The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-11
OUR MILITARY SCHOOLS.
cor. TILLMAN'S VIEWS or TIE
vaLUE or THEIR IRAfNIN".
High Praise of the Management ana he-
sults at the Virginia Miiita's '"s"~
tute-Gen. X. r.. Lees Books

LEXINGTON. VA, July i0.-spcciai--
in an article on value o, training at
military schools, Col. ;. j.. iliiina"'
4. S. A.. writes In the Kcvie" Oh ~
views: '.If we consider the training at
schools whose objects are 10 produce
professional soldiers. there can be TO
question as to the value Of the training
both TO the youths trained and to inc
country for whose service they are tram
ed. This value is proven. not only py
the history of the graduates OF west
Point. where the means of carrying INTO
effect the military system are more COM
plete. but by the histories OF certain
State military schools where the system
was operated under less favorable con-
ditiOns.
Not only the graduates but the cadeIs
of both the Virginia Military Institute
and of the South Carolina Military Acau-
envy contributed valuable military assist
ance TO the Confederate cause at the
beginning and during the war OF the
rebellion.
'.rhe cadets Of both institutions were
enplovcd in drilling and instructing vol
untoers. The youths of each institution
In body were repeatedly called lh'"
active service. The corps of cadets Oh
the Virginia Military Institute fought
like veterans at the battle of New Mar
kct i'm MAY. 1854 losing in killed ana
wounded one-ffth of their number
In another connection he says. IN
such a school the curriculum would
soon be shaped to develop that class OF
professional men whose services i'm some
capacity might for time be devoted
to the State. .......,.,,..,.,,
VIRGINIA MILITARY lNSIi I r.
"'Thc success of the virginia Mil'"'S
Institute operated upon these genera
lines. is the living witness to the ieasaDil-
ity Of such a proposition
Major j. T. Sanger. nspector-General'
United States Army. in concluding his
rcport TO the Secretary of War Of his in
spoction OF the Virginia Military lnsti-
tutc. made on 18th of June. 1927. speaking
OF the examination Of the graduating
class i'm ordnance. gunnery. fOrtihcaton'
outposts cantonments. advance guard,
strategy. and ground tactics. says; "Ihe
examinations were most crediiable. ana
gave evidence OF very careful instruc-
ton and very close attention and study
upon the parts of the cadets. glance
al the list Of subjects will give very
good idea Of the scope Of theoretical in
struction. TO which 2i9 hours were de-
voted.
"In closing this report I venture to
suggest again the importance of promot-
ing the uscfulnes of this institution as
far as possible. Standing as IL unqucs-
fionablv does. next to the Academy az
West Point as military school. ana
graduating every year class from which
we might safely select our officers. the
limitations of the orders Of the War De-
partment in respect to the equipment 10
be furnished. should not be imposed
upon this institution. To facilitate the
instruction I'm ordnance and gunnery
suitable means should be provided I'm
the way OF field guns and mortars and
such models OF arms. material and equip
ment as may be necessary. ] would recon-
mend the mounting Of an eisht-inch rifle
gun for the same purpose.
From such a source this is high praise
Of an hOnOred and useful State lnstitu-
ton II is i'm confirmation of the esu-
mate put upon the worth and work or
the Virginia Military Institute by Major
General O. O. Howard. L. 5. A.. i'm his
article on military colleges which is TO
be found in the American supplement
of the late edition of the Encyclopedia
Britannica.
General Gusts Lee has just presented
the library of the Institute with fifty
volumes from the military library OF his
ilustrious father, General r.. T.. Lee.
Lees autograph and certain autograph
notes. one volume on Military Engineer
ing was the text book used 10y General Il.
T.. Lee at West Point and contains in
his own hand writing the names Of the
cadets constituting the section TO when
he belonged. This is a priceless addition
to the collection of books i'm the hand
some new library which constitutes one
of the most useful features OF the Stone
wall Jackson Memorial Building. recently
inaugurated with such imposing ccrc-
monies which helped to make the recent
commencement occasion the most bril-
liant and memorable in the history of
this great institution endeared TO Viz
gnia and the whole South by SO many
ties. and i'm which we all cherish just
pride.
JUNE GRADUATES.
one Of the June graduates has been
offered "a position as engineer upon streets
and sewers I'm a northern city al salary
of 500 per month. Another graduate OF
~ has been offered "a position i'm a north
crn military academy with salary OF
$1,000 dollars.
Several other graduates of same year
have secured honorable and lucrative
employment I'm anticipation of their grad
uation. The work of the school is stiil
hampcrcd by want Of adequate facilities
which only % new academic building can
provide. i'm the important department Of
physics rnineralogy and geology. The
chemical and engineering laboratories
and lecture rooms are now adequate to
| every want. Alas, The want Of Corco-
rams. Rockefellers. Cornclls and such
like in the South. who have the means
10 show their appreciation Of the Cstima-
bic advantages of education I'm the i'm
tercst of the highest social and moral
development of the Veope .tyc none
| crfnt a. la. fouuT1