Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-03-17
MIDDLE FIRST CLASS
IS BIGGEST AND BEST
Four Members Of This Year:
Graduating Class Close Year
Without Single Dernerit
CONDITIONS ARE HARD

q N@A&AN&@A = 4 AbANA ~ s3 &A4AA@ A1A1A -
/ besides Eeing larger ~ one-half
than any class which has graduated
from the Naval academy the class
which will complete its course next
June sis distinguished for the efficient
i manner III which II has performed the
various tasks allotted to It, and the
many among It's numIer who have
won distinction in athletics, in the
military organization, IN scholarship
Innd In the numerous activities which
are conducted by the first class,
I'LL no way il the unusual character
Iof the personnel indicated letter than
BY the fact that four Of its meml ers
were able TO go through tile whole
lof the last scholastic year without re-
#ceiving one defRerit This is oecas
IonalIy accomplished by one midship-
Imam for single year, Tut for four
members of one class 10 escape the
numerous pitfalls which heset orc la
his position on every hand is most re-
narkalle. These young men are
Calvin NJ. Bolster, Ohio; William II
Buracker. Virginia: Moultrie Morse,
Alalama and Maurice Van GleaYe.
Texas.
When 1t Il considered that officers,
4 instructors and Inidshipmen ofiicars
are authorized and directed 70 watch
every midshipman almost every no
lment Of the day In his ROOM march
ling 20 classrooms, in class rooms. at
recreation or leisure; in fact III every
phase of his life, and that even the
slightest infractiOn of regulation
1ineans, demerits. II would seem almost
Impossible Tor midshipman To pass n
4 whole year without receiyeing ade-
INERT.
Wllnt Dement'S Arc.
Demerits are assigned in numl crs
Iof from one to hundred. the great
majority Df petty 0fFenses eing pun
Eished by three or fiye demerits, These
smaller hunters are assigned for
such ofTenses as lack of neatness In
person or room. lateness at the diff
Iferent formations, nnmiIitary bearing
under any circumstances or tardiness
lor siovelinees In anything required to
lfe done
For purely military offenses and.
those involving sedious misconduct,
and not mere thonghtlessnRsss the
punishments are heavier. while d num-
1 ber are marked special, and are
handled directly by the snperinten-
dent. That official. with the approval
Eof the Secretary OF the Navy, can as
sign punishment UP 10 dismissal in
these cases. Among the offenses So
classified are hazing, lying, malinger-
ing. insuhordination. engaging in per-
sonal combat. intoxication, introduc-
ing intoxicants into grounds or baiid-
Ainrs and other serious offenses.
Dement'S pile up on most midship-
men no matter how hard they try To
avoid them though the records indi-
Ecate that most of them begin to learn
3the ropes as they ascend IN class ~
4the academy. On the theory that those
who have been longer under discipline
land know better tho requirements Of
1.-THE academy, slle allowance for the
Amidsaipman iss smaller as he Iirog-
Iresses III class He Is allowed 500
Ills 4 fourth classnlan ESQ III the third
class. 200 Iii the second and but I50
las 4 first eiassman II this limit is
exceeded, a midshipnlan is considered
deficient in conduct aud must leave
the institution.
OF course. the number Of demerits
which mldshipYnea receive depends q
good deal upon the strictness of the
duty officer who makes inspections or
obseryes conduct This is Illustrated
/ III the case Of d repokt or i room in
q disorder That repore carries three
dement's with II, but duty officer
4 lwas known who made each separate
liberalization the subject OF report.
Each of these carried bnt one, but
often SIX Or eight subjects for report
were found, like table not ali right
langles to wall, shoes no even under
Icot, books not neatly arranged, Or
q ssslioe laces outside OF shoes. and the
reports carried ais many dement's AZ
they numbered.
NJ One instance Is recorded of an Of
Eflcer, now i captain ID the service
who went through the last two years
at the academy without denerit
but ii Is exceptional when one mid:
shipman accomplishes this feat for 9
single year. That four members d
the present graduating class could &c.
cnrnUIlNh II. marks that class as I
remarkable body indeed.