The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12
SOCIETY AT WEST POINT
THE CADETS HAVE THEIR SEASON
DURING THE SUMMER TIME.
Some Unique observations of Indian
apOIis Visitors--The Doom of the
Waltz Promenade.

novelty for an Indianapolis girl. although
girls from New York have been going there
for many years. This year a party from
this city spent the month of August at the
West Point Hotel. The experiences of these
young ladies were unique. Social life at
such place is varied and interesting, and
there was no occasion for ennui.
In the first place, there are three hops a
week. Every cadet has to know how to
dance, ard, indeed, receives dancing les
sons as a part of the Instructions necessary
10 fit him for the army. The hops are held
Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings,
and alternate with band concerts. which
are given on Tuesday, Thursday and Sat-
urday evenings. The hops last from to
10 o'clock. and are held in large rooms in
the academic building, a handsome edifice
of granite. The walls are hung with life
size portraits, in gilt frames, of the pro-
fessors, superintendent and commandments
OF the past. The Indianapolis guests did
not think the music as good as they are
accustomed TO at their own home dances,
while the tunes" were what they had all
last winter. When the hour of 10 approach
es the commandant of the day stands with
watch in hand. and just as the long hand
marks the top of the dial the signal is given
to the drummer, who sends out rattle of
sound. Everything stops, just as it did
when Cinderella went to the ball. and the
men are given a certain number of min
uteS in which they may escort the girls
nome and get back to their quarters Some
OK the girls come from all the country
places along the Hudson, from Cranston,
Highland Villa, Cold Spring and other
places and the cadets meet them at the
corner of the academic building
The routine for the cadets includes many
things in the summer that 1t does not in
reveille sounds at $50 in the morning. AT
O'Clock the flies and drums make music,
and TO It's sound the cadets march to the
mess nall; at IS the sick csai; AT Is the
troop parade. and later this men march out
for guard mount and establish colorS. The
men contest for "colors," a reward for i'm
son, which goes to but three men. The
men who get 'colors" are free after 2
ocloci; in the afternoon, The band plays
while the adjutant examines the men. Aft
er this part of the proceedings there is in
struction in drills, dancing and swimming
until noon: AT O'Clock dinner is served.
At O'Clock is dress parade and after this
the skin list" is read, and supper comes at
q then the evening dance at g. with tattoo
at 1890
EVERYBODY AT DRESS PARADE.
The most important function Of the day
is dress parade, which people come
miles to Sec" The soldier is out in his
finest regimentals and goes through his
most elaborate maneuvers. There are long
lines of benches for visitors, and the scene
is interesting and picturesque Lowering
the colors inspires patriotic feeling. The
cannon sounds, soldier lowers the flag as
the band plays "Star-spangled Banner"
and at the last strain of the patriotic air
the flag dips the grass.
The rear Of West Point Hotel looks UP
the Hudson and the front into camp All
night long there are lights and sounds in
the evening until in the morning, there
is the call. The guard sings out: Zen
away a guard in another part of the camp
sings: No. /, 10 o'clock and all Is WELL"
This is responded to by several in turn,
each in a different key until adj have
u1-ded, when the first guard repeats ''All
b. and there is silence until the next
hou. One night, while the Hoosiers were
there, all" was not We'll in camp. At 1890
when all was quiet, suddenly came ire
mendous explosion of bombs and dynamite
crackers. and a great scurrylng in camp
followed. The explosions followed, one aft
or another until there had been five. Sud-
denly the long roll was sounded and the
whole battalion was ordered out. There
had not been such 'goings on" for twenty
years. The men were ordered out for dress
parade at II O'Clock at night by the COM
mandant of the day, and men who are usu-
ally exempt from such duty We're ordered
cut as guards. There was tremendous eX-
element. The people in the hotels won
dered what Ii could mean, for every one
was up and their heads craned out of the
windows. After the parade the men were
ordered back to their tents. AT l o'clock
all is we'll. The second call came in time,
but there was no third CALL Again the
first guard called and the second answered,
but still no third. This was tried four
times: the people in the hotel We're wild,
wondering what terrible thing had hap
pened, and the men in the tents We're
equally as ignorant. AS a finale, the COR
poral of the guard found that the "pleb"
who should have made the third call was so
frightened at the general alarm earlier in
the evening that he could not make his
voice heard.
A FoREBODING SILENCE"
TIE hall where the cadets mess is Grant
Ha. named in honor of the great general.
II has portraits of all the war generals who
were graduates of West Point. George w.
Childs has given number of the portraits,
and one of himself has been added to the
collection. The hall is $50 feet long, has a
tiled floor and decorated walls and tables
for eight The cadets can serve an officer
about as humiliating a trick as can be de-
vised. Once there was an officer to whom
the cadets took an intense dislike. When
this officer entered the mess hall he was
given the silence" That is just what the
word implies. There was not sound. This
happened several times to the same officer
and he resigned. 1t has happened to more
than one man and is something that no
Doodle means anything to eat. This
store that is called the "boodler's" is un-
der the hill, and the man who keeps 1t has
everything from an anchor TO a needle
The cadets are not allowed to go in. They
may walk down there with the girls, how
ever. and the girls go in and bring out ice
cream soda or anything else. When
"pleb' goes through the novel ceremony
of being waited on by girl whom he is
supposed TO be escorting he is often very
much embarrassed. but he is obliged to get
over this and the girls soon get accus-
toned to being Doodle carriers.
Fort Putnam called Fort Put for short,
is one of the vantage grounds for viewing
dress parade, and many of the girls go
over there to watch the scene from afar.
1t is sure sign at West Point If a girl
goes to Fort Put with a cadet that she is
engaged to him. A summer visitor who
time is marked by the others, and she
IS called his fiancee all the season.
West Pctnt slang. nike West Point. is pc
culiar "SpooHy' means that a girl. or a
man, is nice looking and stylish One girl
was indignant when a cadet said. Il think
Miss b. is spooay," but when she found
out the definition, her anger vanished.
'Yale fussing" on the contrary, means
'-spoonoid" IS a lady's man. To try to get
in favor with any one is booming a boot
lick" A man who gets over the blues
readily is called ''corky," and a "biff' is a
dragging a fem TO the hop, an expression
that is much resented by the fem The
youngest men in camp are IT. 3. Ts''
(trundle bed trash.) one man was called
TO ask q girl for a kiss one night on Fir
tation walk" Another man. who is slow in
all his movements, is known "Electrici-
ty." The best tactical officer is called The
cold fess" is 70 fail in something.
cadet who passes inspection IS allowed