p1443  Description of the United States Naval Academy​a1

By Charles Lee Lewis

Proceeding along Maryland Avenue, one enters the grounds, or "Yard," of the Naval Academy through the Main Gate, presented in 1932 by the Class of 1907.

Main Gate Taken from just outside the Yard down Maryland Avenue to Dewey Basin. The corner of Sampson Hall appears behind the watchman. Through this gate all prospective midshipmen enter. From here most of them get their first view of the Yard.

Turning to the right at Blake Road, the visitor will notice first one of the large guns captured from the Spanish cruiser Viscaya in the Battle of Santiago. Beyond it is the Administration Building, where are located the offices of the Superintendent of the Naval Academy.

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The Administration Building In addition to the offices of the Superintendent and his staff, the Academic Board, all power­ful regarding whether or not a midshipman is satisfactory in his studies, has a room set aside for its meetings. In this building the entering midshipmen have their first contact with the Navy.

Still farther on is the Chapel. The guns flanking the approach were captured by the Navy during the War with Mexico. This imposing structure, built in the form of a Greek cross, with a lofty dome •over 200 feet high, was finished in 1908 at a cost of about $400,000.

The Chapel Up these walks the Regiment, except those electing to go to churches of their own faith in Annapolis, march each Sunday. The Herndon Monument may be seen on the right edge of the picture.

Particularly noteworthy are the handsome bronze doors, the gift of Colonel Robert M. Thompson in memory of the Class of 1868, of which he was a member.

The Doors of the Chapel The bronze doors of the U. S. Naval Academy Chapel, presented by Colonel Robert M. Thompson, in memory of the Class of 1868, U. S. Naval Academy.

Inside are several very beautiful stained-glass windows. Three of these windows stand as memorials to Porter, Farragut, and Sampson, respectively, while two others flanking the altar symbolize the mission of the Chapel. One, a memorial to Lieutenant Commander Theodorus B. Mason, U. S. Navy, portrays Sir Galahad holding before him his sheathed sword. The other shows a newly commissioned ensign being shown by Christ the beacon he must follow as an officer.

The Altar of the Chapel The stained glass window directly behind the altar is dedicated to Admiral David Dixon Porter. The choir, all midshipmen, sit inside the chancel rail. Visitors are always welcome and are seated on either side of the center aisle. The midshipmen are seated as a body according to the regimental organization.

In the Crypt of the Chapel in a sarcophagus of black and white marble lie the remains of John Paul Jones. He died in Paris, and for many years the place of his burial was completely lost sight of. In 1905, however, General Horace Porter, then American Ambassador to France, found the body  p1445 in an old forgotten cemetery.​b After it had been unquestionably identified as that of the American naval hero, it was conveyed to the United States and here reinterred with the ceremony and pomp appropriate to a great man whose fame has become world wide. In the Crypt also is Jones' service sword and his bust, the work of the contemporary sculptor, Houdon.​c

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The Crypt of the Chapel​d Here lie the remains of John Paul Jones. To the graduate and midshipman, John Paul Jones is not only a great fighter; his views as expressed in his letter to Congress are taken as the ideal toward which every naval officer strives. "It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor."

In front of the Chapel as one looks towards the Severn River, two monuments are in view. The nearest is that in memory of Commander William Lewis Herndon, naval officer, explorer, and merchant skipper, who lost his life when the mail steamer Central America foundered off Cape Hatteras. Herndon was the brother-in‑law of Matthew Fontaine Maury and the father-in‑law of President Chester A. Arthur.​e

The Herndon Monument A constant reminder to all midshipmen that they are entering a service where self must be subordinated to duty.

In the distance on Stribling Walk, down which the midshipmen march so often to and fro to recitations, is the Mexican Monument, erected in honor of the naval officers who gave their lives in the War with Mexico, the year following the founding of the Naval Academy.

The Mexican Monument Located at the junction of Chapel and Stribling Walks. This view is taken from Stribling Walk toward the Academic Group. The Library appears in the left edge of the picture. This monument stands in memory of four midshipmen who sacrificed their lives in the Mexican War: Hynson, Clemson, Pillsbury, and Shubrick.

