Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-10-27
The WabaI Cadets,
: United States Waby.
Important Facts About the United States Naval
Academy.

Realizing the Importance of a nation
al school for the proper training of
Young men for commissioned officers
in the line OF our navy, the United
states Naval Academy was founded in
1S45 10y the Hon. George Bancroft. Sec
rotary of the Navy. during the admin
jstration OF President Polk. 1t was To-
Gated on the grounds OF Fort Severn at
Annapolis Md. the War Department
giving up the land for that purpose and
was opened on October 10 1916. under
the name Of the Naval School. The
course was fixed at five years. of which
only the first and the last year were
spent at school. the intervening three
years being passed at sea. The ext
gencies of the service. however. made
II necessary to shorten the period of
study.
In January 1886. four months after
the opening Of the school, the students
consisted of thirty-six midshipmen OF
the date of 1870. who were preparing
for the examination for promotion.
thirteen OF the date of 1871 who were
20 remain until drafted for sea service:
and seven acting midshipmen appoint
ed after September or the previous year
The school was reorganized in 1850
and has undergone great many
changes since that date. Under the re-
organization the course was changed
to seven years. the first two and the
last two at school and the three in
termediate years at sea. but in Novem-
Der. 1851. the three years sea service in
the middle of the course was left out,
thus making four years of study con-
secutive. Provision was made for a
summer practice cruise. which supplied
the place of the omitted sea service.
and gave better opportunities for train
ing. This system has been continued.
with some notifications, to the present
time.
At the commencement of the Civil
war in 1861, tie Academy was moved
to Newport, r. |. The three upper
classes were Immediately given active
service at sea. The Academy at the
close of the war was brought back to
Annapolis where il has since remained
BY Act of Congress in 1882 the titles
of det-Midshipmen and Cadet En-
gineer were abolished, and that of No
val Cadet substituted. All students at
the Academy have since been styled
Naval Cadets. The academic course is
six years, four at the Academy and two
years at sea; but appointments to fill
vacancies may be made when the four
years course at the Academy is com
pleted
Admission TO the Naval ACADEMY.
The total number of naya, cadets al
lowed at the Academy at one time is
three hundred and seyenty-tWo appoint
ed as follows: ten from the United
States at large d. e. from any part of
the country and one from the District
OF Counmbla, by the Presidens. ana one
by every member and Delegate of the
House of Representatives
All candidates except the ten at large
allowed the President must be actual
residents of the districts of territories
from which appointed. and be between
the ages Of fifteen and twenty years;
any one who is one day under fifteen or
one day over twenty on the date set for
examination is ineligible for appoint
ment.
Whenever any cadet completes the
four years course at the Academy his
successor may be appointed. Thus ii
IS seen that the President may appoint
ten naval cadets at large and one from
the District of Columbia every four
years, and each member and Delegate
in Congress may appoint one every four
years, but should a cadet leave the
Academy for any reason before complet-