Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-08-25
A NAVAL ACADEMY DAY.
The Rigid Eouti.,c That Rules the
Middics' l.uIsiur: Hours.

The Rigid IsOUt!.tc That tulcs thc
Middics' suIsiut: Hours.
Let us look for Il i..C..ci:t at the d.
vision OF time In n woe. II the acade-
my. Tie moru..is 9Th :.Iakcns the
young midslipLIan nj q O'Clock. lie
has thirty-tive minutes to dress ana
appear for roll call. When this Is over
he and Lis comrades march ut once to
breakfast. 1t IS then about twenty min
utcs before Z o'clock. After breakfast
a short prayer is offered by the chap
lain. The meal Is over by 7:3J, 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 7:55 they form and
march to their classes in squads. At 3
o'clock they are called to order In their
classrOOms.
The actual work OF the day has be-
gun carly, and there has been no lag
ging or loafing. At the Naval academy
the midshipmen are trained to walk
with a quick step and at lively gait.
The men In the class squads-from six
TO twelve each-marcl two abreast and
In close formation. 1t does not take
them long to go from one building to
another. For each midslipman there
arc 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
8 to 10 o'clock in the morning. the sec
ond period from 1915 to 1918 o'clock
and the third period from . o'clock to
4 In the afternoon. Between 1918 and
9 o'clock the midshipmcn eat their din
ner and have few minutes afterward
for rest. At o'clock I'LL the class work
Is over. but not the work OF the day.
for then comes the call to drill.
Drill lasts an hour and Il half. and 1t
Is work, too. for the naval officer must
know thoroughly tl.e infantry and ar
tillery practice of the soldier as well
rs his own particular branch Of the pro-
fession Of being ready to fight. When
his task Is over ut 500 the midship-
man has an hour and half Of recrea-
ton. This Is the playtime Of the day.
The boys are then OH the athletic field
engaged in football or baseball prac-
tlce, 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 G:55 comes the men are called
to supper. and at 1880 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 change. Vary
Ing with the length Of time which they
have spent in the academy. liberty Is
granted to all midShipmen OIL these
two days Of the week. The members OF
all four classes are permitted to leave
the grounds after the roll call to din
ncr. 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 20 again
beyond the academic limits. but they
are required to he back by 0:30. They
may or may not eat their supper ut the
academy mess. as they desire, but they
must always report for roll call. In
this way the authorities Of the institu-
ton keep finger on them. - Ieslie's
Weekly.