To the right of the band stand is the "Japanese Bell," presented to Commodore M. C. Perry when he landed on the Lew Chew Islands during his famous expedition to Japan. The midshipmen ring this bell only in celebration of a football victory over their rivals at West Point.​f

The Band Stand The Naval Academy Band plays here each morning and afternoon during the spring and fall.

The Japanese Bell This bell has an especial niche in the heart of every midshipman at the Naval Academy. Custom and tradition require that this bell be rung in a very special manner. The ringing of this bell even in the excitement of a victory is no haphazard affair.

Next to the Chapel is the Superintendent's House.

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The Superintendent's Quarters Many distinguished persons, American and foreign, have been entertained here. The Superintendent's Quarters and the Administration Building flank the Chapel. The three harmonize and present a very pleasing group.

Turning to the right into Buchanan Road near another prize of the Spanish War taken from the cruiser Maria Teresa, one sees on the right a long line of white brick residences, the quarters of the Commandant of Midshipmen and the Heads of the Academic Departments. The massive building with the great arched entrance, to the left, is Dahlgren Hall, named in honor of Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, one of the pioneers in the development of the large-caliber naval gun. The guns and torpedoes flanking the approach are for the most part prizes of the War with Spain. The two large guns on either side of the entrance are Dahlgren rifles, named after the inventor. This Hall houses the Department of Ordnance and Gunnery and is the Armory of the Naval Academy. Among the laboratory features of the building, perhaps the most significant is the huge range finder and the fire-control equipment, similar to that on modern battle­ships which makes possible the hitting with astounding accuracy of a target often invisible to the man at the gun and many miles distant from the observer. Another practical feature of Dahlgren Hall is the long string of racks several blocks in length containing 2,000 rifles. Here the whole regiment of midshipmen can be  p1447 mustered preparatory to an infantry drill or dress parade. Both on the ground floor and in the galleries are cases containing interesting specimens of ordnance and ammunition too numerous to mention, and many photographs, bas‑reliefs, and other material relating to the naval history of our country. Because of its great floor space, Dahlgren Hall is sometimes used for purposes quite different from its warlike uses. Here annually the many thousands of visitors, relatives, and friends of the midshipmen meet for the "Farewell Ball" and graduation exercises.

Dahlgren Hall This building, because of the lack of interior subdivision and the vividness of the scenes when used for hops, probably impresses visitors more than any other. The colonnade connecting Dahlgren and Bancroft Halls appears on the left.​g

At the seaward entrance to Dahlgren Hall can be seen Thompson Stadium, used for football games and track meets.

Thompson Stadium Showing is a portion of the field and the west stand as viewed from the end of Porter Road. The plaque on the stone in the foreground is shown below.

The Plaque Thompson Stadium dedicated May 30, 1931 to honor the memory of Robert Means Thompson Class of 1868, U. S. N. A. His interest, encouragement and assistance were an inspiration to Naval Academy athletics and to the spirit of his Alma Mater Colonel Robert M. Thompson left the naval service soon after graduation. Throughout his life, however, he was vitally interested in the Naval Academy and his generosity and unfailing helpfulness endeared him to all midshipmen.

Adjoining the Armory by a peristyle is the enormous midshipmen's dormitory, Bancroft Hall, named after the founder of the Naval Academy, Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft.

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Bancroft Hall This view was taken from Sampson Hall and shows the north facade. At the left can be seen the Mexican Monument.

One has a good view of  p1449 the north façade of this great building from near the Tecumseh Monument, which stands at the head of Stribling Walk. This monument, particularly cherished by the midshipmen, is the bronze replica of the original figurehead of the USS Delaware, which was scuttled at the Norfolk Navy Yard during the Civil War and, after being salvaged from the wreck after the war, was sent to the Naval Academy. After it had been found that the old wooden Indian, having been exposed to wind and weather for half a century, had become a mere rotted shell of its former self, the bronze replica was made and was presented in 1930 to the Academy by the Class of 1891. The midshipmen call the figurehead "Tecumseh," though the real name of the chief of the Delawares was Tamanend.​h The custom has grown up among the midshipmen of saluting "Tecumseh," en route to recitations and examinations, to insure a passing mark of 2.5, and he is now generally referred to by them as "The God of 2.5."​i Another custom of the midshipmen is to offer to their "god," on the way to great football games, their prayers and pennies in order to secure victory over their foes in athletics.

