Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-08-02
THE HAzING PROBLEM
AND ITS HISTORY
As Practiced at Naval Academy
and Solved Hundreds Of Miles
Away.
DIFFICULTY OF DETECTION.
Is Due to Point Of Honor That New
Men Called 'Plebes' Maintained in
Order Not to Betray Their
Prosecutors.
From Evansvine. III, Jonrnal News. July a5.l

/
PART /.
What are you doing with those red
eyes?" asked a friend in Annapolis of
Ia fourthc lassman.
why, ] have been under the shower
bath fourteen times in one day and
had to go to bed in wet pajamas!"
This is supplemented by the expert
ence of BIidshipman Thomas II. Wyn-
koop, Jr.. of Ohio, who was made to
stand on his head at the Naval Acad
emy, upper class curriculum of edu-
eating the "plebes,' a course forbid
den by academic regulations and act
of Congress, so many times that he
fell unconscious and had to be taken
to the sick bay for treatment.
Now standing on the head in mid
| shipman parlance, is not the usual
\ gymnastic performance OF altering the
| posture of nature, but consists in the
performer getting down on all fours
and kicking up both legs in the air as
fast as he can. There must be no re-
Taxation or the actor will receive
rude reminder to proceed with the ex-
ercises. On the 150th or 200th time
the victim is near to, or does, collapse,
as did Midshipman Wynkoop.
The plebes are not allowed after
| day of strenuous work in the setting
up drill. "at cars" infantry tactics or
/ gymnasium exercises to eat in peace
They are made to sit at table on the
edge of their chairs, throw back their
/ shoulders and sit erect as ramrods and
eat. III they unbend for a moment, an
/ upper classman will call to them
Brace up"
| One midshipman was required to
sit up with tumbler of water on his
| head and eat his neal in this awkward
position. Then the "plebes" are re-
quired to tell stories. at the end of
| which they are told by their superior
officer"-an upper classman--that the
| story WIS rotten. If this does not
| furnish enough amusement for the
gentlemen at the table" the plebes are
required to get under the table and
| finish their meal.
/ These incidents have also occurred
in the brief life of the new fourth
classman. whose practical organiza-
tion began about a month ago and is
not yet completed The masters os
the ring, in which the "plebesr gave
their shov were upper classmen quar-
| tered at Bancroft Hall for being on
the sick st,midshipmen in attendance
on the court of inquiry into the theft
of examination papers and others on
leave from the practice squadron.
They have paid dear for their mischief
some in not going on thep annual
practice cruise. being left behind to an
swer charges, and others will, In the
end, be dismissed from the navy.
| Even midshipmen of the next grad
uating class have been caught in the
meshes. One of the midshipmen row
On trial before the board of investiga-
ton appointed by Rear Admiral Full
lam, u. S. ~, superintendent of the
Naval Academy, is a son of a high
ranking naval officer and another is
the son of a governor of Southern
State. Between thee ourt of inquiry
on the theft of examination papers and
the hazing investigation about sew
enty-fve ensigns and midshipmen CON
bined failed to start on the cruise
How the hazing came to the eyes
and ears of the authorities has not vet
been made public. BY act of Congress
the hazing Investigations now are al
in star chamber courts at the Naya
Academy unless the accused demands
naval court-martial for his trial NJ
midshipman accused of hazing has
! ever asked it. Publicity of his misde
meanor, is, apparently, regarded b,
nazers worse than dismissal.
: Two statements are current as to th,
way in which the present hazing wa
discovered. One report says thatLieut
J | A. NJ. Cohen, U. s. N, of the executive
department, formerly called the de
partment of discipline whose spec
ial duty it is TO look after the order o
, the Naval Academy. unearthed tn
running and hazing which brough
| into being the present board of inves
| tigation, whose powers only extend Z
| the finding of a verdict of guilty o
| not. If guilty, the case will be pass
ed upon by the superintendent of tn
| Naval Academy and the Secretary q
| the Navy. This is almost a formality
as the act of Congress provides for tn
dismissal of all midshipmen foun
guilty of hazing. and even of thos
/ present while it is in progress. thong
they take no part in the proceeding
| The second account gives the cred
of the detection of hazing and bring
y ing the knowledge of it to the ears
: the authorities of the Academy, to a
/ irate New York father, whose son wa
| given soap and water with which I
| wash himself. and, at the end of III
repeated ablutions, was ordered I
drink the contents of his BASIN
transpired that an upper clasman VIII
| rated the hazing, prevented the orde
from being carried out, but the fathe
of the plebe learned of 1t and informe
| the Naval Academy authorities.