The New York herald., 1870-06-17
WEST POINT.
The Last Parade" Of the Graduating Glass.
salutes and Farewells-Throwing Away
the Old Has-The s5aby Cup"
wEsr PorNr, June 10, 1870.

WEST POINT, June 10, 1870.
The last parade cf the graduating class took place
TINS evening nc seven o'clock In the midst Of Q
arehching shower. The rain however, did not In
the least detract from the solemny or the occasion,
ana the spectators, OF whom there was large NUM-
Der the ladies', as usual, being y In the
majority, renamed In their seats until the
parade was ut an end. The band played
the "Dashing White Sergeant" az the
corps came out OF the barracks on slow
march, with the graduating class wearing only their
side arms. "Anld Lang Syne' and "Aome, Sweet
Home" wercithen played, when the battalion was
formed into line, the band while playing walking
slowly up and down IN front d the column. After
the usual exercise in the manual the grad
yates formed into line and marched
to tho front, where Colonel Black stood
awaiting them. The band struck up ION Our Wind
ing wayn As they stepped forward, ana wnen they
had reached within a few feet OF the Commandant
they all sauted him simultaneously, after the mill
tary fashion. Colonel Black touched his hand 70 his
hat and the graduates brok ranks and were At
once surrounded. BY their friends. who congratu-
asa s em on ayeS ot was rqns s wn
The boysn were all in the best OF sprlts with not
remnant OF the hop at Cozaens' Hotel 90 be seen ON
their countenances; but they ct hat they had per-
haps forever left behind them the comrades who had
for four years drilled with them and shared shelr
W,
come to an end the graduates assembedln In the rear
OF the barracks, and the old-tlme custom OF throw
an Ssoc s 'ns M eevsd a.
twelve O'Clock tomorrow, when the members Will
be iree to 70 where they please The dinner of the
who graduated over nfty years ago, will preside.
PRIZE WORTH WINNING.
You are probably aware that every class which
graduates from The Academy makesit q point 10 get
up some s9rt o. memorial or souvenir, which
4 n thing IA
Is a ring. by whicn every member OF class can IN
after years recognize friend and brother" "
In any part OF the world. But the class OF this
year has chosen quite different KIND OF an article,
how ss class Is pop Ss
and happen 10 know that II has never yet been
given to The winner, because certain dates and 1g
ures as 70 the orth OF several Youngsters doubt
less toddling about oIfcers parior l0ors can
not be made 10 harmonze The pre- ent memorial
Is TO be awarded to whatever aiuae can irst call
himself a legitimate daddy' after lie has donned
the blue for the gray. Whether there will
be q lively competition for 1t or not As
class alone, SO vim not tell all know about
the matter or point out what individual at, the
present time stands the best chance OF getting the
prize. ! can say. however, without hurting any
bodys feelings that the class have shown the utmost
slider q female as good as male any day in the
week, ny the viiianous way the parental contest Is
decided: Can It be belevedg They nave deter
mined that the youngster VINO wins the cup for his
papa must-that Is the word
P MUST BE BOY.
One would think that rule stringent enough OF
Itself, but the class did not think the other day,
and they have their foot down firmly and now
declare that the boy must thrive az least months
before the cup ~ his. "Gtr babes don make good
cadets, and boy babies who haven't got sense
enough to 1.-Two haf year ain't worthy OF West Point
favors, was the remark OF the strong MINDED cadet
who was instrumental In carrying tlts point Of ex.
istence Now, Il Miss Anthony don't speak her piece
about this matter, and that right soon, In way
that VIII take the masculine concelt out OF every
cadet In the class, she will, indeed, have lost q
golden opportunity. erE-r
.THK CLASS OF 10 TO --uCy
AS for the cup Itself 1t Is most elegant affair." It
Is OF solid silver lined with god and Is set upon the
top OF stack OF muskets. the bayonets being It's i'm.
med ate resting points. The butt ends or tie mus
kets are spread out for the feet, to speak, upon
which II stands On each OF two sides Of the cup Is
the figure OF cadet, and on the that OF an ON.
cer--the first Two figures being symbols oi
what the c.ass now are, ana the trrd VI what
each one win be when the cup Ngoes
TO The winner. II n very richly carved
and beneath the inscription -The Class OF 7G
to - there Is blank space for the name OF his
mothers darling who will WIN the prize In order
that the cup may not be won "by rrickery or
DEVICE or In any uafar way, cQmmtteeh has been
appointed o. the class TO attend here liter all cor
respondence relating tn the conipeutlon Tor the
thing, when days Will have rolled themselves into
maly months, and an infaniile cadet ''snakes Rome
howl" rom his cradle bed. l may add that there
does not seem 10 be any jealousy among the mem.
bers OF the class In regard 10 the cup, and they all
declare their motto TO be-"day the best man win.,