The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-06

cadet officer at his heels directing him
to keep back his shoulders, to draw in
his chin, to straighten out his knees,
to hold up his head, or to correct any
and all of the thousand and one bad
tendencies of the frail mortal in walk
ing. In addition to the above duties
he has to be in immaculate condition
for dress parade, both morning and
evening. He marches to instruction
in swimming and to his dancing les
son. All cadets are taught to dance,
but the plebes, not being recognized
as having much more than right to
exist, do not attend the hops that are
given during camp. Our democratic
Government insists that all shall have
fair show and an even chance by
making them wait a year to start in,
so that the green, awkward boys shall
not be so badly handicapped by those
of their classmates who have had better
early opportunities.
Having established the plebe in camp
we may now turn our attention to
those parts of the system which apply
to all cadets alike. Unless failure in
examinations causes q cadet to be dis
| charged from the service sooner,
he does not, in general, leave
West Point for two years from the time
he enters. He then receives a fur
loueh for two months and half and
goes to enjoy the comforts and freedom
of home, all of the more appreciated
by reason of long absence. The fur
Tough summer is all too short, so pleas
antly do the days fly. The released
cadet enjoys every moment Of his lib
erty. What other people regard as a
matter of course he considers the
greater luxury. To be able to sit in a
rocking chair, to wear civilian cloth
ing, to have pockets in which to put
his hands, to be able occasionally to
lie in bed in the morning, all these
privileges are to him the acme of bliss.
At West Point the railroad station at
the foot of the hill is "off limits" for
cadets, and to go to a station every
day of his furlough if he likes, to get
on train and take trip, is, indeed,
purchasing a through ticket to the
seventh heaven.
The first year cadets constitute what
is officially the fourth class, but "ths
plebe class is the name generally ap-
plied. The next year this becomes
the third or "yearling" class, its mem
bcrs being termed "yearlings' from
the length of their stay At the academy
thus far. A cadet goes through b a
''plebe camp" and ''yearlins camp,
hut at the end of "yearling year" he
does not begin his third year with
camp. This is his summer of. He
becomes a second classman and, leav-
ing the other three classes to make up
the camp, his class goes OF furlouSh:
whence its unofficial esignatlon as
the "furlongh class Baci; comes the
.'furloughman to resume student and
barracks life the first of September,
and when summer rolls around again
he goes to "hrst class camp" for,
having arrived at the dignity Of his
senior year he scorns to Use any eX-
cept the official designation OF first
class" Toward the end OF the year
his is spoken of Us the graduating
class, and at the end Of a successful
four years he goes on graduating
leave for three months and half, at
the end of which, as q second Iieu-
tenant, he joins his regiment ''wher-
ever it may then be, in Maine or
Texas, in Alaska or Florida.