It will thus be seen that the Marine Corps of the navy is a highly
useful organization, and that it has played a large part in carrying our
flag to the fore in all our wars. Until 1883 officers in the corps were
appointed from civil life. Beginning with that year, all vacancies were
filled from graduates of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. This practice
continued until 1898, when the increase in the corps was so rapid that
the Academy could not furnish a sufficient number of officers. Since
then, until 1915, appointments were made from civil life and by
promotion from the ranks. In 1915 vacancies again began to be filled
from Annapolis, but the entrance of our country into the war brought
about the award of commissions on a broader scale. To-day, serving with
the marines in France are a number of young officers who, a year or two
ago, were well-known college athletes, such men as Eddie Mahan, of
Harvard; Billy Moore, of Princeton; Harry LeGore, of Yale; Albert
Baston, of Minnesota, and many other gridiron and diamond heroes, who
were attracted to this branch of the service by the opportunities
offered for quick action.

There is a Marine Officers' School at Norfolk, to which young men
appointed second lieutenants from civil life are sent for two years'
intensive study before being assigned to regular duty. The course covers
general subjects, and also all military branches, such as engineering,
topography, gunnery, electricity, signalling, torpedo operation, and the
like. In the case of college men appointed lieutenants for war service,
the majority had just been graduated or were seniors in their respective
institutions; as a consequence, little time was lost in the study of
general subjects, the idea being to concentrate upon military subjects.
In short, the Plattsburg idea was put into effect, with what results may
be judged by the words of high praise which have been said concerning