Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-24
LIFE AT WEST POINT.
The Discipline Through which IA
Cadet Must Pass.

Very few people who have never visited
the United States Military Academy have
q correct idea OF the actual life OF West
Point cadet. 1t is anything but life OF
ease and pleasure, but four years OF hard,
earnest work such as few lads have the
physical endurance to undergo. In the
first place a boy must pass an examina-
ton to get in fully as hard rs the ex-
animation for admission to the Hartford
High School, and once in he is ruled with
an iron rod Of discipline. The greater
part of the winter his barracks are little
less combining than prison, and his sole
recreations are the daily drills. In the
summer time books are thrown aside for
two months and the cadets 60 into camp
on the plain, but they are confined to
prescribed limits, always under the eyes
OF watchful officers. Midway in the
course, at the end OF the first two years,
the cadet is permitted to leave the post on
an eight weeks furlough.
There has always been more or less
carping criticism at the manner OF con.
Quoting entrance examinations, some peo-
pie claiming that boys from the country
towns did not have fair chance, and
that army officers sons were shown
favoritism. There certainly are great
many boys rejected in proportion to the
number admitted, but the academic board
passes on an applicants papers as des-
ignated by certain number; his name
and personality are known only to the
adjutant, who has no casting vote. A
professor might reject his own nephew
M fntl
through not knowing what special studies
to perfect themselves in. The law on the
subject Is simple enough. but il is elastic,
and its severity greatly increased by the
regulations OF the academy. II is sheer
waste OF time for q boy to come here
who has not thoroughly mastered the ele-
ments OF the three Rs, and who does not
know something about the history and
geography OF his own country.
Apropos OF the number OF failures the
critical gentlemen who sit In Judgment
here find that boys are not 30 well pre-
pared under the common school system
Of to-day as they we're in the private
schools of twenty-five years ago. One OF
the Oldest and most experienced mem.
beers OF the academic board (now rctired)
admitted In conversation the other day
that no had found this TO be the fact,
land" he added, "the much-boasted
schools In largo part OF New England
form no exception to tho rule" But even
ii an applicant possesses all the mental
accomplishment he must be strong
| physically. An experienced surgical
board will find the unsound spots in him,
{ II he has any, and send him home by the
disappointment and despair on the faces
OF some OF the lads who come here every
/ day only to have their dearest hopes ruth
lessly broken, and the gates barred at tho
entrance OF a long road, but the only one
leading to their highest ambition. Besides
those who fall at the outset, there are
many who start with fair prospect oi
success, and at the first or second semi
annual examinations are found" rs the
cadets say (meaning found ,ieficient), and
are compelled to pack up their trunks and
leave. Some lads don't mind 1t, but
others never got over tho disappoint'
ment.
Probably no school or college in tht
1 country ia so fair an example OF demo
cratic representation rs the West Point
Military Academy. Out OF nearly SOC
cadets the majority are the sons OF com
paratively poor parents; but whether
rich or poor, educated or uncultured, in
fiuentlai or obscure, mo boys get pre-
csely the same impartial treatment wher
once they havepassod tho necessary ok
animation and don the cadet uniform
Their antecedents are lost sight Of, Al
share the same privileges, the same hard
ships, the same restrictions, Pride anl
conccit, intensified by the coddling OF
fond parents, are knocked out OF a lad il
twinkling. Prompt obedience Is one d
the first things required, Commands ar
given in quick, sharp tones, which tn
cadets soon grow accustomed TO, bu
which would sound harsh enough TO brin
tears 10 the eyes OF u Hartford liigl
School boy.
The moral training that tho boys ge
! cannot be too highly estimated, Trnt
telling Il an inherent quality in cadet
at least SO lar us his soldierly duties NJ
concerned. somuch confidence is place
in tho word OF a cadet by n commander
! that mere denial OF an alleged otiens
is sufficient. The boy must aud doe
speak the truth, making Il frank eonie'
sion of u fault ii he is guilty. Ii he doe
not do so, he knows that his comradc
are In duty bound TO tell ON him ii que
toned, and viii surely DO so, no matte