Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-14
STRONG VIEWS ON HAZING
EXPRESSED BY THE BOARD OF WIS.,
ITORs TO ANNAPOLIS IN 1891.
The Custom Condemned as ''OdiOus.
Brutalizing and Un-Americnn,"
and Its Abolition Urged.
10 the Editor Of The Evening Star:


The subject of ''hazing" at the Military
and Naval academies of the United States
is one in which the general public just now
takes a deep interest, and in which Con-
gress has recently taken hand by the in
vestigation of hazing at the Military Acad-
envy at West Point. / have taken special
interest in and read good deal Of litera-
ture on the subject, because 1 have been
a member of the board of visitors at each
academy by presidential appointment, and
I do not recall any criticism made in the
report Of the board of visitors at either
academy which equals in strength and
force and fairness the report made by the
board of visitors at the Naval Academy
in 1891. The board that year COM
posed of Senator Chandler of New Hamp-
shire, as president; Senator Harris of Ten
nessee, Representative Hilary. A Herbert,
as vice president; Representatives Dolliver
of Iowa and Wallace OF New York, Commo-
dOre Greer, now admiral, United States
navy; George l.. Tillman of Tennessee, A.
r. McGill OF Minnesota, George w. Ather-
ton, president OF the State College OF Penn
sylvania; Colonel +. Brierer of Hlawatha
Kan; Charles A. Coffin OF Boston and my
self
In addition to my membership of other
committees l was made MEMBER of the
COMMITTEE on final report" When the
board met to perfect and sign the report
Representative Herbert, who was chair
man OF the committee on discipline, drill,
practical exercises, administration and po-
lice, presented paper on the subject OF
''hazing," which was read by him and
adopted unanimously by the board. That
report Is as follows, viz:
THE officers in charge of the academy
are able men. and deserve the highest COM
mendation They seem to be careful and
conscientious in the discharge of their i'm
| portant duties, aiming to attain a high de-
| glee of discipline, and, at the same time,
| to administer the laws and rules of the
academy with absolute justice to all. In
! most respects the cadess respond TO the
| efforts of their superiors, so that it may be
| said that, taken altogether, the academy
| Is moving straightforward to the accom-
plishment of the high purposes the govern
! ment had in view in it's establishment. But
| the board regrets to be obliged to make
| one criticism. The odiOus, brutaiiZing and
| uIi- American habit OF haZing has not as
yet, entirely disappeared from the academy.
| The efforts that have been made for its
determination, it is gratifying to cay, have
| been largely successful, but there yet lin
| gers among the cadets degree of class
| feeling that is extremely detrimental. This
| is no doubt, difficult for young men of the
| ages of those at the Naval Academy fully
| to comprehend and always act upon the
| broad principles of justice and equity that
/ generally prevail among educated and
| broad-minded men; and yet the very pur-
| pose of the liberal education the govern
| ment bestows upon those who are the OBJ
| jects of its care here is to make them
| officers who, loving justice. will always de-
| fend the right. The lesson they are to prac-
| tice throughout life they ought to learn
| and practice hereto hate wrong and OPP
preston. Looked at from proper stand
| point, nothing is more brutal, not to say
| cowardy, than for the strong to Cypress
| the weak; or for superior in rank TO take
| advantage of his position to wrong an in
| ferior. Though young men may in moments
| Of recklessness and mirth disguise the
l frtyf h frnyo oil Hyntf 10 a
spirit that prompts those of a higher to
degrade and insult those of a lower class.
Cadets do not always it seems, observe the
very broad line of demarcation that sep
arates innocent pranks that may create
temporary mirth and amusement from the
imposition of humiliatng conditions of ex-
| istence that last long whole year
| of academic life.
| 1.-The board is glad to be able to report
| that there is now at the academy only a
| relic Of the hazing that in times past was
SO diSgracetul, and the officers In charge are
taking what they believe to be wise and
| proper steps to eradicate, far may
| be, certain false ideas of honor that still
| linger among the young men and manifest
| themselves now principally in certain ex-
| travagant notions Of fidelity to one class at
| the expense, sometimes it may be, of even
| official duty and honor itself. The board
certainly does not deprecate a proper class
pride, and would say nothing that would
| lessen true spirit of emulation. but it does
| sincerely hope that every effort will be
| made in the future, not only as it is sure
| will be the case by the officers in charge,
| but also by the cadets themselves, to break
| down unnecessary class antagonisms and
| to cultivate a broader spirit of love and re-
gard that shall embrace the whole aca-
demic corps-a spirit that will prompt the
| strongest and most influential cadet to be
always foremost in coming forward to pro-
tect the weak and inexperienced Of what
| ever class from wrong and oppression. This
| is the true spirit of American institutions,
q n6 @ rtr11 md ipcV ,i~a f1n
| duct, at all times, If every one who is 10
| be an officer in the American navy
| The report was received by every member
present with marked approval, and was de-
| clared by Senator Chandler, who had been
| Secretary of the Navy, and by Commodore
| Greer, now admiral, voicing the sentl-
| ments Of all the veteran and middle-aged
officers of the navy without reserve, while
| Commodore Greer stated that he had been
told by younger officers Of the navy that
the system of hazing was not only brutal
iizng to the cadet, but 1t inculcated the
| spirit Of brutality, which he carried into
| the service in later years, to its detrment.
| l have not seen any alluson to this report,
which stands out in bold relief as the judg-
| ment of able and experienced men, and
| send it to The Star as my contribution to
the literature on the subject of "hazing,
| which has almost entirely disappeared from
the Naval Academy and should d, disappear
| even If it should become necessary to sus-
pend every class in that institution without
| pay for four years and let the government
look to private military schools ana acad-
emes and the cadets Of the various high
schools Of the country for officers of the
army. I am sure, from a reasonably full
| knowledge of the conduct, discipline and
drill of the high school cadets Of Washing
ton, under the most efficient administration
| of Major Ross, that the Washington High
School Cadets alone could furnish all the
officers for the next four years that might
be required for the army while the existing
| classes at West Point were under suspen-
| sion and learning to be gentlemen. 1t is
morally certain, in my opinion that ex-
IRENE measures will have to be taken to
effectualIy extinguish the brutal and infa-
nous system OF "hazing'' which exists and
has existed at West Point for the last half
century, which has been and is now defend
ed by nne-tenths Of the regular" army
officers as necessary for the good of the
raw cadets" The real impeachment. in my
mind which exists in the way Of eliminat-
ing this brutal business misnamed haz-
ing" from West Point is political influence.
The cadets who have been guilty of it are
the "sons of somebody and to my per-
sonal knowledge have for many years been
protected by members of Congress cut OF
consideration-and possibly political fear
| of their fathers.
Let there be no distinction, or favoritism,