The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-04-22

This terrible haZing seems to be ap
piled by the older cadets to the new
recruits with purpose. The purpose
is to keep as many Of them out as posi-.
BILE.
The writer in Truth says that, OF
fifty candidates who fail to pass the
examination, at least one-half do SC
Intentionally. After going through
an experience which he proceeds to
detail, they give it up, choosing
rather life Of obscurity and manli-
ness, than one of military glory as a
Second Lieutenant, on the munifcent
stipend of $1,000 or 81 200 per annum,
with servility." In two weeks he
he learned that the prated mutuality
of interest, and implicit reliance upon
the honor of cadets by officers, is
utilized by the one as a splendid op-
portunity for the perpetration Of con-
temptible, puerile tricks, and by the
other as a pretext for escaping the
drudgery of vigilance. -
The raw candidates were placed in
charge of four of the advanced cadets.
Gentlemanly honor, as well ashuman-
ity, would have suggested to these
seniors to treat the new fellows with
as much forbearance as possible, till
they had had time to learn the rules,
at least. But West Point is different
The advanced cadets worried the fresh
arrivals as cruel boys worry monkeys
in cage Every indignity that a
boys savage imagination could devise
was put upon them.
On the first night of his arrival the
writer was naturally ignorant of what
TAPS" meant. For this offense he
was compelled to climb the chimney
in his night dress. Another greeny,
in the same scanty uniform, had to
sit astride a partition eight feet high
and three inches wide. A third was
compelled to initiate the motions of
swimming upon trunk, and a fourth
to mount the mantelpiece. In these
painful positions they were all four
suddenly ordered to sing. One or two
said they had never sung a word in
their lives. That made no difference.
Sing
"A life the ocean wave,
\ home on the rolling deep
Roared Cadet Carter, one Of the sup
perior officers. The boys were in fear
of bodily injury, and they trembling
ly endeavored to obey. The weirdest
medley ever heard from mortal throat
arose from the scared quartet. In
voices which were two tremolo, one
stomachic,' the other decidedly cav
ernous." they tried to sing for their
lives. This sounds funny, perhaps.
1t was not at all funny to the fright
ened, homesick boys, each twisted in
to a position which gave him keen
physical pain.
One favorite mode of "discipline"
was to stand twenty or thirty new
recruits all on their heads together. 1t
was such fun to see them tumble over
against each other. This was an i'm
portant part of the training necessa-
ry to fit a man to command an army.
Then, again, they were compelled OF
stand and hold their arm out till they
ached intolerably. Their painful
grimmaces and writings contributed
no little to the refined amusement of
their superior officer.
IL any verdent candidates were luck
less enough to be caught out IN
the grounds away from under the eyes
of professor, woe be unto them.
They were forced to butt their heads
together and play goat. They were
also forced to strip themselves naked,
and in that state to climb trees. By
way of varying the discipline they
were at times made to stand on their
head and have cold water poured into
their pantaloon legs. This, perhaps,
was by way of teaching them how to
storm a fort.
There was no redress, either, for
the unfortunate, not shadow. If
they complained to the professors the
abusive treatment was not only re-
doubled, but the cadets under whose
charge they were, reported so many
demerits that they were obliged to
yield or leave. They were wholly at
the savage mercies Of lot Of irrespon-
sible boys The cruelty of boys is pro-
verbal. Of course such things are a
matter of taste, but not every father
with his eyes open would care to sub
iect favorite son to such deviltry as
that, even for the sake of having him
be West Point graduate.
Such, however, is discipline. The
kind of high-minded gentlemen deyel-
Oped by 1t has been inStanced in the