The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-10-07
Traditions OF Jones, Other
Heroes Instilled Into Fu-
ture Admirals
y GEORGE E. sIsLER

ANNAPOLIS, Md, Oct. 6.-RH
From John Paul Jones - We've
lust begun to fight" From
lanes Lawrence-'Don't give up
the ship!" >. From such spirit
and determination, the United
states Naval academy was born
century ago-Oct. 10 1845-des.
tined to become the heart and
shrine of the Navy, STEPPED in ira.
dition and the heroic deeds Of sons
who fought the fleet.
In crypt in the academy
chapel lies the body Of Jones'
"Father of the American Navy
and all over the vast reserva.
linn and in its halls are me.
mentoes Of other heroes, ever.
nresent reminders to the midship.
men who would emulate them to.
morrow.
Traditions Of Jones and Law.
renee and Farragut and Dewey
are instilled and ground into the
future admirals" until preserva.
tion of ideals becomes instructive.
from World War II have come
additions, such as the now-famous
order take her DOWN." by Com.
mander H. W. Gilmore to save his
submarine even though he lay
MORALLY wounded on its coming
tower.
The Naval academy stands on
historic soil, where Puritans
founded Providence, now Annapo'
lis in 1649, seeking religious free.
dom. The site became windmill
point with the erection of a stone
mill to grind the co1onists' grain,
and windmill point became the site
of Fort Severn when the War de
partment erected the military pos
to protect the community just be
fore the war of 1872. French pirate
ships then piled Chesapeake Bay
and British men of-war were ir
American waters.
The sea-arm Of the nation de
clined to a low ebb of efficiency
and morale after the second wal
with the British and became 8
subject of severe criticism amid 8
clamor for trained officers to elm
mate brutality, dishonesty anc
tyrannical discipline.
One Indifferent congress after
another did nothing but in 184s
George Bancroft, the noted his
torian, then secretary of the Navy
under President James K. Polk
took action. Steering clear of legis'
lative storm, he obtained Fort
Severn from the War department
and got the Navy selection board S
support. Bancroft put seagoing
"schoolmasters'' on the waiting
list ashore and used salaries saved
to support his project.
Commander Franklin Buchanan
a Baltimorean who later com
handed the Monitor in its battle
against the Confederate Merrimac
became commanding officer anc
in October 1845, five instructors
and 40 midshipmen from the dis
banded Philadelphia Naval schoo
came to Annapolis. The first class
was graduated in June 1886.
Bancroft vision led to adoption
of the curriculum mainly followed
today, and Buchanan's stern dis
cipline and ability began turning
out officers causing the down-at
the-heels Navy to sit up and take
notice. The school officially be
came the United States Nava
academy in 1850, and a year later
congress came through with $28,
900.
In 1854, Commodore Matthew c
Perry set sail from Annapoli!
roads on his historic visit tt
open" Japan, and four year!
later the japanese bell, now rune
to celebrate football victory ovel
Army was brought to the ground!
by Perry.
Franklin Pierce was the frs
president to visit the academy, at
tending a Naval ball there in 1856
and the following year t h frs
literary society was founded t.
honor James Lawrence, whose ia