This exercise, with the ordinary ship's duty, kept them in excellent physical condition; and while their brown faces and rosy cheeks indicated a healthy state of the body, their forms were finely developed, and their muscles scientifically trained.
Greek and Latin, German and French, with the ordinary English branches pursued in high schools and academies, were taught on board, and the instructors were satisfied that the boys accomplished twice as much as was ordinarily done in similar institutions on shore, and without injury to the students.

Everything was done by rule, and nothing was left to the whims and caprices of teachers and scholars.

Just so much study was done every day, and no more.

There was no sitting up nights; there were no balls and parties, theatres and concerts, to interfere with the work; no late suppers of escalloped oysters and lobster salads to be eaten.
Boys who had bad habits were watched, and injurious tendencies corrected.
But the students enjoyed their life on shipboard.

As the vessel went from port to port, new scenes were opened to them.