The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-05

The nervous, quick boy, WIN ms SOUTHERN
complexion and dialect, rubs his shoulders
against those Of the stalwart, determined
westerner. and the light spirited and deli
cately framed Californian sits side by side
with the reserved and formal New Eng
lander
The only conditions which appointees
have 10 fulfill before entering the academy
are that they must he healthy, have good
morals and the necessary scholarly tram
Ing, as required by the law. During the
time the pupils or cadets, as they are
called stay at the academy they are wei
paid, housed fed, instructed, or in one
word they are well prepared for Their
future position in life as officers Of the
United States army. IN exchange for all
these advantages the nation requires the
cadet to work hard for four years and be-
come brave and faithful soldier. know
Of nothing moro liberal, more just. In
Europe young men have 20 pay for their
trimming and there Is no more disappoint-
ing existence than the one which poor
officer leads abroad
To be successful al West Point two
things are needed, namely; Application
and brains This being so, the number Of
those who drop out Of the course during
four years naturally is large, but they are
no loss either 10 the institution or the
army. II must be q matter of pride, not
only 90 the cadets but 20 all Americans, 10
look at the long list Of distinguished men
who have been graduated from West Point
Think Of the silent, patient, inyincible
Grant; the fierce and mcteOric Sheridan.
ever ready fighter that be was; the quick,
nervous and brilliant Sherman; the skill
full. chivalric Lee. the gallant, prayerful
Jackson: the stately and superb Hancock;
the loyal Meade, Stuart, the plucky rider,
and ever so many more | could name.
The first thing that strikes forcibly
visitor % West Point is the quiet, academic
atmosphere that seems to have invaded
the whole place Were il not for the few
sentinels, who gravely and silently pace NJ
and down here and there one would hardly
imagine that he was within the boundaries
OF a military institution. IT has often been
asserted that too much academic and too
little military learning il pumped into the
heads Of the cadets. Barry Lyndon might
have said, if he had visited West Point
that the boys in gray had more head for
books than fighting"
This is not So Year after year history
proves that there is just as much fighting
spirit in the American army as among the
soldiers of any army in the world. West
Point is one of the best, if not the very
best, military school of its kind on the
globe, especially with regard TO infantry
drill. This, however, II not astonishing. con
sidering that the cadets always march dur
Ing the four years of their soiourn al the
school. They never walk; they march out
Of their beds in the early dawn, they march
to breakfast, exercise, duty, dinner, sup
per, and after their days work is done and
the stars begin to shine they march to bed.
Each cadet is expected to do five hours
work every day, but as n matter of fact
they do much more, including gymnasium
exercise In the classroom they spend only
one hOur and half in the forenoon and
one hour in the afternoon.
Beside the professional and physical in
structiOn they are taught fencing, riding
and dancing Graduates from West Point
are well trained mathematicians, chemists
and engineers They are also masters IN
the various branches of their profession;
they know how forts should be made, guns
built bridges constructed and they are
also fairly well acquainted with the litera-
ture of their profession. The only short
coming ia the military instruction know
Of is that il is carried on with obsolete ma
terial. The rifles are old and the guns
older. consequently the cadets have no op-
portunity to become practically acquainted
with modern arms. There are IA few new
magazine rifles and rapid firing guns at
West Point, but they are carefully placed
In the museum instead of in the hands of
the soldier boys As for marching, no body
Of troops can rival the cadets. not even the
First regiment of the Prussian footguards.