Editing United States Naval Academy (section)

===Porter's Academy: Civil War to Spanish–American War===
[[File:David Dixon Porter - Mathew Brady's National Photographic Art Gallery.jpg|thumb|upright|[[David Dixon Porter]]]]
Civil War hero Admiral [[David Dixon Porter]] became superintendent in 1865. He found the infrastructure at Annapolis a shambles, the result of ill military use during the War. Porter attempted to restore the facilities. He concentrated on recruiting naval officers as opposed to civilians, a change of philosophy. He recruited teachers Stephen B. Luce, future admirals [[Winfield Scott Schley]], [[George Dewey]], and [[William T. Sampson]]. The midshipman [[battalion]] consisted of four [[company (military)|companies]]. These were bunked in a single wooden building containing 100 rooms, one company to a floor. They held dress parades every evening except Sunday. Students were termed "cadets", though sometimes "cadet midshipmen"; other appellations were used. Porter began organized athletics, usually intramural at the time.<ref name="sm9504">{{cite magazine |first=James |last=Cheevers |date=April 1995 |title=article |magazine=Shipmate |volume=58 |issue=3 |pages=23–26}}{{full citation needed|date=May 2021|reason=No title}}</ref>

[[Antoine Joseph Corbesier]], an immigrant from Belgium, was appointed to the position of Assistant Swordmaster in 1864, and then Swordmaster at USNA in October 1865. He coached Navy fencers in intercollegiate competition from 1896, when the Naval Academy joined the Intercollegiate Fencing Association, until 1914, when he retired. By special act of Congress, he was commissioned a 1st lieutenant in the Marine Corps on 4 March 1914. He died on 26 March 1915 and is buried on Hospital Point.

In 1867, indoor plumbing and water was supplied to the family quarters. In 1868, the [[Figurehead (object)|figurehead]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=NH 115261 USS DELAWARE figurehead - Tamanend: Front view |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-115000/NH-115261.html |access-date=2023-02-16 |website=NHHC |language=en-US }}</ref> of [[Tamanend]] from {{USS|Delaware|1820|6}} (later nicknamed "[[Tecumseh]]") was erected in the yard. Class rings were first issued in 1869. Weekly dances were held. Wags called the school "Porter's Dancing Academy". President [[U.S. Grant]] distributed diplomas to the class of 1869.<ref name="sm9504"/> Porter ensured continued room for expansion by overseeing the purchase of {{convert|113|acre}} across College Creek, later known as Hospital Point.

In 1871, the color competition began, along with the selection of the color company and "color girl".<ref name="sm9504"/>

In the 1870s, cuts in the military budget resulted in graduating much smaller classes. In 1872, 25 graduated. Eight of these made the Navy a career.<ref name="sm9504"/> The third class physically hazed the fourth class so ruthlessly that Congress passed an anti-hazing law in 1874. Hazing continued in more stealthy forms.<ref name="sm9504"/>

Many firsts for minorities occurred during this period. In 1877, Kiro Kunitomo, a Japanese citizen, graduated from the academy.<ref>{{cite news|title=Asian Pacific American Heritage Month |work=WindJammer |page=5 |publisher=Commander, Fleet Activities, Okinawa |date=May 2008 |url=http://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrj/installations/cfa_okinawa.html/windjammer/May%20Windjammer%20compressed.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150227144418/http://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrj/installations/cfa_okinawa.html/windjammer/May |archive-date=27 February 2015 |access-date=9 February 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Rudi |title=Asian/Pacific American Military Timeline |publisher=The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project |date=11 June 2002 |url=http://www.chcp.org/memorialday.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130063434/http://www.chcp.org/memorialday.html |archive-date=2009-01-30 |format=Timeline |access-date=3 January 2009}}</ref> And then in 1879, [[Robert F. Lopez]] was the first Hispanic-American to graduate from the academy.

[[John H. Conyers]] of South Carolina was the first African-American admitted on 21 September 1872.<ref>{{cite web|title=Black History Legends Nuggets|url=http://www.blackhistoryusa.com/legends.php|access-date=9 March 2013|archive-date=30 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330005336/http://blackhistoryusa.com/legends.php|url-status=live}}</ref> After his arrival, he was subject to severe, ongoing hazing, including verbal torment, and beatings. His classmates even attempted to drown him.<ref name=schneller>{{cite book|last=Schneller|first=Robert J.|title=Breaking the Color Barrier: the U.S. Naval Academy's First Black Midshipmen and the Struggle for Racial Equality|year=2005|publisher=New York Univ. Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0814740132}}</ref> Three cadets were dismissed as a result, but the abuse, including [[shunning]], continued in more subtle forms and Conyers finally resigned in October 1873.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clare|first=Rod|title=The Sixth Wave: Black Integration in the U.S. Naval Academy|url=http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=10761|access-date=9 March 2013|date=July 2005|archive-date=22 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522044102/http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=10761|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1874, the curriculum was altered to study naval topics in the final two years at the academy. In 1878, the academy was awarded a gold medal for academics at the [[Exposition Universelle (1878)|Universal Exposition]] in Paris.<ref name="sm9504"/> In the late 19th century, Congress required the academy to teach a formal course in hygiene, the only course required by Congress of any military academy.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

In 1890, Navy adopted the [[Bill the Goat|goat mascot]] after winning its first football game with Army.<ref name=greatwar/>