Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-12-27
tiazing at West Point.

The investigation of hazing at West
Point, called out by the reports
that two former cadets had died from
treatment received while at the military
academy, is revealing considerable
that the general public did not know
in regard to practices at the academy.
From what we have been able to base
an opinion on, we should say that the
result is altogether an exoneration of
the academy, and in most part Of the
cadets This is not saying that hazing
does not take place, for il is admitted
that in spite of the most painstaking
efforts of the authorities it is yet in
vogue. though less extensive and severe
than formerly.
II is clear that these two
students did not receive especially
severe treatment, and that they did
not die from the effects of hazing. II
takes more than a few drops of pepper
sauce or three-round set-to with a
fellow student no larger or stronger to
kill healthy young lad, or even
hasten his death. The facts show that
neither of them suffered seriously in
this way, but that long afterward death
came from natural causes. Both
students were dropped from the
academy for inefliciency, as a large
proportion are. As to hazing, it is
very doubtful if there is more of it at
West Point than at any other institu-
ton, especially of a military character.
We frequently read of such practices
in other colleges and pass them over
as incidents of course, but somehow
when ii comes to West Point both hands
go up in horror.
Personally, it is our opinion,
founded largely on the judgment
of West Point graduates in whom
we have thorough confidence, that on
the whole the hazing that cadets
receive there serves a good purpose,
instead of an evil one. There have
been instances, doubtless, when the
contrary is true, but they are excep-
tional. West Point trains men for
war. If they encounter at the academy
some unpleasantness and hardship in
the process of making "mamma's
darlings" into regular army officers
they are generally thankful for it in
later years. If the scions of famous
sires are required to do stunts so as to
take the conceit out of them and
restore them to a proper level, it is
just as well. Certain it is that. judged
by its product, no training school can
compare with West Point. Its grad
yates measure up to the standard every
time. There is code of honor and
morality among the cadets that could
well be initiated by the student body of
all other schools. Untruthfulness and
deception are not tolerated by the
cadets. Where else is this trueP In
scholarship their proficiency is noto-
rious. They are men of acumen and
action. fitted for any sphere of life and
especially for the service that is before
them. 1t cannot be that ANYTHING
especially harmful to them can have
been melted out during their course of
training. No alumni are more proud
of and loyal to their alma mater than
West Pointers, which would not be
true if they had been abused and
maltreated.
1t is conceivable how bows
deficient in scholarship and posi-
bly, in manliness, who are forced
out, would find it convenient to
attribute their leaving to the treatment
received, rather than admit the truth.
and having circulated such a report. if
they CHANGED to die within a few years
their parents and friends would
naturally ascribe it to the alleged
hazing.
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