The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-06-23
PRESIDENTS ACTION
IGNORED BY BOARD
Naval Academy Visitors
Make Report Causing
Comment
Plan Roosevelt Disapproved
Recommended for
Annapolis.

Apparently the board Of visitors TO the
Naval Academy at Annapolis either
vas not aware of the Presidents &C
cent action abolishing the system of
entrance to the Military Academy from
preparatory institutions or else il has
ignored that action, and is willing 20
Iun the risk of making an issue of Its
recommendation that the system that
was pronounced a decided failure at
est Point be adopted at Annapolis.
Ihls recommendation, contained in
the report OF the board, which has iist
been made public. has created consid-
cradle comment in both military and
naval circles. Secretary MetcaIf was
not inclined TO express his views on the
subject yesterday, and an expression
from the President is awaited with .n-
teresL 1t Is generally predicted thar
when the report is sent to the Con
GresSional committees on naval affairs
AT the opening of the session next De
cember, this recommendation will be
minus the approval of either the Secre-
tary or the President
Like Dick Report Last Year.
It Is even suggested in some circles
that possibly the board adopted this
recommendation hastily, without Civ
ing close thought 10 IL, as this years
report compares very closely as 10 the
general recommendations, with the, re-
port Of the Dick board, last year. RMS
recommendation, appearing in clause 4.
provides that admission TO the Academy
shall be made by certificate of pro
hciency in course Of study approved by
The Secretary OF the Navy and issued
by private training schools recommend
ed oy him. in place of the mental ex-
animation as now held.
Taft Found Fault.
in fact the system Of entrance with
out examination TO the Military Aca-
denny vas condemned by the board of
visitors to that Academy last year and
iault with the system has been found
by Secretary Taft and the general staff.
Certain educational institutions having
special military classes We're designated
as being of sufficient standing for their
graduates TO walk right into the Mill
tary ACADEMY. 1t was po..ted out thu [
an unusually large number of cadets
entering In that manner had failed Of
examinations later on, and many were
n tably lacking in qualinoo tons. II was
possible for the President or. Secretary
OF War to favor any certain school. and
the school, realizing the value of ad-
Vertising that its graduates were grant
ed entrance to West Point without ex-
animation, were suspected of lowering
their own standard OF examinations in
order 10 swell the list of their graduates
in the Military Academy.
What is regarded as a significant
recommendation made by the board of
visitors to Annapolis is that calling for
less OF a theoretical and more OF a
practical course Of instruction. To pre-
pare such course, or to revise il. is
the principal duty Of the Wainwright
board. appointed by the President during
commencement week
Course of Mathematics.
This board. it now develops. is under
instructions. directly from the President.
10 give particular attention to the course
Of mathematics. Immediately after the
appointment OF this board. there was
suCden change made in the standard of
mathematics, and by this change, six
midshipmen, some Of the second, and
others the third class, managed 20 pull
through, whereas, they had fiuuked and
would have lost their opportunity Of
becoming naval officers.
Whether the President was aware
that such a radica! change, such as
broke all presidents at the Academy,
would favor any certain midshipman
cannot at this moment be said. It has
been remarked as a peculiar coincidence,
however, that one OF the students who
thus got through is a son Of a member
OF the board Of visitors.