New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-24


It will not be large enough until a second story
Is added. but all the improvements asked for
can be arranged with reference to an ultimate
extension upward The school as now eonsti-
tuted is simply a building devoid OF fixtures. OF
the proper furniture. OF the simplest educational
aids. of adequate reference books or any Of those
things that so to make up an attractive place
for the training Of the young mind"
The four soldiers now detailed as teachers. It
is admitted both by Colonel Mills and the lieu
tenant OF engineers in charge. are the most eff
Client teachers the school has had at any time
since It was established. but they may be lost
at any time by the transfer OF the commands to
which they belong, by the expiration Of their
terms or by one of many others OF the exigencies
OF military service Private Duncan. OF the en-
gineer corps. the principal. and Private Grady.
also OF the engineers. who teaches the kinder
garten class. have served two years in those ca
pacities Private Hall. Of the engineers. has been
connected with the school a shorter time. and
Maher is about to leave for another post, after
only a few months service as teacher. These
four soldiers. in addition TO their duties as in
structOrs. are obliged to clean. heat and police
the building. services admittedly not consistent
with the dignity Of their positions instruc-
tors. They have not even running water within
stocking the furnace. and there are no lavatories
for the $50 boys and girls of various ages who
attend the school There is no winter play
ground for the children. who in bad weather are
to remain in the classrooms. and until
recently many of the children lacked school,
books, and the school was devoid Of every sort
OF educational appliances. Generosity from
expected sources has lately supplied some OF
these needs but there others still to be
met Lieutenant McDOnOugh. OF the engineers
corps has recently secured Orrery for aid
IN teaching geography. some weights. meas
ures and GeometricaI forms and few needed
appliances for the kindergarten class. but the
equipment Is still meagre-
The desks in all the rooms except one old
desks from the Military Academy classroOms
the seats for which are so high that the feet OF
the children lack several inches Of touching the
floor. While the one story schOOlhouse Is a
rather attractive and substantial structure OF
brick. It lacks nearly everything which village
schools usually contain; there is nothing sani-
tary about it, and the sexes not separated IN
the classrooms. Besides. even the poor faciIi-
ties this school affords are inadequate for the
of the children OF school age at
the post and the Academy. But a tribe more
than half attend the sessions. eighty going three
miles to the public school at Highland Falls.
and still others OF the grammar grades being
sent to Newburg-
These children os the soldiers at West Point
are peculiarly isolated from the rest OF the
world. Hemmed in one side by the high
mountains and on the other by the Hudson
River. they rarely meet children from other
communities except Highland Falls. a village
similarly situated. The world to them Is only
narrow shelf of land between the Highlands and
the river.
The soldier teachers tell some amusing stories
II the narrowness OF mind which this limited
environment entails. Some time ago one OF the
children was asked who was the highest officer
IN the United States. She promptly replied:
Colonel Mills" Another child was asked to
name the largest city IN the country. "NeWs
burg" was the answer. -And the next Iarg~
sst?" the teacher inquired Highland Falls
,ame the confident reply.
Among enlisted soldiers q man who Is de-
tailed to perform some personal service to
officer Is called a "dogrubber.- Recently HttL>