Many somewhat obscure points in the regulations were made clear to them.
Lest the reader may wonder why new fourth class men should tamely submit to hazing or "running," when the regulations of the Naval Academy expressly prohibit these upper class sports, it may be explained that the midshipmen of the brigade have their own internal discipline.
A new man may very easily evade being hazed, if he insists upon it.
His first refusals will be met with challenges to fight.

If he continues to refuse to be "hazed" or "run," he will soon find himself ostracized by all of the upper class men.

Then his own classmates will have to "cut" him, or they, too, will be "cut." The man who is "cut" may usually as well resign from the Naval Academy at once.

His continued stay there will become impossible when no other midshipman will recognize him except in discharge of official duties.
The new man at Annapolis, if he has any sense at all, will quietly and cheerfully submit to being "run." This fate falls upon every new fourth class man, or nearly so.

The only fourth class man who escapes bring "run" is the one who is considered as being beneath notice.