The government course in naval aviation open to Harvard men, which has been conducted at M. I. T. for the past three years will be repeated this year, and is scheduled to open with an illustrated lecture in the second week of January, it was announced last night.
The students receiving the highest average in Ground School will be selected for flight training this summer, and upon passing the Flight Physical Examinations, will be ordered to Squantum for 45 days' active duty.
Last year 20 men were accepted from the district which includes the University; this year, due to a governmental ruling which limits the entire number to 22, only seven men from this district will be taken from the Ground School. Philadelphia has five men, Washington five, Hampton Roads five. All men from this district must be from Boston or vicinity.
Lieutenant R. D. Thomas, chief of the United States Naval Reserve Air Station at Squantum, will again be in charge of the course this year. Lieutenant Thomas received the Shiff Trophy for Safe Flying, which was presented by President Colidge in 1925. He is credited with flying 500 hours without an accident in that year, the best record in the history of the naval air service.
The course is open to all members of the University over 18 years of age. It is made up of a series of lectures, two each week, lasting into May, with intermissions for the midyear examinations and the spring recess.
During the summer there are two six-week training periods, the first of which is held at Squantum, and the other at Hampton Roads, Va.