Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-01-03
U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY.
Its Interesting History, Its Honored
Traditions, and Its Aims.
(By NJ Y. McGown, jr.)

lrdulUlOnS, ana IIS AIMS.
(By NJ. Y. McGown, jr.)
What ID the naval academy?
Personally, l believe that the ma
jority of the people of America have
an idea that it is simply an institu-
ton for preparing young men for the
naval service. 1t is all this and a
/ great deal more. Accordingly. wish
to bring out more clearly to the
people thorough understanding of
the academy. 1t is my feeling that
one should have at least historical
understanding, but, in addition, he
should understand the academy and
t the student who attends it.
The idea of a school, for the pur-
pose of educating young men for the
naval service, first originated at the
/ time of Mathew Fountaine Maury,
/ in the year 1871. George Bancroft,
a noted historian. accepted the po-
! sition of secretary of the navy that
/ he might go ahead with Maury's
ideas of founding naval school.
! The old-timers sneered at the idea
of teaching sailors ashore" but
Bancroft went about his work with
great tact, and succeeded in making
start in a little army post (Fort
! Severn) at Annapolis. Bancroft and
! Maury are better known as the
/ Fathers of the Naval Academy"
The academy is situated on one of
! the beautiful banks of the Severn
river, very near the city of Annapo-
lis. In fact, it is considered a part
of the city, although it is separated
! from it by huge walls. 1t resembles
| a miniature city in itself. The whole
academic limit is surrounded by
water, which makes it more home
! like for the man who intends to fol-
low the sea. This situation also
gives an opportunity for the conduct
! ing of all water sports. Finally, the
most important part of the histori-
cal review is the buildings, which are
/ very beautiful and ought to be inter-
esting to the people of Maine in that
all the granite used in the con-
| struction of these buildings came
! from Vinalhaven, small island in
! the Penobscot river. The names of
these buildings come historically
! from men who have won distinc-
! ton in the past and in the naval SER
vice, such as Bancroft hall (the
home of the midshipmen) which was
named after the founder of the in
stitution. Maury, Mahan, Sampson
Luce and Marlborough, are the other
famous men of the past who have
! buildings as memorials. Many monu-
| ments may be seen as one walks
| through the campus, all of which are
memorials to men of the past.
The institution, as I have said be-
! fore, was founded for the purpose of
educating young men for the naval
, service, therefore, the institution
| has and must have a course of study
with which that of no other college
can be compared. Each man takes
the same course, for there is only
one; but after graduation he may
choose one in which he may special
ize. The most important studies are
! navigation, seamanship, ordnance
and gunnery, naval construction, and
electrical engineering. Added to
these studies are the three months
that are given each summer at sea
for a practice cruise, which enables
! the student to receive practical in
/ struction of his studies at sea. The
majority of the teachers are civilians,
though there are many officers as
signed to instruct the midshipmen.
The student is instructed to ac-
| complish a thing; consequently, it is
up to the studnt alone to do it. On
| the other hand, at every recitation
| they are assigned lesson therefore,
| they are expected to know it at the
| next recitation. At other colleges
one gets lesson explained to him,
, but it is quite the contrary here. A
! year is spent in studying chemistry
! at colleges, but here we study both
chemistry and college physics in one
academic year This illustrates the
rapidity with which the student COW
ers certain subject.
A friend of mine received letter
from young man, who had re-
ceived two years training here, but
after resigning he entered a college.
This young man wrote that the
studies were very easy, because, as
an example, they took chemistry one
year and physics the next.
This all goes to prove that the edu-
cational life of student at An
napolis is very difficult one. Not
only do the studies form part of
the educational system, but also the
traditions that uphold the academy:
the traditions of those who have
gone before us, handed down from
century to century Lastly, the edu
cation of the young man is not
stopped on graduation, but, accord
ing to Huxley, sit is continuous"
The traditions of which 1 have
spoken were handed down by such
men as Maury.
What is tradition? 1t is the back
bone of military service. Any navy
would indeed be invertebrate with
out tradition, for tradition is that
which is honorable, noble, and in
spring, and workers of great deeds
are workers of tradition. Others
have influenced it greatly. The name