Tecumseh The God of 2.5. Midshipmen are marked on a scale of 0 to 4.0, with 2.5 the minimum for passing. Tecumseh is the patron saint of those near the border and his favor is earnestly sought. Presented to the Naval Academy by the Class of 1891. The "wooden brains" and the "heart" of the ancient wooden Indian are preserved within the bronze replica.

The  p1451 bronze guns on either side of the entrance to Bancroft Hall were captured by the Navy at Vera Cruz and in California during the Mexican War. Inside the great doors, one finds oneself in the imposing rotunda, from which extend the long rows of corridors.

Rotunda, Bancroft Hall Taken from the northern entrance to Bancroft Hall. These steps lead to Memorial Hall. On either side of these steps are other steps leading to Recreation ("Smoke") Hall. The Rotunda is the center of Bancroft Hall and of the life in Bancroft Hall.

There are •three miles of these corridors in the Hall, which covers (in its five floors) •about 40 acres. During the World War about 2,500 midshipmen were here accommodated. In the great Mess Hall on the ground floor there is room enough for all the midshipmen to dine together.

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The Mess Hall This view was taken while the decorations for Christmas were up. The center table is for the staff. The metal-topped tables are serving tables. The midshipmen sit 22 to a table, the tables being arranged at right angles to the center aisle and extending to the side windows on both sides of the aisle. The sides of the mess hall consist practically altogether of windows.

From the rotunda a wide stone stairway leads to Memorial Hall, which is reserved for memorial windows, tablets, portraits, and busts of officers and enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps who gain official recognition under one or more of the following conditions:

Memorial Hall​j1 This is a view of the eastern end of the Naval Academy's and Navy's Hall of Fame. The history of the Navy and its glorious achievements may be traced by the pictures and tablets hung in Memorial Hall. In the niche is a painting showing the Constitution-Java engagement, made by the famous marine artist, Mr. Charles R. Patterson. This painting was presented to the Naval Academy by Edward J. Berwind, class of 1869.

 p1453  It is here that many of the exhibits commemorating the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of the Naval Academy are to be found. The permanent memorials consist of bronze tablets, swords, and cups, an interesting collection of Washingtonia, paintings of naval battles, and many busts and portraits of famous high-ranking officers. Among the most valuable portraits are those of Commodore Isaac Chauncey by Gilbert Stuart, of Commodore Jacob Jones by Sully, of Commodore William Bainbridge and Commodore Stephen Decatur both by John W. Jarvis, and of John Paul Jones by Cecilia Beaux. But the most precious memorial in the Hall is on the seaward wall; it is the battle flag of the U. S. ship Lawrence, bearing the inspiring words of the dying Lawrence, "Don't give up the ship." This famous flag was flown  p1455 on Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship in his victorious engagement with the British on Lake Erie.​j2

The windows of Memorial Hall frame beautiful views of Farragut Field with the harbor and the Chesapeake Bay in the background. Upon stepping out on the balcony, one can see also below in the foreground the formal garden, "Smoke Park," for the exclusive use of midshipmen during their leisure hours, and enjoy as well a more extensive view of the grounds facing the sea.

Wilson "Smoke" Park Located in the U formed by the four wings of Bancroft Hall, this park is reserved for the use of midshipmen. The entrance under the terrace in the center leads to the Mess Hall.

Returning to the Tecumseh Monument and thence proceeding down the curving walk towards the Severn, one will see to the left the boat sheds housing the numerous rowing cutters, and to the right a colonnade connecting Bancroft Hall to Macdonough Hall. This building was named in honor of Commodore Thomas Macdonough who won the Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812. Trophies of this victory, two 24‑pounders taken from the captured enemy flagship, Confiance, flank the entrance to the building. One of these guns has a dent in the muzzle, made at the time it was struck by a cannon ball which dismounted the gun and incidentally killed the British commanding officer, Downie. Macdonough Hall houses the Athletic Department and has for its equipment a very complete gymnasium and a swimming pool. Just inside the entrance is an extremely interesting collection of athletic trophies. In the gymnasium above the balcony on the south wall is a very striking •50‑foot model of the Antietam under full sail.

