The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1906-03-24
CADET BARRACKS AT WEST POINT.

The whole country has been stirred
OF late by fatalities consequent upon
ha2ing and honorable school flghtS.
The death of lad in this quiet little
seat of learning, the violent end OF q
youth at our naval academy, instance
after instance of very serious injuries
received at the hands of hazerS-ail the
tragedies resulting from school
''pranks," has led to a general protest
against the custom, TO demand Tor
stringent Investigations. After careful
consideration of the evil as existing AT
Annapolis, the senate recently passed
4 measure regulating the procedure ana
punishment in trials for hazing.
In the bill hazing is defined as any
unauthorized assumption OF authority
by one midshipman over another mid
shipman whereby the last mentioned
midshipman shall or may suffer or be
exposed to suffer any cruelty, indignlty,
humiliation or hardship or oppression
or the abridgement of any right, priVi-
lege or advantage to which he shall be
legally entitled.
The naval academy used to pride itself
ou the fact that ha2ing was unknown
there, make reference to it as feature
Of West Point life wherefore to be RI
dculous. The naval school at first was
not military school, the midshipmen
boasted of unlikeness to the military
youths. Park Benjamin, author OF
The History of the L. S. Naval Acad-
envy" and a graduate of the class OF
81, writing in the Independent, says:
1t was enough TO know that hazinS
was a habit of the army people, TO
make the midshipman leave 1t severe
~ alone" Back in the SOS the elders
Datronized the youngsters rather than
tormented them. However, Mr.. Benja-
min thinks boys then were not so
very different from boys now, only
that changing conditions and ideals
have not been met by the necessary
Increase in strict discipline. To quote
the authors terse words; The MIDI
shipmen of those days were not an
selic beyond the generality Of youths
Of their age They punched one an
others heads, boy fashion, as circum
stances demanded, and occasionally
deuled' an over-conceted plebe-not
because of his plebeness, but because
Of his conceit. Ne corrective much
worse than making him chant the
praises of himself as printed in his
home newspaper was applied. and no
harm. in fact saiutary lesson, re-
suited"
In another article Mr. Benjamin
rather upholds mild sort of hazing
For the plebe entering with an ex-
altsd opinion of himself. thinks it
pretty good thing for the boy that he
be brought to changed estimate; but
the author, with the rest of the ma
ion, looks with sternest disapproval
on hazing as carried to the extreme
marking the present. He names sew
raj reasons for the present state of
affairs; among them. the eXatng of
athletics in the school curriculum:
he creating in the older students an
exaggerated sense of selt-importance;
handing over 50 much of the direct
discipline to the senior class; the sud
den increase in numbers--from 900 TO
SSt; an inefficient superintendent,
weak administration true pre-
yentiye Of hazing lies less in punish
nents than in the Improvement of
.onditions 1t has lately been official,
I II recognized that there is nothing in
the training Of a naval officer which
specially fits him 10 bc the head OF
this great educational institution
Mr. BENJAMIN gives a vivid picture
0f the conditions under which hazing
has developed into its present eNae
-erated and brutal fOrms-"a great
rrowd OF boys of all ages from Is to
; coming from all ranks and condi-
ions of life, housed in more or less
disorder, treated as mature minds TO
be convinced rather than immature
intelligence to he compelled. left to
infer that obedience to law and disci
Dline is open TO debate given absurd
positions and degree Of authority
over one another far beyond their
years. led to believe that gladiatorial
.riuuphs outweigh professional study
a= preparation for their future career
a weak admnistration-is it an
wonder. with tie hazing law not mere
IS fouted as it was - years ago-but
IA thal recent instance by both ex
s..tite and congress practically set