Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-10
THE NAVAL ACADEmf'
Some Changes Recommended-nAA"s
Handled without Gloves

| Soma Changes Recommendeo-n
Handled without Gloves
WASHINGTON, D. c., July s.-lne
Board of Visitors to Annapolis through
its Secretary Lieutenant Alexander
Sharp, has made report to the seer.
tarv of the Navy upon the result Oh i's
visit 70 the Naval Academy last june.
Among the recommendations maze W
the Board are the following: A..
I That the age of admission 10 1no
Academy be made from Is to 10 year
instead of IS to 90 s.no.
That the law providing dona-
ton of one years sea pay amountlns ~ ~
1850 to cadets not entering the selsi -
at the head of the six years courSo 70
repealed.
3-That every cadet shall be appoint
ed one year in advance OF entrance, ca
cept when, by reason OF death or o'ne.
canse. a vacancy occurs which cahho'
be provided for By such appointment III
advance; and that in each case an a "auao
nate shall be nominated at the samo
time; and that course or study coTot,
ing the work Of one year preparatory W
admission be recommended to eacn ap-
pointee, and alternate, as desiraoie
line of preparation for admission; anu
4-That no cadet reported dehclent III
either conduct or studies ana RECON-
mended for discharge by the Academic
Board, shall, unless upon recommen-
dation of the Board, be retained or re-
appointed in the Academy or appolnteu
to any place in the navy until his class
shall have left the Academy and recelV-
ed their commissions.
The board treats the subject OF "haI-
ing" at considerable length.
'sThe odious, brutalizing ana I'M
American habit of hazing has not as
yet entirely disappeared from the
academy. The efforts that have oeeh
made for it's determination are gratifying
to us and have been largely successful,
but there yet fingers among the cadetS
a degree of class feeling that Is ex-
tremely detrimental. This is, no doubt,
difficult for young men Of the ages OF
those at the naval academy fully 10
comprehend and always to act upon
the broad principles of justice ana
equity that generally prevail among
educated and broad-minded men; ana
yet the very purpose of the liberal edu-
cation the government bestows upon
those who are the object of its care here
is to make them officers who, loving
justice, will always defend the right.
The lesson they are to practice through
out life they ought to learn and prac-
tice hereto hate wrong and oppres-
sion. Looked at from proper stand
point, nothing is more brutal, not to say
cowardly, than for the strong to OPP
press the weak; or for superior in
rank to take advantage of his position
to wrong an inferior. Though young
men may in moments of recklessness
and mirth disguise the truth from
themselves, yet this is really the spirit
that prompts those OF higher to de-
grade and insult those of a lower class.
The Board is glad to be able to re-
port that there is now at the Academy
only relic Of the haZjng that in times
past was so disgraceful, and the officers
in charge are taking what they believe
to be wise and proper steps to eradicate,
so far as may be, certain false ideas OF
honor that still linger among the young
men and manifest themselves in GER
tain extravagant fidelity to one class at
the expense sometimes it may be OF
even official duty and honor itself.