New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-01

Mdspmen Who Haze Been Through the Process Tell Hoe
To Be Done in "the Good old Days.

Captain Willard II. Brownson, superintendent
Of the United States Naval Academy at An
napolis, asserts positively as language can
express it that hazing in that institution Is al
most at an end. He emphasized this declaration
TO a Tribune reporter on the occasion OF recent
visit to the academy by inviting and authorizing
the br, Idest and most thorough inquiry into
the SUI oct and by affording every facility at
his command for ascertaining the truth Cap
tain Brownson also authorized the following
statement:
81 think I safely say that, IL find any
case Of hazing, within forty-eight hours the
hazer will not be a midshipman in the United
States Naval Academy. The Navy Department
sns the academy are in thorough accord in
thu matter" Asked why ne prefaced the decla-
ration with the words Il think can safely say
the superintendent explained that the fornai
action seyering the relation rested with the
Navy Department, and not with the super1n-
tendent of the academy, and that he, therefore,
had been explicit as anybody VINO had not
the superior power could be-
The class presidents TO whom the reporter
talked were e. O. Fitch, of the first class; a. B.
Court, Of the second class ard r. c. Grady, OF
the third class. The manly spirit of these
young men was such to give an exceedingly
favora bic impression and to inspire confidence
I'm their statements Mr.. Court. whose class Is
that in which hazing was practised before the
agreement of this term not to haze, was es-
p4oialIy frank and pain IN his declarations
He said the outbreak in September was not a
class affair and happened before the class had
returned from vacation
las a result OF that action" said he, "the
second class which has always been the hazing
class in the academy, when the term began,
was plainly told by the superintendent that
hazing must cease st once and was asked to
give q promise that it would. We gave that
promise, and any who would break II
would be asked TO resign without moments
hesitation No member of the class would be
tolerated in the academy If he violated solemn
pledge to an officer The class would expel him,
and that would 1 think. end his career here
I regret that hazing has been abolished" con-
tinued Mr. Court 1T not what the public
has been led to believe. an organized humiliation
CT the innocent. II was means for compelling
a proper regard for decency, good taste, aca-
dcGnic customs and usages and rate, which,
among classrnen is the same thing as is rank
IN the regular naval service It's 50 called vic
tins were those who. through egotism, fancied
superiority from birth relationship. contempt
fer discipline, carelessness in dress slOvenli
ness in habits, wilfuIness in overriding academic
customs which are the pride of all who know
them and who are actuated by what we univer-
ralIv regard as the right naval spirit. who
By innate meanness of disposition made them
selves obnoxious. not TO individuals. but TO the
whole student boGy-to its sense OF decency and
honor-to its ideas OF correct conduct both in
manhood and naval spirit The cad. the sneak,
the coward, the bully. the boaster. the petty
tyrant and the wilful insulter were weeded out
by the hazing process. Sometimes, under strong
provocation. the hazing was carried too far.