Article, "Midshipman Drowns in a Lark at Academy, While Comrades Conduct an Old Water Rite." Special to the New York Times.
"ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 28 - Ceremonies marking the christening of the class rings by midshipmen of the present second class, soon to become senior classmen, had a tragic ending this afternoon in the drowning of Leicester Richards Smith, 23 years old, of Kent, Ohio. While death was pronounced primarily due to drowning after a corps of medical officers, hospital attendants of the navy and midshipmen comrades had worked over the body for more than two hours, a theory advanced is that the unfortunate midshipman probably was seized by a stroke of heart failure. According to some of his classmates it is not thought he was in the water for more than four or five minutes. He was a good swimmer. Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Superintendent of the Naval Academy, detailed a board of inquiry to determine the circumstances and exact cause of death. Commander John T. Bowers is President of the board and Commander Byron McCandless and Lieut. Commander Harry R. Hermesch, Medical Corps, are the other members. The accident occurred in "Dewey Basin," an inlet from the waters of the Severn River. More than 900 midshipmen had been participating in a gleeful ceremony near old "Tecumseh," an Indian figurehead known among the students as the "god of 2.5," being the passing mark in tests, and according to an old custom they tossed one another into the water. More than 400 second class men followed with their lark, also an old custom, by diving into the water, wearing old service uniforms for the occasion. Into the basin they splashed in groups of twenty or more. Boats of the half-rater type were at their moorings not more than twenty feet apart. It appears that many of the students, after their dive, clambered aboard these craft, two of which sank, and turned over, their masts holding them on their side. Midshipman Smith is said to have been last seen clinging to the stern of one of these boats. A few minutes later he was missed by some of his comrades. Suddenly a blue blouse was observed bobbing up and down on the surface of the water, revealing the body of Smith, his face downward and partly caught beneath a sail. Young Smith worked up from the enlisted ranks of the navy, having been in the service since a boy. He reached the grade of Chief Quartermaster during his career in the enlisted personnel." May 29, 1924
Article, "May Abolish 'Ring Baptism': Annapolis Authorities to Act Following Midshipman's Death." Special to the New York Times
"ANNAPOLIS, May 29 - As the result of the death of Midshipman Leicester R. Smith yesterday during the time-honored frolic known as the "baptism of the class ring," officials of the academy will regulate such customs strictly in the future or abolish them. Great lack of judgment was shown in carrying out the ceremony and not only did Smith lose his life but several others were also badly injured as to require medical attention. Most of the members of the class jumped off the sea wall in a mass at a point where a number of small sailing craft were moored. There was more danger when the midshipman began to climb into the half raters, three of which were overturned. The mast of one undoubtedly hit Smith. Academy activities ceased during services for him at the chapel today, the whole regiment of midshipmen being in attendance." May 30, 1924
Article, "Years of lard, tradition, rituals: Naval Academy plebes unite to scale
slippery Herndon Monument, one of many academy rituals" by Neal Thompson, Sun Staff, May 19, 1998
"...Before 1925, on finishing their final examination, juniors would run to the southern sea wall, where seniors would toss them into Spa Creek. That ended when Midshipmen Leicester Smith drowned in 1924. And midshipman no longer commemorate the end of the year by burying their books or tossing them into the Severn."
