Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-08
THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
The Board Of visitors Sub,uits Its Report to
the Secretary Of the Navy.

the Secretary Of the Navy.
The board Of visitors to Annapolis, through
its secretary, Lieut.. Alex. Sharp, has made re-
port to the Secretary Of the Navy upon the re-
suits Of its visit to the Naval Academy last June.
Among the recommendations made by the
board are the following:
l. That the age Of admission to the academy
be Axed from fifteen to eighteen instead OF IT.
teen to twenty, according TO existing law.
q That the law providing for . donation OF
one years sea pay, amounting to ease, TO
cadets not entering the service at the end OF
the six years course be repealed.
8. That every cadet shall be appointed one
year in advance Of entrance. except when, by
reason Of death or other cause, .
vacancy occurs which cannot be provided
and ia. 'oi in s epsS sass an .isernss.
shall be nominated at the same time, and that
course of study covering the work OF one
year preparatory to admission be recommended
to each appointee and alternate a de-
sirable:line Of preparation for admission; and.
4. That no cadet reported deficient in either
conduct or studies and recommended for dis
charge by the academic board be retained or
reappointed In the academy. or appointed to
any place in the navy, until his class shall have
left the academy and received their commits
sions
REARRANGENENT OF THE SIX YEARS COURSE.
The board has carefully and fully discussed
the question Of adoption of the plan under con-
sideratiOn by the department whereby the
six-year course prescribed for cadets, is to be
wholly under the supervision of tho supern-
tendent and academic board of the academy.
The system at present in force sends the
partial h
nally at sea for two years under
new superior officers and at the end
OF that time he returns for few days to the
academy, when he is again examined in a
limited number OF studies and receives his
commission as ensign in the navy. During
these years the cadet is not under suffi-
his studies, which should not be dis
continued at the end Of four years. 1t is be-
lieved that under the new plan, by lengthen-
Ing the present practice cruises and ex-
tending them over six years the actual
service at sea would not be much
If any. less than under the present system,
and it would be more widely distributed over
the entire course and the large expense of send
ing, abroad and bringing home the cadets
board indorses the plan as appearing
to be feasible and practicable from such
consideration as it has been possible to give 1t.
and recommends il to the careful and immedi-
ate consideration of the Secretary of the Navy
The board believes that the Encouragement Of
the six years course will do much to correct the
defect of improper grading of the standards Of
admission and graduation and says that in
order to make the course in engineering
more nearly equivalent to that pro-
vided by the best technical institutions
Of the country there should be con-
siderable increase Of time devoted to both the
theoretical and practical branches included in
that course. Some space is given in the re-
port to recommendations looking to the
provision OF suitable new quarters
for junior officers for new shops
and in view Of the increasing number IF
cadets incident to the new congressional APP
portionment, of repairs and additions to the
cadets quarters. but for lack of time the
board was not abb, to make specific recon-
mendations The naval hospital WAS found to
be dilapidated and of to the academy
SO it is recommended that it be sold to some
enterprising hotel company. After speaking
in terms of commentator Of the officers and
cadets the board treats as follows the subjec:
OF ''hazng." which has SO often vexed the
minds OF its predecessors:
AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF HAzINa.
''The board regrets to be obliged to make
one criticism. The odious, brutalizing and
un-American habit of hazing has not,
rs yet. entirely disappeared from the acad-
envy. The efforts that have been made
for its determination. it is graf
flying to say, have been largely successful but
there yet fingers among the cadets u degree Of
class feeling that is extremely detrimental. This
IL. no doubt difficult for young men of the ages
OF those at the Naval Academy fully to COM
prehend and always act upon the broad princi-
pies OF justice and equity that generally pre-
vail among educated and broad minded
men, yet the very purpose of the liberal
those who are the objects Of its care
here is to make them officers who, loving JUS
tce, will always defend the right. The lesson
they are to practice throughout life they
hate wrong and oppression. Looked at
is more brutal, not to say cowardiy. than for
the strong to suppress the weak, or for a su-
perior in rank to take advantage of his position
to wrong an inferior. Though young
men may in moments of recklessness and mirth
disguise the truth from themselves, yet this is
really the spirit that prompts those of a higher
grade to degrade and insult those of a lower
class. Cadets do not always, it seems, OBJ
serve the very broad line Of demarkution that
separates innocentpranks that may create tenn
porary mirth and amusement from the I'M
position Of humiliating conditions Of existence
that may last as long as a whole year Of
academic life.
The board is glad to be able to report that
there is now at the academy only relic of the
hazing that in times past was SO dis
graceful, and the officers in charge are
taking what they believe to be wise and
proper steps to eradicate, as far as
may De- Cert8ln iAise lueas OF uOnOr still llnger
among the young men and manifest themselves
now principally in certain extravagant noticis
of fidelity to one class at the expense, some
times it may be, Of official duty and honor it,
self.
The board does not certainly deprecats a
proper class pride and would say nothing that
would lessen true spirit Of emulation,
but it does sincerely hope that every
effort will be made in the future,
not only as it is sure win be the case
by the officers in charge, but also by the cadets
themselves, to break down unnecessary class
antagonisms and to cultivate broader spirit
Of love and regard that shall embrace the whole
academic corps.
1t is recommended that the machine shop
should be enlarged and $40, 600 is said to be the
probable expense Of adding necessary plant
There is also an estimate of S55, 600 for sup
plying electric light. Attention is directed to
the necessity for giving greater attention than
is at present accorded to the study Of inter-
national law.
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.