Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-09
on WEST POINT ACADEMY
Board Of Visitors Files Annual Report with
Wal Department
MUCH PERTAINS TO new BUILDINGS
Many suEeestions Are made a. q
Future Needs, while superin-
enden Mills is highly
Commended.

LHHH# T
WASHINGTON. Aug. Sine Board Of
Visitors to the West Point Military academy
consisting Of Charles +. Roe, New York,
PRECEDENT; Senator Pettus Of Alabama, vice
president; George W. Chnds- Dreter OF phil
adelphia, secretary; Prof. William r.. Har-
per Of Chicagoi A. W.. Howsee, Eli Tor
rance Of Minneapolis, Richard NJ. Young OF
Salt. Lake City, Montgomery schueylel OF
New York; SENATOR Quarles Of Wisconsin,
Representative Dick OF Ohio and Repre-
sentative Gillett o. Massachusetts, has
made it's annual report TO the War depart
ment. q.
The most important feature Of the re-
port, In view Of the new buildings, which
are TO be erected at West Point under the
legislation of the last congress, is that
pertaining to buildings The hoard says
that all matters pertaining to the buildings
should be acted Upon 81 a ccmmittee Of not
less than three members Of the Academic
board selected by the superintendent Of
the academy, these members to submit their
report to the whole board and any action
taken to be subject to the approval OF the
secretary Of war. This matter says the
report, is OF so much Importance 20 the
people of the whole couHtry that Il should
be under the control q the board
cOmmendw colonel SffIs.
It is stated that the recommendation Is
rot intended as q reflection on the present
superintendent, Colonel Mills, as the board
commends the superiHtendent very hiehly
for what he has done In the matter Of
buildings at the academy. The board COM
fnends the regulations now In force for the
acceptance of graduates with certificates
from high. schools and normal schools and
Of candidates having q college standing.
The report states that inasmuch ~ the
states and territories are quite generally
supplied with high schools and colleges and
as West Point is a technical institution Of
the military art ahd science, the entrance
requirements should be enlarged from tlms
to time as rapidly and extensively as prscl
ticable with the purpose of permitting an
extension In Instruction on purely military
subjects and Of lessening the strain which
row exists. owing to the large amount Of
elementary teachings crowded into the four
years course. The board does not approve
the suggestion that q NTH year be added
to the course or that a preparatory school
for one year should be located near West
Point for the reception OF cadets designated
for the academy.
7 board COmmends the change IN the
law under which the number Of cadets
shall be Substantially increased and also
commends the method OF dividing classics
into small sections for purposes OF instruc-
tion. os-i
Suggests Preach ana spaniah.
The board recommends that oincers de-
tailed to teach French and Spanish Be orr
dered abroad for the purpose. Of familiar
izing themselves with those languages. IT
is the opinion ofscthe board that the In
structcrs should visit other Institutions Of
learning and that they should in other
ways bring the academy. into closer fela-
lions with the general educatioAai system
Of the country. osTt approves TIA fact. that
heads Of departments and instructors are
striving to place themselves into closer
touch with cadets to the end that tie. lat
ter feel less restraIpt In calling upon the
former for necessary assistancee The en-
larged social privileges OF the cadets Is
commended and the accommodated OF
Colonel Mills .that a course Of lectures form
. feature Of the years course IL approved.
It ts recommended that each member
Of congress appoint a .princlpat and a
first and second. alternate, In order that tho
number OF cadets fnay be kept at the maxi
num-. It is also recommended that the
pay Of the cadet be made 500 per month,
the same as a, midshipman at the naval
academy.
In the way Of armament the board RECON-
mends q modern seacoast battery. con.
sisting Of emplacements of s-inoh
breechloading- rifles. one s-inch gun. one
15=pounder, one. 12~inch mortar. an siec-
trio, plant and storage battery and q so-fnch
electric searchllsht ss
The report states that the board notes
that the caps and the hlouses Of the Of.
nceps do not always appear to be uniform
in appearance and as the cadets viii pat
tern after their officers. It As recommended
that steps be taken to remedy the ba1t.,
Many Of the features of the academy,
and its administration is highly oommshded.