The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-08-07
A NAVAL ACADEMY DAY.
The Rigid Routine That Rules the
Middies' Waking Hours.

Mfddies' Waking Hours.
Let us look for q moment at the di-
vision of time in week in the acade-
my. The morning gun awakens the
young midshipman at o'clock. He
has thirty-five minutes to dress and
appear for roll CALL When this is over
he and his comrades march at once to
breakfast. 1t is then about twenty min
utes before o'clock. After breakfast
a short prayer is offered by the chap
lain. The meal is over by 7:30, and
then there is the sick call. Twenty
minutes later the midshipmen must be
in their rooms ready to go to their first
recitation. AT 1855 they form and
march to their classes in squads. At s
o'clock they are called to order in their
classrooms.
The actual work Of the day has be-
gun early, and there has been no lag
ging or loafing. At the Naval academy
the midshipmen are trained to walk
with quick step and at lively gait.
The men in the class squads-from six
to twelve each-march two abreast and
in close formation. 1t does not take
them long to go from one building to
pnother. For each midshipman there
are three recitation periods Of two
hours each. Half of each period is de-
voted to study, half to actual recita-
ton in class. The first period is from
to 10 o'clock in the morning, the sec
ond period from 1915 to 1915 o'clock
and the third period from 2 o'clock to
in the afternoon. Between 1915 and
o'clock the midshipmen eat their din
ner and have q few minutes afterward
for rest At 4 o'clock all the class work
is over, but not the work of the day,
for then comes the call to drill.
Drill lasts an hour and half. and It
Is work, too, for the naval officer must
know thoroughly the infantry and ar
tillery practice of the soldier as well
as his own particular branch Of the pro-
fession of being ready to fight. When
man has an hour and half of recrea-
ton. This is the playtime Of the day.
The boys are then on the athletic field
engaged in football or baseball prac-
tice, depending on the time of the year;
sailing in catboats on the harbor or in
dulging in other amusements that they
may choose. But during that hour they
are still under the rules governing gen.
eral conduct.
When 6:55 comes the men are called
to supper, and at 7:30 the midshipmen
must be in their rooms again and at
their books. The study period is two
hours long. There is a half hours re-
Taxation before bedtime, during which
the young men may visit each others
rooms, but at 10 o'clock all lights must
be out.
For five days in the week this is the
unvarying routine, with the exception
of two hours liberty Wednesday after
noon for the first class. On Saturday
and Sunday there is a change. Vary
ing with the length of time which they
have spent in the academy, liberty is
granted to all midshipmen on these
two days of the week. The members of
all four classes are permitted to leave
the grounds after the roll call TO din
ner. but they must return before the
formation for supper. After the supper
call the members of the first and Sec
ond classes have permission to go again
beyond the academic limits. but they
are required to be back by 0:30. They
may or may not eat their supper at tho
academy mess. as they desire. but they
must always report for roll call. In
this way the authorities of the institu-
ton keep a finger on them. - Leslie's
Weekly
ana just so much time and strength
have been thrown away. Try setting
rooms in order as you pass through
them, putting things away as you go
along, and see how many wearisome
steps can be saved.-Exchange.