Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-07-08
new FOURTH CLASS
At NAVAL ACADEMY
Now Totals $40 And Has Broken
Record For Number Admit
ted IN Short Period
IS LIKELY 10 REACH 700.

s
The new fourth class at the Nayal5
Academy numbers ESQ. and makes up
the largest number of Midshipnreil
ever assembled III so short 4 time, The
physical examinations oR those canii
dates who had passed the mental
tests III February and April began
on June 10. 50 that In less than 4
month the class has been assembled, !,
breaking ail records IN the number Of
new MldshIpmen indueted into the
Academy according to those who
have been Id touch with such adinis.
slons for many years.
The regular routine of ngactical exs
ercises. drills and inst ion has.
been going on for some time. and In
this matter. also, d record has been
established. instruction IS in very
large measure practical though q
.s.nan assauuuG 0f book work III tsa.
ciuded. The infantry drills and The be-.
ginnings Of practical seanlanship. as
made up oE boats under oars and sails
makes up very large proportion Of
the daily routine. These are regarded
Is valuable, NOT only as physical OK
ercise, but as an aid 10 discipline.
The members of the new class have
already been formed into regiment,
consisting OF four battalions of two
companies each. This Is similar to.
the organization of the whole body on
Midshlpnen, only except that there
are four companies In each battalion
og the main regiment, and the COM
patlIes are, 0f course, larger. Midship
men bfacars have been named for the
new regiment but Ii n only tentative,
ana d number of men will be tried in
each important position SO that the.
one best qualified can be finally named.
Ths organization Will cease with the
return OF the other Midshipnlen in the
fall and the organization of the reg
uiar regiment into which the fourth
elassmen win be merged
The class has been organized into
| the regiment of sixteen rather small
| companies la order TO give as many
members as possible the opportunity
of having experience in occupying
l.positions of some responsibility where
they win get in an early period of
their career the chance Of having pracs
lice In the command Of others The
Academy authorities are aided IN get
ting suitable men for these positions
from the fact that so many Of them
have attended schools where they re.
ceiye military instruction, and par,
ticularly by the fact that under the
| law. each class receives number Of
men os the Navy and Marine Corps
/ who have had full year IN one or the
other 81 those branches Of service.
they have proved Or great value in
] helping 10 form the new class. both In
their knowledge og drill and Ct the
custom and spirit 0f the service
The new class IL expected to reach
1 : membership or aBout 700. Nearly all
# ST Those who PASSED at the two mental
i examinations this year have had their
physical tests and either passed or
been rejected. The class "a gaining nd
IdItional members slowly however,
through the designation a. principals
of those who passed the mental tests IN
prevfons years but had only alternate
Iappoinamerts and those principals
Passed. IA god Hnany members of Con.
gress, whose principal appointees fail
Il ed this time. are now designating
these young men ii their places, and
they are admitted Id the Academy
upon passing their physical tests
Tha class nas been increased hy
about dozen members of the previous
class who were deficient Ia stRdies
bur not ia badly aa 20 require theil
separation from the service, and VIII
we're allowed to coAtinue in the mex
I0wer class There are also present a
the AcaaeEny nunhsr of upper class
men Who were retained On account q
denciant sgudsea md vino viii y
given an0ther exaninafion. who wers
0nsinuea On paga Fsva1