The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-07
The First Classman Of 1890 De-
scribes the Daily Routine
to Mr.. Cummings.
The Boys Have to Turn Out at
6:45 and Work Until
1890.
Only Short Intervals of Rest-The Cadets
Have Few "Snaps" and Work
Hard.

WASHINGTON, June 2.-Scores of boys in
every state have their eyes turned toward
West Point. There is glamour about the
academy attractive to all bright youths.
Every boy at some time or other has the
military fever. It is shown in building
snow-forts and snow-ballinR contests at
school. Thousands of boys get this fever
by reading the exploits of Alexander,
Hannibal, Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus,
Frederick the Great, Napoleon and other
great commanders. In studying the ca
reers of Scott, Zachary Taylor, Grant, Lee,
Sherman, Sheridan and other great Ameri-
can soldiers their minds are turned toward
West Point. Their blood is at fever heat
once year when the examinations are
held. All are anxious to become cadets,
but few know how difficult it is to secure an
appointment.
Each member of the house of representa-
if the cadet from his district fails to pass
the yearly examinations. The president
keeps ten cadets at the academy all the
time. This gives him from two to five ap-
pointments each year. Less than half the
cadets cad who enter the The, academy really gradau-
either physically or intellectually. A boy
must have rare mental and physical
stamina to take the course at West Point.
Few realize how much brain and Drawn is
required to get diploma:
The stern realities of military life are be-
fore him as soon as he enters the barracks.
He will have no luxuries and no tender at
tentions. His room is unexpected and he
shares it with comrade. It contains two
wooden chairs, wooden washstand, COM
mon wooden table, plain clothes-press,
two iron bedsteads, and two tin water
bots Ho uo<o tor ora 80
PEELED to drink from gourd with wooden
handle. No pictures or ornaments are al
lowed upon the walls. An iron bedstead
and hard mattress without springs serve
as his couch. Only the bare necessaries of
life are furnished him. But Rip Van Win
cadet. Frederick the Great seldom worked
harder, and this will appear from days
work of cadet in the senior class
Take what is known among the cadets as
scratch day." The cadet risesat reveille.
He washes, dresses and goes to his company
5:45 a. m. He is hardly in line before he
hears the roll-call. 1t lasts only minute.
He answers to his name, is dismissed and
returns to his room. Immediately after
wards he makes up his bed, sweeps the bare
floor and dusts the mantelpiece, clothes
press, table, chairs and washstand. At
o'clock he hears the sick call. If ill he goes
to the hospital, where the cadet surgeon
attends to his wants. If we'll, after clean
ing his room he improves the ten minutes
remaining before breakfast in study. If a
subdivision inspector he inspects the seven
rooms in his bailiwick at police3call at five
minutes after six. It is his duty to note all
visible violations of police regulations and
rfeeord- than in -his police Certificate He
fills it out on his return to his room. He
must then place the certificate in the box
allotted to his company in the cadet guard
house.
At 6:1O he again hears the beat of the
drum. It is the first call for breakfast.
Between this and the last call at 6:15 he
completes his toilet. The corps forms in
hall for breakfast after the last call. Thirty
minutes are allowed for the meal. Upon
the return of the cadets to the barracks he
is released from quarters. This release
lasts until eight o'clock. If he has any bus
mess with the cadet commissary now is the
class rarely avails himself of the release.
He repairs at once to his room and cons his
Spanish. The lesson comprises about four
pages of grammar, two of reading and three
of verb-conjugation. At 8:15 he drops
Spanish and takes up his engineering les
son. The task given him usually comprises
about twenty pages in the 'Art Of War;" or
some kindred subject.
At $50 the cadet marches with the other
nine men in his section to the engineer
classroom. The recitation lasts until 1855.
He then has five minutes intermission.
Within this time he returns to the barracks,
exchanges his books on engineering for his
Spanish, and marches to the Spanish SEC
ton room. Here he remains until noon.
The next hour is spent in the preparation
of his lessons in law.
At o'clock sharp the corps forms at the
tap of the drum in front of the barracks
and marches to the hall for dinner. Each
table accommodates ten persons. As the
cadets march in. they arrange themselves
behind their chairs and await orders.
Company A. be seated" shouts the orderly
sergeant of that company. Each cadet
the back Of Of his chair and 1 takes
his eat at the table. The other
companies are seated in like manner. There
are three courses. The best of soup ia
served, and plenty of it. Then come roast
meats. and they are. roasted to a turn.
Sometimes it is pudding and at others it is
strawberries, pine-apples or other delica-
cles in their seasons.
The cadet at the head of the table serves
the soup, the meat and the dessert. All
are treated as gentlemen, and each treats
Mr.. So-and-So, whether addressed by his
comrade or by his professor.
Dinner il over at twenty minutes of two.
For the next twenty minutes the cadets are
again released from quarters. The reclta
tlons. however, are resumed at two O'Clock.
The cadet usually uses these twenty minutes
inpreparing for them. The lesson in law COM
prises about twenty pages of constitutional
jurisprudence, and its recitation takes the
time between two and three O'Clock. From
three o'clock to 4:1O the cadet studies his
ordnance lesson for the ensuing day,
At 4:lO the rattle of the drum again falls
upon his ears. 1t is the call for drill. He
hastily puts on what he calls his. 'dop OF
war''-in other words, his sword, sash, hat,
and gloves. At 4:15 he is in line awaiting
the order to march. The drill lasts till
$40 and is very thorough and trying. Then
he has fifteen minutes respite. In this time
he must change his uniform and prepare
for dress parade. The dress parade lasts
thirty-fve minutes on an average. At it's
close the cadet is double-quicked from the
ground.
It takes five minutes to remove his s'dog, -
get into his fatigue suit and repair to the
company parade ground, preparatory to
marching to supper. This meal lasts fol
half an hour. After it is over the
cadet has another half hour release
from quarters. It may be used for
recreation, but if wise-and in ninety.
nine cases out of a hundred the cadet
is wise-he repairs at once to his quarters
and begins work on the lessons for the next
day. He has now three hours and quarter
before taps Two hours of this he puts
in on his engineering The remaining hour
he gives to ordnance and Runnely.