The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-03-31
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE.
A Days Work mt the West Point of the
south.


A Days Work at the West Point of the
South.
At about thirty minutes past five
o'clock in the morning, when most of
the people of our glorious land are
taking the last and most refreshing
sleep of the night, If any one should
stop for short while in the 'sally
port" of the Virginia Military Institute
barracks he would be likely to see two
men with drum and fife advance into
the court yard. In a short time he
would see all of the cadets crowding
and pushing to get their places in
ranks, for the men had entered the
court yard for no other purpose than
to play those tunes which recall the
cadets from the land of dreams.
After this early roll-call the cadets
re-enter the barracks, where they are
occupied in stacking their "bunks,"
shining their shoes and performing
their morning ablutions until the call
for breakfast. This, the most impor
tant event of the morning, takes place
in winter and in summer at 6:45
o'clock. If any of my readers were
ever at a military academy they can
easily imagine what a pleasure it is
for the cadets to hear the bugler blow,
''Peas in the trenchard." At this call
the "battalion" is formed in front of
the barracks, and from there is
marched in files of four to the mess
hall. When the meal is done the corps
is marched to the barracks, where
ranks are broken.
In the companies being dismissed,
those who are on the 'detail of the
day" make all speed to their rooms,
so as to get ready for guard mount
ing" while the more fortunate cadets
loiter about the post" until the bugler
announces o'clock At this hour
academic work begins, and the sec
tions of class are formed in front of
the Barracks and marched through the
sally port" to the class rooms. In
the class rooms, under the supervision
of the various professors, they are
made to explain why the earth moves
to the east and not to the west; why
the poets did not become pugilists;
how to find the number of ounces of
alcohol in quart of "Old Grow" whis
ky, and the like. This is the process
with change of sections at the end of
each hour, until, at o'clock, the drum
announces dinner.
At o'clock the class rooms are again
resorted to until "release from quar-
ters'' at 4. The cadets then have ten
minutes of rest before being given in
struction in the art of war and the
manual of the rifle. Recall from this
| drill is sounded at . p. m, but
at fifteen minutes later the same corps
but this time in silk hats and with
shining brass-appear on the hill at
''dress parade"
After this parade there are thirty
minutes of recreation and then the
call for supper is blown. At I the ca
diets are called to quarters to prepare
the morrow's lessons, and in this way
all are occupied until $50, when every
one turns out for tattoo"
At 10 o'clock there comes floating
through the windows of the barrack
rooms the soft, sweet music which
every one will recognize as taps" and
then the daily work of the cadets is
| done
Every day the following detail is
published: Two officers as officer OF
the day and officer of the guard; five
non commissioned officers as sergeant
and corporals of the guard, and six
teen cadet privates as the guard. -Four
privates and corporal are to guard
the barracks all day, one sentinel be
ing on at a time, and the remaining
twelve are to guard from p. m. until
Z a. M, four sentinels being on duty at
time until 10 o'clock, and from that
time reliefs of two sentinels guard.
Thus the great wheel of time goes
round with few changes except on Sat
urdays and Sundays. Every Saturday
duties are suspended at l p m, and
battalion inspection is substituted for
drill and dress parade. On Sundays
the cadets attend church in companies
and after services they are free to visit
the mountains and caves which are sc
numerous in this county of the Old
! Dominion. CADET NJ.