Evening star., 1921-04-24
AIM At PRE-WAR
BASIS IN ACADEMY
Old Order to Be Effective for
Period After Navy's June
Graduation.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special bispatch 10 Inc star
ANNAPOLIS. April 2s.-The Naval
Academy will. according to schedule.
resume its pre-war condition after
the graduation of the first class OF
midshipmen on June 3. but it VIII
continue in 1t for brief period only.
wnen me present second class sradu-
ates in December. as il will in pur-
saunce of special orders just pro-
mulgated by the Secretary Of the
Navy. the student body will be re-
duced to three classes again. and will
remain so until the next class is
formed. during the summer of 1922.
The regiment of midshipmen is now
composed of three and half classes.
instead of four. which is the person
rel under normal conditions. While
the war lasted classes were gradua ted
after three years of training. and the
second class was omitted. When the
war ended the four-year course was
restored by dividing the third class.
the uppe- half In point of scholar
ship graduating last June. while the
others will graduate the coming june
Many Highly Emcient.
The present first class. the mem
bers of which graduate June 3. is
below the middle point in their
studies. There will be no star
graduates, but there is no doubt that
many of them are highly efficient ana
will make their mark in the service.
1t has been noted that these young
men have carried out their duties as
officers OF the regiment just as well
as the better students of the class,
and that they have become prominent
in athletics to an equal degree and
managed the various student actlF-
it:es with equal credit.
After June 3 there will be but three
olasses of midshipmen, but they will
have full quotas and the academy Will
be in exactly normal condition Ior
the period Of the academic year. The
new class viii be formed during 9e
summer. and tle academy Will ope
a new year on October 1 with four
full classes, the first time it has
been the case since the opening OF
the war.
It is thought that the student body
will number about 400. the largest
it has ever been. So far as can be
foretoli, i. is the official intention to
keep the number of midshipmen at
this point. Tt is the limit of the pres
ent Accommodations and the present
training s-aff. This is the maximum
which the Navy Department hopes to
have as niiGship?nea at the beginning
of each year but the regiment is
considerably Diminished before the
year is completed.
Will Have short Leave.
Immediately after the graduation OF
the first class the members of the
present second class. which will then
be the graduating class. will go on a
short leave, returning to the acad-
emy by July 1 in order to begin the
course of intensive training which will
fit them for graduation in December.
The class now numbers $50 mem
bers. and it is understood that nearly
all of them will graduate. When
the other midshipmen complete their
cruise and return from the short
leave which follows it, the new
fourth class will have been formed,
and the regiment will be complete
for the first time since the war be-
gan. This condition will be changed.
however. when the class graduates
in December.
1t is hoped that the full number
1e9-of the enlisted men of the Navy
and Marine Corps authorized to enter
the Academy each year as midship-
men may be received this year. The
law has authorized this number for
three years. but the quota has never
enter the Academy. on exactly the
same basis as the others. and the
same opportunities Tor promotion are
' before them
The practice cruise will, for the
firAt time in years. carry the mid
shipmen to European waters. Start
ing from Annapolis June 4, the
squadron will go to Christiania. Nor
way. passing the Azores and the
north of Scotland. The other stop
ping points, and the time scheduled
to reach them are: Lisbon. July Il:
Gibraltar. July 30: Guantanamo. Au-
gust 23 The cruise will end at An
napoIis on August 90. and those mid
shipmen who take it will be given
until October