Evening star., 1945-08-05

present when the vote took place
and refuse to accept the decision
as representative.
Hundredth Anniversary.
Both schools have long and inter-
esting histories. The Naval Acad-
emy will celebrate its Tooth ami
versary IN October. 1t. owes its
being in great part to George Ban
croft, the famous historian who
served as Secretary of Navy in
President James K. Polk's cabinet
Bancroft brought to fruition earlier
efforts to establish a school to train
future naval officers. Plans had
been made As years earlier, in 1900
by Secretary of War James Nc
Henry to establish a military acad-
emy with one division to be known
as School of the Navy" In 1883
school for midshipmen was act
ually established at the old Naval
Asylum in. Philadelphia, those at
tending being midshipmen who had
already seen service at sea-
On June 6, 1845, Bancroft, wrote to
the Secretary of War that a suitable
place with small expenditure of
public funds must be chosen for a
naval academy. From what can
learn of the position and accommo-
dation of Fort Severn at Annapolis,
I am inclined to think that that
post would be a very suitable loca-
ton" Later in the year the trans
fer was made, with Comdr Franklin
Buchanan as first superintendent
and seven instructors on the staff.
The student body consisted of Sc
midshipmen divided into a Junior
class, or youngsters, and a senior
class, or oldster. The juniors had
never been to sea and the seniors
needed one year before taking their
promotion examination for passed
midshipmen.
During Civil War.
During the Civil War the academy
moved to Newport, R. I. It's An
napolis grounds were used as an
Army base hospital. The academy
was returned to Annapolis in 1865
with Vice Admiral David Dixon
Porter as superintendent. Under
his direction June Week became a
week ever to be remembered in the
life of the graduate" a Navy source
states.
The academy continued to grow
in the following years. During the
World War the course was shortened
to three years, as was done in this
war.
st. Johns as college antedates
the Naval Academy by 81 years and
as a school by 149 years. Sir Francis
Nicholson, second royal governor of
the Province of Maryland, pro-
posed free school in Anne Arundel
Town on the Severn in 1894. Two
years later the Assembly granted a
charter to what was named King
Williams School, named after the
King of England.
In l774 0741 according to another
source) Mcdowell Hall, Oldest build
ing on the campus and earlier
known as "Bladen's Folly" was put
up. The structure was started by
Gov. Thomas Bladen for the Gov
ernor's residence but proved to be
such a costly project the Assembly
later refused to provide additional
funds for it's completion. The build
ing stood for 40 years before it was
finished.
King Williams School became st.
Johns College in 1784, the name be-
ing chosen by those among its
founders who had been students at
st. Johns College, Oxford.
A Military School.
In the course of its history St.
Johns College was military school
on two occasions-in the early 1800s
for a short time and from 1888 to
1923.
Liberty Tree.
Two places of deep historical in
terest on the campus are the Lib
erty Tree" reputedly 900 years old
and the memorial to French SOL
diers who fell in the Revolutionary
War.
st. Johns College has had long
and distinguished career and has
given many illustrious sons to the
Nation. What the course of its
physical future will be is something
to be determined by coming events.
The college rests secure in its past
achievements and in the veneration
proponents and opponents of the
sale of its campus both have for it.
Whether st. Johns College con-
tinues on at its present site, as
many hope, or whether it will move
to another location, as others con-
vinced this must be done believe,
the school will undoubtedly remain
q force in the educational and in
tellectual life of the Nation in the
years to come.