Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
HAZINGAT ANNAPOLIS
The "Youngster" at the Naval Acad-
envy Not Injured or Inundated.
By 4lS TREATMENT
In Case Of FightHe Can Choose
His'fAntxgonist.

| '''SeS>''Se'
ALWAYS GIVEN A SHOW
Referring to the facts brought out by the
hazing investigation at West Point "a for
mer naval officer who was commenting on
| the. different methods which prevail at
the Naval Academy as compared with those
at the Point said to Star reporter:
When was at the Naval Academy IN the
1Vs hazing was almost thing of the past
There was something done in the way of
running" as it was called in those days.
That consisted mainly in placing the
youngster in a ridiculous light. There was
never any i'll feeling in the matter at all
The purpose was simply to take off the
raw edges of the new men by making their
shortcomings appear ridiculous Of course,
If youngster showed gall 1t went harder
with him, as the whole third class would
soon find him out and each man would
make his life as unpleasant as possible.
This was easy enough of accomplishment
without ever employing force with the re-
calcitrant young man or offering him any
indignity. When the youngster enters the
Naval Academy he is practically rud-
derleSS craft. For many years to come
somebody must steer him. He canno- steer
himself. Those who are to do that steering
consist of every man above him in rank
from the next number ahead of MIN in
his own class to the superintendent of the
academy
He must learn and learn at once to do as
he is told. Keen, practiced, intelligent eyes
Watch his every movement. If he shows in
telllgence, Willingness and quick readiness
TO obey, life Will be pleasant for MIN. II
he develops any contrary traits, woe unto
him. He will simply be given full swing
to run aground and he will not be long
about it. If he shows aptitude for the
service the upper class man will help him
in thousand little ways, which ne will
probably not appreciate until after years
He will scarcely realize how he got along
so well. And on the other hand, if he
bucks he will wonder what the - is the
| matter that everything goes wrong with
him. At drill he will find that he does
not know where to go nor what to DO, and
will wonder to hear his name read out at
the next mornings report with several
spots (demerits) attached for failure to do
what he has been told.
1T will avail him nothing that these or
ders might have been couched in technical
language as meaningless as Greek to him.
But he Is 'gally' youngster and is without
friends. At drill he is criticised for every
pride to the quick, even though that pride
be protected by a dull sensibiity and self
esteem as thick and tough as the hide Of
rhinoceros. The time will come when he
will conclude that disabilities are not APP
| preciated, that all the rest of the cadets
are set of Doors and that his field of use
fulness lies in some other direction.
A "YOungster's" Experience.
Il struck the academy one cold, rainy
night in September. The cadet battalion
was just forming for supper in the corridors
Of what was then known the new build
ing. 1 had reported to the commandment of
cadets and was told to report to the cap
|
was then, the primary organization in all
naval drills 1t usually consisted of about
sixteen men. To find the sixth crew in
| what seemed to me to be a mere crowd of
| about 800 fellows standing around in uni
| form-I was in citizens clothes-was an APP
palling task. I appealed to the first man
ran across for directions, and he, happen
| ing to be first class man, pointed down
| one of the long corridors and informed
in a very dignifed way that he thought the
sixth crew was forming down toward the
end of the corridor l made plain sail in
that direction and was soon overhauled by
| a third class man, whom had collided with
| In the crowd, who demanded to know where
| in - 1 was going, and what in -
meant by trying to run him down in my
| lubberly way. 1 meekly informed him the
| object of my quest, when he gave me a
| whitening look which made me think the
| sixth crew must be about the most despised
| outfit in the whole United States navy, and
| that ] was a worthy acquisition Of 1t. He
| took occasion to call the attention of some
| of his classmates to the fact that here Is a
! ID galley youngster looking for the sixth
| crew They all affected the most indig
| nant surprise at the information, and ex-
| pressed their opinions in very vigorous Ian
| guage Of any id youngster who was lost
| from the sixth crew. Further questioning
of others along the line brought responses
| of various kinds. If the questioned one
| happened to be first or second class man
I got an intelligent answer; if he was a
| third class man, the result was disastrous.
!
crew, who demanded to know why in -
| was tardy,' and without waiting for a re-
| ply, pushed me into line and told me to
stand there for while
Acknowledged Benefit.
| "Of course, this all seemed pretty tough
to a green country boy among a lot of
strangers, but look back upon it as my
| first lesson in self-reiance, of which the
| youngster must learn a great deal before
he is qualified to be naval officer. This
| was about fair sample of the running at
| the academy in those days. There was no
| brutality, no personal violence, but criticism
| and chatting, couched in vigorous if not
always elegant language, which usually put
| the youngster on his mettle and brought out
| whatever good qualities there We're in him
| or soon developed the fact that he was an
| impossbility for the navy. In either event,
| he was soon let alone by the upper class
men. BY the middle of the first year all
forms of running youngsters had been pref
! ty much abandoned.
"Of course, there were traditions floating
around the academy Of how they used to
haze the youngsters in the older days, and
many of the third class men affected to be-
lieve that the service was going to the
| demnition bow vows because the rougher
| forms had been abandoned.
I'm point of fact think the running, such
| as was praciced at Annapolis when l was
there, was a decided benefit to the young
ster. It must always be remembered that
the cadet who enters the army or navy
| becomes a fighting man. His business is to
| fight, to lead other men in fighting He
must have courage, intelligence and self
control. Anything which will develop these
traits is distinct benefit. He does not en-
ter the service 70 lead the german
No Menial Duty Required.
1.-TWO points developed in the West Point
investigation struck me as being wholly
| different from ANYTHING I ever knew at