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Smith, Colonel, 33, b. England
-, Pearl O., 32, b. Ohio
-, Ivy H., 9, b. New York
-, Richard L., 6, b. Ohio
"ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 28 - Ceremonies marking the christening of the class rings by midshipmen of the present second class, soon to become senior classmen, had a tragic ending this afternoon in the drowning of Leicester Richards Smith, 23 years old, of Kent, Ohio. While death was pronounced primarily due to drowning after a corps of medical officers, hospital attendants of the navy and midshipmen comrades had worked over the body for more than two hours, a theory advanced is that the unfortunate midshipman probably was seized by a stroke of heart failure. According to some of his classmates it is not thought he was in the water for more than four or five minutes. He was a good swimmer. Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Superintendent of the Naval Academy, detailed a board of inquiry to determine the circumstances and exact cause of death. Commander John T. Bowers is President of the board and Commander Byron McCandless and Lieut. Commander Harry R. Hermesch, Medical Corps, are the other members. The accident occurred in "Dewey Basin," an inlet from the waters of the Severn River. More than 900 midshipmen had been participating in a gleeful ceremony near old "Tecumseh," an Indian figurehead known among the students as the "god of 2.5," being the passing mark in tests, and according to an old custom they tossed one another into the water. More than 400 second class men followed with their lark, also an old custom, by diving into the water, wearing old service uniforms for the occasion. Into the basin they splashed in groups of twenty or more. Boats of the half-rater type were at their moorings not more than twenty feet apart. It appears that many of the students, after their dive, clambered aboard these craft, two of which sank, and turned over, their masts holding them on their side. Midshipman Smith is said to have been last seen clinging to the stern of one of these boats. A few minutes later he was missed by some of his comrades. Suddenly a blue blouse was observed bobbing up and down on the surface of the water, revealing the body of Smith, his face downward and partly caught beneath a sail. Young Smith worked up from the enlisted ranks of the navy, having been in the service since a boy. He reached the grade of Chief Quartermaster during his career in the enlisted personnel." May 29, 1924
Article, "May Abolish 'Ring Baptism': Annapolis Authorities to Act Following Midshipman's Death." Special to the New York Times
"ANNAPOLIS, May 29 - As the result of the death of Midshipman Leicester R. Smith yesterday during the time-honored frolic known as the "baptism of the class ring," officials of the academy will regulate such customs strictly in the future or abolish them. Great lack of judgment was shown in carrying out the ceremony and not only did Smith lose his life but several others were also badly injured as to require medical attention. Most of the members of the class jumped off the sea wall in a mass at a point where a number of small sailing craft were moored. There was more danger when the midshipman began to climb into the half raters, three of which were overturned. The mast of one undoubtedly hit Smith. Academy activities ceased during services for him at the chapel today, the whole regiment of midshipmen being in attendance." May 30, 1924
Article, "Years of lard, tradition, rituals: Naval Academy plebes unite to scale
slippery Herndon Monument, one of many academy rituals" by Neal Thompson, Sun Staff, May 19, 1998
"...Before 1925, on finishing their final examination, juniors would run to the southern sea wall, where seniors would toss them into Spa Creek. That ended when Midshipmen Leicester Smith drowned in 1924. And midshipman no longer commemorate the end of the year by burying their books or tossing them into the Severn."
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Smith, Colonel, 33, b. England
-, Pearl O., 32, b. Ohio
-, Ivy H., 9, b. New York
-, Richard L., 6, b. Ohio
Article, "Midshipman Drowns in a Lark at Academy, While Comrades Conduct an Old Water Rite." Special to the New York Times.
"ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 28 - Ceremonies marking the christening of the class rings by midshipmen of the present second class, soon to become senior classmen, had a tragic ending this afternoon in the drowning of Leicester Richards Smith, 23 years old, of Kent, Ohio. While death was pronounced primarily due to drowning after a corps of medical officers, hospital attendants of the navy and midshipmen comrades had worked over the body for more than two hours, a theory advanced is that the unfortunate midshipman probably was seized by a stroke of heart failure. According to some of his classmates it is not thought he was in the water for more than four or five minutes. He was a good swimmer. Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Superintendent of the Naval Academy, detailed a board of inquiry to determine the circumstances and exact cause of death. Commander John T. Bowers is President of the board and Commander Byron McCandless and Lieut. Commander Harry R. Hermesch, Medical Corps, are the other members. The accident occurred in "Dewey Basin," an inlet from the waters of the Severn River. More than 900 midshipmen had been participating in a gleeful ceremony near old "Tecumseh," an Indian figurehead known among the students as the "god of 2.5," being the passing mark in tests, and according to an old custom they tossed one another into the water. More than 400 second class men followed with their lark, also an old custom, by diving into the water, wearing old service uniforms for the occasion. Into the basin they splashed in groups of twenty or more. Boats of the half-rater type were at their moorings not more than twenty feet apart. It appears that many of the students, after their dive, clambered aboard these craft, two of which sank, and turned over, their masts holding them on their side. Midshipman Smith is said to have been last seen clinging to the stern of one of these boats. A few minutes later he was missed by some of his comrades. Suddenly a blue blouse was observed bobbing up and down on the surface of the water, revealing the body of Smith, his face downward and partly caught beneath a sail. Young Smith worked up from the enlisted ranks of the navy, having been in the service since a boy. He reached the grade of Chief Quartermaster during his career in the enlisted personnel." May 29, 1924
Article, "May Abolish 'Ring Baptism': Annapolis Authorities to Act Following Midshipman's Death." Special to the New York Times
"ANNAPOLIS, May 29 - As the result of the death of Midshipman Leicester R. Smith yesterday during the time-honored frolic known as the "baptism of the class ring," officials of the academy will regulate such customs strictly in the future or abolish them. Great lack of judgment was shown in carrying out the ceremony and not only did Smith lose his life but several others were also badly injured as to require medical attention. Most of the members of the class jumped off the sea wall in a mass at a point where a number of small sailing craft were moored. There was more danger when the midshipman began to climb into the half raters, three of which were overturned. The mast of one undoubtedly hit Smith. Academy activities ceased during services for him at the chapel today, the whole regiment of midshipmen being in attendance." May 30, 1924
Article, "Years of lard, tradition, rituals: Naval Academy plebes unite to scale
slippery Herndon Monument, one of many academy rituals" by Neal Thompson, Sun Staff, May 19, 1998
"...Before 1925, on finishing their final examination, juniors would run to the southern sea wall, where seniors would toss them into Spa Creek. That ended when Midshipmen Leicester Smith drowned in 1924. And midshipman no longer commemorate the end of the year by burying their books or tossing them into the Severn."