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Macdonough Hall This hall contains the gymnasium, instruction swimming pool, and offices of the Department of Physical Training and Navy Athletic Association.

Connected with Macdonough Hall is new Natatorium, which was dedicated on April 10‑12, 1914. It is said to be the largest indoor pool in the United States, being •150 feet long and 60 feet wide with a capacity of •640,000 gallons. The bronze figure of Cupid on the south wall once adorned the swimming pool on the Hamburg-American liner Vaterland. After our entry into the World War, the vessel was seized and became the U. S. S. Leviathan. During her metamorphosis into a troop ship, the statue was sent to the Naval Academy as a trophy.

The Natatorium The water used is treated with ultra-violet rays. The stands have accommodations for 1,200 spectators. All midshipmen must qualify as first-class swimmers before graduating. Those who fail to qualify during plebe summer are put on the "sub squad" and given special instruction until they qualify.

Between the Gymnasium and the Severn is Luce Hall, which derives its name from Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce, a member of the second class to graduate from the Naval Academy, who became a leading authority on the education of naval personnel, founded the War College, and wrote on such diverse subjects as seaman­ship and chanteys. The building houses the three Departments of Seamanship and Navigation, Languages, and Economics and Government. The corridor on the ground floor has on its walls an interesting collection of brass plates which give brief biographical sketches of naval officers after whom destroyers have been named. In the corridor of the second floor as well as on the stairs and in the Rigging Loft are many interesting ship models, figureheads, and ships' bells, all of historical significance.

Luce Hall On the upper floor of this building is found the rigging loft, where the rudiments of signaling, knot tying, splicing, and other phases of practical seaman­ship are taught. During the academic year many first-class hops and the all‑important, second-class Ring Dance are held in the rigging loft.

 p1456  From the windows of the Rigging Loft one may enjoy extensive views of the Severn River and the Bay. In the foreground, of particular interest is Santee Basin, named for the old frigate Santee, which was for many years the station ship at the Academy. Here a collection of various craft are to be seen, including sub‑chasers, launches, and sometimes a submarine or destroyer. The two large housed‑in vessels are the Cumberland, named after the old frigate sunk by the Merrimac at Hampton Roads, and the Reina Mercedes, captured at Santiago after the Battle of Santiago on July 3, 1898. Near the Reina Mercedes wharf is the mast of the battle­ship Maine, which was destroyed in Havana Harbor, February 15, 1898.

Reina Mercedes and Cumberland The Reina Mercedes, on the left, is the station ship of the Naval Academy. She serves as quarters for enlisted men and for those midshipmen who have committed serious breaches of conduct. The Cumberland provides additional quarters for enlisted personnel attached to the Naval Academy. One of the standard jokes at the Naval Academy is that the Reina is the fastest ship in the Navy, having been "fast" to her dock for 20 years.

Maine's mast This remnant of the foremast of the Maine is now used to display storm warnings. At its base is the saluting gun which six nights a week announces the end of study hour.

Opposite Luce Hall to the north lies Dewey Basin, named of course in honor of Admiral George Dewey. The two guns, one on each pier head, were taken from the German cruiser Cormoran, sunk by her own crew at Guam when her surrender was demanded on April 6, 1917, the day war was declared against Germany by the United States.

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Dewey Basin The buildings in the center from left to right are Luce Hall, Macdonough Hall, and Bancroft Hall. The Reina Mercedes and Cumberland may be seen on the extreme left. The sail boats have just got under way for drill. Maneuvering in formation is a very beautiful thing to watch and is a wonder­ful test of a midshipman's ability to handle a boat.

Just inside the nearer pier lies the old yacht America, which was presented to the Naval Academy on October 1, 1921, by a group of American yachtsmen. The America on August 22, 1851, won at Cowes, England, the International Race and thus brought to this country the trophy ever since known as the America's Cup. After her racing days were over, the America served as yacht, merchantman, man-of‑war in the Confederate Navy, blockader in the Northern Navy, and Naval Academy training ship, after which she again returned to private owner­ship until she at last found a berth at the Academy.​k

The America This famous yacht crossed the Atlantic and brought back the International Cup. Even to‑day racing experts are enthusiastic about her lines.

As one proceeds northward along the edge of Dewey Basin, one will see on the  p1457 right the long line of half-raters and other small sailing craft used by the midshipmen in their seaman­ship drills and for recreation; on the left are the tennis courts.

Tennis courts These courts are between Dewey Basin and Stribling Walk and extend from the Academic group to Bancroft Hall. During recreation hours these courts are in constant use. In the upper right portion of the picture may be seen the towers of the High Power Radio Station, the Engineering Experiment Station on the other side of the Severn, and the planes used in preliminary flight training anchored in the Severn.

At the north end of the Dewey Basin is the Power Plant.

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The power plant In this building are located the electric generating plant and the central heating plant. All of the buildings south of Dorsey Creek are heated from here.

Turning left from Sands Road into Maryland Avenue, one soon approaches three buildings, sometimes referred to as the "Academic Group."

The Academic Group This view is from Bancroft Hall. Down this double walk (Stribling Walk) with the grass plot in the center the midshipmen march to recitations each period. Tecumseh, the Mexican Monument, and the Macedonian Monument in the order named from Bancroft Hall, are in the center grass plot. The tennis courts may be seen on the right.

The left wing is Maury Hall, which derived its name from the great oceanographer Matthew Fontaine Maury. It houses the Departments of English and History, and Mathematics. Here are located also the offices of the U. S. Naval Institute which publishes many textbooks and other works on naval subjects as well as a widely distributed magazine called United States Naval Institute Proceedings. Maury Hall is devoted largely to classrooms and a large hall for holding examinations; but on the ground floor is an extensive Naval Museum, whose collections are grouped under five general heads. The first room on the left contains articles relating to the peace-time services of the Navy — scientific and polar expeditions and diplomatic voyages. Of particular interest in this room is the ethnological material from the South Seas. The room opposite to the right contains exhibits relating to the days of wood and sail; namely, mementos of distinguished naval officers, ship models illustrating the evolution of vessels of war,  p1459 and relics and pictures of sailing vessels of various types. Connected with this room to the right is an inner room, the Curator's office, which contains many articles of great value like log books, autograph letters, swords, Congressional medals, miniatures of officers, class pictures, and other mementos of the "Old" Naval Academy. The fourth room, down the corridor, is devoted to the Spanish-American War and the World War, and deals with the modern Navy of torpedoes, submarines, and steel dreadnoughts. The fifth room is intended to illustrate the epochal changes which took place during the Civil War, a change from the smooth bore to the rifle and from wood and sail to iron and steam. Among the exhibits in the corridor are two reminders of heroic exploits, one in time of war and the other in time of peace. The first is the raft used by Lieutenant Hobson and his men in sinking the Merrimac in the channel leading to Santiago.​l The other is the gig of the U. S. S. Saginaw in which five men made a voyage of •a thousand miles 1,500 miles from Midway Islands, where the Saginaw was wrecked on a coral reef, to Hawaii to get help for their shipwrecked comrades. In landing the cockleshell of a boat, Lieutenant John G. Talbot and three of his emaciated men, one of whom had become insane, were drowned in the breakers. The survivor, however, delivered his message and aid was sent to the marooned crew of the Saginaw.​m On a tablet commemorating this exploit, in the Naval Academy Chapel are these words: "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

The right wing of "The Academic Group" is Sampson Hall, named in honor of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, who won fame during the Spanish-American War. This building is devoted to chemistry, physics, and electricity, including radio. Besides the usual classrooms and a well-equipped scientific lecture hall, there are separate laboratories for chemistry, physics, radio, elementary electricity and magnetism, and electrical machinery.  p1461 In the lecture hall on the front wall are some flags of the U. S. S. New York, Sampson's flagship at the Battle of Santiago.

