The plan of the Naval School at Fort Severn, Annapolis, Maryland, approved by the Navy Department August 28, 1846, provided that a Superintendent of the school be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy from a list of officers of a rank not higher than commander. The Superintendent was to have responsibility for the general management of the institution, including overseeing the course of study, professors, and other personnel connected with the Academy. He could appoint and remove all persons employed at the Academy except those for whose appointment or discharge special provision was made by the laws or regulations of the Navy or the Academy. He had general charge of the buildings, grounds, and ships belonging to the Academy. The Superintendent also formulated the code of rules and regulations for the internal government of the school to be submitted to the Secretary of the Navy for approval. After 1867, officers were assigned by the Navy Department to the Academy to serve as assistants or aides to the Superintendent. The Office of the Superintendent as described in the 1846 plan remained relatively unchanged throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Officers of ranks higher than commander, however, have served in the position.
This entry consists of the entrance examination registers of the Department of Ethics and English Studies and its titular successor the Department of English Studies, History, and Law. Each register contains grades received on written and oral admission examinations by applicants for both cadet-midshipmen and cadet-engineer appointments.
Generally, the registers list the cadet-midshipman candidate's name, date of any previous examination, state of appointment, and age in years and months. Occasionally, the registers include miscellaneous candidate data such as absenteeism, withdrawals, age limit, medical board rejections, and examination deferments and waivers, as well as the total number of failed or admitted candidates during select admission periods. The type of recorded examination data fluctuates throughout the volumes.
For cadet-midshipman applicants during the June and September 1874 admission periods the registers record written and oral examination grades in spelling, grammar, and geography, and a column stating arithmetic written and oral examination grades. A remarks column indicates admission status with "P" for passed or "R" for rejected. Rejected candidate remark columns also contain acronyms indicating the subject each candidate failed to pass. Cadet midshipman applicant data from June 1875 to September 1881 record arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling, grammar and geography first and second examination averages, deficient or "referred" branches, and final "P" for passed, or "R" for rejected admission status. For cadet-engineer applicants between June 1874 and September 1877, the registers list the candidate's name, congressional district and state of appointment, and examination grades in English studies, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, natural and experimental philosophy, steam engineering, sketching, and aptitude. A final tally of each cadet-engineer candidate's total score, compiled by adding all the subject averages together, is also listed.
The Personnel Act of August 5, 1882 abolished the titles of "cadet-midshipman" and "cadet-engineer," and substituted the comprehensive term "naval cadet." Between June 1882 and September 1887, the registers in volume 643 simply list applicant name, congressional district and state of appointment and reporting date, and group candidates according to qualification status. Naval-cadet examinations between September 1886 and June 1890 recorded in volume 594 document the candidate's name, age, congressional district and state of appointment, reporting date, first and, if necessary, reexamination grades in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, geography, history, arithmetic and algebra, deficient or "referred" branches, and final "P" or "R" admission status.
Located in the front of volume 643 is an undated "List of Colleges etc., with which to exchange Annual Register or Catalog," that lists prominent American college and college president names.
The registers documenting the period June 1874 to September 1881 are arranged chronologically by date of examination and thereunder by applicant group (cadet-midshipman and cadet-engineer), and thereunder by candidate number. The registers documenting the period June 1882 to June 1886 are arranged by candidate qualification status and thereunder alphabetically by applicant last name.
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National Archives Catalog entry available electronically at:
RG 405 Records of the United States Naval Academy is the property of the National Archives and Records Administration. The materials are housed at the United States Naval Academy, William W. Jeffries Memorial Archives, an affiliated archive, as per a Memorandum of Agreement between the National Archives and Records Administration and the United States Naval Academy.
Other register books maintained by the Department of Ethics and English Studies examination committee containing written, oral, and full board admission candidate examination grades are found in entry 67: "Record of Examination of Candidates for Cadet Midshipmen, 1867-1873" (NAID: 3021181); entry 68: "Marks for the First Oral Examination of Candidates for Cadet Midshipmen, 1867-1870" (NAID: 3021185); and entry 69: "Record of Examination of Candidates for Cadet Engineers, 1871-1873" (NAID: 3021191). Similar record books containing grades received on oral, written and full board examinations in subjects enumerated in these volumes as "arithmetic," by candidates for admission are found in Subseries 1d: Mathematics Entrance Examination Grade Books, 1867-1903 in entry 201f: "Records of the Division of Mathematics and Science, 1862-1995." Other candidate examination grades and remarks are found in entry 70: "Register of Grades Received on Examinations for Admission by Applicants for Cadet Appointments, 1873-1886" (NAID: 3021194); and entry 72: "Register of Candidates Who Failed to Pass the Required Examination for Admission to the Academy, 1875-1881" (NAID: 3025145). Registers containing more information on candidates listed in this entry, as well as earlier and later engineer candidates are found in entry 62: "Registers of Candidates for Admission to the Academy, 1849-1871; 1876-1930" (NAID: 3000050); entry 63: "Register of Candidates for Admission to the Academy as Midshipmen, Acting Third Assistant Engineers, and Cadet Engineers, 1861-1867; 1871; 1875" (NAID: 3020758); and entry 64: "Register of Candidates for Admission to the Academy as Acting Third Assistant and Cadet Engineers, 1867-1875" (NAID: 3020766).
No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.
Office of the Superintendent/Administrative Records: Register of Grades Received by Candidates for Appointment at Entrance Examinations, RG 405.2.3 Entry 71
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Nimitz Library
United States Naval Academy
The following sources were consulted during preparation of the historical note:
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