The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-10-12
EoR TEE HERALD.
My Experience at Annapolis.

DEAR S1Rs-As many friends have |
manifested an Interest in NY appoint
uent to the U. s. Naval Academy, !
aud have ezerted themselves to learn
the particulars of the examination 10
which l vas rejected, perhaps an cx-
plaua:ion of the cause of NY rejection
may not be out of place.
You will find the cause Of my rr-
lection stated il the following c,rtih-
cate, which l obtained through the
kindness Of Capt Ramsay, U. 5. n.
US NAVAL ACADEMY,
ANNAPOLIS, Md,
Sept. 29th, 1882.
Mr.. Gustavus Edward Werbc,. Of
South Carolina, candidate for admis,
sion ioto the Navy Academy ssa Naval
Cadet, has passed the required mental
examination, but was not admltted on
account Of "incoupTete color bliDdness,
being defective on green and red"
+. NJ. RAMSAY,
Captain Supt
If some of your readers we're sub
iected to the same color test 90. which
1 failed, perhaps they would no longer
be surprised that I failed Oh subject
on which l had made 20 preparation
whatever; for there vas no such test
iu the competitive examination 10
which | won the appointment, nor did
have the silly htest intiwatiou that |
would be tested on colors at the Acad-
emy, until the day before was ex-
smined physically, and it was found
out then ooly through candidate,
who bad stood the physical exsuina-
tion. He assured me that / would
have no difficult examination in the
colors as they had examined him on
a few shades only, and they mere
0eH defined. But did not 6ud the
examination on colors easy; for they
examined me on many shades of the
seven colors, and many uf the shades
we're to NE very indiss!nct. | think
that there were certainly not less thar
sixty shades of color, which were diff
ferent. and others which appeared to
my eye exactly alike.
! A hank of Zephyr worsted "a very
light green) was placed before NE on
table several feet distant and l was
told to "select from the variegated pile
of worsted all of the skeins which con-
tain any Of the color found in the
hank before you; place all skeiDs
which are like the hank or contain
any of the same color on the table
With the hank; cast the others aside"
I commenced asserting, but had not
proceeded very far before came upon
shades that were 50 very unlike the
primitive colors that I could not decide
where they belonged Rithout some
hesitaocy. This was observed By the
examining ph hysicians, whereupoD.they
told me to decide 90 the color ia the
skeius as fast as they could be picked
FROM the table one at time; "for,"
said they, "a person who had been
blind all his life could, the next NO
ment after being restored to sight, do
quickly and correctly what We wish
you to do, provided bis color sense
was perfect" If the aboye be true
and they assured me that it is a fact
fully established by scieuce-l must
confess that my colorseose is defec-
tive; for / could not select from that
mass of worsted all the skeins which
contained ''sny of given color
without hesitating and without doubt
as to the correctness Of some of my
decisions. The test was on all the
colcrs, for although only three colors
| (red, green and blue) were given the
shades of which we're to be selected,
yet the basket contained many shades
of the other colors which we're in
serted for the purpose Of confusing the
eye.
| The rejection was not as much of
disappointment as it was surprise
for never anticipated the least diff
Guilty 10 passing the examination, and
had Dever before known that my color.
sense was at all imperfect
I consulted a physician in Wash
ingtor, and after making several ez-
amiuations, he gave as his opinion,
that although my color-sense was de-
fective, yet it was not sufficiently bad
to cause my rejection, as be was sat
is6ed from the progress made with
that / could easily and thoroughly
learn all that was necessary to avoid
accidents with signals.
| There were sixty seven candidates
for admission; but only thirty were
admitted.
There was only Que other candidate
from South Carolina "a son Of one Of
the most prominent Republican poll
tlcians in the State), aud he was re-
jected on the mental examination ;
but be did not seem to be doubtful
about being admitted, for be said to
me, My father has irhuential friends
in Washington, and through them |
will be aduitted by the Secretary Of
the Navy"
While in Washington | met Rev.
S. ?. Hughes, who urged me not to
abandon the claim, but: with his AS
sistance, | failed to get the examioa-
tion waived, although be felt sure that
it could have been done without the
least trouble had Congress been in
session.
Rev. Hughes desired to be remem-
bered kindly to all his friends in