The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-09
WEST POINT.
The Military Academy az 1t
Was and az 1t Is.
A GRAND REVIEW OF THE CADETS
Revelations by the Board
of Visitors.

several books OF the hotels. Empty piazza chairs
have not been the feature, and groups here and
there OF pretty and, OF course, cnatty girls hob
nobbing with the officers have gwen an air OF
general enjoyment to the place that is quite re-
lresning. because so unexpected. There is one
thing noticeable, however, ABOUT the Point this
year. and that Is 1t has not come up TO past years
In
THE QUALITY OF ITS VISITORS.
In saying this, of COURSE only refer 70 the
translents; for, come what will, the majority OF
the permanents, II not alwaYs OF the creme de la
creme oil society, are pretty well of in tho
world, heightened and well educated, and
thus able to make quite a display OF good clothes
and good manners. SIM there is none OF the old
dash and snap IN the place. the rush and iuss on
the road OF fine equipages. In fact, thus far
nave NOT nad q glimpse OF private turn out"
although IL Is certain that when the season is at
It's height Cozzens' Hotel where all the grand
people VINO mean to stay come, there VIII be not
few. The late Mr., Eloridge and several others
Of our wealthy New York merchants we're always,
years ago, In the summer q brilliant part OF West
Point lie IN this respect, and, strange as II
seems to most people, there were at one
season actually four fours-in-hand. And
what dash they did cut as they rode up the road
at evening parade time, and, swinging into the
side cut skirtinZ the northern end OF the PLAIN,
corps out on the green with the lively notes OF
"The DashinR White Sergeant awaklng the
echoes far and near And then, to add to the
scene, were the crowds that lined the pathways
In trout oil the officers quarters. awaiting with
movements of imparence the arrival or the corps
into line, set OH by groups OF officers in their gay
uniforms, standing on the side walk TO the
rear-a pretty backing 70 q pretty pic
ture. But things are different now. The
as ever to see, and the band plays as
sweetly as ever, the hills are as green
and ola Fort Put as gravely grand. perched as 1t
were on the tree tops but there IS not the same
beat, or the same nutter and excitement the
hum and the buzz OF confused voices as the cadets
come tramping DOWN from the barracks the
double quick, in the long ago. The parade
seems to be coma dered a very solemn affair now
OF an evening ana most OF them appear to tnlnk
that they must be solemn too. IL Is all on account
OF the absence OF pretty young ladies IN goodly
numbers, and that's the long and the short OF lt.
BENNY YET on DECK.
Somehow the usual run OF visitors do not appear
to De aware That tue drive to Fort Montgomery IS
o very pretty one, nordered its whole length
along by grand old trees that even on the hottest
day only allow enough or the rays OF "Ud
sol" to steal through tue leaves TO give hint OF his
presence. Ii 10 we're well patronZed IL might be
put in much better condition. Then, again, It mas
4 great attraction; for after driving about Two
miles one comes to turmoil, lane-like
road, which, when followed carefully IN us
edge, there looms up an old weather. beaten
house as OF old, win great piles OF cord wood
the river lazy sloop or schooner, apparently
awaiting until the wood gets up OF ITS own accord
and unceremoniously takes passage Tor New
YORK. There, TOO, as you get up Inc totterlng
stoop, was lying in the sun dog that looked lor
all the world IKE the dog THAT did sentinel duty
at the old doorway thirty years ago. And TINS
quaint old place is the Caste OF Benny Ravens,
a ana There me ola man sun reigns supreme
heart. Benny Is we8rlng MS nlneiies, anu
already begins to show, as he quantity re-
marks, the signs OF age. We forget old
landmarks and old friends nowadays quite
easily, and he Is no exception 60 the
famous during the war, ana who were cadets
when ne was a man over the middle age, ever
think OF Gaining upon him even once uuripg their
stay during The Summer mere. Grant Is said to
have done so once, but JAILED 10 recognize IN the
old face tnat OF tue weather beaten man VINO, with
sleeves rolled up, doed him out a glass of-water,
probably the Iull three fingers. But Grant may
nave been wise IN pre- ending not TO have muca OF
Its prime the cadet who went there ran the risk
oil an lgnominlous DISMISSAL And Grant never
some o. his irlenus say, was a breaker OF any law
that was easily broken.
vASsAR MEMORIES AGAIN.
