Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-01-23
THE POINT OF VIEW
OF AN UNDERGRADUATE
Midshipman Ernest G. Small u. S
N. A. Class 1912.
TELLS OF THE NAVAL ACADEMY
Reproduction Of Story Recently
Published in u. S. Naval In
stitule.
Part III.

In regard to the teaching by practi-
cal work, everybody recognizes that
the laboratory method of teaching is
essentially correct method, and that
it has come to stay. ! shall noe ut
tempt an anal sis Of this feature, but
be content with few random impress
sions. 1t seems to me that midship-
men are shown how a thing is done,
but are given little opportunity
&C uslly to do it. To illustrate, on a
practice cruise our midshipman watch
es fireman clean fires and at the
end of the week writes in his notebook
very glib account of the manner of
cleaning fires.
But he misses something in not
actually cleaning the fires himself.
The important factors of heat,
blistered hands, the knack or turning
the tools he misses altogether in his
book account, and it cannot be said of
him with certainty that two years
later he will be able to grab a shovel
from an inefficient fireman and show
him how fires should be spread. /
suggest putting him on the fires, see
ing that he actually oils during his
watch below, putting him in the gun
ner's gang, letting him crawl through
the roller path, to the end that he
gain practical familiarity with the
duties of keeping turret in shape,
and then as check, let him write q
short, concise acco int of the duties
done. The secret of efficiency in prac-
tical work is to give him more re-
sponsibility and to see that he meas
ures up to the standard that Iespon-
sibility demands.
The matter of discipline has, sup
pose, brought out more discussion
than any other feature of military or
ganization. Everyone seems to have
his own views on the subject. ] am
nc exception. The system in vogue
| at present at the Naval Academy is
| the time honored one, multitude OF
regulations to be kept, with punish
ment sharp and certain for breaking
them. This arrangement certainly
produces valuable training. The
habit of seeing that ones locker
| door is closed whenever one is absent
from the room Ito mention just one Of
the many requirements that must be
lived up toy is excellent in that it fos-
tiers a habit of care. There are fea-
lures, however, that might be elimi-
mated, think, witch profit.
One of these features is the Gus
tom of placing a midshipman on the
report when the proof of his wrong.
doing is insufficient Under the
splendid code Of honor that exists the
midshipman has but to make writ
ten statement to the effect that be
did not do che act charged and the re.
port is removed. Surely it will b.
urged, there can be NJ objection Il
such truly Arcadian arrangement
But the fact is, midshipmen are not
Arcadians. They are Anglo-Saxons
with all the Saxon dislikes for shout
dering the burden of proof OF theii
innocence. / have known number
of cases in which midshipmen have
taken their dement's for offenses o.
which they were not guilty, becaus'
they would not make a written state
ment. an act which they considerei
equivalent to proving their innocence
Foolish? Perhaps.
(Continued.)