Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-01-14
too HARD ON
THE MIDSHIPMEN
Annapolis and West Point Cadets
Dismissed Lightly
INSTANCES CITED
INSTANCES CITED
By Writer in the Brooklyn Eagle to
Prove the Contention.

Clamor comes from many directions
for four naval academies and as many
military schools. The two institutions
now in existence could accommodate
twice the number of cadets within their
doors. | speak advisedly on this sub
ject. This is especially true of An
napolis
Thep roposition to give to every
member of Congress two appointments
instead OF one ought TO have been en-
acted into law several years ago when
first advanced. One feature of the two
national academies ought to be given
prompt ttention-namely. the dismis
sal of cadets because they fall behind
in one of the special studies peculiar
to those institutions.
A case came under my personal OBJ
servation a few years ago A young
man with the best of preparation ant
foreign languages was compelled t.
resign at the end OF his second year
because he was found deficient IN
mechanical drawing. He stood neaI
the top of his class of about $50 N
department" qualifications for al
officer and "seamanship," but because
he lacked the knack of drawing he
had to resign. 1t was a disappoint-
ment from which he never will re
cover. He was not a candidate for ma
val constructor; his strong qualities
lay in command of others Even in his
second year, his superior capacity for
handling a sailboat caused him to b.
appointed to command landing party
at one of the Rockland maneuvers He
had in him the making of competen
as we'll as a populard isciplinarian, bur
because he could not draw straigh
line without ruler he had TO give vi
the dream of his life His French anC
Spanish were quite superior to the av
erage collegian at graduation; and he
wrote better English than do some
army and navy officers / have encoun
tered in a long acquaintance with the
united service.
Two almost similar cases at Wesi
Point have been brought to my atten
ton during the last ten years. How
much use the leader of a storming
party has for a calculus or Wies
baugh's Mechanics i do not pretend
TO know, concede that graduates who
attain the engineer corps ought to be
through mathematicians, but during
the Civil War some of the most capa
BILE commaders had stood at the foo.
of their classes.
In the navy no prouder name wa'
inscribed upon its roster during the
rebellion than that of Bieutenani
Cushing, who sank the Confederate
ram Albemarle; but Cushing's class
standing was so low that he was bare
ly able to be graduated. Hobson on
the other hand, ranked so high that n
was made constructor" Same Will
Louis Nixon, believe.
My experience with college life and
acquaintance among university mel
teaches me that high standing students
are not always the ones that shine IL
after years A fellow classman who
took maXimum-often cum laude iii
all his studies was until his death
short time ago principal of q public
school in small Rhode Island town
He was merely splendid ''reciter
and nothing more.
At the Ohio Wesleyan University IL
the class of 1869 was man whose
fame for memorizing spread over the
State. / was a mere prep" but !
slipped into his recitation room one
day to hear him "recite" in mental
philosophy. 1t was something mar
velous. He half closed his eyes ano
gave to DR.. McCabe more than page
81. II
sed that divine gift known as eye mem
ory. asked him how he managed To
commit" his lessons. He told me he
read the lesson carefully, fixing the po-
sition of every word. before going To
bed. In class he ''just read it from
the page"
NV ideal "reciter" is a lawyer in a
village of $500 inhabitants, with a
practice of $4,000 year. Doubtless
he is happier than some of his class
mates. one of whom attained the Uni
ted States Senate. or closer associate
who has reached the Vice-President-
ial chair. / lon't know. do you? But
what / intend to impress upon the
reader is that this man never would
have made competent navy or army
officer, although passing examinations
at either one Of the national academies
would have been play to him
| If a little discretion we're exercised
by Annapolis and West Point examin-
/ ing boards a great many more compe-
I tent officers would be added TO the
!, army and navy lists. General Grant,
/ have heard, was not brilliant stu
| dent at West Point, but he possessed
/ sufficient capacity to save the Union.