The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-07-27

but they live Ia barracks, while the
cadets live, from June to the last Of
August, in the pretty white tents on
the bank OF the river Just east Of the
Cavalry Plain. The cadets 90 to
Grant Hall for their meals, Just as they
do at other times of the year, march.
ing there always in regular order, but
the "beasts' are brought over from
barracks after the cadets are seated,
and are marched back again before the
cadets rise from table.
As soon as the candidate reaches
West Point and reports to the govern
ment official he is put in charge of a
body of cadets detailed for that pur-
pose AT the head of these cadet de-
tails is cadet captain. The latter this
year is young New York boy who is
the ranking cadet lieutenant of the
present battalion. He is q handsome
young fellow, stands high in his class,
and has gone through the last fifteen
months of his cadetship without a
single counting demerit This explains
his promotion. He graduates next
June.
Under the cadet in charge of the
"beasts" and who is always a first
classman there are eight cadet corpor
ais chosen from the third class. These
nine cadets have full charge of the in
coming class. They drill them, take
them TO meals, to the river to bathe,
see that they understand all of the
duties required of them and intiict all
punishments for disobedience. This
goes on for al least month-some-
times six weeks or until the newcom-
ers arewell enough drilled to appear with
the rest of the battalion. Then they
are quartered in camp and drilled with
the balance of the battalion.
AS soon as the battalion is reached
the new or forth class are denominated
"pIebes." This title they retain until
the following June, and until noon of
the very day on which the old first
class departs. Dropping the hated
epithet of ''plebe" is a great event in
West Point life, for on that day the
student becomes real cadet. He is
no longer "Mr.,' but is addressed by
his surname without prefix. During
the entire first year the "plebe' is
nobody in particular. No cadet ever
treats him as a social equal, no matter
who he may have been before coming
to West Point. The Presidents son,
if he he'd one there, would fare no bet
ter as "plebe" than anybody else. He
is never permitted to attend any of
the three hops that occur each week,
nor is he expected to have any lady
company, unless 1t be his mother or
sister. The life of the "plebe,' it must
be admitted, is something like that of
a policeman-it is not happy one.
1t was from the cadets who are
placed over the incoming candidates
that the hazing abou which one form
erly heard 80 much generally came.
But the practice of hazlng has been
broken up at West Point. No can IL
date is now ever submitted to any
treatment that goes against his self
respect. No one ever touches him, nor
is be ever u led upon to suffer any
personal iniAghfy. If one goes there,
a sensible fellow, willing to take the
little raillery that all "beasts" and
"plebes" have to take, and does 30
good naturedly,. he will Immediately
win respect, and as soon as he has
served bis year of "plebedom" will be
well treated and make friendships that
will be sure to last his lifetime.
1t is only the "smart" youths who
ever get into trouble. One fellow this
year went to West Point after having
failed in the examinations at Annapolis.
While the full battalion was drilling at
dress parade he was so indiscreet as to
remark that West Point could not drill
as we'll as Annapolis cadets. The for
mer heard of the remark and the fellow
paid dearly for it. He is now ''beast"
and is being taught to drill-West
Point style.
One young fellow came from New
York this year and brought with him
local paper that praised his form and
his scholarship and closed with the
statement that the boy would be an
honor to the Academy. The upper
classmen said they'd like to see the
youth who was to be an honor to the
Academy. They saw him and now
this particular "beast' is compelled to
recite the entire article from memory
each morning before breakfast.
A South Carolina lad announced his
name as John Adams. He was told
to say ''sir' when addressing his
superiors. 0Sir John Adams he
promptly shoated-and "Sir John" he
has ever since been and will probably
remain so to the end of his COURSE