Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-12-01
Friday, December |, 1905.
BAD HASH.


it is by no means the lmper-
tinent characterization which some
suppose. The circumstances leading /
up to it can easily be traced. and the
action of the cadets evidently had lts
inception in just cause. Some time
ago the Mess Hall, including the kltch-
en-. at the V. M. L. were burned, ana
this placed the management in diff
cult position; it compelled conditions
which otherwise would not have been
submitted to for one moment on tie part
of boarders paying high prices for food.
The young men, however. to aid the
management in their accidentally I'M
comfortable and cramped conditions
caused by the fire, bore with the food
until it became "too rank" for them,
but were all the time calling attention
to it's "weak" as we'll as its 'strong"
Qualities, without effect. At last some
of the Young men went one day to Gen.
Shipp, the superintendent, and asked
him to go down to the Mess Hall and
look at what was being served. This
Gen. Ship declined to do. 1t is said
that bis manner of declinatlOn was not
Chesterfieldian. At last THE WHOLE
CORPS one day-and We speak from
the record-refused to eat the meal SET
and went over into the town and pur'
chased wherever they could some food
which they proceeded to eat. Some
going to hotels, some to restaurants.
others to grocery stores, and 80 on.
This, let it be remembered, was THE
WHOLE CORPS. The existing trouble,
that which has grown to mountain,
ia not with the whole corps, but with
the third class. This class sent a
Round Robin to the faculty. The
wording of this was done by young
inexperienced men. and it was SO
worded as to contain a threat. We
have the papers as printed which have
passed between the cadets and the
faculty. The following was the Often
sive paper and was addressed to the
adjutant
"Sir-We, the undersigned members
of the third class, do hereby pledge our
selves and certify that, If there is not
decided change in the food at the
mess.hall by Monday, November eth
we will resign as cadets of the Virgini,
Military Institute"
Gen. Ship was of opinion to peremp
torily dismiss them all at once, but OF
the strength of this paper the Boar(
of Visitors met on the 9th-11th O
Nov. and by them it was decided tina
it be published in the general orders
"That unless the said members o
the third class sign a paper explaining
withdrawing, and in substance regret
ting their action, the penalty of dis
missal should be enforced upon al
members of the class that failed so t.
do; but, DESTROYS to give every Oppor
tunity for correcting this action OF
their part, directed that the order shout
be suspended for ten days from Nov
18TH"
At the solicitation of Gov. Montagu
and we believe under his supervision
the following paper was signed by tn
third class and sent to the adjutant:
"Sir-We. the undersigned member
Of the third class, recognize that GU
action in signing the paper dated Nov
2, 1905, addressed to the post adjutan
was in violation of section 1913 of til
regulations, and We therefore respec
fully request to be permitted to witt
draw the paper as far as possible. w
In q q tim
paper as involving any change Of OpiI
ion we may haye expressed as to tn
character of the mess.hall fare"
1t was thought that the paper woul
end the difficulty, but it did not.
has been suggested that Gov. MOnts
gue's band in the matter with the e.
listing Board only made matters wors'
The Board again met on the 22nd j
Richmond, and the following is thei
ultimatum:
"In the opinion of the board. tn
paper is not satisfactory, and is not
accordance in substance with the re
quirements of the board; therefore,
iJ resolved:
THAT the conditions of the board {
stated in resolutions passed at meetin
OF Nov. II, 1905, will be adhered t.
and the penalty enforced, but lnasmuc
as these cadets are young and are PR
badly misguided, and many of thel
do not appreciate fully the grave nj
ture of their conduct, 1t is ordered thu
unless the members of the third clas
who thus persist in lnsubordinate Col
duct shall comply with the requir
ments heretofore made by the boar
within seven days of the publication
this order, then that they be disnisse'
This action of the board Is final on th
subject"
The offensive paper prepared by Il
cadets was unfortunate in its wordin
1t will hardly be argued that the C;
diets as body, or as class, or ind
viduals cannot complain of condition
without being subject to dismissal fl
characterization. We maintain tn,
they had this inalelnable right in ar
school, and especially in one in whit
they are charged for all the accomm
dations furnished.
We admit, however, that their Col
plant was unfortunately worded.
should not have contained a THREE
to leave unless conditions were bette
ed. What this class should have do
was to have said: "Unless there is
decided change in the food at the mes
hall by Monday, NOy. 9Th, we will
compelled to resign"
This was what they really mean
In apologizing they should not ha
said I'VE withdraw the paper as far
possible" but that we withdraw tn
paper absolutely, and substitute ther
for one stating that unless the conc
tions changed in the mess-hall thu
would be compelled to resign. Such
nanar monld haua nut the mana0