The New York herald., 1868-06-10
WEST POINT.

The Spau1on Language ExQmlnaf1Ou-T0o
Medical Beard-A Storm in the Highlands
,f - WEST POINT, June Q, 1868.
Many Instances have occurred since this post was
Gfst made military school which have gone far to
Illustrate the spirit OF determination and "pluck
Which anmates certain OF the pebes new cadets
eh0 are supposed to arrive here punctually some
Fine before the 10th Of June Of each year. provided
they DO not come under the vrtu0us head OF the
vseps "-those who are allowed to postpone their
arrival until September. There are in this years
quota OF newcomers two young men, named respec-
lively Nichols and Booth, who, shortly af
Ter receiving their appointments, took 1t
Into their heads to to begin soldiers life in
true earnest from their very start for this
place. Nichols halls from the extreme westerly end
pf this State and Booth from the interior of vermont
And being friends they made an arrangement by
Which they shou travel together on their way toward
cadetdom. They were then-and are STILL II is to be
strong and full OF the spirit OF ad
Venture In leaving home they resolved to entertain
During their journey the utmost contempt for all
euch inconvenient modes Of conveyance as cars,
stages and steamboats,. They felt that pedal ex-
tremties had been given them for an excellent pur
bose, and determined that theirs should be made to
40 good service First and foremost they their
Heavy baggage ahead Of them by rail, and then,
carpetbag in hand. started, on the 23d OF last
hontll O walk TO West Point, distance from their
point de depart Of some three hundred miles. They
stopped every night at whatever hotels and
houses tney could find by the wayside,
and at last, after having had an exceed
ingly rough time OF it for nine days, reached
b little place about twenty-five miles this side of
Albany, when they were unable to go any further
On of the constant rains and the bad condi
tion OF the roads. They remained at the place
hcfo
Outside OF the clouds long enough TO make the mud
1'dry up" but they waited in vain. Finally, dis
gusted with the unpropitousness OF the heavens in
their case, they suddenly changed their opinion about
the accommodations afforded by railroads and one
day patrOniZed the Hudson river line which brought
them safely to their destination. They are now in
the full enjoyment of 'pebe" life, and will doubt
continue to 81 fer and enjoy whatever is TO be sur
fered and enjoyed in that very dubious state OF eX
have their turn at the "greenies."
THE FURLOUGH CLASS.
BY the way, talking Of 'plebes' recalls to mind
very strange regulation existing here by which the
furlOugh class may be considerably chagrined ere
the leave taking day comes about and exactly
after the manner OF former furlough classes who in
their day for the reasons struck their breasts
na ce Sl &c "a @ w naf a1 nope view Ge OF &
many and unjustinable outrages perpetrated upon
new cadets, especially by members OF the third
class during the encampment, each cadet
OF the said class before receiving his furlough
shall be required to certify that he has in no
manner way improperly nterfered with or mo-
lested harassed or injured new cadets. The fur
Tough Of any cadet who does not sign this certlcate
sa Dc Limited ut to one h o rom ne no2 3'1n apnu q S
like declaration for the interval from the arrival OF
new cadets up to the 2sth Of July" It must be
time cadet is detected in Improperly Interfering"
with .'pebe" he receives a severe punishment,
Now. il he happens to have at the furough period,
$50 demerits recorded against him for doings
aos as wo Sy the
loses twelve. days OF his vacation; If 325
he has to forfeit two days. It win be seen,
therefore, that this certificate regulation was made
terfere" with "plebes," and who manage their
srickeries 50 well as 70 avoid detection Yet some
cadet TO yet out Of the diicIty BY not signing the
certificate. There is, however, such sense OF
cers as
had "yanked" or otherwise annoyed "plebe" has
ever refused to sign the document 1t seems rather
Years year Of h hard % study, and ~ just when the time
TO visit the old folks is at hand voluntarily to sign
months previous; still the cadet shrnks not from the
duty II may be that when he takes up the pen home
It down unused; but then quickly comes the Thought
that his honor Is at stake. That settles the matters
and though his heart feels like dead weight within
him as ne writes his name goes down on the roll OF
the ounfOrtunates.n The second class OF this year
was OF the third class In me sora% s
certificate. II is said there Will be more than one
name recorded as that OF the "riend oi iast years
"plebes." -
The frst class was examined to-day In Spanish
and considering the fact that the members receive
but an hour or two's instruction in the language
every other day In the week. they evnced great pro-
cency In Its study II may not ee sne~1 t 70 many ths
ratio sntdi0rtrn OF the Academy here, that
the Spanish language has ever since e, our our
important requirement. The officers in Scott's army
found it in Is4i almost indispensable In their inter-
maanstes and people; and experience having thus
shown OF what value knowledge OF the language
sS Uar with Il in the past and as many Of the
graduates are nowadays sent to the borders OF
Mexico and perorce brought In contact with span
Q study Of It viii do them no harm. It is at
present taught to the first sections OF the
sdos,i%S fSs susss class who himself e spsnarS
he being assisted in the other sections by two ohcers
VINO earn St a. & idea of these assistants being non
spanish they do at the fact that the professor OF
e French LANGUAGE s not ma native born ., ffench cS
ssues. ss they decidedly are There was time
thira class, as the French now is in the second;
6ut it was thought advisable TO transfer II
S% trs c tSe st Class This wss done
on the principle that It was best to have 1t In the
from Which the are ns ssS %sS ana
language M would Be better retained and therefore Be
all the more servceabe to them. 1t Ii now said that
the study OF the language Ia again to be put In the
third class the ground that the first class has al
ready too many studies. 1t strikes one that II the
cause OF Its removal from the third to the first was
good one, as 1t was claimed to be. the change pro
Board OF visitors will assuredly be OF this mind
While speaking on this subject It may be men
tsned that good deal Of importance Is also attached
60 the instruction Of the French language The
graduates are certainly not expected to become, In
the little instruction they obtain thorough master,
or It. but then they required to be able 20 read
Sny French work intelltgently and to speak the Ian
guage with just enough English accent not 70 On
taken for Frenchmen ito the manner BORN"
THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION
In pursuance OF an order just received from th'
War Department Medical Board, consisting o
Brevet Colonel simpson, M. d., Brevet Lieutenan
Colonel John f. Head, M. d. and Brevet Major Ella
J. Marsh. NJ. D., surgeons q. s. A., will convene her
tomorrow to make a physical examination OF TN
new cadets and the members Of the graduating class
and renart Mhether one of those examined doe