Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-02-19
SECOND CLASS MIDSHIPMEN TABOOS HAz-
ING PASSES RESOLUTIONS.
DEATH BLOW TO HAzIRG.
Third Glass Will Follow Example
of Second Glass

Since the second class at the Naval
/ Academy has voluntarily taken action
to abandon the practice of hazing, as
! stated in Saturdays Capital. The
| third class is expected 10 take similar
action. IL is generally agreed that this
action is the death blow to haZing as
class feeling is very strong at the
| Naval Academy and it would be i'm
possible to keep up the practice against
sentiment Of the class.
| The midshipmen officers are all mem
bers of the class which has Just taken
action and they are responsible direct
ly for the discipline Of the under class
men. 1t will be impossible for hazing
to exist itsthe members OF class really
try 10 prevent. Heretofore midship.
men on duty undoubtedly winked at
haizng as they did at fighting, but
Admiral Sands, superintendent, of the
Academy, has had several interviews
with the members of the class and has
impressed on them the obligation
which they are under to carry out reg
ulation in all particulars The class
has accepted his views OF the matter
without question.
IT Is believed that the midshipmen
are absolutely sincere in this matter
and that there is no evasion or equi-
vocation in the statement of their feso-
luton. Midshipman Churchill Hum
phrey, of Louisville, KY. is president
of the class and the midshipman COM
mander, the ranking midshipman off
GER, is Arthur W. Frank, of Mobile,
Ala.
The committee which framed the
resolution was composed as follows:
Churchill Humphrey, Louisville, Ky.
who is president of the class; Earl
w Pritchard, Amity. La Stephen
b. Mckinney, Knoxville. Tenn. and
Will r. Manner. Jr., Nashville, Tenn
The resolution has been presented TO
Rear Admiral Sands, superintendent
of the Academy, " it'll the request that
il be laid before the sub COMMITTEES of
Congress which began sessions here
last week for the purpose Of probing
thoroughly into matters Of discipline
at the school and also into the haZing
situation. The resolution reads as
follows
In Difference to the wish of Con
Rress and the will of the people of the
United States, and with the belief
that our action will minister to good
discipline, law and order, but with.
out apology for a system that has
been supported in good faith and in
we, the class of 1907. do
Resolve to abolish at the United
States Naval Academy, absolutely and
without reservation, hazing, class
fghing, running, tagging and all sim
liar practices. OF this fact and reso-
luton we make public declaration.
that Congress and the country may
realize both our wish and our ability
to make good our word, and may
have the assurance that hazing, class
fighting, running and tagging will
cease of our own free will, without
the pressute of Academy discipline or
Congressional Legislation -
1t will not be necessary for the third
class members to make any formal
declaration in the matter of quitting
the practices. for it will DE the duty
of all members of the senior class,
from which the cadet petty officers
are appointed, to Immediately report
any outbreak that may occur, although
in previous years, as is well known,
the offenders have been shielded. 1t
may be, however, that the third class
will get together and take some stand
in favor of stamping out hazing also
The authorities Of the Academy have
been advised of the action taken, and
the petty officers were summoned on
Saturday before Commandant of Mid
shipmen Colyocoresses, who is head of
the department of discipline, and re-
ceived that officers compliments for
the manly manner in which they have
openly announced their intention of
exerting their best efforts to abolish
all hazing customs.
Midshipmen upon their entrance
into the Academy take an oath under
which they are obliged to obey the
regulations of the institution to the
letter, but it is the friendly feeling
that exists between the three upper
classes that bas been responsible for
the continuance of hazing. Now. how
ever, there will be no favoritism at
all, and in the event of any recurrence
of hazing that comes to the knowledge
of any senior lie will be obliged to re.
port the offender
Since the trial by eourt-martial
and the dismi ssal of several midship-
men ON charges of hazing and the
ordering Of the Congressional investi
cation the student body has become
very much stirred up. and it has had
serious result upon their studies
as shown by the many failures at the
semi annual examinations recently
concluded. The graduation exercises.
too, in some particulars lacked the
usual amount of enthusiasm, because
fonr of the first class men had been
expelled.
While many OF the pranks practicsed
upon the fourth class men were harm.
les, yet the fact that kthe CUSTOM is
10 be abandoned will undoubtedly re.
ceive the approval of everyone. The
''plebes' generally have taken the
hazing and running in good spirit.