The Washington times., 1914-01-09
Daniels Directs
Schooling of All
Sailors Aboard
Great Warships
By S. M. REYNOLDS.

time which the sailors and other en-
listed men on the ship must give to
the ordinary ship duties. From tho
time he turns out OF his bunk and
gets his breakfast to 9:15. John
Smith, with the others in the en-
listed ranks. Is cleaning and per-
forming ship work" From 9:I5 to
ll:45 he goes through drillsrand other
routine duties From HIS to 1:l5 he
has for dinner and recreation.
School is daily except on Saturdays.
sundays. and holidays From 2:30
10 4:SO he has more drills. work. and
recreation.
Promptly at 1I5 the school caiT'
is sounded. BY this time the tables
and mess gear have been cleaned
away and the mess quarters turned
into school room.
There Is no other work going on
about the ship during the school
period. 1t is an "all hands" period
for study and instruction. and, IKE
boys at school, the jackies. marines.
stewards. and all others in the en-
listed ranks are poring over their
books. In time Of war or dangerous
weather. OF course. school would Be
suspended. but the officers have been
given to understand each ship must
show the required amount OF prog
ress in the instruction Of its men.
The school period is divided on the
basis Of forty-five minutes a day for
academic instruction" which is
compulsory. and includes such sub
JectS as reading. writing, arithmetic.
spelling. geography, and history, and
the rest for technical and naval sub
jects. For men who have attained a
satisfactory standard in the ara
6nr1ffs hranRhaG the arffro uarfrH .
given over to the technical branches.
In addition, to the assigned studies.
the officers who serve as instructors
are required to encourage and assist
any men who may wish to take up
algebra. higher mathematics and the
other academic studies not included
in the elementary school, using text
books preferably that are used at
the Naval Academy.
ALL THE SCIENCES
INCLUDED ON LIST.
The technical subjects are as linn
itless as the varied duties Of the
ship. from splicing a knot to train
ing a gun, and embrace many OF the
sciences A sixteen-page folder, is
sued by the Secretary, goes care
fully into every phase OF the curric-
ulum. What is more. it requires the
officers to lend their aid and encour-
agement in ss:are time to those am
bilious sailors who might wish to
supplement their ship school work
by correspondence school courses
To each man in this school is held
open the door of opportunity for ad-
vancement into the commissioned
ranks, and in order that the officers
might not be tempted by the long
standing prejudice among naval
graduates against the elevation Of en-
listed men to the commissioned
ranks, the Secretary has even out
lined the limits of periodical exam
nations which each enlisted man
must pass in his progress toward
shoulder straps
OF value to the enlisted man who
may not intend taking up naval
career as a life work IS the fact that
a certificate duly signed by the COM
manding officer-a diploma, In fact
will be attached to the honorable
discharge papers Of every enlisted
man of the navy, who shall have
completed the prescribed academic
course while in the service; or who
is proficient in common school
DTdnCucSs VI WIZ SLoAL AA.S No.
in any naval. professional mechan-
icaI or trade branch in which in
struction is given ashore or afioat-
Thus the enlisted man, honorably
discharged, may go forth into the
workaday world backed up with
written proof. He has been given an
educat on often far better than the
men against whom he S'ill compete.
When Jonn Smith leaves he will be
far better equipped than when he
entered the navy.