The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-01-02
HAZING CADETS.
How the Life of a "Plebe . at
Annapolis is Made Miserable.
HOW HE is GUYED.
The "Middies" Themselves Opposed
to Abolishlng the Practice-Pranks
on the Return From Cruise-Re-
ports of Injuries.

The fact that the House Naval Committee
has decided to investigate the death OF Naval
Cadet StraDg, to ascertain whether or not he
died from Injuries received while being hazod,
has called very marked attention to the pra1-
tice of hazlng at Annapolis. Mr.. Cox says that
his committee Will formulate bill which II
passed will put stop to that practice. He
may be able TO accomplish that end, but It is
very doubtful.
10 break up hazlng entirely f., In the opin.
Ion Of many naval officers, impossible. Many
n superintendent Of the academy has under
taken the task, backed up by legislation,
making dismissal the penalty OF being caught
ha2ing. None Of them have over succeeded to
any appreciable extent. The only result has
been TO make the hazlnR more secret and per-
haps to lessen It's severity n little. But the
fact 10 that hazing has not for very many years
been in any way severe.
The strongest hold that hazlng has Ia IN sem
tlment of the cadets themselves. Every third
clGseman will tell you that he was glad no was
hazed the year before; that 1t did MIN good
Your fourth classman who undergoes tho haz-
ing will not be found that year to be enthusi-
astic on the subject; but when no becomes
third classman he VIII have changed his
views e, and enters with avldlty into the prac-
tlce Of hazing the newcomers. He is very
busy at II for the first two or three months
after the commencement Of the academic year.
Then haZing drops on to great extent, only
The fourth class man is liable to be hazed
until after ne makes HIS frat cruise. Then his
time comes around and is by no means neg
lected.
one form OF hazing is hazing proper, and
the other drumming" The latter consists in
guylug a new man. II ia by making fun Of
his appearance, his awkwardness, his pecu.
liarities, or anything else that the festive
sumner" may chance TO notice. IT Is consld-
cred marked accomplishment TO be good
"runner," and the reputation of being the
"best runner" In the third class is considered
n reputation to DO by no means despised. 1t
IL n distinction,
When the ships return from q cruise the
young men, as they troop ashore, each one
carrying his personal effects tied up IN sheet
or In clOthes.bag, present somewhat fierce
appearance for ones so young. They are GOV.
cred with tar, Drowned by the Winds and sun,
and wear apparel that has seen tough service
in the work OF sailors allow and slOft They
look o great deal flercor to "plebes" who are
peeping at them from behind the windows OF
the buildings than they do 10 others. stray
''plebe" met on the way to quarters gets his
first dose. He feels very cheap after IT,
AS soon as the rooms are assigned tn the re-
turning cadets, the work OF fixing up tneir
beds and other articles are to be brought
down. The third classman tackles IA few
piebes and makes them do this work. They
VIII stop them every now and then TO have n
little seonco of standing upon heads, crawling
under beds, chewing soap aud being shaved
with one OF the pieces OF tin stuck up in each
cadets room bearing the names OF Its occu'
pants. They may have other little diver
sions suggested at the moment but they dc
not amount to much.
1t is alter the third clnssmen have gotten
their rooms IN order that the fun begins.
Then commence many little pleasantrie5. AS
the important hG2er enters the plebes' rooms
whoever may happen to be there must rise
and take or hats. When addressed, each one
must put ''sit" at the end OF his answers
He must do this promptly. Then with the
regular orders used In navigating ship, they
aIa0f
and, with the aid Of q sheet, go through the
maneuvers OF setting, furling aud reeddg sail.
They are then ordered down from aloft to be
ordered back again,
They are made sing whether they can or
not. They whistle, dance on the table aud
crawl around on Sil tours. They have chlm.
they 10y upon the floor. When tho chimney is
high enough buckets OF water are gently
poured upon them. They like this. If while
any one Is going through absurd antics, Nc
matter now funny the actor looks, If another
plebe laughs he gets a double dose,
Four men are seated each on bed They are
| given bToomS for oars, and row rRcs by pull
| ing away for dear life at nothing. II Is beau
tlful sight.
Soon the august third class man ascertalna
| who are the pious young men. There are
| always pioue young men at the first part o.
| the academic course. But there are very few
| on graduation day. When the pious ones are
| found out "a religious service is held.
With The plous ones for ministers ana dea.
! cons there is meeting. II consists OF preach
| Ing and prayer. Once every minute each one
| the audience is required to give vent to hearty
| ''Bmeps." To laugh during service is some
thing awful. The "shirt.taii parade" abou
winds up the haZers' curriculum. The plebeS
| are turned out OF bed after "taps," aud II
| night attire, armed with brooms, aud organ
| lied as a battalion, there Is regular drill
Under the half-turned mp gas IN the corrl
| dor the appearance of the men being drilled
| is very ludicrous.
whenever the subject OF hazlng at Anuapo
| lis comes up there Is always recurrence to tn
| old story OF changing men out Of fourth
| story window In a sheet" There is rumJ
| that once in tho way past peculiarly refraG
| tory fourth classman was so treated.
| 1t is only a tradition, however, and n
| authenticated case OF such treatment has beel
developed. A man is sometimes cut down II
HE hammock on shipboard, but such tricl
is but seldom played. Taking It all In all, tn
system Of hazing and running OF Annapolis Il
| by no means cruel or brutal. For the mos
| part II Is simply harmless fun. The grea
bugaboo about blindfoldlng yOungster ani
walking him over the sea-wall is not 80 yer
| great an evil after all.
1t is seldom resOrted to, and then the victlr
| only gets a portion OF his lower limbs wet an
| suetains moro or less welldeveloped case Q
| scare. Sometimes at the end OF an academi
year and before cruise tho newlY.nedge
third classman will indulge In running til
candidates for admittance. As the candidate
| are not admitted until after successfully pass
ing the required examination, this hazln
takes place outside of the academy walls.
The hotels and clearinghouse whore tn
candidates are stopping are visited by III
aspiring hazer.
Although Cadet strang was not bpzsd atte
being admitted to the Academy, aud was II
eide only twenty-four hours before being take
to tho hospital, II is possible that he may hay
been hazed outside.
In times past there have been cases wher
the third class, having kept up most vig0rOu
ha2lDg for an unusually long time, tue rourt
class have rebelled aud regular class fight
have occurred.
II the fourth class got the better OF the thlr
class, II meant an end OF all hazlng. Tles
fights have always been pretty oven one
For though the third class mas the benaht
years training, the lower class is Away
much larger. One of the funniest things aboi
the whole system 10 to see i've foot-four thir
class man hazing a half dozen six.foot plebe
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|