TODAY, or rather this evening. there was held a
war; after which there was a battalion drill. And
such drill II only some q the New York militia
regiments could have witnessed I'll lt qulte
noticeable that the girls, whether they ever saw
vassar or not, Kept OF the grass and $1,000 clear
back TO the nrst sidewalk as the cadets marched
by in review, lest in an angry moment, feeling
how they had been worsted I'm Vassar's opmIonl,
they should suddenly swing rounu by .s.oursi, ana
get even. But they did not, and girl who stood
brayely near the edge O the grass, aud wno was
talking Vassar at the time with ieiow brlghl-eye
one, tantallzinRy remarked, They didn't dare.n
Yet am not 50 sure they would have showed lear
n they had been allowed TO charge after dropping
their nluskets 70 make use OF their natural size
arms only. BY the way, there rs much Oh Nassar
remembrance Tor discussion left and may he ex-
and boys are even low SHARPENING their pencils
AN ACTIVE WORKING BOARD.
III there ever was Board OF Visitors that paid
less attention TO The FUSS and feathers business
than the Board now here does and which worked
harder TO find out just what Is wndt, the records
cannot show IL. General Butler, Congress
men Dreamer and Robertson, Professor Gil
man and the rest. are doing all they
can TO make so thorough an investlgatlon into
the workings OF every department OF the govern
ment here that no. nng VIII re left wanting 10
make every one perfect IN It's operation. 10 do
this requires work ami hard, valiant work. 1hey
have mus far brought TO hight some queer Things
call Tor reform.
For instance, they ind that the Surveyor buys
grapes, berries anu tue like for a grapery on the
garrison side u the river whicn he owns-S50O
a year worth at mat They q scovcred that IL is
rule OF long standing tnat every thing
Is sold 10 the cauets ct ten per
cent increase the cost. This Is
done IL Is claimed 10 give the post fund out OF
winch to pay ior the repair OF buildings. indeed,
tine new commssary Duuing, when cost 81, O00,
was built from proceeds oil TINS lund. Tnls per-
centage business, being an extra charge on the
cadets, they contend Is simply an outrage In
order TO get another fund for a certain purpose IL
was decided mere once to raise the price OF wasn-
ing OF
TIE CADETS WHITE PANTS
from four TO seven cents. FMS they believe Is
another policy that should not be. Tuey nnd great
fault with tne DIRT OF and the dirty way IN winch
work Is cone In the Kitchen, ana with the Iact
there Is only one waiter at table to every forty
four cadets. Just think OF that We college boys
In New York. Another matter on which they viii
express decided opinion at tine proper time Is
That the potatoes tnat may be used way INTO the
summer were purchased last Octooerl One OF the
Board told me nat lie entered the kitchen to-day
ana found man peeing potatoes and most OF
them wore actually rotten. otlil another ma tier
OF complaint Is that SILL 900 worth OF DutGer was
purchased as long ago rs November
In the matters Of study majority OF the Board
seem 10 nave come TO the Conclusion tnat there
are TOO much mathematics and mln6ralogy aud
geology, and that more attention ought to be paid
10 the study OF English. One OF the Board re-
marked 70 me, In speaking on this sunJect, that in
a majority OF cases IN the army an oficcr VINO
NAV be an excellent military man cannot write
what Is called good let or Ia Engllsa or make the
most ordinary mter-dinner speech.
Inc Board rs evidently not TO Follow IN the foot
steDs OF PREVIOUS Boards VINO seemed TO consider
1t their bounden duty speak highly Of every tnng
al fhnv. nnt m