Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-02-12
g hIDSHIPNEN
DROPPED FROM LIST
A Few Submitted Their Resigna-
tions--The Rest Notified to
Sever Connection With
Naval Academy.
NAMES ARE WITHHELD.
Recommendation of Caption Eberle.
Superintendent of the Academy,
Approved by President Stand
ard Must be Maintained.

cent semi-annual examinations to be
| hopelessly deficient, have already SUBJ
mitted their designations. and have had
them accepted. The rest OF the eighty
notified. and all will have fvey o
two who will not be retained. have
| been notified, and all will have sew
cred their connection with the Naval
Academy early next week The Naval
Academy authorities declined TO turn
the knife in the wound by giving out
the names at this time. though they
will in the Academy Register, which
viii be issued shortly Forty of the
deficients are members of the new
fourth class, and only three are mem
bers OF the graduating class. As
there We're seventeen members OF the
latter class who were deficient in some
branch, another chance has been
given to fourteen of them
Capt E. w. Eberle. superintendent
Of the Academy. stated this morning
that the principle followed in asking
for the resignation of midshipmen was
to maintain the scholastic standards
absolutely but at the same time 10
give an opportunity of staying in the
Academy to all Of those whose gen
eral work indicated that they could
meet the tests. For this reason. all
midshipmen who failed by a narrow
margin only in subjects which will be
continued during the next term were
permitted to remain at the Academy.
Will be given the opportunity of pull
ing their mark for the year for the
work done during the next term. II
they cannot reach the passing mark
of 62 l-2 per cent, they will not be
permitted to remain at the Academy.
Captain Eberle said that II was re
gaTded as fairer in every way to ask
for the resignation OF midshipmen
who indicated by their work that they
could not pass the finals next year.
In that way. the midshipmen if young
enough, could be re-appointed next
June. If any midshipman has pass
ed the. ase Of eptranc, his Ruresent-
ative could fill the vacancy at that
time
There is nothing in the laws gov
erning the appointments to the Naval
Academy to prevent the re-appoint-
ment of a midshipman who has failed
in his studies. provided he is not more
than 20 years of age Some of the in
volved midshipmen are now over 20
years and cannot be re-appointed But
when re-appointed any midshipman
among the 50 involved in this failure
at examinations will have to begin al
the bottom just as if he had not be-
fore been AT the Academy.
In announcing his decision. Seere-
tary Daniels said that while the Navy
needed more officers. only those who
could meet the high standards and
qualify by examination could be re-
tanned in the service.
ITO meet this need" he said. the
Sixty-third Congress, upon the recon-
mendation OF the Navy Department
continued the law which had expired
by limitation providing for the ap-
pointment of two midshipmen by each
member of Congress, and the Sixty
fourth Congress. as the first act III
larger preparedness has passed the bin
giving three appointments to each Sen
ator and Representative This makes
possible an increase OF 531 midship-
men lOl lHe coming year.
The Secretary. expressed regret that
the So students had been found 'un-
satisfactory in such a degree as does
not justify the hope OF their gradua
ton and training as officers of the
Navy"
Mr. Daniels said that he did not
think amy midshipman should be al
lowed 10 graduate unless he could
make 60 1-2 per cent, the standard
average,in his studies and for that rea-
son he had refused TO lower the pass
ing marks.
we want more officers. but not at
the expense of the high standard long
maintained" he said THE need OF
officers for the naval service will not
be met by lowering the standard for
graduation. New developments call
for varied ability and initiative and
no man should be commissioned who
does not meet the requirements of the
modern naval academy
The people of the country are
deeply concerned about the necessity
Tor propr preparedness The foun-
alton stone for all preparedness must
be an ambitious. well-trained. efficient
personnel. and unless the standard at
Annapolis is kept high. this desider-
atum cannot be reached. The reason
for recommending the bill for an in
crease of midshipmen AT the Naval
Academy was to supply the growing
need of fit and qualified officers for
the fleets. That need viii not be met
by lowering the standard for grad
uation. for with the new developments
calling for varied active and initiative
no man should be commissioned in the
Navy who does not measure up to the
requirements of modern naval educa-
tioh. The time has come when Meth
er mere seniority in the active service
nor mediocrity at the Naval Acad-
my should be allowed TO prevent the
nearest possible perfection of naval
efficiency"