we have to find a way to eradicate these subsections of the band
About a dozen people pleaded guilty to Mercurial Vapor Superfly a misdemeanor and received probation in that case, though it’s not clear what actions, if any, the university took to punish them.
After the arrests, White approached Barber for help in getting rid of hazing. One area he focused on: A white wall in the band’s practice field where nicknames for the instrument sections were prominently displayed. Becoming a member of these groups—the clarinets were known as “The Clones” and the tubas were the “White Whales”—meant becoming part of a tradition and a band that has played Super Bowls, the Grammys and presidential inaugurations.
But some sections had their own violent initiation rituals. White bought buckets of white paint and asked Barber to cover up the section nicknames on the wall.
“Tim, we have to find a way to eradicate these subsections of the band,” Barber said White told him. “Cover the names so they see this is not something supported by the band staff.”
While White documented his efforts to stop the Mercurial Vapors hazing, it’s possible he could’ve done more on the front lines, according to Richard Sigal, a retired sociology professor at County College of Morris in Randolph, N.J., who has studied hazing.
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