Book Description

The Midshipman Culture and Educational Reform examines the effect of educational and professional reforms on the culture of Annapolis from 1945-76. The Naval Academy has juggled the competing priorities of training and education throughout its history. Proper balance was a perennial problem since the academy was limited to a four-year timetable to graduation. Bancroft Hall was the focal point for professional indoctrination and the heart and soul of the academy culture. Its traditions and activities often competed with academies for the midshipmen's time and attention. technology and operational requirements forced the school to reevaluate the emphasis paid to academics. Outside groups, such as the Folsom Board and Admiral Hyman Rickover, also acted as a catalyst for reform. The culmination of these efforts was the academic revolution of the 1960s, which transformed Annapolis into an elite engineering college. Midshipmen and their officers occasionally resisted changes that undercut their most cherished traditions, including plebe indoctrination. Ironically, most core values of the academy culture remained similar to what they had always been, including the emphasis on career service and loyalty to one's shipmates. Fomey's book uses all original sources, including a thorough survey of graduates from these years.