The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-03-31
WEST POINT LIFE.
FOUR YEARS OF RIGID DISCi-
pLiNE FOR CADETS.
The picb's Year of Servi:udc and
Submission to iiaLing Pro
sramme of Daily Life
and study.

" o place exists in the United
y States the name of which is SO
y closely interviewer with the
d. history of tho country as thnt
of West Point. II was conspicuous
place in the days of the Revolutionary
struggle, when its typographical situa-
tion inndc it desirable, and nea, and
about il were enacted some of the deeds
of hero. m which will live to the credit
of the patriotic Coniineutnis while the
annals OF the Republic shnll last. It's
situation on the Hudson, SAYS the New
York Tribune, is one OF the beauty
spots OF the country, and, while great
changes have been made near IL since
the days of the Revolution and the re-
lcntless hnnd of nineteenth century
progress has transformed many dis.
tricts near il into modern, prosaic
towns, West Point remains undeiiled
md majestic as it left the hand of the
great Architect. and even the mo ',rn
BUILDINGS which have been erect ON
the heights which overlook tht river
and the proud monument whiyd recalls
the names of departed heroes pale into
insipniicgnce before the picture of
natural beauty which nothing cnn oh.
iternte while the Hudson winds be.
meath the rocky ellis and yerdure and
sunlight add their colors TO the scene
But to the American West Point is
attractive beyond its assccIaton with
the days Cl old and its natural beauty,
because from the academy which the
Government maintains upon the reser.
yntiUn came the men who wrote their
names IN impersbable letters upon
the counlry's history and repaid in
many instances with their life's blood
the benefits which they received there.
The cadets come from all parts ut
the country; they represent all
grades ard classes of the community,
and there is probably no educational
institution on the continent in which
II mans social, political or financial
stnnding would count for less thnn ~
West Point, and where his advance.
ment and final graduation wouli de.
pend so thoroughly and exclusively
upon his own personal work. Cadets
are appointed by members of Congress
and by the President; and in recent
years it has been the custom to give
the places of principal and alternate
to the aspirarts by competitive exam.
nation. \ candidate must be over
seventeen years old and under TWEEN.
ty-two. If he Is under five feet in
height he is ineligible. lie must he
perfectly formed aud must bc of
n 'good moral character. He
L.. IA.
the English language correctly nud to
perform, with facility and accuracy,
the various operations of tho ground
rules of arithmetic, Of reduction, OF
simple and compound proportion aud
vulgar and decimal fractions, and
nave acknowledge OF English grammar,
of descriptive geography, particularly
OF the United States and of the couu-
try's history. The regulations pro.
vide: "No mqrriod person shall he
admitted as q candidate; and ii nny
candidate shall be married before
graduation such marriage shall be
considered as equivalent to a reFigna
tion, and he shall leave the institution
accordingly" After boy has passed
the prescribed examination and has
been found qualified mentally, physi.
cnlly and morally to become cadet,
he must report on or before June -
following the examination to the
Superintendent OF the academy aud
sign an agreement for service IN the
following form:
=, Of tho State OF -. aged -
years. - months. do hereby ENGAGE. with
the consent of my parents or guardian. that
from the date OF my admission as II cadet OF
the United States Military Academy | will
serve in the Army OF the Cnited states or
eight years unless sooner discharged by COM
petrnt authority.
The cadet also subscrlbes to an oath
to support the Constitution of the
United States, and that he will bear
true allegiance to the National Gov.
ernment.
The number of men in West Point
is comparatively small, about 800 in
oil. and the new student becomes con-
spicuous at once by the manner of his
carriage and his lack of military bear.
ing. This is just as true of those who