The Mission
To graduate young men with sound bodies, stout hearts, and alert minds, with a liking for the sea and its lore, and with that high sense of honor, loyalty, and obedience which goes with trained initiative and leadership; well-grounded in seamanship, the sciences, and the amenities, and strong in the resolve to be worthy of the traditions of commissioned officers in the United States Coast Guard in the service of their country and humanity.
To accomplish the mission, the course of instruction at the Coast Guard Academy parallels, very nearly, that of the Naval Academy, because the respective missions of the two institutions are so nearly alike.
The school year is divided into one sea term and two study terms.
The physical education of cadets at the Coast Guard Academy is carefully supervised with a view to military carriage and the development of the body and a coordination of mind and muscle, strength and agility. Gymnasium work, boxing, wrestling, fencing, track, rowing, swimming, football, basketball, baseball, and tennis are the means used to accomplish body and muscle building. Also in the competition these forms of athletics afford is found the training so essential in sportsmanship and fair play, and in fostering “the will to win” as well as the spirit of a “good loser.” A very large contribution to this essential of all-round training is made by the practical work performed by the cadets on the practice cruise.
The practice ship is a square-rigged sailing vessel with auxiliary power. As much of the practice cruise as practicable is made under sail. Handling the vessel under sail and going aloft in all weathers afford training in self-reliance, courage, resourcefulness, and team work that cannot be obtained in any other way.
This work on the practice vessel, together with boat work, handling launches and small patrol vessels, supplemented by instructions in the traditions of the service, soon furnishes indubitable evidence as to those who can qualify under that part of the mission exacting “a liking for the sea and its lore,” and having a “high sense of honor, loyalty, and obedience.” Since above all a Coast Guard officer must be a thorough seaman, every energy is devoted to teaching the subject of seamanship.
The grounding in the sciences is afforded by the curriculum in mathematics through calculus, physics, chemistry, thermodynamics, marine engineering, navigation, naval architecture, gunnery, electricity, and all forms of communications. Law is taught in the branches of military law, international law, navigation and customs law, with an outline of admiralty law. Since a Coast Guard officer must in time of peace devote considerable time to the boarding of vessels of all classes and nationalities, the subject of navigation and customs laws is stressed.
Recent legislation abolishing cadet engineers, and requiring as a natural consequence of that law that all cadets be instructed in both line and engineering duties, has increased the already considerable strain upon each branch of cadets. That strain is due, not to lack of ability of the cadets to grasp the fundamentals of both branches but rather to the time function. Formerly, in the three-year course, a cadet had a reasonable amount of time in which to learn the various subjects of his respective branch, line or engineering as the case might be. Now, with no increase in the time allowance for the course, a cadet is expected to absorb the rudiments of both professions. With the standard of 70 per cent required in each subject as a satisfactory mark, and with four years’ work crowded into a three- year course, the strain upon both cadets and instructors is evident. It may be said that lengthening the course of instruction to four years is now under consideration.
Discipline is taught by requiring the cadets to spend their waking hours following a strict schedule of study, recitations, drill, and exercise, with suitable recreation periods. The principles of military command are taught by requiring cadets of the first class to carry on, in turn, under the supervision of a commissioned officer, all of the duties of officer of the deck on the practice cruise, and officer of the day during the academic terms. The demerit system, whereby offenses are recorded and given a weight in accordance with the gravity of the offenses, affords the first classman handling that duty instruction in maintaining discipline. It indicates very clearly the ability of the cadet giving the demerits to weigh and adjudicate disciplinary matters and it affords a measure of the obedience and amenability to discipline of the cadets receiving the demerits. The demerit curve of a cadet is an almost infallible indication of his progress (or otherwise) along the path of becoming a creditable officer.
Practical navigation is taught by requiring cadets to fix the ship’s position by all approved methods, and to perform all of the practical work required of a navigator. Piloting is taught by allowing the cadets in turn to con the practice ship in and out of ports visited. They are interfered with only when the safety of the ship demands. This practice is augmented during the academic terms, whenever practicable, by sending the cadets on short trips in small patrol vessels or on the destroyer assigned to the academy.
Gunnery practice is afforded by assigning cadets to destroyers during target practice if that can be arranged, otherwise by carrying out short-range battle practice during the practice cruise. Each cadet is required to shoot the prescribed course in small-arms target practice.
All drills that are required to conform to the military status of the Coast Guard, and to prepare the cadets to be competent instructors in such drills, are carried out as part of the curriculum. Boat drills and the handling of small boats are stressed.
Engineering is taught in theory during the academic terms, supplemented by laboratory and shop work. Whenever practicable during the academic term, cadets are sent on short cruises of a day or so in a destroyer assigned to the academy for instruction Purposes. While on the practice cruise cadets are assigned, in turn, to perform all of the duties of the engineer’s division. Last year a destroyer accompanied the regular practice ship and all cadets received practical instruction and experience in operating that class of vessel.
The practice cruise which commences the latter part of May is three months’ duration. During the cruise the handling of sails is stressed because such training is believed to be the best method yet devised to instill the sea habit and a love for the sea. Also it is deemed the best measure of a cadet’s adaptability for the service, because it brings out those qualifications of courage, decision, self-reliance, alertness, and judgment so essential to a successful career as an officer of the Coast Guard. Also, the longer periods at sea which sailing requires are important in the training of cadets and in determining their fitness for the service.
Boat drill is stressed while on the summer cruise, as well as at the academy.
The general fitness of a cadet for the service is determined by careful consideration of his practical work at sea, his academic work, and his conduct record, giving to each its appropriate weight.
With all the strenuousness of the course of study, considerable time is found to afford cadets opportunity to mingle in the social life of New London and vicinity and they are encouraged to do so. Each month the cadets give a hop and at other times during visiting hours, entertain their friends on the academy grounds.
The staff at the academy consists of the superintendent, usually a captain, and, at present, ten commissioned officers of the Coast Guard, one commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, and one civilian, as instructors. This small number of instructors, it will be noted from the curriculum, is required to teach an average of thirteen hours a week, besides performing the various duties required of them as part of the academy organization for upkeep and maintenance. The physical plant at the academy has long been inadequate and unsuitable. It is gratifying to note that Congress has taken up the matter of providing new buildings upon a new site for the important work of educating Coast Guard cadets.