The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-16
NAVAL INQUIRY COURT
SCORES ''OOPE" SYSTEM
Does Not Sustain Superintendent Of
Naval Academy In Diminishing
Seven.
ONE CADET OF THAT GROUP,
HOWEVER Is DISMISSED
steps Urged to Prevent Athletes FROM
Receiving FAvors In Examinations
and Class Markings Condition De-
plorable.
a g4Ar * 49,

Washington. Aug. 1.-THE nndin8s
OF the naval court OF inquiry into the
charges OF fraud in examinations at
the Naval Academy were made pub
lie today The court does NOT sustain
the action taken by the superintendent
of the academy In recommending fer
dismissal seven midshipmen. who. 1t
was charged. had seen mimeograph
copies of examination sheets and knew
what they were before they took the
examination. It was the superinten-
dents recommendation against the
ssnipmsn which stirred up all the
furore at the academy and led to the
appeal to Secretary Daniels which re-
suited In the appointment OF court
of inquiry.
Furthermore the court by infer
ence at least criticises the system
which the naval academy authorities
have allowed to develop as regards
examinations and class markings. and
attributes the recent deplorable prac-
tees by midshipmen partly to this
system. Radical changes In the sys-
TENS are recommended. Steps are
urged to prevent athletes at the
academy frcmsTeceiving undue favors,
and the suggestion II made that some
Of the professors have been careless.
Five of the students have been
cleared OF charges Of fraud and other
culpable irregularities in connection
with the last annual examination.
These are c. e. Evans. s. A. Hamilton.
J. e. Moss. d. B. Duncan and r. w.
Harrison, Jr.
One Of Seven Dismissed.
The single nidahipmen of the
original seven, who In dismissed la r.
NJ. Nelson. who II found guilty Of
fraud and attempting TO intimidate q
witness, One other Of the seven
recommended for dismissal Leonard
2. Vessel II punished by being turn
ed back into this succeedfng class.
The only other member OF the
academy who u dismissed ID Midship-
man Charles ~. Reagle. who IL ac-
cused OF having sworn falsely before
tine court Various reprimands and
punishment short Of actual dismissal
are imposed on other members OF the
academy. OF the twenty-five original
whose names were drawn directly into
the inquiry only two, E,owever. are to
be dismissed from the service.
secretary Daniels has accepted the
findings Of the court and its recon-
mendations AZ to punishment.
Although the court makes no direct
accusation that come Of the midship-
men, notably the athletes, have been
favored by instructors In the matter
81 advance information. or dope" III
does assert that the midshipmen be-
lteve this to be true and holds th!al
circunstanco partly reepon&ibie f0r
the methods that have been foIi0Sw-
ed by the midshipmenA The ecSxt|
makes radical Recommendations ID re
gard to the doing away or the .dopes
system At the academy. and other su9-
gestions In regard to the management
OF tho affairs ef the ifstitufton. These
have not been ac-
cepted by Secretary Daniels.
81 Per Cent HAD the Dope
The findings OF the court show that
lis members or e3.4 per cent OF the
first class Of l 5Ss or so or the second
class had In some form prior to the
varying amounts OF the,
so-cailed dope. which later proved
to BE- substantial portion OF the ans
nual examination. The court says II ~
probable that still other midAhipmenj
had similar dope
The court finds that sixty seven
had surreptitiousIy and
without authority visited one q mora
or the departments pf the academy al
times for the purpose of1
obtaining their marks In adxancS ~