The Ordway new era., 1913-03-28

ing. electrical engineering. radio-teleg.
raphy. naval construction and civil en-.
cheering.
An immediate occasion of some. at
least, OF the changes in the curricu-
lum. etc. was the enactment, of con-
gress providing that midshipmen
should be commissioned as ensigns on
the completion of their four years
course at the Naval academy. instead
of being carried as passed midshipmen
for two years before attaining the
grade of ensign.
Captain Gibbons is convinced that
no influence Is SO beneficial to the
young men at the academy as associa-
ton with officers of the navy. from
whom. he believes. they will, even un-
consciously. absorb much Of that spirit
which has made the navy always the
pride of Americans and the admiration
Of the military world. 1t is to that end
that he would. where 1t can be done
without detriment to the academy.
substitute officers for civilian teachers.
In some degree this is getting back to
the custom which prevailed when he
was himself midshipman. or. rather.
cadet. as they were termed in those
days. the cadet becoming midship-
man only after graduating from the
academy. ....-
The brigade was far smaller than 1t
is today. Officers were more numerous
in proportion to the demands of the
feet than they have been for consid-
cradle time, and small classes with nu-
merous officer instructors were the
rule. To the good influence of the In
structors with whom. he came In con.
/ tact Captain Gibbons is ever ready to
| testify. This does not mean. of course.
that the superintendent contemplates
substituting officers for the instructors
in foreign languages-termed "dago"
by the midshipmen-or that he would
seriously impair the efficiency Of the
instructing body to carry out his
theory, but he does believe that the
more the midshipmen can be brought
in contact with naval officers the more
thoroughly they will be fitted for their
vocation, and he would even sacrifice
something of pedagogic proficiency to
| gain such association.
For the practice of hazing. or even
running" which Is the term given by
the midshipmen to the milder forms of
that delectable pastime. Captain Glib
hons has little federation. Congress
| has forbidden all forms of hazing. and
! that alone, in the eyes of the superin-
tendent, makes 1t his duty to stamp
out the practice. And 1t Is safe to say
that he has done more to achieve this
end than any Of his predecessors. He
has visited rwift and summary Justice
on those found guilty Of disobeying
the law and the regulations in this re-
spect.
In summarizing the aims of Captain
Gibbons, reference was made to the
"dignification" of the first class. that
is, the graduating class. 1t is part
of the superintendent's policy to en-
hance the standing of that class in the
eyes of their fellow midshipmen in all
ways possible and at the same time to
impose on first class men additional
responsibilities. making them in large
degree accountable for the enforce
ment Of discipline. and. precisely as
from among their number are chosen
the officers of the brigade, still further
to At them for the duties of command
for which they are being trained.
while incidentally they render valua-
BILE assistance by way of example and
control in governing the younger mid
shipmen.