T. Haviland Hicks -- Freshman

• Release Year: 1917
• Country: US
• Run Time: 3rl minutes

Plot

This three-reel college comedy was made by a low-budget film company called, improbably, Conquest Pictures. T. Haviland Hicks (Ray McKee) is a hyperactive young fellow whose best pal is the timid Theophilus Opperdyke (James Turbell). When the sophomores hear Hicks torturing a banjo, they decide he needs a good hazing. Opperdyke warns Hicks of the plan, and they approach the students and make a deal -- if they are not able to haze Hicks, then both he and Opperdyke are to be spared hazing for all time. The sophomores take the challenge and show up at Hicks' dorm room wearing pillow cases. Hicks tricks them by smashing a lamp against the wall and putting on a pillowcase himself while the room is dark. This way he is able to find out about their plans for him. He thwarts them by having all the freshmen congregate outside of the sophomore lair at the appointed hour. The sophomores are beaten in the ensuing battle of the classes. Then, to add insult to injury, the freshmen replace the sophomore colors on a flag pole with their own colors. After all this undergraduate horseplay, Hicks becomes the most popular boy on campus. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide