Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09

Copyright 1907. by Frances B. Johnstor.)
II was London cynic who said The old
fashioned respect for the young Is fast
dying out" Parents, he maintained, now
pay very little attention to what their
children say to them. 1t Is very probable
that he proposed that the irony Of his OBJ
servation should hit hard, but however 1t
may be In civil circles, in the army and
navy families the young man in service
Is certainly not target for such sarcasm.
He may by q unique contrast rise in his
united might. and. at the Naval Academy
recently. attempt and succeed In ad-
ministering the silence to commanding
officer for whom for some reason 1t Is
deemed a necessary indication Of disap-
prevail. but discipline prevails In the end
and retributive justice overtakes the ex-
perimenters.
Perhaps the exercises OF commencement
week have blotted out in this June de-
lirium of class days all memory OF the late
unpleasantness at Annapolis. but 1t was
only the middle of last May that there oc-
CURED the most recent exercise OF mid
shipman resentment.
The silence is as old as the navy Itself.
1t Is In the nature OF boycott. At the
time agreed for It's application those par
ticipating in it keep absolutely silent during
the wnOle OF some meal AT winch the or
ficer is present In the midshipmen's mess
hall Ordinarily the dining room at meal
time is very noisy place. and silence
when the SEQ midshipmen are assembled
is a gruesome experience. In this case
the officer sat at table for over two
hours. hoping to outwit the endurance Of
some man. but without effect. Not man
blinked Not a word was spoken. At
length the battalion was dismissed to be
restricted later by the commandment for an
indefinite period to the confines Of the in
stitution for their temerity.
Perhaps many parents wish their family
OF garrulous young ones would OCCASION
ally regard 1t as necessary that their elders
should be given the silence" but at An
napolis officers have not regarded 1t as a
relief.
Possibly had Mark Twain timed his recent
visit to the academy 50 as to make an oc-
cultation with the silence" the aim of the
determined young seamen might have gone
astray.' He heard their band concert and
said:
1T has always been my ambition to blow
bass drum, but I've never been able to
control my teeth"
At which the sixty men in the band lost
their pucker and caused a hiatus in the
music.
1t Is also reported that while human ma
ture and perfect impassivtty were not proof
against Mr.. Clemens humor, when he tried
TO puff away on a fragrant Havana 1t did
not take five seconds for a solemn faced
guard to tap the distinguished visitor on
the shoulder and call attention to the
rules.
Arrested again" exclaimed Mark Con
stituted constabulary will be the ruin of
this country yet"
1t Is apparent that at Annapolis rules
obtain for all actions and even the re-
sentiment OF what is deemed to be I'M
warranted acts is expressed by some we'll
ordered and energetically carried out sys-
TEN.
The Naval Academy at Annapolis is not,
as West Point is generally credited with
being. the shadow of one man. Slowly and
steadily II has taken shape, growing and
adapting itself to the changes in marine
navigation and the progress OF science and
crystaihZ:ng only in recent years. The
American people with long list of naval
heroes from John Paul Jones down. whose
body has finally found resting place on
the Severn shores. hardly credited the
necessity OF a course In academic book
learning to fit men TO go to sea The
class of midshipmen who received their
diplomas this spring upon the recommended
ton OF Rear Admiral James III SANDS on