West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-06-30


military drill.
The close aud undivided attention
requisite 90 successful drilling gives a
power Of mental concentration and
readiness OF action TO be achieved by no
other course Oi training.
Concentration Of mind Is acknow-
lodged 20 be the chief requisite 10 sue
ceSiul mental culture, aud in no way
can this be so well attained as IN the
constant abstraction OF the mind from
surrounding objects which Is demanded
in rapid evolutiOns determined By no
plan, but merely BY the within OF the
commanding officer. Again. 10 teaches
punctuality-a virtue almost fallen in
TO desuetude among the Young Amer
leans OF to-day.
Military duty and requirements are
absolute and permit no irregularities
but demand and procure puactual at
tendance upon all occasions, and q
young man who for several years Is
thus required to be son time is no.
apt to fall into his old dilat0ry habits
in after life, and Is rendered doubly
able 70 succeed in life.
The absolute obedience required IN
military duty is another wholesome fea-
| ture in these DAYS when Young Ameri.
ca, at the age of eight thinks himself Il
man of more wisdom and consequence
than his father, and hence rules instead
of obeying, and that not wisely, but
rashly and imperiously. \ cadet IN
this respect is permitted TO exercises
none of the prerogatives Of Young
America, but il required 10 render
absolute obedience or betake himself to
parts more cougenial 10 hls temper.
There can be no doubt that the mum.
erous military institutions are doing
more good in this direction than in any
other, for their power OF restraint is
more absolute and better defined than
that of any reformatory institution
that could be established.
In our day we hear much OF the ne
cssity of exercise and of the number
of students whose health has been per-
manently impaired by hard study"
Now, study never impaired any mans
health, but physical aziness has slain
its thousands and i, 10 day the bane ut
of student life.
Ernest students ruin their health by
neglecting exercise, by shutting them
selves in i'll ventilated rooms, by study
Immediately after eating. and by over
eating, whereas an hours vigorous eXer-
else daily would keep them in robust
health
But exercise with 40 other object
than merely TO exercise los.e. hall lis
efFiciencv hence 4 studen, ,honlI have
duties which reoniro the exercise while
thev relieve and rest the mind. and
no more successful means Of attaining
these ends has been devised than the
establishment Of military dcpartrncnts
in our schoI. They ar, q SAFEGUARD
Than which none moro efficient has vet
been instituted
Last hv no means lcas, comes the
ADVANTAGE If h,v,no n LARGE number
Of vouu1 men throuob,ut the country
| who are reoav ~ shoulder q mu.l,et ut
moments warning II i by this
means alone that onr country can safe.
ly do without n STANDING army, Of such
| dimensiops ~ those OF other countries.
| IL Is true now. aS II ever mas Ga1u. mat
the proner time to make efficient pre-.
narration for war IS in time Of peace.
when the producers of they country
are engaged in their legitimate duties
and the revenues of the country and
states are regularly and in adequate
quantity flowing into the public Irea-
surv. Besides, the true and economical
preparation does not consist in large
standing armies which keep the treasury
constantly depleted and become pam.
pered ami indolent by life of inacti
vitv. but in a country filed with men
of energy and vigor in active life and
possessed of knowledge to fit them to
take the field at moments warning.
This fills our land with a willing host
of minute men. who have interests
for which to fight this gives Il
productive soldierv instead of a law
tax devouring horde of government
benefciaries this renders our country
so formidable that no foreign power
compared with which the millions of