Evening star., 1947-08-01
kidshipmen Treated
More Like Men Today
Al Naval Academy
BY Hol Boyle
Assoeiosed Press StaH Writer

'Assoeio.ed Press Statf Writer
r ANNAPOLIS. - Midshipmen at
the Naval Academy are being
treated less like pistors and more
like men these days.
The century -old center OF Ameri-
can naval training is streamlinins
Its teaching program and giving Its
midshipmen more freedom In order
to prepare Uncle Sans future Meet
ofIlcers for the broader demands OF
the postwar world.
The old tradition of rigid dis
cipline that practically ordered
every moment Of a midshipman s
life from the day he entered the
academy until the day he gra1u-
ated goes back many decades.
Stems Back to 1s4S.
It developed slowly from the
founding period in 1S45. when cadets
we're roisterous and dificult to con"
troll. For evening fun then they
often grabbed up pokers and en-
gagged in pitched battles with the
Annapolis citizenry. Once they
hanged q mathematics teacher In
eff1gy and escaped court martial for
insulting q superior oficer only by
pointing out that he was civilian.
50 Congress made him an of1cer
and raised his pay $400 year.
The cadets of that day took their
shore education so lightly that only
269 OF the first l.20e admitted ever
graduated.
But the thumb of authority gradu-
ally came down more heavily as
standards were raised. Some critics
complained that the martinet-like
discipline tended to iron out the
individuality and initiative the mid
shipmen would need If they ever
commanded ship IN battle, They
said there had developed too big a
gap between the rigid and precision
regulated life the midshipmea led
In the Academy and the more flexi-
BILE human give-and-take life that
awaited them In their future careers.
Rear Admiral James L. Holloway.
ir:. present Academy superintendent,
wants to close that gap. A forward
looking educator, he also is placing
new emphasis in the Annapolis
curriculum on the humanities-such
as economic and Governmental
the belief that the midshipmen
should study technical specialities
In the Navy postgraduate school.
But of course the curriculum Is
still pointed toward sea career,
senior officer pointed out.
The Importance Of air combat Is
also being increasingly stressed, and
one oficer said:
Its not that We plan to train
pilots here, but they must be thor
oughly indoctrinated in the i'm
portance Of air as a second ocean.
Air must be In their soul just as
the sea was in the soul of the old
salt water sailor"
Old line admirals need have no
fear that the midshipmen are be-
ing coddled. The normal high
Academy discipline is being main
tanned, but Admiral Holloway feels
that midshipmen will develop quail
ties of leadership better if given
more personal responsibility in their
conduct.
Ono Custom Abandoned.
One custom that has been aban-
doned is that of marching silently
to classes in drill step formation of
the beating of A drum. The middies
are also being allowed more week
end leaves, enabling them to keep
in closer touch with civilian life,
Another innovation that has
worked cut well Is closer linking
up with their future fellow officers
Of the Army. the cadets at West
Point.
Midshipmen and cadets spend two
weeks each summer in Joint am
phibious landings, and also each
rnidshiprian in his Anal year now
spends q week end ut West Point,
and each graduating cadet comes to
Anna polls for . similar stay
IT'S really helped morale" smiled
one commander. 1.-TWO Of the Army
cadets have already married the
daughters Of naval officers here"