Evening star., 1919-02-09
NAVY CANDIDATES
BUSY IN ANNAPOLIS
Many Prepare for Entrance
Examinations Offered
by Academy.
GIVE PROBLEM FOR CITY
Of The SUNDAY Star.

correspondence OF Inc SUNDAY STAR
ANNAPOLIS. Md, February S.-The
presence in Annapolis throughout the
year of considerable but varying
numbers of young men who are pre-
pairing to take the entrance examina-
tions for the Naval Academy has been
for years, a problem to the naval au-
thorities and the people of Annapolis
Just now the number reaches well
over 800. 1t will diminish after Feb
ruary 10, when the first examination
of the year will be held. and grad
ually increase until April Is. the date
of the second and last examination
At that time the number will reach
its highest point
New Glass to Number 800.
The new class will number about
SOC, which will be the average size of
entering classes at the Naval Acad-
emy while the law governing en-
trance remains as it is. The young
men appointed to take the examina-
tions to become members of the class
are called Candidates." and will
probably number over $500. including
principals and alternates. Experience
has shown that not over one in three
of those who take the examinations
are successful, though full informa-
tion is furnished by the naval au-
thorities as to both the physical and
mental requirements.
Certain problems connected with the
presence in Annapolis of number of
these young men, who come to at
tend the schools that make a special
ty of preparation for the Academy,
have been the occasion of some diff
~,
small compared with those who are
now coming. they promise to become
still more important with the increase
in the number of appointees and the
greater proportion attending the
local schools each year.
The candidates are attracted to An
napolis because statistics show that
those who prepare here under the di-
rection of instructors who have spe-
cialized on preparation for the Acad-
emy entrance examinations, are sue
cessful in far larger proportions than
those who prepare in any other way
Efforts have been made to modify the
examinations in such a way that no
special preparation is necessary. A
few years ago the superintendent of
the Naval Academy advised candi-
dates not to leave their homes for
special preparation. Still, they con-
tinued to come to Annapolis for the
final touches. This advice has been
withdrawn now.
Six Schools in Field.
There are six schools in Annapolis
and vicinity which make a speciality
of preparing candidates for the Naval
Academy. Only one of these schools,
which takes limited number of stu
dents, houses all of them in a dormi-
tory. Those of the other schools are
generally housed in approved hotels
and boarding houses by the princi-
pals. Under the circumstances, the
supervision given them is not so good
as if they were under one roof con-
trolled by the-sehool authorities, and
there have at times been some
abuses.
Annapolis is a comparative small
city-not over 5000 people outside Of
the Navaly Academy-and at present
it is dry" by Secretary Daniels or
much inclined to be wet" In fact,
there has been a very large number
of saloons and cafes in comparison
with the size of the town.
Again Baltimore and Washington
are only about an hour distant and
there are frequent electric cars. This
offers temptation to the young men
to make occasional trips to the inter-
ruption of their work
The matter has reached a point
where much thought and some action
is being devoted to it. A club has
been formed among the candidates to
afford the proper amount of recreation
and to encourage and help the mem
bers to devote themselves to the main
object of their presence in Annapolis.
The matter of erecting dormitories is
being considered definitely by some of
the school owners. A further sugges-
ton has been made that there be fed
eral LEGISLATION to give these candi-
dates an official status and that
suitable person, preferably an officer
on the active or retired list of the
Navy, be designated to supervise the
candidates while in Annapolis. Action
along these lines would go far toward
removing all the difficulties that have
been apparent.