The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-31
upper class man properly and respect

upper class man properly anu respect
fully.
The pleb is rigidly excluded from
all the social functions, the little en-
tertainments and Publications. He
has no part in the joys and SORROWS of
the older men, he can make no visits,
although he frequently receives such
and at hours when they are the least
expected. He is treated by men who
were possibly his friends short time
before he came to the Academy in
manner which is worse than indiffer-
ence, and many poor fellow, think
ing it all over, and realizing that for
two years he must remain on the
reservation, with no hope for one
days vacation, has clenched his fists
in anger and consented to remain only
because the hardship of it all was
better than the brand of cowardice
with which he would be marked if he
left. When the man least expects it,
number of upper class men may
come into his tent and sit down where
they can find place. He must stand,
and then may come an order to tell a
story about his travels in India or Ice
land or New Jersey, to 90 through the
manual of arms with a lead pencil, to
stand on one foot while he names the
principal rivers in South America or
the capitals of the Territories in the
United States. Then there are Ger.
tain calisthenic exercises for which
the upper class men have great liking
when they are performed by pleb,
and men have been kept busy per-
forming these exercises by their
tyrannizers until they were exhausted.
The new man worries along and
works and plods to keep up with the
required standard in mathematics,
English studies, French and military
discipline. He becomes housekeeper,
also. He must learn to take care of
his room and his outfit. The rules
prescribe that he shall have two pairs
of uniform shoes, six pairs Of white
gloves, two sets of white belts, eight
white shirts, two night shirts, twelve
collars, eight pairs socks, eight pairs
summer drawers, eight pairs for win
ter, six handkerchiefs, six towels, one
clothes bag, made of ticking, one
clothes brush. one hair brush, one
tooth brush, one comb, one mattress,
one pillow, two pillowcases, four
sheets two blankets, one quilted bed
cover, one chair, one tumbler, one
trunk, one account book and one
basin. He is commanded by regula-
tion Immediately after reveille to hang
up his extra clothing, to put such
articles in the clothes bag as it is in
tended to contain, and to arrange his
bedding and all his other effects in the
prescribed order. He may not, ac-
cording to the regulation, keep in his
room any of the implements used in
chess, backgammon or any other
game, and he must obtain O permit
before any map, picture or piece of
writing can be posted or attached in
any way to the walls Of his room.
When camp season comes again
many OF the plebs of the last camp
season have disappeared; some de.
parted before the camp closed, others
could not stand the strain of work
during the winter months, some failed
to pass the January examinations, and,
with the others who fell by the way
side, they went back to their homes,
smaller, possibly, than they we're when
they received their appointment. and.
although in many instances it may
have taken argument to convince peo-
pie of the fact, ill-health is usually
given as the cause for change in the
plans which had generalship for
their object only few months before.
For those who have renamed in the
institution a new era is about to be-
gin. At the June exercises the plebs
are allowed to make their debut.
Their bearing has become manly and
soldierly by that time, they have &C.
quired so much of the soldier in the