Office of the Superintendent/Administrative Records: Register of Grades Received on Examinations for Admission by Applicants for Cadet Appointments, 1873-1886: Finding Aid

History of the Office of the Superintendent

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.

Description of Contents

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 admissions examinations by applicants for both cadet midshipmen and cadet engineer appointments.

Applicants for appointments are listed by admission period and thereunder grouped either by cadet midshipmen or cadet engineers, depending on the type of appointment. For midshipman applicants, the registers list the candidate's name, age in years and months, district and state of appointment, town and state of residence, subjects in which the candidate was referred (performed unsatisfactorily on the preliminary oral examination and recommended for full board reexamination), and letters received. Between September 1873 and June 1875, the registers only state whether the board passed or rejected midshipman applicants. After June 1875, the registers list midshipman applicant first and second examination grades in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and geography. A results column lists whether the examination or medical boards passed or rejected the candidate, and other pertinent information for individual cases.

For engineer applicants, the registers list the candidate's name, district and state of appointment, age in years and months, and examination grades in English studies, mathematics (arithmetic, algebra, and geometry), natural philosophy, steam engineering (theoretical and practical), sketching, and aptitude. A final tally of each engineer candidate's total score, compiled by adding all the subject averages together, is also listed, along with the candidate's ranking among his fellow applicants for that admission period.

Volume 599 also contains a record of the proceedings of the boards responsible for the examination of candidates for admission to the academy between September 23, 1873 and September 29, 1874. Recording examinations for both cadet engineers and midshipmen, the proceedings typically state the dates and times individual and groups were summoned for examination or reexamination, rejections and passed marks given, and administrative matters pertaining to organizing examinations.

In addition to an alphabetical listing of June 1876 candidate admission examination grades and pass or failure marks, the back of volume 599 also contains a register detailing the authors of grammar, geography and arithmetic textbooks previously studied by these candidates, as well as the candidates' other previous mathematics study, length of admission examination preparation in months and days, prior schools attended, total length of time at school in years and months, and whether the candidate received his appointment through a competitive examination, and if so, the number of competitors and examination type (written or oral). Volume 600 contains a similar prior-education page for candidates examined on September 26, 1879. Interfiled throughout volume 600 are memoranda pertaining to specific candidates, and a copy of examination questions in grammar dated May 19, 1884.

Arrangement

The Register of Grades Received on Examinations for Admission by Applicants for Cadet Appointments is arranged chronologically by date of examination and thereunder by applicants for cadet midshipman or engineer. From September 1873 to June 1876 the dated applicant-groups are arranged numerically by candidate number. Beginning in June 1876 the dated applicant-groups are arranged alphabetically by candidate last name.

Access and Use

Access

Unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

Generally, materials produced by Federal agencies are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. Any non-government publications held herein may still be subject to copyright. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

Other Finding Aid(s)

National Archives Catalog entry available electronically at: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/3021194.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Custodial History

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.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

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); and entry 68: "Marks for the First Oral Examination of Candidates for Cadet Midshipmen, 1867-1870" (NAID: 3021185). 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 71: "Register of Marks Received by Candidates for Appointment at Entrance Examinations, 1874-1890" (NAID: 3023070); 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).

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Office of the Superintendent/Administrative Records: Register of Grades Received on Examinations for Admission by Applicants for Cadet Appointments, RG 405.2.3 Entry 70

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

The following sources were consulted during preparation of the historical note:

Sweetman, Jack. The U.S. Naval Academy: An Illustrated History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute Press, 1979.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Samuel Limneos in November 2021. Finding aid written by Samuel Limneos in November 2021. Historical Sketch and Scope and Content Note adapted in part from Inventory of Records Group 405 by Geraldine N. Phillips and Aloha South, 1975.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Naval education -- United States
• United States Naval Academy -- Admission
• United States Naval Academy – Students
• United States Naval Academy. Department of Ethics and English Studies

Genre Terms

• Registers (lists)