Military School & HAZING

The following is some of the hazing that occurred at La Salle Military Academy.     The many benefits and very good times will be the subject of a future blog.   Cadets protect each other and graduates are lifelong friends.   There is always one student that goes too far.  

Senior Steps:  Juniors obtain the privilege of walking on the senior steps by running between 2 lines of seniors hitting them with garrison belts.  A few hit us with the buckle.  Walking on the steps without permission resulted in your cleaning them with a toothbrush. 

Plebe Hazing:  Freshman Plebes were blindfolded and ordered to crawl on the floor. If you raised your head you would be hit with a whip.   We dunked for apples in a bucket of mud.   Maple syrup was poured on our hair and then flower was dumped on top of it.   Your face was shoe polished.  Hazing was cancelled after a blindfolded Plebe was ordered to double-time into a cement wall and had his front teeth knocked out.  

Demerits:  Students competed for a Trophy each year. The Company with the least demerits was the winner.   If you received demerits you were punished by juniors and seniors usually by being punched in the arms and back while you stood at attention.  Sometimes an M1 rifle was dropped on your foot causing a loss of toenails or you were stabbed with a sabre.   Post-duty (walking back and forth in front of the senior steps with an M1 on your shoulder on week ends) was authorized punishment.   I received 5 demerits in military science class when I killed a mosquito (Unauthorized pet in class). That resulted in walking back and forth for 5 hours on the week-end.  Fortunately I remembered how to cool off an M1919A6 machine gun (by pissing on it).  

Bivouac:  We went on military maneuvers  in the forest when it was very very cold.  There was snow on the ground.  The tent (which was stolen by the Seniors) offered minimal protection, the clothing was inadequate, and the blanket was too thin.   I shivered all night rotating next to another student to keep warm.  The next day at 5:00 AM we were frozen and could not move.  I thought I was dead.  We were ordered to run.  It took about 15 minutes to get some of my body parts moving before I could attempt to run. 
Ice Cold Showers:  Some Cadets were ordered to take ice cold showers, run a mile or two carrying an M1, or do push-ups.  One cadet was hung out the 3rd floor window by his feet (by a student).   

I was 13 years old, 4' 10" as a Freshman (not a good start).  Many students quit, ran away, or were thrown out.  Some cadets love it; some hate it.   Sadly, too many of my classmates are deceased.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Salle_Military_Academy