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Smith, Colonel, 33, b. England
-, Pearl O., 32, b. Ohio
-, Ivy H., 9, b. New York
-, Richard L., 6, b. Ohio
"ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 28 - Ceremonies marking the christening of the class rings by midshipmen of the present second class, soon to become senior classmen, had a tragic ending this afternoon in the drowning of Leicester Richards Smith, 23 years old, of Kent, Ohio. While death was pronounced primarily due to drowning after a corps of medical officers, hospital attendants of the navy and midshipmen comrades had worked over the body for more than two hours, a theory advanced is that the unfortunate midshipman probably was seized by a stroke of heart failure. According to some of his classmates it is not thought he was in the water for more than four or five minutes. He was a good swimmer. Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Superintendent of the Naval Academy, detailed a board of inquiry to determine the circumstances and exact cause of death. Commander John T. Bowers is President of the board and Commander Byron McCandless and Lieut. Commander Harry R. Hermesch, Medical Corps, are the other members. The accident occurred in "Dewey Basin," an inlet from the waters of the Severn River. More than 900 midshipmen had been participating in a gleeful ceremony near old "Tecumseh," an Indian figurehead known among the students as the "god of 2.5," being the passing mark in tests, and according to an old custom they tossed one another into the water. More than 400 second class men followed with their lark, also an old custom, by diving into the water, wearing old service uniforms for the occasion. Into the basin they splashed in groups of twenty or more. Boats of the half-rater type were at their moorings not more than twenty feet apart. It appears that many of the students, after their dive, clambered aboard these craft, two of which sank, and turned over, their masts holding them on their side. Midshipman Smith is said to have been last seen clinging to the stern of one of these boats. A few minutes later he was missed by some of his comrades. Suddenly a blue blouse was observed bobbing up and down on the surface of the water, revealing the body of Smith, his face downward and partly caught beneath a sail. Young Smith worked up from the enlisted ranks of the navy, having been in the service since a boy. He reached the grade of Chief Quartermaster during his career in the enlisted personnel." May 29, 1924
Article, "May Abolish 'Ring Baptism': Annapolis Authorities to Act Following Midshipman's Death." Special to the New York Times
"ANNAPOLIS, May 29 - As the result of the death of Midshipman Leicester R. Smith yesterday during the time-honored frolic known as the "baptism of the class ring," officials of the academy will regulate such customs strictly in the future or abolish them. Great lack of judgment was shown in carrying out the ceremony and not only did Smith lose his life but several others were also badly injured as to require medical attention. Most of the members of the class jumped off the sea wall in a mass at a point where a number of small sailing craft were moored. There was more danger when the midshipman began to climb into the half raters, three of which were overturned. The mast of one undoubtedly hit Smith. Academy activities ceased during services for him at the chapel today, the whole regiment of midshipmen being in attendance." May 30, 1924
Article, "Years of lard, tradition, rituals: Naval Academy plebes unite to scale
slippery Herndon Monument, one of many academy rituals" by Neal Thompson, Sun Staff, May 19, 1998
"...Before 1925, on finishing their final examination, juniors would run to the southern sea wall, where seniors would toss them into Spa Creek. That ended when Midshipmen Leicester Smith drowned in 1924. And midshipman no longer commemorate the end of the year by burying their books or tossing them into the Severn."
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Smith, Colonel, 33, b. England
-, Pearl O., 32, b. Ohio
-, Ivy H., 9, b. New York
-, Richard L., 6, b. Ohio
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