Page 39 - some-stuff-i-wrote-and-some-stuff-i-didn't-(2011)-h-morris-williams

Some Stuff I Wrote (2001) H. Morris Williams

Remember the Azons and E-Phi’s?

February 23, 1993

The Azons and E-Phi’s were two “Greek letter” clubs at Columbia High School many years
ago. Both were social clubs and the members were considered to be the “in group” at school.
The E-Phi (Epsilon Phi) was for girls and the membership always included some cheerleaders

and other female leaders around the school. The Azons were mainly male athletes along with a few
other boys who were popular around campus. The Azons and E-Phi’s had a lot in common: They

inducted new members yearly, held meetings, had parties, and occasionally did worthwhile campus
projects.

Both clubs “hazed” their new members with gentle hazing. For example, the newE-Phi
members might be required to come to school wearing no make-up - or wearing a peculiar, ill-fitting

dress - or they might have to stand on a table and sing the club song. At the worst, the regular
members might fill a new girl’s pants with com flakes and peanut butter, drive her out to Lake

Jeffery, and make her walk back to town. It was all good, clean, silly fun - and the girls loved it.
The Azon initiation was different - often painful and humiliating, especially back in the

1930's and 1940’s. For example, new members might be required to sit on the sidewalk in front of
the school in pairs — in full view of other students - and, one by one, pull all the hairs off each others

legs. Or run through a belt line several times where regular member would hit them full force with
folded belts. Sometimes excruciating and embarrassing things would be done to private body parts.

But the final and worst stage of the initiation would take place at the football field after dark.
Inductees would have to grab a pole of the goal post and hang on for dear life while the regular
members beat their backsides with a board - and the beating might last an hour, until all the regular

members had their swings. Some new members have told of going home afterwards with their
buttocks so bloody their shorts would stick to their backside.

Why did those students voluntarily endure such a painful initiation? Peer pressure, pure and
simple. The desire to be accepted by the group.

And where were parents who would permit their sons to participate in such a severe
initiation? The Azons had an unspoken pledge to secrecy and most parents had little or no idea what

was going on.

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