Evening star., 1945-10-03
Reclaimed Land
Saving ST. John 5
Urged on Navy
Expansion in Severn
Called Feasible by
Architect at Hearing

SASsOsS
Architect at Hearing
The possibility of reclaiming land
in the Severn River or College Greek
as an alternative to razing his
toric st. Johns College was ex-
plored today by the House Naval
Affairs Committee. which is study
ing the Nays proposal to expand
the Naval Academy at Annapolis
Navy officials conceded it would
be possible to acquire more land
by filling in part of these streams
but that the project would be ex-
penSive. It was estimated the cost
OF filling In College Greek would
be $3,500.000 and that costly foun-
dations would have to be provided
for buildings.
James r. Edmunds, jr., repre-
senting the American Institute OF
Architects, repeated the position he
took before the Senate Naval At
fairs Committee yesterday that II
would be possible for the Navy To
expand withouta taking oyer the
college.
II admit at the outset" he said
THAT the solution proposed by the
Navy Is logical and practical
granted the land Is available"
Three City Blocks Involved.
But. he added, If the Navy's
architects had been asked to find 9
solution that did not involve st
Johns, they could have found it,
Mr.. Edmunds said his organiza.
ton was interested principally in
three city blocks, which the Navy
wants to acquire along with the
college. The witness said this area
contained three old houses of great
historical interest to the country
Senator Morse. Republican, o1
Oregon said at hearings yesterday
he believed the committee should
study every alternative plan before
permitting the academy to take over
the college. Senator Brooks, Re-
publican. of Illinois suggested the
committee obtain an official Navy
statement concerning the possibility
of one or more academies in other
parts of the country. He urged the
use OF the Great Lakes Naval Train
ing Station as branch academy.
Unqualified Navy opposition tc
more than a single academy was
expressed by Vice Admiral Ber
Moreell, chief of the Bureau oi
Yards and Docks.
The consensus of the people in
the Navy" he told the Senate group
lis that it would be great mistake
to have two academies. MY owr
opinion is that it would be a ma jol
disaster"
Alternatives Rejected.
Admiral Moreell said that, on the
basis of a 500, 0,0e0-man Navy. the
present academy would have to ac.
commodates 900 more midshipmen
To do this e.said, more la1dd is re.
quiisd Tor sdulnitories and the only
suitable land is the site occupied
for 16o years by st. Johns.
He said various alternatives hae
been considered and rejected by hi.
bureau. jncludipg a fill in Colleg,
Creek oh the north end of tn,
academy grounds. tearing down tn,
existing buildings and re-arrange
ing them. and. expanding on grouns
north OF the academy. The objec
ton to the last method, he said
was that it would take naidshipmer
longer to walk between their dormi
tories and the academic buildings
Maybe" said Senator Morse, "w
can help the Navy in the strateg,
OF moving its classes from one sec
ton of the campus to another"
John Root, civilian architect en-
! gagged by the Navy to review it
plans, said he believed the acauisi.
ton OF the college was the onl,
practical solution. Under question
ing by Senator Morse, however. h
admitted he had not studied othe
plans.
Mark Van Doren, poet and eriti
and trustee of st. Johns, pleade,
for retention of the college on tn
ground that its plan of liberal edu
cation was "the best of its kind
1T is the most often debated an
the most often copied of any in tn
country" he said. 81 hope this com
mittee and the Navy will hesitat
before they cripple this endeayor."