Evening star., 1946-05-09
Naval Academy
Expansion Site
Urged by Board
Visitors Ask Prompt
Decision on Acquiring
St. Johns Property
BY WiIIiom J. Wheotley

Acknowledging the need for ad-
ditional land for the United States
Naval Academy at Annapolis, the
current Board of Visitors, in its re-
port to the President made public
today, urged immediate settlement
of the question of acquiring the st.
Johns College property.
1t also recommended a complete
inventory of the academy's educa-
tional assets and liabilities, an in
crease in the pay of midshipmen
from $65 to $85 a month and certain
changes in the composition of the
Board of Visitors if it lis to serve
any useful purpose beyond literal
Interpretation of its statutory func-
ton to visit the academy once a
year."
The board headed by DR.. Fred
erick A. Middlebush, president of
the University of Missouri, said that
if 1t is the desire of the authorities
to obtain from the board anything
more than the most cursory express
sions of opinion based on superficial
acquaintance with the subject, the
present procedure should be sub
stantially modified"
Changes Recommended.
OF the entire group, it said, only
one member, Chairman Walsh Of
the Senate Naval Affairs Commit
tee, had ever served on a previous
board.
Irresponsible men," the report con-
tinued, will hesitate to reach con-
clusions and indorse recommenda-
tions based on so limited an oppor-
tunity for acquaintance with the
subject matter of their recommend
ations."
The board recommended that the
terms of members be staggered in
such manner that half of the board
shall have served the previous term,
that members be appointed for a full
year, that the board hold formal
and informal meetings, at its discre-
ton, at the academy; that members
of the board be encouraged to make
informal visits to the academy, and
that the board be authorized to call
into consultation such advisers as it
may deem necessary or desirable.
The board examined the proposed
postwar revised curriculum for the
institution, and while commencing
those responsible for its production,
said 1t felt that "in company with
our leading educational institutions,
the academy should 60 a step further
at this time in taking a complete
inventory Of its educational assets
and liabilities, with a view to lay
ing its course over the next several
years on the basis Of our experience
in the late war and in harmony with
the most up-to-date academic
principles of our leading civilian
educational institutions"
More Facilities Urged.
Extension of the grounds and
buildings is essential, the board re-
ported, because of the increases in
the student body which occurred in
1917 and 1910. 1t was pointed out
that the auditorium, gymnasium and
laboratories were constructed when
the enrolment was 300. The ply
sical plant now serves 5000, and
it could reach 3,7O0 were all ap-
pointments under the present law
filled, the report points out.
The board recognizes the need
Of the acdemy for additional land
for expansion" says the report. "It
has been impressed by the fact that
the superintendent placed the ac-
quisition of st. Johns property at
the head of his list of expansion
needs. This has been a matter of
wide and heated public discussion
and has for sometime been under
consideration by the navel commit
tees of both Houses of Congress. Our
one definite conclusion on this mat
ter is that it ought to be settled
promptly one way or another, so
that the Academy and st. Johns
College can lay their plans ac-
cordingly"
In addition to DR.. Middlebush,
the report was signed by DR.. Fred
erick L. Hovde, president, Purdue
University, Lafayette, Ind; 1t. Gen.
William S. Knudsen, U. S. A., re-
tired, Crosse lie, Mich; the Rev.
Father William J. Healy, S. j., pres
ident, College of the Holy Cross,
Worcester, Mass: Ferdinand Eber-
stadt, New York City; Senators
Walsh, Myers, Democrat, of Pennsyl-
vania, and Senator Morse, Republi-
can, of Oregon; Representative
Fogarty, Democrat, of Rhode Island;
Fallon, Democrat, of Maryland;
Anderson, Republican, of California,
and Lantham, Republican, of New
York