On Hazing and Its Origin

1901

An Old West Point Graduate Goes Into the History of the Subject

Major Fetchet, a West Point man and soldier of the civil war, says that hazing first started at West Point as a social protection for cadets who had not the advantages of wealth or social standing and were apt to be snubbed by those who possessed these advantages.

It began in a mild way, as prior to the civil war we had few plutocratic or official families. As wealth and family influence increased, there was an increase in hazing and in its severity, the idea being to eliminate foolish pretensions and bring all the cadets to a common level. It has established a true democracy both at West Point and Annapolis, no one set of pupils being allowed to put on silly airs or to lord it over another. As an institution, hazing has been effective in crushing snobbery and in aiding discipline. It cannot be denied that many abuses have crept into a once salutary system, and that there has in late years been considerable brutality — but this brutality has never been indorsed by general sentiment at either the military or the naval academy — hazing at the latter never having reached the lengths it has at West Point.

According to Major Fetchet, the three classes of boys who have been most subject to hazing at West Point are those who think themselves modern Alexanders, and "feel their oats" too much; the "mammy boys" who have been too tenderly reared, and the student philosophers. The first class, the most numerous and the one that has suffered most has very soon had the conceit taken out of it, and the lads instead of imagining themselves commanders-in-chief have been content to be high privates in the rear rank if they can only be let alone. The "mammy boys" have usually braced up under this stern regimen and made men of themselves, while the student philosophers, on learning that Grant, Lee, Sherman and Sheridan when at West Point suffered like indignities with themselves, have submitted with good grace to the general custom, and if ordered by the upper classmen to go out and fight, have done so. As a rule this show of pluck has ended their troubles, and they have had no molestation.

But although hazing has had its palliations, its code has been narrow and boyish, and has resulted in far more harm than good. Now that it has been voluntarily abolished, some other form of inner class discipline will have to take its place. Maj. Fetchet has a very high idea of the chivalry and honesty of the West Point cadets, and says that 90 per cent of all West Point transactions occur "upon honor." This being the case, he is sure that in the future, "For every cowardly or disgraceful act, the cadet who cannot be fought, disciplined or hazed, will be requested to resign by his own class, and this will be effected by sending him to Coventry." — Minneapolis Tribune.

Hazers Use Electricity, Victims Serious

1906

Four Students of Winona Technical School Given Treatment

Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 23. — Electricity is the latest in hazing. Murray Robinson, Edward Jones, Charles Fisher and William Marsh, students at the Winona Technical institute, are the first victims. The work was done by upper classmen at noon yesterday. The four young men were subjected to an electrical circuit until they dropped exhausted. All are in a serious condition, but refuse to divulge the names of their tormentors.

When members of the faculty of the school were approached great surprise was expressed. An investigation followed with the finding of Robinson, Marsh, Jones and Fisher in bed. All efforts to get stories from them as to the affair proved fruitless. From other sources, however, the information was gained that the men were seized as they were leaving the building for their rooms, taken to the mechanical department, gagged and bandaged.

A powerful machine then was put in action and wires attached to all parts of the bodies. They were then held until one by one the victims fell to the floor unconscious. When released and revived each was charged not to breathe a word of the hazing under penalty of a more severe dose.

Director Smith says the matter will be investigated and the hazers punished.

"We have a complete electrical equipment," he said, "but I cannot think what apparatus they could have used. All our current is so heavy that it scarcely could be used in such a manner without killing a man or placing him in great jeopardy."

—The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Feb. 23, 1906, p. 5.

"Sissy" of Chicago

1908

"Sissy" of Chicago.

[Copyright, 1908, by T. C. McClure.]

"Sissy" Floss was at Chicago. His father had left him $1,000,000, and he had been through college and traveled. He was called "Sissy" because he was short and slight and effeminate.

