Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-08-29
Fast and Foolish.

AlLaf C4l-- = ARE proportion, y
10; a MAJORITY. Of those young Iaer
wbo graduate al those institutions
invariably turn out disreputable
scions Il our Government, instead oil
houored military and naval officers
a. l. Contemplated by our national
rules AMI regulations. Every wear j,
developing the uSavory fact hat
lepaut.su-, bribery and favoritisn
are brought to bear, IN a multitude
of eases, to secure the appointment
of unreliable aud worthless youths.
\ boy i appointed 10y some Con
glc>,icnal representative when, by
common consent OF the entire COM
munitv in which he was born ard
raised. lie las not the slightest claim
/ to publlr favor, but on tie contrary,
j, an unpr:ncipled and worthless lon-
cg he from parental authority and
far more deserving Of the house OF
correction.
I The Associated Press reports an
nouuced, not long since, that six
Young men, cadets, had been cX-
| PEELED from West Point Academy and
sent home in disgrace for rowdyism,
lawless conduct, aud demeanor con =
trarv to the rules ana regulations of
the great military school. But it is
not necessary to say that the facts
! III the case OF these Young repro
bates are SO many Distinguishing de -
tails of the old story hundred times
told. As the report has it, each
of these young sprigs were Of the
class commonly called " fast; they
We're fast before they went to
West Point, they were spoiled at
homn, and they did no. improve any
il, morals and manners when away
from the parental roof 1t would
be wise arrangement, if 10y dint of
some kind of special enactment,
these fast young men could be in
carcerated, Where their manners and
hayward proclivities could not oper-
ate unfavorably on the minds of 9TH
eryouths who are we'll disposed and
go to those institutions for the pur-
pose of distinguishing themselves in
the paths of virtue, usefulness and
honor. AS d general thing, the
fathers of these young men are rich;
their sons are, as a matter of course,
supplied with all the money they
want, to spend foolishly, and this
has very demoralizing effect upon
the sons of poor men. These indi-
gent students become infected with
the spirit of lavish expenditure.
Very soop, they are entirely given
up to O morbid and unrestrained de-
sire to do as their wealthy classmates
do, and integrity sooner or later gives
way to care'essness in the ways and
means resorted to in striving to gain
the to-be-desired funds.
Many people are in tie habit of
that, by sending their boys
to select and expensive schools, they
will thereby escape the corrupting
influences now so common in the
public schools. Prominent teachers,
honestly inclined, say this is fatal
error. Many of those who are at
the head of some of the most popular
in our land boldly as
sert that the more aristocratic the
school, the more denioralized, as
class, are the young men who fill
their recitation rooms. A promi-
nent educator has given it as his
opinion that, of all schools, the pur-
est morals are to be found in the log
school-house in the sparsely settled
districts Of the country. !
But we were speaking of promi-
neAt national evil. How to remedy it |
IS difficult problem yet long way
from solution. 1t has been suggested
that if none but poor boys were ad-
nitted into the military schools, a
better class Of cadets, morally, intel
lec'ually and physically, would, from
year to year, emanate from those
IGNORED institutions. 1t is certain
hat there are some grave defects in
he present system of appointing
for examination. One
noticeable defect is the fact that no
sccoun seems to be taken of the
)oys aatecedents.