Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-06
June
| WEEK DROPS
The Commencement Season,
Pure and Simple, Ends With
Graduation of Class.
Special Dispatch to The star

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ANNAPOLIS. June 5.-"June week
. at the Naval Academy. which in times
past has BEEN officially at least,
based upon the presence Of the board
of visitors appointed by the President
and Congress to inspect the institu.
ton and report upon it's needs, was
completely changed in character this
year. and was a commencement sea-
son. pure and simple, ending with the
i graduation of the first class and the
farewell ball Thursday. The board met
and completed its work early in May,
SO that the graduates were uncontest-
ed in theft occupancy of the position
of Importance during the week.
1t is expected that the change will
be permanent one. The official visit
ors see the academy when it is work
ing under normal conditions, and not
in period of extreme excitement and
special interest. In order to present an
outline of the routine at the academy,
it is necessary to keep the midsh1p-
men almost constantly. engaged in
some branch of drill or practical ex-
fercise. and little. opportunity is given
I them for mfngling with the relatives
| and friends who have come so Tar, TO
Esee them. That this condition was Diff
Eferent this year makes the change
1 VeTN aRTpedDie one " liC
and their relatives and friends.
Enjoy New Privileges.
| During the week past the midship-
linen enjoyed unprecedented prlvi-
,leges. Monday the only event was the
ded1cation OF the Farragut memorial
window, with which the midshipmen
1 had nothing to do in a formal way.
There was an infantry drill Tuesday
morning and an artillery exhibition
1 90 - nd n
rades both evenings. but the regiment
was divided for the morning drills,
half being excused each time. Thus
only a few hours were subtfacted
from the time given to social events
and time spent with relatives and
friends. Graduation was Thursday
morning. a day earlier than ever, but
the midshipmen had much greater OPP
portunities to seek their own devices
than ever before. and real COM
mencement week was voted huge
success.
| JOY Pervaded Academy.
| An atmosphere Of JOY pervaded the
\ Naval Academy during the whole. pc
riod, a splendid start having been
given by the athletic successes on the
previous Saturday. the victory OF the
nine over West Point and the great
victories of the crews in the Amer
lean Henley at Philadelphia. The
l naval ACducmy CiUSSu lHc SICdSCcS
| athletic year in its history in a blaze
of glory. and every member Of the
Navy contingent was in good spirits
from the start of the big week.
The class which graduated Thurs.
day numbered $50 members. and is
unique in the fact that it represents
the upper half enthusiastically Of the
class which previous to the academic
year just closed had made UP the
| third class The lower half composed
| the second class during the past year
and will be graduated next June. The
situation arose through the shorten
| ing of the course to three years dur
| ing the war and the restoration of the
| old four-year course.
When the urgent need Of more naval
| officers developed when the United
l States entered the war. the course at
! the academy was shortened by omit
ting the second class. and when 1t
] was decided to return to the old rou-
! tine. the class was restored by the
division OF the third class on basis
this week are. therefore. a picked
| body OF students. and it is the last
| class which, on account of the emer-
gency created by the war, will grad
| tng. The graduates of next year will
have had four years at the academy.
but will represent but half a class.
1t will not be until June. 1922. that a
full class Will graduate after the
whole four years of instruction.
~ Norfolk Man Takes Honors.
Glass honors were taken by Richard
| NJ. Watt. jr.. of Norfolk, Va. whose
! average for the whole course was one
of the best ever obtained by a grad
\ uate OF the academy. 1t is interest
ing to note that he is not student
only. being a crack tennis player and
member Of the wrestling team. He
| is the son Of Capt. Richard NJ. Watt
Of the construction corps OF the
Navy. who graduated in the class OF
1891.
Five others graduated with a "star"
| rating, having received S5 per cent
| or better during the whole course. In
the order of merit they are: Charleton
Shusg, Needham, Mass; Robert X.
| Wells, Needham, Mass; Mortimer f.
Serat. jr.. Lincoln, Neb.: Kenneth II.
Noble, Little River, Conn.,. and Ralph
e. McShane, Baltimore. Md.
! Seven members of the class have
decided to enter the Marine Corps and
will be commissioned as second lieu
tenants. The others will be commits
| stoned ensigns in the Navy, and most
/ Of them will be assigned at once to
the larger vessels of the Atlantic
feet The marines are: Henry r.
Birmingham, New York: Adolph
Christensen, Minnesota: Louis II.
Marie, jr., Pennsylvania; Ivan w.
Miller. Ohio; Roland e. Simpson, IL
i linots; Joseph N. Smith. Missouri. and