The young man had accompanied a friend to New York to see him off for Europe. The steamer sailed in the afternoon, and soon after her departure "Sissy" fell in with a couple of college chums. A dinner and a trip to Chinatown were planned and came off. The effeminate was only five feet tall, and his weight was only 110 pounds, and his voice was like that of a girl, but when he cut loose to have a good time he was all there. The trio were slumming the slums in the most approved fashion when a row took place, and "Sissy" was separated from his companions. He had imbibed too much to know whether he was in Baltimore or Boston or to make much of a defense, and at the end of five minutes he was very much in the hands of the Philistines. The gang floored him and went through him up to his collar button. They dragged him into a cellar, stripped off his clothes and gave him an old Bowery suit in exchange and left him to come to or pass in his checks. He was in an undecided state when the keeper of a Cherry street boarding house came along and took in the situation. He also took "Sissy" in. He wanted one more hand to make up a crew for a bark sailing for Bristol next day, and it made very little difference whether he got a live or a dead man.

When "Sissy" Floss awoke next morning he was lying in a bunk in the deck house of the White Wings, which craft was at anchor off Liberty island and making ready to begin her voyage. He didn't awake until he was being pulled out of his bunk by the second mate, who was also damning his eyes, his ears, his nose and other portions of his anatomy in the language of the deep blue sea. After being landed on the floor with a bump the young man was kicked out on deck and then up and down the decks. This was to arouse his enthusiasm for a life on the ocean wave. "Sissy" realized almost at once that he was being booted, but it took him some time to figure out why he wasn't in his room at the Waldorf. While he was puzzling over it he was booted some more, and the bark got under way. She was off Fire island before the victim got it through his head that he had been shanghaied and was being carried to sea. A protest was in order, and "Sissy" went aft to the captain to make it.

"What are you doing here?" roared that officer.

"I want to state my case."

"Case? You miserable little skulker, what have you got to say for yourself? Out with it!"

The story was told. The captain listened to it, with a grin and a sneer on his face, and then exclaimed:

"You are a blankety-blank liar! You signed articles of your own free will. You are a pickpocket or a green goods man that wants to get away from the police for awhile. Turn to and don't let me hear another word. If you keep this thing up there won't be as much as an eyebrow left of you by the time we reach the other side."

"Sissy" started to protest and was kicked off the poop. In going forward he was cuffed by the chief mate and kicked by the second, and, although more fit for the hospital than the decks of a ship, he was turned to and set to work. From that time on his days were anything but joyous. He was a protesting sailor. In the eyes of captain and mates he could not be a worse villain. He was made ship's boy. Nothing was too dirty to set him at. The cook stood in with the after guard and gave him many a kick and cuff, and the nearer the bark got to England's shores the worse the mates hazed him.

After the first interview with the captain "Sissy" made no more protests. He began to rise to the occasion. He recorded the kicks and cuffs in a diary. The last entry was made when three days from port. He neglected to add "sir" when answering the second mate and was knocked down and given a pair of black eyes. Then as soon as the bark had made fast to a wharf he was kicked ashore and told not to return under penalty of death.

Two hours after the last kick the young man had satisfied the American consul of his identity. A cablegram to Chicago brought him several thousand dollars within the next twenty-four hours. Two days later, when he had properly clothed himself, he brought about another emergency. This time it was for the captain, mates and cook of the bark to rise to it. Warrants were served on the four men — warrants for several things. The bark was overloaded by a foot. Her provisions were totally unfit. She was undermanned, and she carried no medicine chest. Not only the officers, but the owners, were haled into court. There were fines, and certificates were suspended, and as a last satisfaction "Sissy" stood by, with a joyous smile on his face, while his two hired prizefighters caught the two mates at the dock and gave them such a walloping that there are sailors in Bristol who remember it yet. As a local daily put it the next week:

"Hon. Barkendale Flossy, the American millionaire of honorable mention, sailed for home on the Celtic yesterday. The gentleman is slight and effeminate, but, in the language of our American cousins — oh, my!" — M. QUAD.

—The Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, January 6, 1909, page 4.