The “Seps” arrived about this time, and those who were admitted were assigned to rooms, and they at once became a part of the fourth class. “Seps” are candidates, who, for some good reason, did not report in June. ([See appendix.]) They began recitations with the rest of the plebes, but for weeks they attended drill in squads by themselves. Notwithstanding the fact that Seps escape the many trials and tribulations of plebe camp, in escaping it, they miss one of the most valuable parts of cadet life, as it is an experience which most old graduates look back upon with pleasure. After having been through the course of deviling,[26] or hazing, as practiced in my day, I am a believer in the system, because I believe it makes young men manly and self-reliant. I never saw bodily injury inflicted upon a plebe, but I do not call bodily injury deviling. I call that cruelty, and cruelty should be severely punished. But times have changed at the Academy since I left it. Now after candidates have reported at the Adjutant’s office they are sent to the Army Officer in charge of new cadets. And it is his duty to personally instruct them respecting their rights and duties in their relations to old cadets and to the cadets on duty over them. He causes to be read to them the present regulations pertaining to new cadets and explains to them what is meant by “Cadet Limits.” Candidates are also informed that they must not submit to hazing, and that they must promptly report to the Commandant or to the Army Officer over them any attempt at hazing on the part of old cadets. But they must be respectful to all and perfectly subordinate and obedient to the cadets on duty over them.
No more shall Plebes be deviled,
And yearlings can’t be seen,
For there’s now a law against
Hazing the Plebes so green.
The penalties for hazing are very severe, and several cadets have been dismissed from the Academy for engaging in it. A recent act of Congress says: “Any cadet dismissed for hazing shall not be eligible to reappointment.”
White pants were very pretty for camp, but now that the hops were over and the visitors gone the cadets had to work, so on the first of September they appeared in their gray working clothes.
The daily routine from September 1st to about June 20th is as follows: Reveille at 5:45 A. M. (on Sunday at 6:30); roll call; police call five minutes after reveille; sick call fifteen minutes after reveille; then clean arms or study or take physical exercise; breakfast at 6:15; recreation except for the guard,[27] which is mounted, at 7:15; then study and recitations from 8:00 A. M. to 1:00 P. M.; dinner at 1:00; recreation; then study and recitations from 2:00 to 4:00; then generally military exercises for about an hour; then about half hour recreation, followed by retreat parade at about 6:00; supper; recreation; then study from about 7:30 to 9:30; taps at 10:00; then lights out till reveille the next morning. Rooms are inspected at police call; between 8 and 11 a. m.; 11 a. m. and 1 p. m.; 2 and 4; four times between 7:30 and 9:30; again at taps, and once more between taps and reveille. In September and May there are Infantry drills; in October and April there are Artillery drills; in every month from September first to June first there are Cavalry drills; from December first to April first there is exercise in the gymnasium or in dancing. Saturday afternoon is for recreation except between 2 and 2:30 during the weekly inspection of the battalion. On Wednesday after 4 p. m. there are no drills, the time being given for recreation. On Sundays there are no recitations and no military duties, except guard and inspection of quarters at 9:45 a. m., and the time for recreation is a little longer than usual; the cadets march to and from church; all wear white gloves, white belts and those entitled to do so swords, which (swords excepted) are not removed during service, some of the cadets are members of the choir. Visiting between cadets is allowed only during recreation hours.
The gymnasium is open to cadets daily, except Sundays, from 1:30 to 2 p. m.; 4:00 to supper mess parade, and on Saturdays afternoons and evenings until tattoo.
We were arranged into sections of from eight to ten cadets to the section, the arrangement of upper classmen being made according to class standing,[28] as determined at the last examination, while the arrangement of the plebes was alphabetical. The first cadet in each section was the section-marcher, that is, he marched the section to and from the section room. The section-marchers were notified what the first lessons would be, and the hours for recitations, and they then notified the members of their sections. The studies[29] for the fourth class were Mathematics and French, and in addition to these we had instruction in Fencing,[30] and for this the sections were larger than as stated above. One half the class attended recitations or fencing at a time, and the other half had to be in their rooms during Call to Quarters. To let the Inspectors know when cadets are at recitations the following form is used: