Dave Darrins First Year at Annapolis | Page 7

senior surgeon.
"Is it improper, sir, for me to ask whether we have passed?" asked
Darrin quietly.
"You have both passed," nodded the surgeon. "Mr. Dalzell, however,
will do well to take the most wholesome care of his teeth hereafter."
Just then the door opened and two more candidates were shown in.
"Come with me," directed the same midshipman master of ceremonies.
Dan was indiscreet enough to range up alongside their conductor, just
missing a vigorous nudge that Dave tried to give him.
"Well, we slipped by the drug-store sign all right," Dan confided to the
white-gloved midshipman. "Now, how soon do we get our
messenger-boy uniforms?
"Never, I hope," replied their conductor frigidly, "unless you can learn
to speak of the uniform of the service with more respect."
Dan fell back abashed. His style of humor, he was fast discovering, did
not seem to make a hit at Annapolis.

Back in the same waiting room the two young men lingered until nearly
eleven o'clock. More than two score of candidates had passed the
medical examiners by this time, and some others had failed to pass. Yet
many of these successful candidates had yet to take their scholastic
examinations over in Academic Hall, and so did not wait with Dave
and Dan, who had now passed in everything.
By eleven there were fully a dozen young men who, like Dave and Dan,
were ready to be sworn in. These were now led to the commandant's
office. Here each signed a paper agreeing to serve in the United States
Navy for a term of eight years, unless sooner legally discharged. Each
also signed a statement to the effect that he took this step with the full
permission of parents or guardian.
Then the commandant of cadets ordered them to form in a line facing
his desk. A notary appeared, who administered to them the oath of
loyalty and obedience. These young men were at last actual members
of the brigade of midshipmen.
Commander Jephson now delivered a short address to the lined-up
dozen. He pointed out where the lines of their duty lay, and exhorted
them to seek their duty and to perform it at all times. In closing the
commandant put emphasis on these words:
"One word more, young gentlemen. Until this moment perhaps all of
you have been wont to look upon yourself as boys. That time has
passed. From the moment that you were sworn into the Navy of the
United State--remember--you became men. All of your superior
officers will now look to you to realize most fully that you are
men--men in word, deed, thought and judgment."
Now another midshipman, a cadet petty officer, appeared and
conducted the new members of the brigade outside.
"Fall in by twos," he directed. "When I give the word, move forward as
well as you can, in the idea of marching."
It was, indeed, a busy hour that followed. The young men were led

before the midshipmen's pay officer, with whom each deposited the
sum of two hundred and sixty-four dollars and ninety-eight cents. This
amount from each new midshipman is required by law. Of this sum
sixty dollars is applied to the purchase of books needed by the new
midshipman. The balance of the sum goes to pay for uniforms, articles
of equipment, etc. From this it would seem that an absolutely poor boy
had no chance to enter the Naval Academy. It usually happens,
however, that, when a very poor boy is appointed to the Naval
Academy, his Congressman, or some of his friends or fellow townsmen
will loan him the money, returnable after he enters the service as an
officer.
In addition to the amount required by law to be deposited with the
Academy authorities each midshipman is ordered to turn over any other
money that may be in his possession, this extra amount to be credited to
him. A midshipman, on entering the service, receives a salary of six
hundred dollars a year. Nearly all of this, however, is required to pay
his ordinary expenses. Each midshipman is allowed a very small
amount of spending money, with, however, a more liberal allowance
when visiting ports during a cruise.
It is forbidden for a midshipman to receive spending money from home
or friends. Midshipmen sometimes disobey this latter regulation, but, if
detected, are liable to severe punishment.
Afterwards the new midshipmen were taken to the storekeeper's, where
each was supplied with one of the uniform caps worn by midshipmen.
Thence the young men were marched back to Bancroft Hall and out
onto the terrace over the mess hall.
"Halt! Break ranks!" commanded their instructor, Midshipman
Cranthorpe. "You will now pay close heed and endeavor to learn
rapidly. Mr. Darrin, step over here."
Dave went forward, Midshipman Cranthorpe placing him.
"The