Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-09
THE BOOK MOVE IN PRESS
GRADUATES HAVE BEEN AMONG
THE GREAT RAILWAY BUILDERS.
Large Numbers Have Attained Dis
tinction in Civil Life-Many Have
Come From Humble Walks.
BY WIN. E. CURTIS.

gives a history of the military academy
| at West Point. 1t will be published In
few weeks. The editor is Prof. E. w.
Holden of the class Of 1870. who resigned
from the army in 1873 to become professor
of mathematics in the naval observatory at
Washington. From 1881 to 1885 he was
professor of astronomy at the University
Of Wisconsin: from 1885 to 1888 president of
the University of California: from 1888 to
1898 director of the Lick observatory, Cali
fornia, and for the last five years librarian
Of the military academy. Prof Holden
is the author of a number of impor-
tant volumes but none are as valuable as
these upon which he has been engaged for
more than two years, and 1t is safe to say
that no information Of interest relating to
the academy has escaped his vigorous
search 1t will be beautiful book of two
volumes. with an abundance of Illustrations,
cadets and pictures of incidents in the va
rious wars in which the graduates Of the
academy have been engaged. from the bat
tie of Fort Erie in 1913 to the China relief
expedition in 1900 and the foot ball game
with the naval cadets in 1903.
The first volume Of LOCO pages contains
a history of the academy from 1862 to
1902, with an account of the centennial ex-
ercises during the latter year and the adj
dresses of President Roosevelt, Secretary
Root, the Italian ambassador, Speaker
Chicago, Gen. Sickles and others This Is
followed by sketch of the academy by
Prof. Holden, an academic history by Prof.
Tillman "West Point In the Revolution"
by Capt. Horace M. Reeves, and number
of other chapters.
Over 1000 Graduates.
Under the title of 1.-The Genius Of West
Point" Col. Larnard gives some very in
teresting personal information. He shows
that the total number of graduates from
1902 to 1902 inclusive has been 4121 In
1902 there were 1,945 living, of whom ], 446
were on the active list and 1874 on the re-
tired list of the army.
Including 1902, the total appropriations
for the support of the academy for the first
century aggregate S22259 .274.55, an average
of 1922 ,592. IA per yearr This shows that 1t
costs the government an average of
IS, 4O1 ~ to educategeach of the graduates
During the hundred years of it's history
the graduates of West Point have served in
one civil and four foreign wars and in al
most uninterrupted Indian conflicts, while
in civil life they have held almost every
Office of honor and truStin the gift of their
fellow countrymen--President of the United
States and of the confederate states, presi-
dents of universities. railroads and banks
mayors. congressmen, members of legisla-
lures and heads of minor corporations
They have been bishops.and judges; distin-
guished clergymen, artists and lawyers;
successful physfcfans,s noted scientists and
engineers. In foreign lands they have been
ambassadors, ministers p!en1potent1ary ana
consuls general. 1T, ~
The following table will show the number
of graduates who have gained high distinc-
ton in civil life, and it may be said that at
the alumni of no educational institution In
the land has higher record:
President Of the United States ............ l
President Of the confederate states........... 1
Presidential candidates. ...............' D
Vice presidential candidates .............
AmDassaaors '''''.'.''''''''''
Charges d'afaires neutrality-suspicious.. ......
United States consuls general and consuls. II
Members OF the Senate and House ........ =
Presidential electors
Governors of states and territories .......... 10
Lieutenant governors OF states and territories. 2
aages os,c.,: =; state sens tes and
Members of conventions to torra state c0nstitu-
lions .:.-....:..~.3.... .....-.....'.. 10
Presidents Of universities and colleges 40
Regents and chancellors Of universities Il
Superintendent OF coast survey. ...........
Surveyors general Of states II
Chief engineers of states. .s.-.:.......... a
Presidents of railroads and corporations. 81
Chief engineers of railroads and public works. Us
Superintendent OF railroads and public works 81
Superior general Of religious order. ..-...... l
Total ...-............. ....-..-........4a t
President Finley of the College OF the
City of New York not long ago published
table giving the percentages of the gradu-
ates Of eighteen of the most prominent uni
versities and colleges IN the United States
who have attained distinction West Point
stands at the head of the list with So per
cent, followed by the Naval Academy and
Harvard with So per cent each. Ii, how
ever, it may be assumed that the persons
included In the above list have attained dis
tinction, then West Point should be cred
tied with II per cent-that Is. 446 out of
total Of 4,121. Then, II only those who have
engaged in civil occupations C,371 in num-
ber considered, nearly 10 aper cent of
the graduates of West Point who have en-
tered civil life have attained eminence.
Democracy Of West Point.
Another interesting table demonstrates
the democracy Of West Point. 1t is fire.
quently asserted that both the naval and
military academies are filled with "aristo-
Gratis" Whatever may be the significance
of that term, it is certainly true that
very large majority Of the cadets come
from the hunlblest walks of life. 1t is
equally true that the most famous men
among them were born in tine humblest sur
roundings. The records Of the academy
give the occupation OF the parents of each
cadet at the date of his entrance into the
institution. and from them Colonel Larnard
has compiled a table of remarkable inter-
est. 1t Is worth the study of sociologists,
for It shows the occupations Of the parents
from 1912 to 1899 to have been as follows:
Farmers and plant tcommerciai travel
MERCHANTS. 80. 722tPrauters. -. ....... II
Lawyers and judges .esa1 Miiiers. $3.50. II
Officers (army). -. tas2I Tsnaers ........... 10
Mechanics. 49,. 81 Heads Of corpora
No oceupatton..... l9li ations. -. ....... 10
Manufacturers. -. I51 Spectators ........ 10
Clergymen. 80. Il I28I Cattle dealers. 10
Clerks 9QI Journalists
Bankers and bank ss5tPablishers ........ 8
Civn officers a.. SIR ss|stech raisers ...... 9 i
County officers. -. 74FRailroad employees. 9
Editors ........... ~ 81 Photographers