Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-02
q. $. MILITARY ACADEMY.
Report of the Board OF Visiters TO the U. 5
Military Academy ut West Point.
L. 5. MILITARY ACADEMY. }
WEST POINT, n. Y, June I6. 1857. {

L. 5. MILITARY ACADEMY.
WEST PoINT, N. Y, June 16, 1857. {
Hon. John B. FLOYD, Secretary of Var:
SIR-The Board of Visiters, invited i'm ae-
cOrdance with law, by the Secretary of War to
attend the annual examination of the Military
Academy at West Point, have the honor to sub
nit the following report:
The undersigned members Of the Board as
sembled mt this place on the lSt of June, 1857,
and organized for the transaction of business on
the day following. Special committees were ap-
pointed by the President upon the several sub
jects indicated in our letters of invitation, and
which it is made the duty of the Board to in
vcstigate.
Every facility was afforded these several
committees by the Superintendent and the off
GERS of the Academy to enable them. as well as
the entire Board, to make a full and satisfacto-
ry an examination of the subjects referred TO-,
and Of the general concerns of the institution
as the time allotted to ourselves would allow
The examination of the graduating class OF
Cadets was conducted during six days-from 9
O'Clock, a. m, until ) o clock, p. IN, of each
day-in the presence of our own and the Acad-
emic Board. They were examined in Engineer
ing, Ethics, MineralOgy and Geology, Artillery,
Infantry and Cavalry tactics. Besides attend
ance upon these examinations, the proficiency
OF the class in artillery, cavalry and infantry
drill, and in the application of various branches
OF knowledge connected with the profession of
arms, was displayed by daily exercises after 5
o'clock, P. m, under the order of the Superin-
tendent, in the presence of the Board
After the first six days the examination of
the second, third, fourth and fifth classes pro-
ceeded in the different rooms of the Academic
buildings, IN Mathematics, Philosophy, English
studies, Chemistry, Spanish and French Ian
guages The members of our Board were also
invited by the Superintendent to be present at
tnese examinations, but owing to the pressure
Int
ana constant attendance upon them as it would
Otnerwise have been our pleasure to bestow
Sumclent attention, however, was given to enable
us TO form favorable opinion of their thorough
and impartial character.
We also examined with great pleasure the
gallery of drawings Of the Cadets.
All these various examinations and exercises
and the results exhibited for our inspection
whist they were interesting and entertaninc q
10 US, spoke In the highest terms of commenda-
ton of the diligence and talent of the pupils
and OF the abilities of their instructors
Our sessions were frequent and character
lzed by the utmost harmony of feeling, the
1reest interchange of sentiments and a remark
able unanimity of opinion.
We availed ourselves of every source of in
formation within our reach-conference with
the Superintendent conversation with the va
rlous members OF the Academic Staff as well
as with members of the graduating class who
In compliance with our invitation, were present
1t two of our sessions
Each select committee attended To the duty
assigned 1t, and reported in writing the results
oi It's investigation to the Board The facts
reported by them and the views expressed were
fully discussed in committee of the whole and
instead of transmitting those several renorts to
the Department, it has been deemed by IA,
more proper to embrace in this General Report
the results of the examinations of our several
committees and the recommendations which we
have considered it our duty to make.
10 the general plan, purpose, and prODriety
OF the institution of the Military Academy, we
render our entire and unanimous appreciation
ihe necessity OF an army for the public defence
implies the necessity of Government saho,I
for the education and preparation of its officers
1t Is believed by the Board that this Academy
oy reason Ot circumstances and causes which iu
Is unnecessary now to recapitulate has the
respect and confidence of the whole country
and that an enlightened public sentiment will
not only justify, but require the adoption of all
measures necessary to increase its efficiency
and usefulness.
Perfection can be claimed for no human in
sutution-lndeed, progressive change and de-
velOpment seems to be the universal law of all
healthy life, and of the first necessity in all
subordinate organizations especially, which are
designed To keep pace with or promote the gem
eral progress OF mind. And whilst we desire
10 present, with proper Difference the conclu-
erations in brief which have led to them we
derive confidence in their correctness from the
TACT that they are the unanimous judgment Of
twelve minds, assembled here without preyiou :
conference or acquaintance, from as many diff
ferent States Of the Union. with no possibIe
purpose to subserve but to advance the useful
ness of this institution, and to promote the eff
cheney of the public service.
The Course anu System of destruction, DC
First, then, in reference to the subject of in
strucuon. 1t Is scarcely necessary to prelnis C
that, In view OF the limited time allowed to an
investigation, we approached this impOr tant
subject with extreme caution
we have been impelled, however, to the con-
cluslon, that the amount of study required To
compass the course laid down, is excessive in
quantity, and that the character of the knowl-
edge acquired Is not in all cases adapted to the
ends tG lie attained. The most uHremitting in
teilectuai effort seems to be required during the
entire term OF the Cadet ut the Academy No
mental relaxation comparatively is allowed
not even occasional change in the system OF
method of instruction, much less the relief that
would DC afforded by historical or other read
ing, kindred to the subjects of study Whilst
the proficiency displayed by the Cadets under
examination Is alike creditable to their own apt
industry and to the zeal and capacity Of their
teachers, we are not satisfied that this profcien
cy IS healthy development Of all the intel
iectuai iacuitles required TO be trained. One
OF the first results which attracted the general
attention OF the Board was the small number Of
graduates III comparison with the number OF
Cadets annually admitted into the Academy
This disparity, perhaps more powerful than
any other single cause, operated to give the in
vestiSatlon Of our body the radical character
Indicated by the conclusions 10 which we have
arrived. The class graduating thirty eight mem
bers this year entered the Academy four year,
ago numbering ninety-six
1t would be violent supposition to assum,
that the nifty eight members who entered with
those now graduating were all wanting in men
tai capacity to become efficient and educated
officers. This great disparity occurs in almos
every graduating class, and as the staff of in
structiOn Is sufficiently large to conduct tbrou 81
the entire course a much greater number o
Cadets than those who graduate, it becomes i'm
portant, as il is manifestly proper, to inquir,
whether the system of instruction and menta
discipline m ght not be 50 changed, without i'm
pairing Its efficiency, To relax the strain upOl
the youthful mind and by leading IL into 4,