Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13
NAVY SEEN AS
PERPETUAL SCHOOL
Training Chief Outlines Edu-
cationl Chances
in Service.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
source Of the Nays commissioned on
GERS. This year more than five hundred
carefully selected men are entering this
institution. from every State in the
Union. They are young-none OF them
are over 20-and few of them have had
any experience that bears directly upon
their new profession. Part OF them
come as the appointees of Members OF
Congress and the President, part are
appointed from the enlisted men OF the
Navy and Marine Corps but regardless
OF their manner OF appointment, every
one who enters must be able to pass
one Of the most rigid physical and men-
tai examinations that has yet been de-
vised for entrance to an institution OF
learning The midshipman must also
maintain a high standard of conduct
and scholarship through four OF the
most strenuous years that any profess
sional institution can prescribe for It's
novitiates.
The course at the Naval Academy
cannot b. an elective one. for there
are many subjects that every oflcer
must know Except for choice In
the modern language to be studied. the
course is uniform for all In addition
to seamanship, navigation and ordnance
and gunnery. the midshipman must be
given a basic engineering course. and
this makes it necessary to include all
of the mathematics and science given
in engineering schools.
Far-Reachlng Factor.
This uniform basic training given to
all officers is a far-reaching factor In
all considerations affecting ofncer
personnel Each Young officer knows
when he leaves the Naval Academy that
his preparation for his profession is
equal to that OF those about him; he
suffers no handicap and has no ad-
vantage. His commanding officers
know, too Just what his training has
been, and the tasks to which he is as
signed are gagged by what other young
officers with the same training have
been able to accomplish. He learns to
attempt with confidence and good will
any task that may be assigned to him
and usually finds way to do it. for
he knows that other men. equipped
exactly as he is himself, have done
such things before.
The officers training does not end
when he leaves the Naval Academy.
Besides the practical training he gets
through experience, the best BOOKS
dealing with his profession are made
available for him. War College corre-
spondence courses are open to him as
a voluntary means of self improve
ment. and each advance in rank calls
for an examination that requires him
to keep up with his profession.
wide variety Of post graduate courses
are maintained for officers. Schools
located at the Naval Academy and
Naval War College prepare officers for
every phase of command. from the
duty Of heads Of departments on a
vessel or the command OF small craft
60 the study of strategy for those who
hold positions of wide responsibility in
Sine Of war. Courses for the Speciali-
eaticn Of officers in technical service
Ore maintained at the Naval Academy
end in civilian colleges. Mechanical
engineering electrical engineering. COM
Dlunication engineering. ordinance and
eaval construction are only part OF the
subjects in which officers are being
prepared for highly specialized duties.
But. unlike most other navieS. ours has
never believed in building its officer
personnel into many corps OF specialists
who know only one phase OF the naval
profession. The naval officer who spe-
cializes in ordinance. electrical engi-
neering or mechanical engineering
keeps up in other phases of his pro-
fession, for he has the same chance TO
attain high command as any Of his
fellow officers.
Average Ability Considered.
In maintaining it's enlisted personnel,
the Navy also places its dependence
upon the ability of the average Ameri-
can youth to adapt himself and NEE,
responsibility. when properly trained
for 1t. Every year thousands OF young
men flow into naval training stations
from recruiting Offices that draw from
every State. At the present time about
1900 new recruits are needed every
month to take the place of men whose
enliStments have expired.
These young recruits are also select
ed men. and the basis OF selection Is
not experience but character, intelli-
gence and physical fitness. The aver
age age is only little more than ID
years. Many or most of them come
directly from the schools, few OF them
have learned a trade in civil life and
fewer still have ever been at sea. But
long experience has shown that 1t Is
men Of this age and type who will best
adapt themselves to a Seagoing life
and be of greatest value in the Nays
work when they are properly trained
for 1t.
From the recruiting office every re-
cruit is sent to one of the four naval
training stations, where he spends IL
weeks in getting the training that every
enlisted man must have before he can
be sent to sea. During this period he
learns to take proper care OF himself
and his helonpiDpS aboard man-Of-