Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-13
Making Soldiers.

There are no pockets in the trousers
of the Cadets, nor in their coats either.
The Cadets wear no vests, and in short,
they are trained to do without pockets,
They are left free to choose between
putting their handerchiefs in their caps
or their breasts. The authorities say
they must not use tobacco they are not
allowed to carry money, and the ones
who govern them cannot see what need
they have for pockets. When the
"plebes" first arrive they swagger
around with their hands in their pock-
cts, and in fact, do not seem to know
where else to put them. One of the Sc
crets of making soldiers at the Military
Academy is by depriving the students
of pockets and compelling them to allow
their hands and arms to seek the cen.
tire of gravity. The way in which sol
diers are made here is quite and inter
esting operation. The "plebes" or new
comers are turned over to Cadet officer
Immediately after passing the medical
examination. The Cadets, imbued with
the sole desire to attain fame and to help
others to gain laurels on the field, take
hold of the work with enthusiasm and
put the candidates for future glory
through with all the vigor, not to say
interests, they can command. They at
once seek to cultivate a military bearing
and the consequent respect for superi.
ors in the plebes.
The Cadet officer assigning a place to
the barracks, compels him to knock be-
fore entering the Office and to take off
his hat, likewise not to be at all ginger
L., 4h1
"Sir." The Cadets are required to keep
their coats buttoned up to the chin,a
at the outset the plebe, although yet in
civilians garb, is asked to do the same
thing. He dare not refuse, as he is sub
ordinate to the Cadet, and if his coat
chances to be cutaway he may nearly
break his ribs in obeying the command.
Possible the plebe may be endowed with
moustache, and this must come off.
The plebe very likely will say that he
has no razor, and the Cadet will tell
him that he will be obliged to use his
.jack-knife, but the moustache must
be removed if it is necessary to pull it
out. Tattoo for the Cadets TO prepare
for bed is not beaten until $50, and be
the plebe ever so sleepy he will rue it if
he goes to sleep before that time. A grad.
uate was stelling to- day of a plebe who en-.
tered when he mid. The poor fellow
could not keep his eyes open and fell
asleep on his trunk The Cadet in
charge came in and discovered him in
that condition. The plebe moment
later was rudely aroused, and the first
impression was that train of cars had
struck him. Training a plebe to as.
sumo the position of soldier is a task
that affords only he instructing Cadet
pleasure. The plebe is compelled to
put his heels together, draw back his
shoulders until the blades meet, throw
out his chest, hold his arms down by
his side with the palms of his hands
outward and the little fingers on the
seams of his trousers, and keep his
head erect with his eyes fixed, like one
fascinated, on the ground about 30 or
40 PAGES ahead. The natural tendency
of the plebe to put his hands in his
pockets often causes the Cadet in
charge to sew up his pockets in order
to break him Of the habit, and to put
the plan into practice. The muscles
and flesh of the plebe are usually soft
when he arrives, and the Cadet drilling
him in the manual of arms will, with
the object of hardening him to his
duties, require him to slam his piece
against his shoulder until 1T is black
and blue. While plebes are being
drilled the poor ones are picked out
and the awkward squad is formed.
These fellows are marched and counter.
marched until they wish the earth
would open and swallow them. The
Cadets and plebes go into camp i'm.
mediately after the June examinations,
but the latter do not receive their uni
forms until three or four weeks after
ward, and they take their first lesson in
tactics in common clothing.
To make soldier, a Cadet is kept at
books and drills the year round. He
gets up at or in summer or winter,
as the case may be, and after making
up his bed and sweeping out his room,
goes to breakfast. From until | he
recites, then he takes dinner and after.
ward resumes his recitations, which he
continues until 4. A drill for an hour
is followed by supper, after which a
Cadet goes to his room and sleeps until
tattoo tells him to go to bed. He has
half day Saturday, but is expected to
put in the better part of Sunday in
study. He is at all times kept on GER
tain limits, and in military parlance is
compelled to toe the mark in every.
thing. This is the program which the
candidates for admission, who are now
arriving, will have to follow for four
years, if they pass.
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