Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-07
LATE EXAMINATIONS
FOR NAVAL ACADEMY
Hopes of Naval Department and
Naval Academy Not Realized.
is STANDARD HIGHER?
Or Are Young Men Who Want To Be
Admitted Wonderfully
Dense?

The hopes of the Navy Department
and the Naval Academy authorities to
have the exceptionally large class of
Midshipmen have not been realized.
Over 1900 candidates were examined
In the February. April and June ex-
aminations, and the class at present
numbers far less than the 500 antici-
pated. Further consideration by the
Academic Board and the Navy De-
partment may add to this total but
to lessen the standard of entrance
now to the Academy, when classes are
going out in three years with its di-
ploma into active service and with
commissions in the Navy, would be
glaring injustice to the country.
1t has transpired that, out of the
400 candidates, who took the late
June examinations, on the first sum
ming up of the Naval Academy in
structors who gave the examination
credits, only 100 passed BY the pro-
cess of giving equitable credits to
those near the passing mark. 2.5 out
cessful candidates was brought up to
S75. Out of these 40 per cent failed
iE their physical examination, so
again the anticipated numbers were
not realized.
These extraordinary ratios of en-
tries and the unsuccessful has again
started strong comments here and in
Washington amongst Congressman as
to the standard of the examinations
for admission to the Naval Academy
One Congressman said lately that he
had made nine appointments to the
Naval Academy and not one had
passed There is bitter feeling, in
Congressional circles, it is learned,
against the tests applied for admis-
sion to the Academy.
1t is understood that the Naval
Academy standard of admission is
higher than any other entrance ex-
animation to any school or college in
the United States, and it could not
we'll be denied that this is as it should
be, to make the Navy what it ought to
be, and to meet the requirements ex-
pected of it by the Nation. Yet there
is another side to it,
II is we'll known that, in the
Mathematical tests required of candi-
dates, are formulas, such as the cube
root, that are only of value as mental
gymnastics and are not in much, il
any, practical use in the usual avoca-
tions of life, and these branches are
not taught in general in the high
schools of the country. Hence. many
failures are attributed to this. Some
of the candidates, when they reach
this part of the examination, will
naively write in their papers: Il
have never had that" This, of course,
does not help them, but is a collateral
proof that these subjects are not
usually taught in the high schools
throughout the land.
Another proof that the Academy ex-
aminations, although circulars set
ting forth the character of themsis to
be had by application to the Naval
Academy authorities. are not general
" understood and that the high
schools throughout the Union do not
prepare the students to meet them. is
the very large percentage of success
full candidates who attend the Naval
Preparatory Schools located at An
napolis. These institutions, from
proximity to the Academy, and long
course of training, know precisely the
usual formulas of the examination,
and, while they cannot give the exact
data and instruction of what will be
in the coming tests, as they approach
from time to time, yet the instructors
in these schools can so indicate the
generic features that candidate of
ordinary mental qualities and reason
able diligence may be made ready to
almost be sure of his mental success.
One teacher here had II out of his
sixteen scholars to pass the late ex-
animation The "bete noir" of the
examination was the mathematics.
The other tests were moderate in re-
euirements. Mathematics. the candi-
dates who took it say, was the sever
est ever known
There is one other point provable.
Many we're the instances that the
late applicants showed profound and
almost an incredible lack of knowl-
edge of things common to the intelli-
gence of most youths of ordinary
education
In a word as a totality. the late ap-
plicants for admission to the Naval
Academy were wonderfully dense.