The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-03-12

hiedt, Hol Iolis, llSllt Dfeatl, corn Dreau
butter, tea and coffee.
Dnncr-Soup, roast beef, roast mutton
cold saw, potatoes, beets, hominy, ric,
bread and butter
Supper-Milk toast hot bread, Graham
bread, butter, tea and coffee.
by some singular agreement among al
men, Friday. is an odd day. and on Friday
the bill of fare at the Naval School is
varied, and the young gentlemen are re.
called on oysters, fish, and other delicacies
of the sea. On Wednesdays and Sundays
they are allowed dessert, generally apples
and pies The hours for meals at this sea,
son twinter) are: breakfast at 40 \. NJ.
dinner at 1876 p. NJ, supper at p. VI.
OFFICE OF TIE CoMMANDANT OF MIDsHIP.
MEN.
On the first floor to the left of the main
entrance is the office of the Cemmandant
of Midshipmen who must always be of a
rank not below Lieutenant Commander in
the Navy Here all the business shat APP
pertains to the personal wants, manage
ment and discipline of the Midshipmcn is
transacted. Two boxes are attached to one
Of the doors, like the drop letter of post
office. labelled respectfully 'requests'' and
"excIlScS. All requests and excuses
must be committed to writing and dropped
into these boxes from the outside. At
stated intervals they are opened and the
papers examined and passed upon. Into
this room the petty officers are summoned
to receive their orders, and here the tremb-
ling culprits are brought to have sentence
pronounced upon them. The punishmcnts
are all laid down III the - regulations, ="
and are nvariblc and certain. The Com
maudant is man of resolute air and few
words and there is not much opportunity
for either eXpostulation erentreaty. There
is no Seeding or threatening. Every cadet
knows exactly what to expect. and acts &C
cordingly.
OTHER ROOMS.
! Opposite the office of the Commandment of
/ Midshipmen is the headquarters Of the
= officer in charge Across tile main hall
is the reception room. The rest of the first
/ floor south wing is devoted to recitation
/ rooms.
No LOOKING on BOOKS
The recitation rooms are small. The
classes are divided into sections of twelve
or fifteen students each and the rooms are
made to accommodate that number. The
desks are not exactly transparent. but the
end pannels are full of holes, and are so
contrived that the instructor can see under
the desk from his position in front. There
is positive cruelty in this arrangement
I That last refuge, in which laundering
mediocrity has for ages entrenched itself
has been ruthlessly swept away. The sly
peep at the book 50 dear to the heart of
every truant school boy is here impossible
Thus routed from his ancient stronghold,
to what stratagem will the boy who has not
studied his lesson resort Behind what
bulwark will he shield himselfo am one
of those who believe that the strategy of
the average school boy of the nineteenth
century will be more than equal to the ne
cessity
ABOVE STAIRS.
The three floors above are occupied by
the first second and third classes of Mid
shpmcn, respectively. The usual order of
things is reversed, and a boy after passing
a successful examination, instead of going
cup stairs, GENES down one flight
When Il Cadet is first admitted he is put in
the small boys quarters on the north side,
near the Superintendent house. If lie
studies well, rcfrains from whisky and to-
bacco, and conducts himself generally like
a good boy, the next year finds him domi
ciled in the fourth story of the new build
ing. and here he remains one year. At the
next annual examination. if he stands the
test and his conduct las been fair he comes
down one flight of stairs, and takes up his
abode in the third story. At the beginning
of the next year, all the conditions being
favorable, he belongs to the first class, en-
joys all the emoluments and privileges that
belong to that high degree, and dwells in
state oa the second floor.
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.
Two Midshipmen are quartered in each
room. | was permitted to enter the cham
Der occupied by a couple of young gentle
men belonging to the first class. 1t was a
room twelve feet square, containing two small
iron bedsteaGs. two small wardrobes. two
chairs. one small table, one wash stand and
one looking-glass. The room was heated
by.a steam coil. There was no carpet on
the floor and no furniture whatever. except
the articles Just enumerated. Against the
wall hung small rack. resembling the
perpetual calendars which may be seen
hanging in counting rooms, in which was
fixed two shifting cards. The names Of
the occupants of the room were printed on
the cards in large letters. SO thoroughly
does the idea of responsibility permeatc the
discipline of the Navy that it is carried in
to the smallest details of the domestic life
of the Midshipmen. Each Midshipmen is
superintendent of his room on each altcrn-
ate week. When the card on which his
name is printed appears on top, it indicates
that he is superintendent ana is responsible
for the management during the week. lie
must sweep the floor and keep things clean
and neat according to the regulation. All
that his roommate has to do during the
week is to make his own bed, but the
superintendent must see that it is done
right. Should there be any neglect in the
police arrangements of the room the super
ntendent alone is held responsible.
J. p. NJ.
Bfltimorc -imericdn.
A correspondent Of the LondoA Times
thus writes of the destruction caused by
locustS in India:
"A splendid crop began to appear in
India when the locusts came. Every green
blade was eaten up in the northern dis
tricts. and in the centre and south half the