The central building is Mahan Hall, named after Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, the great naval historian. It houses the Library and the Auditorium. The Library contains about 75,000 volumes, of which approximately 17,000 titles relate to naval and kindred subjects. On the stairway leading up to the Library and in the Reference Room and General Reading Room are signal guns from the Confederate cruiser Shenandoah, Dewey flags taken at the Battle of Manila Bay, portraits of the first eight Presidents of the United States, busts and memorial tablets, portraits of the Superintendents of the Naval Academy, ship models, paintings, and various other objects of interest. In the Auditorium the midshipmen attend lectures, moving pictures, and dramatic and musical amateur productions. Along the corridors of Mahan Hall and in the Auditorium is displayed under glass a unique collection of flags, most of which were captured by the United States Navy in battle. Among these the most noteworthy are the ensign of the French frigate Insurgente, captured by the Constellation under command of Captain Thomas Truxtun in 1799 in the War with the French Directory; the ensigns, jacks, or pennants of the British ships Detroit, Chippewa, Hunter, Little Belt, and Queen Charlotte, captured by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812; the ensigns of the Chub, Linnet, and Confiance, taken from the British by Commodore Thomas Macdonough in the Battle of Lake Champlain; the ensign of the Alert, captured by Captain David Porter in the Essex; the ensign of the Boxer, captured by Captain William Burrows in the Enterprise; the ensign of the Duke of Gloucester and a British Royal Standard, captured by Commodore Isaac Chauncey at York (now Toronto); the jack of the Epervier and the ensigns of the Frolic and Penguin, captured respectively by the Peacock under Captain Lewis Warrington, the Wasp (first of the name) under Captain Jacob Jones, and the Hornet under Captain James Biddle; and finally the jack and the pennant of the Guerrière, the ensign of the Java, and the ensigns and jacks of the Cyane and Levant, all of them the prizes of our most famous ship, the Constitution, under command respectively of Isaac Hull, William Bainbridge, and Charles Stewart, and the ensign of the Macedonian, captured by Stephen Decatur while in command of the United States.  p1463 The very names of these trophies call the roll of the victories of our Navy in a war which was remarkable for the achievements of a young nation upon the sea, a war from which date some of our best naval traditions. In addition to these prizes of battle, there are some other interesting flags not connected with war; for example, the first American flag raised in Japan, the 4‑star admiral's flag flown by Farragut, the boat flag of the U. S. S. Huron which was wrecked off Cape Hatteras on November 24, 1877, and the ensign and jack of the Maine which was sunk in the harbor of Havana just before the outbreak of war with Spain.

As one returns to Maryland Avenue, he will notice facing Mahan Hall at the foot of Stribling Walk a white figurehead, representing a Greek warrior, surrounded by four guns taken from the British frigate Macedonian in the War of 1812.

Macedonian Monument This is a replica of the figurehead of H. M. S. Macedonian captured by the U. S. S. United States under the command of Stephen Decatur during the War of 1812. The four carronades surrounding its base were taken from the prize.

Toward the north immediately behind Mahan Hall is located Isherwood Hall, named in honor of Engineer in Chief Benjamin Franklin Isherwood, a leading authority on marine engines in the early days of steam, whose bust is placed over the main entrance. Here is housed the Department of Engineering with a mechanical drawing room; boiler, forge, pattern, blacksmith, and machine shops; a model room, a steam laboratory, and an aviation loft. Of particular interest to the visitor are the models of airplanes and modern war vessels in the main room on the ground floor. Here is also an interesting collection of marine engines, airplane engines, boilers, and models of dry docks.

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Isherwood Hall Here it is that midshipmen study steam and mechanical engineering with all the related parts, and something of hull structures, from "fairing in" the lines of a hull to the proper way to use a file.

North of Isherwood Hall is a grassy triangle  p1465 at the vertices of which are placed three noteworthy guns: an Armstrong rifle which was captured at the fall of Fort Fisher in 1865; a 100‑pounder rifle from the Confederate ram Albemarle which was sunk by Lieutenant William B. Cushing;​n and Ericsson's smoothbore, named the Oregon, which was a pioneer of the big naval gun of to‑day. Continuing along McNair Road, one will arrive presently at the bridge across Dorsey Creek from which one can see on the left the new Hubbard Boat House where the shells for the Navy Crews are kept. It was named in honor of Rear Admiral John Hubbard, stroke of the first Navy crew to compete with an outside organization in the year 1870.

