Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-28
HAzINo cADEra
How II Was Done At the Naval Academy
Graduate's Former Experience.

Graduste's Former Experience.
| AN ABANDONED PRACTfCE-BUr IT WAS vERl
oESARAI roR MANY YxARs--soM OF TIL
FRANKS THAT WE'RE PLAYED UPON TIL
PLKBEs.
A PRoPOS OF THE COURT MARTIAL OF
"A three cadets Of the Naval Academy fol-
"hazins" I think it would perhaps be good
idea to tell the readers of The STAR something
OF 'hazing" az 1t has been and is at the scad.
envy. Before the war;" our superiors tell us
there was no such impositions practiced-then
all cadets were equal and none sought an un.
fair advantage by prestige of rank priority
OF service-but this We doubt, for it is hardly
possible that any crowd Of 500 boys could be
assembled who would not on account of the
| inert meanness" OF the average youngster at
tempt to play practical jokes upon one another
However that may be, it is certain that shortly
after the close of the war '.hazing" and flag
ging" developed in almost all OF its objection
able forms. The fourth-class man or ''plebe
"a soon as he entered was met by a crowd o.
| upper clessmen who began at once to guy him
aVd amuse themselves at his expense. II is o.
some of these prank and notions that 1 intend
| to write.
|
| The candidates for admission were generally
chosen from the best families of tue country
successful boys in other schools they had at
tended--and came to the academy with sxalted
opinions Of their own abilities. As the candi-
dates went each day OF their entrance exami-
nation week to tho examination rooms crowds
OF cadets stood by and remarked upon their
personal appearance. These remarks were
| tnouXhtless and fully as heartless as they were
| thoughtless. The candidate was greeted with
| such remarks as "Oh what a figure for a SOL
| der! Catch on to the sailor swagger ~
| What will you take for the clothes?" But it
was when he entered that he WAS fair play. No
| sooner was he installed in his room than jolly
| crowd of youngsters" as tho third classme n
! are called. entered his room. He was required
| to stand up, hat off and films out'--the latte
| meaning to spread the fingers of both hands
out and place them. palms out with the little
fingers on the seams OF his trousers. Then he
was asked If "he came into the navy for glory
| or money"-an invariable answer, Tor glory"
| brought IA shout of Look at the future ad-
| mirai.' and he was taught to repeat
| .'Oh. I'm seaman bold and tried,
The nations joy. the navy pride;
sailor boy Of the oiten time"
Then he was told to always address an upper
! classman" as sir and never to forget to put
sir OH after every sentence" Then the new
| cadet or ''plebe" was made t. understand the
fun meaning of the reciprocal offs piebe
being plebs on his head. He was made to
stand on his head aud say the Lords PRAYER
backward, to recite oil sorts OF Quser rhymes,
~ fur! SAIL on wardrobe with a sheet for s.
sail.
THE FATE OF AN DIRECTOR.
If the plebe objected he was given chance
to fight it out Some man of his own weight
was chosen from the upper classmen: seconds.
timekeepere and judges we're appointed-fcr it
was boosted that .'piebe'' was always given a
fair chance. Back of the gymnasium and gas
houses is little lnciosed space, with one lace
Oh the seq wall. known Hyde Park, and it
was here that these affairs of honor were set
tied. 1t has been the scene of many bloody
hght. and 1t may be said, to the honor of the
Plebes, that they were quito often successful
When the famous class OF SO were ''plebes'' one
OF their number fought to finish with an
81 man and ii came near finishing both of
then for they were both carried &c the sick
quarters on shutters, but both lived to be naval
officers and laugh AZ their boyish past over .
friendly glass at SEA.
TAGGING NOT GENERAL.
Tagging consisted in an upper classman
using plebe as a valet, making him run err
rands with themes, and was the most degrading
form Of hazing, as it was repulsive to any
gentlemen to DE SO demeaned. Fortunately
there was never much OF this. This WAS haziug
in its milder forms. More objectionab bic
features came when on a cruise the '.plebes''
were forced to drink ink and eat candles varied
by an occasional sup of vinegar / knew one
member OF the class above mine who nightly
made the rounds OF every ...plebes" room, and
his appearance was q signal for every .'plebe'
to stand on his head I his unprincipled Young
man often required ''plebes" to stuff their
mouthes full OF paper, and from this prank
arose very iudicrous scene.
My room mate, as plebc, was a practical!
1rst wat md
set up a scheme on this professional hazer.
HAzER FRIGHTENED.
One evening he came in as usual and required
my room mate to chew paper. He made him
stuff sheet after sheet in his mouth till his
cheeks were distended and his moutl. full. then,
as per the prearranged plan, the plebe began
to choke. His part was splendidly acted. He
gasped, turned red in the face and finally fell
writing to the floor. Dy this time the ..upp.-
classman" was thoroughly alarmed and rushed
for some water frantically, while l. sitting back
the laughter, pounded my room mate in the
back. others rushed in and some one
started for doctor. Finally the
'plebe ceased to writhe about and lay
perfectly motionless on the toor The upper
classman was frantic. the tears streamed down
his face, and he said, ''OE, B, was only in
fun, didn't mean to hurt you, Oh God. for
give me- Finally with the aid of a button
hook the imaginary paper in his windpipe was
uAshouScu, anu Nc Slowly revived. The upper
classman was relieved, and did not see through
the hoax ut all. 1t was splendidly acted, anu
after many earnest apologies the upper class
man left our room and never returned A wear
| afterward told him Of it, and he was ready to
tight when he saw how he had been fooled.
SOME OTHER FORMS OF HAzISa
Another favorite scheme was for an upper
classman to come into q room and turn out the
light. with the command, ''Disappearw A
moment later the light was reiighted and woe
| to any unfortunate ''plebe" that was not we'll
concealed beneath bed or some place In the
room Another standard joke WAS the ''menag-
erie" q room WAS arranged with tables all
| around tine walls and beneath the tables were
packed the ''plebes.'' The wittiest of the
''plebes" was taken for the exhibitor and de-
scribed the animals one by one to the bowling
upper classpen" as the plebes went through
the actions Of lions, panthers and snakes. Less
harmful hazing consisted in making the musi-
cal plebes render concerts t. crowds of the
upper classes.
1t mattered little however, in what the
ofense consisted if an unfortunate .'hezer' was
caught; he was immedia tely sourt-ma- tailed
and woe to his chances for commission il the
navy II this happened. for he was invariably
pronounced guilty" and sentenced to be dis
missed. len years ago the officers ''winked"
at the crazy pranks Of the cadets and said that
few fights did them good and that was
what they were put in the navy for
THE PRACTICE DIsAPPEARINa
But within the last few wears thasannar