Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-28
West Point Traditions.

l
lions are carefully preserved and
handed down from one class to
another. and it is OF the rarest occur
renee for cadet to do anything that
is contrary to them. If he does violate
an important one. the cadet in question
is made TO feel the displeasure Of the
corps in an unmistakable manner.
Such a tradition is that 'plebe." as
members of the fourth class are called
is never regarded on an equal footing
with an upper classman until he has
completed his first year at the
academy. He is invariably addressed
as Mr.. So-and-So, or just plain Mister
and must always address upper class
men in the same formal manner. and
in addition. he must be prolific in his
use Of the word sir" affixing it to the
end Of every sentence.
If a plebe is asked by an upper class
man what his name is, he must repIv
Mr. Brown. sir" or whatever his
name may be. and if he fails to do so
he is certain to be told to
put a sir on that. Mister"
in way that will usually
cause him to remember it, OF course
a plebe soon learns this, and there is
no longer any trouble with him on
that score.
An amusing anecdote is told of a
raw country lad who reported at West
Point few years ago concerning this
use Of the word sir" When the new
cadets report at the Academy they
first visit the adjutant's office. where
tI,fr ;,I..
information concerning their parents
or guardians and their former careers
Next they visit the treasurers office
and deposit what money they may
have with them, and then they go to
the barracks. where they report to the
cadet officer in charge of their instruc-
ton. 1t is here that they receive their
first taste Of military discipline. Well
this young man passed through the
preliminaries, finally reaching the bar
racks, and. after several attempts to
enter the office in a military manner
and 10 the satisfaction of the auStere
lieutenant in charge he was asked by
that functionary what his name was.
John Smith" answered the lad
suppose you put sir on that"
cried the cadet officer. forgetting for
the moment in his assumed wrath the
equally heinous omission of the Mr.
Sir John Smith" innocently replied
the plebe. ana supposed he had obeyed
10 the letter his superiOr'S Injunction
For the next few minutes that poor
plebes life was a burden to him. for
all the cadets about the room at once
began crawling" him for his supposed
attempt at righteousness. The name
Sir John stuck to him throughout his
entire career at the Academy, and
even followed him into the army.
1t has been the custom in the corps
from time immemorial to devil"
pebes during their first encampment
n great many Of. the practices in
dulged in are perfectly innocent, and
so long as the upper c!assmen confine
themselves to them there is little or no
opposition from the authorities.
An incident illustrative of this is told
by an officer who was walking in the
rear Of Company DIS tents one after
noon in one of the recent encampments
Of the cadets at West Point. He heard
voice from the body of the encamp-
ment shouting in stentOrian tones.
m mad, I'm mad. l know I'm mad"
wondering what the trouble was, he
walked a short distance further and
looked between the tents. There he
saw in tent acrossSz the company
street a great. strappfng plebe over
SIX feet tall and weighing more than
two hundred pounds, creeping on his
hands and knees about the tent, like a
Gagged lion. and every minute or two
giving vent to the cry that he was
mad. Stopping for moment to take
in the situation fully, the officer heard
mild and persuasive voice from a
nearby tent say, Put more feeling in
It. mister; say it as if you meant it."
The officer, perceiving that the whole
thing was only an innocent form Of
devilment contrived by some ingenious
yearling. made no report of it, but
went on his way.
Another amusing incident Of this
Kind occurred one quiet Sunday after
noon. when most of the cadets were
asleep in their tents and the visitors
seats in front of the camp parade
We're nearly deserted. A tall slender
cadet. wearing shake and plume
armed with a sabre, and riding be
tween his legs a little tin horse scarce
ly six inches high, came charging
down the company street, brandishinG
his sabre and shouting. Turn. boys
turn: were going back" Back and
forth through the different company
streets he ran, dragging his horse with
him. until finally he ran into the officer
IN charge. who promptly confined him
in the guard tent. But all the camp
mad been awakened. and the cadets
and the few visitors had a good laugh
ing. none the worse for his night il
confinement.
plebe's first night on guard is gen
orally an unpleasant experience for
him; for. besides the official visits OF
the various officers and non-commis-
stoned officers charged with his in
Struction. to see that he understands
all the fine points Of his duties as d
sentinel. he is sure u be visited by a
legion Of sp1oks. hobgoblins and va
nous other unauthorized individuals.
An incident of this kind is relate
where a yearlinS. wrapped in a sheet
appeared on the post Of plebe sentl-
mel al night Halt shouted the
pebc. "WhD is there"
Moses and the Ten Command