Hubbard Hall This is a complete, up‑to‑date training place for the various race-boat crews. In addition to the large tank in which running water from Dorsey Creek flows, rowing machines, dressing rooms, etc., there is a beautiful meeting-room for the "N" Club.

Behind it is Lawrence Field, and in the distance the buildings of the Postgraduate School.

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Lawrence Field Named in honor of Captain James Lawrence whose dying words "Don't give up the ship," have become the shining star of naval tradition. This view shows the baseball diamond and stands which occupy the southwest corner of Lawrence Field.

The Postgraduate School Originally built as barracks for the marine detachment, this building is now used for postgraduate instruction. About 300 officers on their first shore duty, 5 to 7 years after graduation, are sent here each year for special courses.The Postgraduate School is located on the western side of Lawrence Field.

From Dorsey Creek bridge a road leads to the right up the hill past the Naval Cemetery to the Naval Hospital, in front of which one may enjoy an extensive view of the Severn River, the Naval Academy Golf Course and the surrounding country.

Naval Hospital The central building of the Naval Hospital. After a ride in the naval ambulance, the only automobile midshipmen are permitted to enter, along the side of the Naval Cemetery, the midshipmen are admitted and sent to one of the various wards located in adjacent buildings. If a midshipman is very ill, he is placed in a private room.

The most imposing monument in the Naval Cemetery is the Jeannette Monument, a granite pile surmounted by a large marble cross; on it is the following inscription: "Commemorative of the heroic officers and men of the United States Navy who perished in the Jeannette Arctic Exploring Expedition." The cairn in the Naval Academy Cemetery is a replica of the one left in the Arctic over the body of Lieutenant Commander G. W. De Long, commander of the steamer Jeannette, in 1882, by his Chief Engineer, G. W. Melville, who made a vain effort to rescue his commander and a group of his men who became lost in heavy snowstorms after the ship had been crushed in the ice and sunk.

Jeannette Monument This monument stands in the Naval Cemetery and is an exact replica of the one erected in the far north in memory of the ill‑fated Jeannette Polar Expedition of 1877.

In the Naval Cemetery lie the remains of many gallant naval officers who met death "in the line of duty" or died peacefully after a long and distinguished career in the Service. May they rest in peace on this quiet knoll over­looking the Academy which is endeavoring to train the midshipmen of to‑day to play equally well their parts as naval officers of the future.

Recrossing the Dorsey Creek bridge and turning to the right into Rodgers Road and then to the left into Upshur Road (both named after former Superintendents of the Naval Academy), one passes around Worden Field, the name of which is derived from Rear Admiral John L. Worden, who was in command of the Monitor in her epochal encounter on March 9, 1862, with the Merrimac (C. S. S. Virginia), whose commander was Captain Franklin Buchanan, the first Superintendent of the Naval Academy. On this field the midshipmen have their formal dress parades before distinguished visitors and  p1467 during June Week ceremonies incident to graduation exercises. The red brick houses facing this field are officers' quarters.

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Dress Parade All dress parades are held on Worden Field and they are an inspiring sight. Everyone who has witnessed them is impressed by the precision and smartness with which they are carried out. To be appreciated they must be seen.

On the way back to the Main Gate on Maryland Avenue, one will pass near one of the most interesting and beautiful monuments in the grounds of the Academy. It is called the Tripoli Monument, and consists of a marble base surmounted by a column which is surrounded by female figures symbolizing America, Commerce, History, and Victory. The monument, the work of the sculptor Micali, was brought from Italy by the frigate Constitution, which had played a leading part in the War with Tripoli. It is a tribute from brother officers to Robert Somers, James Caldwell, James Decatur, Henry Wadsworth, Joseph Israel, and John Dorsey who lost their lives before Tripoli. The monument is situated between Sampson Hall and the Officers' Club.

Tripolitan Monument This monument was brought to the Naval Academy in 1860 after standing in Washington for 52 years. It now stands between Sampson Hall, seen in the background, and the Officer's Club.

