Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-28
THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
ag. AND ITS GRADUATES
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AND ITS GRADUATES.
ynon TIE CINCINNATI GAZETTE
We have before us Register of the Officers an
Graduates OF the United States Military Academy
from March, 1902, to January l, 1850, which com
prises the whole existence Of the Institution excep
the last two years. The Register is yery in
structive document historically, but still more a.
exhibiting the power Of discipline and science in
producing the highest results Of education.
Before we touch on the statistics Of educationa
results exhibited in this roll let us notice two OF
three facts in its early history. When the Militia
y Academy first established it had no Professors as such
and no Cadets as cadets Of the Academy There were too
cadets attached to es company Of artillery and to each can
tain of engineers Thee cadets of companies were collected
West Point and tle instructed BY officers Of eneipeers
The first instructor appointed to West Point was W. A.
BARRos captain Of ,,yneers appointed April l. 1902 The
second was JARED KAssrIEID captain Of envnes,s an
pointed May 81 1909 Mr. Barron was acting Professor Of
Mathematics and Mr. Mansfield acting Professor Of Natural
and Experimental Philosophy These two gentlemen were
the only teachers at Wet Point for the NEXT two or three
years. In that time Cen JosErH G. SwIYr, of the epe
neer, Gen. AEMIsriAD Of the engineers, COL BomroRD,
of the ordnance and Co McRxr Of the engineers were
cadets.
The Academy remained in this form till 1919, when in
preparation for the war viii Great Britain 1t was re
zed corps Of Cadets md corps Of Professors were pro-
vded for % members Of the institution and appointed as
SUCH The first Professors appointed under the new organi-
zaton were JARED MAssTELD appointed the Professor
ship Of Philosophy AInR PARrRIDsE Professor Of Mathe-
MATES, CHRIsrIAs 1ELIra, Teacher Of Drawing, ana
FLoRnoND MAssm, Teacher Of Frensb. OF ihs-. Pro
fessors COL Muns6sl rmsined 10 the institution srtecn
years after his second spdntment Capt Partridge remain
cd fve years. Mr. Zoee eve years. and Mr.. Mason three
years. The Professionals of Engineering, Chemistry, and
Ethics were subsequent filled the institution and its
course of instruction were nlarged.
In 1917, Col. SYLvASu THA1ER, stationed in Bos-
ton, appointed Superintendent the superintendent Of
the Institution being alwss appointed from the Corps Of
Engineers This gentlemaIwas in manners character, en-
ergy, dignity, and nformao admirably adapted to that po
siop, and under his administration that the insu
ton brought that perfec oder and discipline which it
has since maintained H, united at once those rare
qualities seldom found togethv and yet necessary
public institutions firm government and amabls DISPOSE
ton manly dignity and the most polished manners. In
the first five years of bis administration there was the same
struggle for the supremacy Of discipline which goes in all
places where many youths collected 1t not till after
two three Instructions repeated snssal and the un
yielding infection Of punishment that the young
know that resistance in vain, md obedience the first
principle Of sound education. Col Thayer remained at
West Point fifteen gears, and nlieved at his
quest
Such was the history Of the formation and organization Of
the Military Academy at West Point Though the Govern
ment has expended much money recently and added
many appliances for its convenience and comfort yet the
essential character Of its instruction and discipline has
changed in the last twenty years.
There (including the Military sta) forty Pro
fessors Teachers and Assistants of whom than hal
are euenans in the army who often retained for yea
or two after their graduation instructors. As they
are generally assigned to the class, they do not
contact with their old associates and they make admirable
| teachers
In practical results, the roll Of pupils graduated at Yves
Point may be compared safely with that Of any college
university in the world. It is that the graduates Of Yves
Point have exhibited their usefulness chiefly swo three
departments Of life but they distinguished by
markabe feature that there scarcely any Of them who
in any thing 0y undertake. while Of the graduates Of college
large numbers continually sinking in the conflict Of life
The following is brief statistical table Of results anon
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