that hazing cultivates will- or l'caver or the ability to think, in either the bully
le bullied, will not bear examination. , Ts Cranwell authorities are sensitive to
,saggestion that hazing is bullying. In the view, bullying is when several men retsccute one man. This is 'not done,' But it 's considered quite respectable for several kni a'S to *deal with' (sic] a group of juniors. :rl all armed forces men have to learn to live ftether at close quarters and to react immedi- ate] becar to orders.. Cranwell tolerates hazing u.se it seems a 4uick and easy way of M l",sing in recruits and eradicating what is O, „ laiiY termed 'Bolshevism.' (Any query as a j icte4le value or good sense of any established or custom, including, of course, hazing,
oishevism..)
What the Cranwell authorities do not What the Cranwell authorities do not reahse is that as a technique for promoting Ole ; team spirit and disciplined reactions, haz-
11)g
the s archaic and inefficient. It tends to lower in' of personal 'resourcefulness and ehis.itive and to deprive the RAF of first- Officer material by diverting boys into e or r careers (Cranwell is below its capacity :take). Not least, it may cause distortions or
d . Personality which may later let the indi .1 - q aal down in moments of crisis. Consulta-
011 With professional educationists would '114ble Cranwell to achieve their aims with Infinitely greater efficiency.
tb is not, howcver,' likely to be ieis.hed by the Cranwell authorities, who W it with the pride of those who have been through the mill. It will only be ended by the Pres iure of public opinion. Cranwell parents etIn , "elp by urging their sons to refrain from at; in bullying when they become seniors Keeping the matter constantly vend- ' in the press, This is a better medium than !lad ament because ' the Service authorities Joao. .press publicity, whereas they rely on Oztr; avil servants who prepare the answers to lamentary questions to avoid admissions 'hat Could cause trouble.—Yours faithfully, A CRANWELL YAREN L'ING WITH TERRORISTS
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