The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-25

soon finds that his military career Is
ended. The thing of most value that
he acquires at West Point is the knowl-
edge of the existence of his rational
faculty, and how to make use of 1t. He
who learns this we'll will. in the present
age, always be certain of success in the
vocations of peace or the operations of
war"
COURSE OF STUDY.
The course of study covers civil and
military engineering Theoretical and
practicaD, natural and experimental
philosophy, mathematics, drawing,
chemistry, mlneralogy and geology, the
French and Spanish languages, law
history, and ordnance, gunnery, and
tactics
The cadets study in their quarters,
two roomlng together. The rooms are
simple, simply furnished, without pic
lures or other decoration, and the ca
diets take turn, week and week about
in policing" the quarters. Visiting in
quarters is not allowed. There is no
occasion to watch them while at study,
for the requirements are so severe that
there is no time for idllng. The mill
tary spirit and method are maintained
in every detail of the work. For ex-
ample: The class is divided into sec
tlons Of not more than twelve cadets
each. The section rooms are well ven-
tilated, and furnished with individual
desks and seats. Blackboards line two
walls Of the room. The instructor sits
on a raised platform, and is In his
place before the section enters the
room. The s o'clock assembly having
been sounded in the area of the bar
racks by the trumpeter, and the sec
tions duly formed, each is marched by
its section marcher to the proper room
in the academy building, where ranks
are broken, caps hung on hooks in the
hall outside the door, and the members
enter the section room. The last to en-
ter is the section marcher, who stands
in the open door until the members of
the section have passed to their desks,
where each stands at attention" He
| then closes the door, faces the instruc-
tor, salutes and reports, "All are pres
ent. sir" or cadet Blank is absent
sir" as the case may be. The section
is then seated. The lesson for the next
day is announced, it having been pre-
viously recorded on the blackboard be-
| hind the instructors DESK the ques-
tion is then put, Are there any ques-
tions on the lesson of the day?" The
utmost freedom is permitted for every
| member of the section to make known
now every difficulty he has experienced
| in studying his lesson. The instructor
who is accomplished in his art will, by
a judicious explanation or a helpful
| suggestion, seek to lessen the step by
! which the student may be able to pass
| from what he comprehends to that
which was before obscure, the aim be-
| ing to make the student feel that the
| elucidation has in the main been ac-
| complshed by himself. BY this means
| the Self-reliant faculty is cultivated.
| After all the difficulties have been sat
| isfactorily removed, the instructor pro-
| ceeds to portion out the lesson of the
! day and of the previous day among ten
| members Of the section, reserVing the
| remaining two for a searching eXami-
| nation by questions. The ten are sent
| TO blackbOards, where first they are re-
| quired to write their names in the up
per right-hand corner, and then put
| their work down in a neat and orderly
manner, and in logical sequence, 90
that the instructor can, by a glance,
note their progress and proficiency.
When the cadet is ready to recite, he
takes up a pointer, faces the instructor,
ana assumes the position of a soldier.
This Is the general rule, which, how
ever, is departed from when a portion
of the section room time is to be en-
ployed in working out practical eX-
amples or in using the apparatus upon
the experimental table: in such cases
| he is permitted to leave his blackboard
after his work is made ready for recita-
| tion, and when his turn comes to lie
called on he resumes his place and po-
sition.
SECTION ROOM MANNERS.
The manners of the section room are
| polite, formal and soldierly. The in
structor opens with, Are you ready,
Mr.. Blank?" then, Proceed, sir" The
cadet then begins, II am required to
demonstrate the" (here follows the pro-
position given him). He then proceeds
in logical manner to point out the
| data he may assume, the successive
| steps in his reasoning, and the conclu-
sions which legitimately follow. If he
| be perfect, he will meet the cross-ex-
animation of his Instructor at every
| point, and will be entitled to the maxi
mum mark on the lesson of the day.
| The marks are recorded in a section
| book kept by the instructor and at the
| end of the week are transferred to a
weekly report made out by him and
submitted to the superintendent of the
academy through the head of the de-
| partment. These reports are open to
| the inspection OF the cadets on the fol-
| lowing Saturday and they can then
| compare their standing with that of
| their comrades in the same section and
| in different sections.
In assigning subjects for recitation
| the general practice followed is TO give
| them out in such a way as to impress
| the cadets that strict impartiality is
| the rule, and that each shall have about
| the same task, the main thing being to
secure from each the full time for
| study upon the lesson of the day, and
| to make the penalty of negligence so
severe as to be almost prohibitory. In
delineations upon the blackboard col
Ored chalks are used, so that the draw
| ing will exhibit neatness as well as an
intimate knowledge of the subject. The
head of each department employs the
three hours during which the recita-
tions continue in visiting the different
sections, so that he may thoroughIy
| examine at least twice a week every
man in the class, His purpose is to
keep himself well informed of each
mans progress, to study the students
characters, to encourage the modest,
and to temper the choleric and pre-
suming. He consults freely with his
assistants upon the proper transfers