Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-07-06
DOMESTIC.
From The ". Y. .imericdn.
I'VE or pDINT


ietie9 detailing with so much discrimination
, and truth The course of the recent examinations
as.this national School, that we cannoi refuse
/ kotl selves the pleasure oil iranscribing II, the
4 rather MS VIC happened 10 he present NJ the eE-
aa,inst,on.room, at the period To which this
letter refers. The tribute paid 50 justly 10 the
Superintendent, and TO the general excellence
OF the academic staff and the arrangements
OF the school, derives additional value fiom
the source, II we guess correctly att, whence
il proceeds Louddri a iaudaie Is the worthy
reward OF n noble ambition
EXAMINATION AT WEST POINT.
EIaract of teller from gentleman Of The city
Of Boston. dated
ALsAEY, June II 1899.
WIS fortunate in reaching West Point al
TIE time when the Board OF Vinters, appointed
by the Secretary of War, were conducting the
! annual examination. The service mm0nly
occupies from twenty 10 thir'y days, njne hours
each day being passed in the exa nination
| room The board have their Pfsdcni, Sc
| cre,ary and Committee. and nj the end " heir
session make llli report TO the War Depart
\ i.,eut of the state Of the academy, IN relation 10
the course OF the study and discipline the fnan
ccs, the profcienc, ot the students. and in.
Short every important particular of the admin.
| isiraiion.
l Inc GIHhbtb are, nk IS Wfl knbNn, NlNiuF8
into sections, according 10 merit, at as early
| period uf the course as admits OF The respect
i've claims of individuals being properly estlma-
ted aud each takes his place IA IN. section nc.
cord toing his apparent rank NJ the time. After
| this. student. are advanced, or degtated, ms.
| from time 10 lime occasion Is afforded for such
change. At each examinations, aud often in
| the intervals between them, the classes are d.
| mInlsbeo by the dism5sion o { their hast prom.
| ising members. and This 10 that extent, that, II
| ] remember rightly the statement which lead
classes of more than hundred are some
times reduced during the course TO less lhan
forty.
| Al the yearly visitation. each section oil
class consisting COMMONLY OF 'aboai eighteen.
is examined by itself, in presence OF the Sul5eI.
ntendeni, the Academic STAFF, (as the co, ps OF
Instructors are ealled) and such private ciii-
zens as may choose TO be present. The az.
animation is chiefly conducted by the Offices
| in their respective branches, but the visitors
often put questions, and strangers present ar
! invited 10 do the same. The result being one
OF the principal means OF determining the rank
| of students al the Academy, and their claim
to promotion ON leaving il, justice hmperously
requires il TO be thorough aud strictly Impair
tial. The average time during which each
student was under examination, while WAS
| present, exclusive Of the time employed IN
drawing diagrams, and otherwise preparing for
| his demonstrations, was, think, not less than
half an hour and the questions proposed were
all OF a nature. not TO help the individual to do
himself credit, but 10 come at the real state Of
his knowledge.
The two first examinations which attended
were in some of the higher departments OF ma
thematics. The students, of course, without
books were called up successfully. and som.
problem proposed 10 them, the diagram aud
| agebriac statement OF which they proceeded
TO inscribe with chalk upon black board, one
| preparing Tor "a demonstration, Mhlle another
was demonstrating, The FIRST examination,
which witnessed was of the last section of the
third class, embracing, of course, these who
are liable IL any, 10 be now dismissed for i'm
competency. Tried by high standard, The
performance OF four or Ave ofthese gentlemen
needed to he called a failure bu, | would be
happy TO believe thai in any other institution
with which am acquainted the same number
| ofindiyiduals could be selected from the most
emineni, who, under the same scrutiny, would
acqnit themselves as we'll The next eYamn-
alton Of the first Sc ction Of he class which en-
tered last year. was, as far as there was any DIFF
ference, more searching than the rest, a. they
had not before been examined in public, and
the arrang rment which had been made OF them
was now TO be revised. The per Torrance was
brilliant A gentleman eminent in science " ho
sat next me. and who had been more constantly
present, remarked TO me that he did not be
liese that question could be proposed from
Legendre S treat Sc, which either of five cadets
at the head of the section would not answer
with instant prompness and entire precision
The last examination which ! Witnessed wa,
ofthe first section Of the!highest class in Ethics
Here again the exhibition was beautiful, TO @
degree for which had been less prepared. the
branch OF study not falling in SO directly with
what one accounts the leading pursuits OF thu
. INSTITUTION. The text hook is Paley, but il
, answer TO questions which were proposed from
, different quarters. the young gentlemen often
gave clear Development OF views opposed ia
the views OF that author, and in a manner Ia
show that their powers OF reasoning in this fed
had been finely disciplined
{ am quite sure OF not being Influenced by
the KIND welcome which the Superintendent,
oil the Military Academy and his officers are il
the hab'; of extending TO visiters, informing the
$ high opinion which express TO You, of its
: prosperous condition. How far a system in
any respect like. il may be capable Of being in
troducrd into others OF our higher seminaries
rs a question not al once TO be resolved Much
OF IFS prosperity is no doubt TO be ascribed G
J the hppy selection Of head, who, all account
agree, IN perfectly suited 10 his place much
. TO the cooperation OF such associates as he is
' able 10 enlIs-young and ambitious men, whn
: know that they are strictly estimated. and tina,
Y their prospects depend on their doing thorough.
}. ly what they have undertaken and something
, TO The advantage Of a suituation, which Sc.
cures Tor s'udious pursuits an almost perfec,
! freedom from interruptions for three quarters OF
: the year. But much also, no donbi, depends
: on TWO particulars which other institutions
e cannot initiate. One Of these is, that the dis
I cipline, being that OF martial law, can never
: be wilfuliy resisted The other. that the Gov.
}, eminent offering here not only to educate graf
! uitonsly, but to pay pupils for being educated
: saving, instead ola loss accrnes from DIS
e missing the negligent or dull, and according
: " The standard of scholarship may be KEEP
: up at any height which may be thought desira
Z bic