Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-13
TOO BUSY FOR HAz|Mc
Midshipmen Encouraged to
Engage in Athletic Sports.
DISCIPLINE is PRAISED
Report Of Board of Visitors to Naval
Academy.
FOR POUGHKEEPSIA REGATTA
Success Of the Institutions Purpose.
Three Years Detail Of Of
fcers Urged.

According to the board Of visitors to the
United States Naval Academy, Of which
Gen. Horace Porter of New York was
president, there were no cases OF hazing
at that institution in the past year. The
report Of the board. just made public at
the Navy Department, contains this state
ment on the subject:
| THE board is very favorably impressed
with the discipline maintained. and COM
mends the methods of the superintendent.
commandment and officers in the discipline
department. Investigation did not disclose
any evidence Of hazing''
Encouragement Of Athletics.
Regarding the general subject of ath-
letics the board says:
| 1T Is quite evident that the attitude OF
the authorities on the subject of athletics
has an important bearing on the obedi-
ence of the midshipmen to the rules and
regulations. The promotion of all kinds Of
physical exercise naturally decreases the
tendency to offend against discipline.
and bodies of the midshipmen in healthy
exercise and entertainment inside of the
grounds of the academy meets with
ready response. and helps to remove the
| tendency to break bounds or to seek
amusement in ways that are not permit
| ted.
1.-The board approves the maintenance
| of the recognized forms Of competitive
| athleticS-for instance, the academy base
ball, foot ball and track athletic teams
with their games with the Military Acad-
| envy and the various universities; also
| the academy eight-oared crew, which the
board believes should participate annually
in the college regatta at PouEhkeepsie;
| also that every reasonable form of phys
ical exercise for which there is room in
or about the buildings should be provided.
| There is already an ample number of dirt
| tennis courts. but some of them should
| be concerted to permit playing In winter.
| Several basket ball sets have been put
| up in the armory, and there are adequate
and appropriate spaces for installing hand
ball courts. billiard and pool tables and
| bowling alleys. All these can be provided
at slight expense and are natural healthy
| forms-of recreation. some Of which must
now be sought outside the gates Espe
cially should floating baths be provided at
| some convenient point where the waters
| OF the Severn river are not polluted by
| sewage The midshipmen who are at the
| academy during the summer Fourth class
mem should have every opportunity for
| swimming in salt water in the open air.
AT present an indoor pool of artesian
water Is the only provision. and there is
| no bathing beach or floating bath
| Success Of the Academy.
Realizing that the purpose Of the acad-
envy is to instruct and train young men
for the many responsibilities and duties
of a naval officer, the board says it was
highly impressed by the success with
which the institution is at present man.
aged. The maintenance of the present
| high standard for admission. the insistence
of full four years course, and the broad
scope of instruction, says the report, all
| tend to prepare the graduate for his
future career and equip him for any
branch Of the service leaving specializa
/ TN "a oActe 49,
the opinion of the board. as it should be-
The effort to make the instruction thor
| oughly practical and not theoretical is
! specially commended.
! commission midshipmen as ensigns on
graduation. This will, 1t says. rectify the
/ unfatrness of the past midshipman's pres
ent condition. under which he performs
mission. with inadequate pay and no right
of retirement or pension In case of dis
ability or injury. and would also put him
on an equality with graduate of the
United States Military Academy
| The board recommends that all officers
serving at the Naval Academy should be
detailed Tor a period of three years, and
that no officer should be called upon to
perform duty in more than one depart
ment
The John Paul Jones Crypt.
The estimate of the architect of the
amount necessary to construct the crypt
in which it is the intention to deposit the
remains Of Admiral John Paul Jones is
$4,000. to make it conform entirely with
the beauty and character of the archi-
| lecture of the chapel. With some modif1-
cations. the board says, it can be given
| sufficient dignity and character for a mini
| mum amount of 1880 During three
| years the body of this illustrious admiral
/ has remained without permanent sepul-
f11r ytYneY 70 oOIa f~ a.
| recommends the early annronria tion Of the