The Officer's Club Some of the bachelor officers attached to the Naval Academy have their quarters here. The lower floor is given over to the Naval Academy Officer's Club and is the scene of many social affairs for officers attached to the station.

Back at the Main Gate, from which the tour of the Naval Academy was begun, one carries away in spring, summer, or early autumn a picture in blue, green, and gray — the blue of the Severn River, Dorsey Creek, and the Chesapeake; the green of well-kept lawns, athletic and drill fields, and hedges, shrubbery, and stately trees; and the gray of the buildings, all admirably adapted to the uses for which they are intended. In winter, when the trees have shed their brown leaves and the green has faded from the lawns and the drill grounds, the picture is one of a study in gray in varying shades. But in every season one carries away an impression of a place steeped in tradition. Every monument, every flag, every trophy, every memorial, even the names of the buildings in which the midshipmen live and work and of the very walks they tread and the fields in which they drill or engage in sports, all are constant reminders of the worthy service and glorious deeds of naval officers who have preceded them and at the same time are incentives to high endeavor and ambitious emulation.

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Thayer's Notes:

a1 a2 A reminder that this article was published in 1935: the Naval Academy and its physical plant have of course continued to evolve. In particular, land has been reclaimed from the Severn so that the America basin at the top of the map has become Ingram Field and its northern shore has been extended by the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility; the area marked Farragut Field on the map has been eaten into by the construction of Wesley Brown Fieldhouse, Lejeune Hall (swimming and martial arts), and Mitscher Hall; part of Farragut Field has been renamed Rip Miller Field, including where Thompson Stadium once stood; the Mess Hall described in this article has been given its own larger dedicated building, King Hall; Bancroft Hall has been further expanded; and several monuments and lesser buildings have been added.

b The abandoned cimetière Saint-Louis in northeastern Paris. A detailed account of how Jones' body was found and identified is given by Henri Marion in John Paul Jones' Last Cruise and Final Resting Place the United States Naval Academy, pp59‑63; it's unexpectedly interesting.

c "Contemporary" may confuse some. Houdon is the 18c sculptor, contemporaneous with John Paul Jones; and the bust was in fact used to confirm the identity of the man in the lead coffin.

d For good details and several full-color photographs of the crypt and Jones' sarcophagus, see the Naval Academy's site, of course.

e An accurate statement but a misleading one. Herndon had been dead for two years when President Arthur married his daughter Ellen in 1859.

f Not on Perry's epoch-making first visit to Japan in 1853, but on his way Statesward from his second visit, on July 12, 1854: Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China Seas and Japan (M. C. Perry and F. L. Hawks, 1856), p496. The 15c bell was given by the Regent of the Ryukyu (Lew Chew) Islands to Perry's expedition as part of a mutual exchange of gifts. In July 1987 it was in turn given by the Naval Academy back to Japan at the request of the Okinawans, many of whose historical monuments had been destroyed by American bombings during World War II; its place at the Naval Academy was taken by an exact copy.

g A better view of the colonnade can be seen in the photograph on p1568 of this issue of the Proceedings.

h A real Native American chief, whose virtues, magnified, earned him a special aura after his death: see Heckewelder's History, Manners, and Customs of the Indian Nations who once inhabited Pennsylvania and the Neighboring States, pp300‑301.

i The Naval Academy has since adopted a letter grade system. Today Tecumseh is the God of 2.0, the now meaningless "2.5" having been streamlined, as it were.

j1 j2 A beautiful full-color view of Memorial Hall, towards the western end with Perry's flag over the staircase, can be seen in my footnote to Norris's Annapolis.

k She deteriorated thru continuing neglect, and fell victim to a weather-related accident in 1942; her remains were burned in 1945. The Naval Academy's record in preserving history, while good overall, is not perfect, as pointed out by the occasional naval writer: see in this same issue, "The Colonial Government House of Maryland".

l The exploit of Lieutenant Hobson and his men is told at least five times on this site; see Puleston's Annapolis, p117; my footnote there links to the other references. Midshipman Joseph Powell, Class of 1897, is also mentioned in the text.

m R. E. Johnson, Thence Round Cape Horn, p132 f.

n "The Ram Albemarle", in Clark et al., A Short History of the United States Navy, pp350‑364.

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