Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-06-25
Too Widesnread.

My own experience in searching for
cadets for West Point and Annapolis,
together with roy experience as mem
ber of the board of visitors to the Ma
val academy at the recent commence
ment exercises, turned my attention
upon educational conditions in the
United States. OF course anybody that
does not pronounce a high flown eulo-
GUM upon the whole system renders
himself liable to be attacked ns an
enemy Of public schools hy lot Of pee
pie who live off the public schools
My own experience was this: 1t took
two years to rnd a boy In the Ninth
congressional district Of Missouri,
which have the honor TO represent 10
the congress Of the United States. who
had the intelligence and physical de-
velopment to stand an examination for
West Point aud who possessed grit
enough 10 stay there end cnmplete the
course. Az 10 Annapolis. it required
four years to fra him No law COM
pels competitive examination. but
ordered competitive examinations be-
cause by that means every boy in the
district would hare an equal chance
With every other hoy. OF course
could have picked fayorite boys or the
boys Of favorite fathers and bave ap-
pointed them. but | chose to order the
competitive examinations and give ev-
cry boy chance because was poor
boy once, and my father did not have
influence enough to secure me an APP
pointrnent.
I advertised the examinations liberal
. ly. The newspapers were generous with
space. Prominent educators and schol-
ars laid aside their work, paid their
own expenses and lost their own timo
to conduct the examinations gratis at
my request.
/ supposed there would be an army of
ambitious and patriotic boys struggling
to win the great prizes of splendid
education free, probable rank as ad-
miral or lieutenant general and pos
sible rank of president of the United
States.
/ was woefully disappointed.
In 1900 one lone boy took the ex-
animation for West Point and three for
Annapolis.
In 1908 there were two for West
Point and three for Annapolis.
All those OF the 1900 examination
failed or quit after they went to the
academies How those of 1908 will
come out don't know. 1t is too early
to make any predictions.
AS my district is full of high schools,
academies and colleges. was much
chopfallen. / supposed my troubles
were exceptional until read the fol-
lowing editorial in the Washington
Post:
Representative Tawney of the First
Minnesota district rather forcefully calls
attention to what he is convinced Is a
serious defect in the American public
school system. Eight young men selected
by Mr.. Tawney for appointment to the
Military academy at West Point or the
Naval academy at Annapolis have been
rejected in succession on account of their
inability to pass the required examina-
ton In elementary English branches. Mr..
Tawney calls attention TO the fact that
each of his appointees was a graduate of
a Minnesota high school and selected
largely upon his high standing as a stu
dent. AS the Minnesota schools rank
very high Mr.. Tawney is apparently JUS
tilted In that the criticism he makes of
the public school system must have gem
eral application and not be confined to
Minnesota nor to the district from which
his candidates were selected.
Mr.. TawneY believes that the fault is