The Midshipman Culture and Educational Reform:
The U.S. Naval Academy 1946-76
by Todd A. Forney
This book examines the effect of educational and professional reforms on the culture of Annapolis from 1946-76. 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. The post-World War II era was a turning point in academy history; new 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 acted as catalysts for reform. The culmination of these efforts was the "academic revolution" of the I960s that 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 remained similar to what they had always been, including the emphasis on career service and loyalty to one's shipmates. The book includes a thorough survey of graduates from these years. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Todd A. Forney is an adjunct instructor at Columbus State Community College.
