The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-06-22


certain number Of questions and problems embracing
the stueies OF the whole year, are written slips Of
paper and each student draws paper without having any
know leoge s contents that the who solves the
problems that have fallen TO bis lot Is supposed under
stand the whole years. course Their respective pro
aciepcy however, is known before the examinat
takes place Each professor keeps average OF the
recitation throughout the year. and Is enabled assign
each member the place TO which his ability entities h
Generally the result Of the examination is condr nation
of the a. erages Exemplary moral conduct has )me
wep In the adjudication Of their standing and his
mere moral excellence ia NOT made superior to mental
ability Where the latter is possessed In equal RATIO
excellence in the former weighs down the balance In favor
These few remarks suffice to show how the examination
Ia conducted; but dame fortune, who bad Ia Wished her
miles upon the lucky ''6fteen frownet upon many
vced oS negligence and sentenced TO reuace their steps
Others owing 10 utter incompetency were permitted to
return home These latter the chat of the Academy
but Il sometimes happens that they become grains of
wheat In other field Of action. There
which ''s geseis" and not deemed indspenssb
civil life And 1t is we'll that The strict scrutiny observed
at the Naval Academy has the effect Of teaching certain
young that they have mistaken their vocation. In
the antime both body and mind have been disciplined
and the ground work has been laid for thai msnness OF
character .hch is the natural result Of such training
Thus the rejected students benefited by the
situuon and geek forthwith that profession which
they suited. Our colleges and universities send
lice their peculiar "forte" After cropping abo In the
dark for time they discover their pro sphere
there do battle for fame and position while the naval
pran' cied at the age Of sIteen be found the
high to epinence abont the age which his brohe
graduates at Cambridge will freely admit that such
Q, but can by grant that failure
In sphere Of action involves a failure all. The
world Is f. of signal proofs Of the contrary theory Be
not therefore you rejected ones for the day
may come when you will rejoice at having exchanged a
profession where mediocrty alone could be OBJ for
In which roud eminence reaches out Its hand to
annual examination Of the Naval Academy and expressed
my views various points connected herewith,
come TO Its closing and st interesting feature % the
18th instant the ceremony Of graduation took place 10 the
chapel Of the academy The ladies' OF COURSE there
decked out In The most expansive, as well as expensive
and need srily add that the interest Of
vastly enhanced their presence and smiles
The crusest and rueest old bachelors could withhold
tribute Of admiration to the fair sex OF Annapolis The
audience that occasion composed OF the choicest
ebuds OF the town. with sprinkling Of exotcs
from the neghboriDg cities Altogether, msrred as we'll
as SINGLE they the most attractive group ever had
At Tx NJ the students marched into the chapel fol-
lowed by the Board Of visiIer and the Academic stad
70 the graduating class. II Of highly practical and
instructive nature and was listened to throughout with
marked attention After skechng, briefly, tie progr
of the science OF navigation up the establishment
val schools be painted In go ~ing TERMS the benefits that
mdshpmen of the present day derive from those insu
TONS and enhan ed the value Of his remarks by
count Of his own experience . midshipman. In nis
time, thai class OF officers mere automatons with
snatterng OF nautical language and habits that enabled
them to 20 through the mere mechanical work of the
profession Their duties required but little mental aop
caon-n deed they we're not supposed 10 possess much
mind and will they were not per mted 10 exercise.
very different state Of things IL now In existence What
accomplished In sixteen years, at that period lie
effected in less than half the time, and the young
ieutensD1 Of today competent as their faherly
predecessors Of thirty years ago. In word the address
instructive and encouraging to the graduates. Tney
II IN pcture the life that s about TO be unfoded
them they Its attractions and It's dsS GERS and they
exhored prove their gratitude TO the government,
that bad done 80 much for hem by the faithful discharge
OF their duties.
At the close Of the address the graduates received their
diplomas from the hands OF the Superintendent Captain
NJ 4oldsborough, who must have felt gratihed 10 be
able with their merited reward the abors Of
young gentlemen who were trained and educated during
the term Of his present command fully expected TO
have een bouquets flung at the graduates fro the
ladies' benches, but was doomed TO disappointment
which shared BY the graduates / mention this ~ .
hint In view Of future occurrences OF the occasion.
The graduates have already received orders Join the
various ships hng out for China, where they may
have opportunities Of repeating the shell and grape prae
tee described In q previous letter.