The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-10
rHE BOYS WHO RESIGNED.
One Of Them says Politics Saved
Many Deficient Midshipmen.

ih6 WeSu. II UOWtTeu NO uTOtuseIs last
month that there arc many midshipmen
who breathe more easily because Of IFS
splendid strength. But to the point. the
facts OF the wholesale fiunking" at the
Naval Academy are these There were
?20 midshipmen OF all classes found to
have a mark, at least one. In other cases
two. three and four. below the required
standard Of ESQ. Now This $50 repre-
sents. mathematically. 62.5 per cent. Of
the maximum 80. II seems a rather low
standard to require. but AS "A probable
result OF the scandal Of last umner
u rs Of to-day represents at least an
20 to IS per cent. knowledge Of the sub
Ject. A 40 Is practically unheard OF In
class recitation. especially for those
whose marks for previous months and
terms have lowered about the ?s or
2.9 grading.
But to return to the 2:0 midshipmen.
II was at first reported that all OF these
men were to he compelled to leave the
academy. Then the "heaiing herb was
applied and the gathering OF Represen-
tatives and Senators at Carvel Hall In
Annapolis was great enough to warrant
the holding 81 n session Of the national
Legislature. Exactly what these gentle
men did Is not definitely known. hut IA
few days later eighty-two and not go
midshiprnen were told TO resign. Amonr
these e~ighty-two, including myself. were
q number who had not attempted to
use pull 70 continue at the academy.
s%upposing that all would be treated with
the IA me consideration
After the cut had been made In which
1873 midshipinen. unsatisfactory IN one.
two and three subjects. were held. tho
eiehty-two realized that II was their
time to use the root and some at
tempted to do IN. Mr.. Daniels abso-
tutcly refused tn interfere, saying he
was powerless but cvadtng the question
as IN whether the cighty-two. or u part
OF the e~Ighty-two. were fairly treated
when considered with the other 1879.
However. the fact remains hat during
the administration ~ President Taft TIN
Hon. George Won l.. Meyer is said y"
have granted tho academia board ono
hour In which to meet Il condition SINH
lar to the one OF the past term. For
some TIM previous the academic boa I'd
had refused to change 'ts ruling. but at
the expiration ~ the hour tn" passing
marx was lowered To such an extent that
very few were found deficient. N"t MI
Daniels says u am powerless against
the academic board" And II seems we'll
to mention that among the members %
the academic board OF the present day
are naval oihcers VINO were also mem
bers Of the board during the !ncunbency
Of Secretary Meyer. "A rather TRANCE
coincidence.
Why not ask the m.dsh'pmen what
caused the failures" They Will say That
the examinations 81 this year were by
far the most dinicul. ever given and the
markings the str'ctest again a probable
result OF last madness \ Sec
ond cause. the change In N" rating ~
the examination mark tn'n IN" snnua
examination az last scar the eNanina
ton mars was counted as onc-si>th or
on%e-fourth, depending upon the subject
Consequently "A good monthly aNerae"
would raise 4 poor examination mark
and the two combined w the mentioned
ratio would !!"ld a 80. Eut now "
Is different. the exanin'ti"ns count
ohe-fourth or one-'h'rd. and tais Increase
makes a ro"d examination marx M
peratire. Naturally a miishipn,an could
not slight some good subject To put more
time on - poorer ono, a. was possible
In other years.
!; may he in oii'r /" mention that
among tho elshtN-two We're some mem
hers Of the football squad. Ne sou no
DOUBT Know. 'ne ambition ~ every mid
shIpmdn II To beat ~" Army m tIc No-
rember contest. our head coach last
year urged. Boys. Play football. think
FOOTBALL. eat football. sleep football. y
Most OF Us attempted 10 do tins. Now
some or as are ~" longer midshlpmen
ana others AVA ~Nainlnation
BGt why single out the oishty-tvo
Who did not attempt 10 Weld tn. club
OF political Pun until that cub had be-
come poucricss acii''st the uitlma;uni
of the Naval Academy academic hoard
Dope. = word most incorrectly used In
the 'gousin- afair .: last wear. has
II that many or the mi|shipinen who
were retained we've 50 retained by me
political !r'u"Hc" u friends AZ the ma
ton 'apitpl. Ana dope AZ tie Naval
ACADEMY generally speaks with some
truth.
You lauj the academic board and APP
pear In think II has dom wonders "a
stamping ont "~covr.NE" II has. when
you consider "-ouS!rr IN III. lesser
sense. But do you know That th'rty-rvs
fourth class mon were fouri to have
formula and other information ~ their
log books when they entered the eN-
animation room for their examination
last January Did the academic board
tell this or did II get ~ wash nCtoG"
II did nnt' The rl"hes were warned
and nothing further resulted. Yet for
a far less serious form 81 gong ne A
nunfNer Of midshipmen were dismissed
and others dropped - class last ummer
enough ~ apply tho root"