The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-12
THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
Efforts 10 Prevent Hazing Not Yet a
Complete Success


ANNApOTTS MD, oct. &.LNo bar
~ rrevent the hazing of the Fourth
cleee-nen or "plebs.' as they are called
in cadet vernacular has ever peeh pu'
nm that has been 50 successful IN the Cd
! ,sct il sought that the prohiDitive order TO
upper classmen not 70 visit the rooms
'.of ,he Fourth Classmen, and inhibitive d.
'rections TO the Fourth Classmen not 10
obev orders to report TO the apartments OF
the upDer classmen. 1t is in the secrecy
of the rooms OF the cadets that most OF
the latter-dIy hazing has been done. Inc
penaltv for disobedience Of either OF these
orders is 100 dement's. Cadets do not IKE
dement's and especially when they come
in such cyclonic style, for the unit OF
each class before expulsion IS l.0 IN the
FIRST class. 20 ia the second, 20 in the
third. and 300 IN the fourth. Beside. no
cadet desires TO run contrary 10 a writ
ten order. for. i'm the American Navy
from the beginning Of a cadets career,
he learns that TO hear is to obey.
This order has been modified since IL
was issued at the opening of the acade-
mic year. October /. by excepting from
its provisions the first class. THIS IS ID
accordance with the programme OF CON
hdence more particularly carried out
mandant of cadets in trusting the .ignest
class as young officers. and throwing upon
themselves the responsibility OF good dis
cipline instead Of overseeing them Ike
a set Of Youngsters
Another class Of cadets arc Writing
under the new order that has so enectu-
ally stopped the major part oil the ahhu II
running of the plehs, which take place
every year between the first of October
and Christmas. This complaint. strange
TO saw. comes from the form class them
solves. They stand the racket. generally
with good nature looking forward with
dolirht 10 their turn 90 collect what was
aid Them by the third eliss in hazng
from, the next fourth class. So indignant
did one Of these "glebs' hec1ma % tho
tame way I'm which they were being hand-
led by the youngsters That ne Complain
ed 10 a sympathetic source OF the result
on his classmates. 1900.
"That order OF the Secretary Is roast
those bows will all grow up farmerS.' lie
reflected the sentiments OF not Few OF
0cors that a little running Is a good
tbing and takes the supercilious nom
scnse out of a cadet who thinks he is
already an admiral in the navy.
rho conceited class Is the kind the
ba7crs look for. 4 cadet who has a high
orinion Of his anteccdents and thinks
thar ought TO protect him from the in
dignitv OF running is the one sure to
got The most of IT, This summer a lone
fourth classman. the son of an officer OF
d,e.i-oq.ished naval rank. was aboard
the Annapolis with the first class. The
naked attention he received from the
inner c'scrmen indicated TO him that
al 'piers' looked alike 10 them"
In spite of orders and counter orders,
= Is very difficult TO frame any regula-
lions in which go smart youths find some
opr,~e Occasionally the eye OF the
officers drop off the fourth classmen and
th,,~ tcrmentors. One phase Is the inter-
lude between arrival OF the cadets at
the gymnasium and the coming OF an
attendant. Several "Dlebs" were caught
there a few days since by a number Of
upner classmen and at once they began
active business with the unfortunates.
An attendant who was on the lower floor
heard the strange sounds and came uD
AZ once and all was serene when he ar
rived
A more successful mode that has got
ten In between the twin orders is as the
"plebs" pass NJ and down the walks Of
the Academy for a ''youngster' TO stand
along the line OF march, whisper to them
in a commanding emphasis ''Straighten
your arms" Down 90 the upper limbs
Of the plebs to rigidity. The watchmen
see and know what has happened. but
where Is the evidence? II the pleb were
called I'D and asked If that order had
been giben him by n youngster he feels
il 10 be n point OF honor 70 violate the
ninth commandment to vindicate his 'su-
perior officer"
The mess table Is now the place OF sue
cossful evasion of Keen attempts at pre-
vention Here the plebs and upper class
men meet at common tables. As they
go IN bv divisions and not by classes.
each table has its upper classmen and
"plebs" Conversation Is permitted at
the meals. and there is always In this
half hour hubbub equal TO Bedlam
IN the midst OF the tumult OF sounds
the order is given the plebs AZ the re-
spective tables: Sing or ''Tel a good
story" Whether the new man has a
good voice or not or possesses the rare
gl'' OF racontelr ne has 20 ob,y. His
efforts are rewarded with all manner OF
gibes and confused criticisms. The ef-
feet OF n pleb's singing Is heightened
when. 10 a tune of Yankee Doodle" he
10 made to sing the list OF soilsd clothes
he has lately put In the laundry.
One Of the present class Is one Guss OF