Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-26
WEST POINT ROUTINE |. !. /
Cadets Are Busy From 8 III the Morn
inc Till 10 u. Niaht.

: III
In nearly every case the boy who
wishes to 60 to West Point must put
in q year or two of especially strenu-
Gus study ii order to be able to pass
the entrance examinati ton. That is
nothing compared with what is before
him In case he succeeds in entering
the academy. West Point is the worst
possible place Tor lazy or stupid boy.
He Is aroused at 9 o'clock in the morn
ing, has stated number Of minutes
In which to wash and dress himself, q
few more minutes IN which to aid his
roommate In setting the little apart
iment to rights. n.
Let the boy who wishes to 60. to
West Point gaze around his room at
home and see how it looks. Then let
him understand that at the academy q
scrap Of paper on the floor or any 9TH
or untd iness will bring about q pun
ishment that Affects his standing III his
class. As quickly as he can possibly
get his room tidy the bugle sounds to
call him to breakfast. That over. he
marches to recitat ion., The schoolmas-
tiers at West Point, who are all army
officers, are looked upon as being the
most strict In the country. No cadet
lie allowed to make the excuse that he
has not been able to prepare his les
son. He must be prepared for all that
his instructors require Of him. Nor
can he hope % escape unnoticed, for
each class IL divided into sections 81
about eight young men. each, ana tie
recitasions last from an. hour to an
hour and q half each. Between s a. IA.
md i >. ID. the time is evenly divided
between study and recdta ton.
4 AZ + o'clock the battalion 81 cadets
marches to the mess hall for dinner,
after which q few minutes are allow
"a Tor recreation. |" At q o'clock stud.
len, and recifAt iens are resumed suntal a
o'clock This ia followed BY al hour
md twenty minutes Of drill, after
which comes dress parade. Soon after
This Is finished, at $50, the young
men march to supper. From Z to ID
they spend the time In their rooms n
cadet barracks at hard study. at 10
o'clock taps. sounds, and immediate.
II every young man must have bis
lights out and be IN bed. During the
twenty -four hours he has eight hours
Of sleep, with sixteen hours OF study,
recitation, drill. the time allowed FOR
meals and eighty minutes devoted to
recreation. !" As boy who likes ease
and indolent comfort would do better
to stay away from West Point. Sol
diers who can endure hard mental and
bodily work are wanted there.
When Saturday comes around, the
cadet has his afternoon and evening to
devote to his own pleasure unless he is
backward In his studies or has broken
some Of the regulat ions. In the former
case he spends his afternoon and even.
Ing with his books. II he has been
found guilty of "a breach of discipline,
he, is likely to have to spend his after
noon walking across the quadrangle in,
side Of "barracks,' In, full uniform and
with rifle and bayonet During TWEEN
ty-four hours day, for seven days in
the week, he must eat, walk, study,
recite and in fact doseveryt thing accord
Ing to indexible rules He must OBJ
serve every regulation, be punctual to
the minute IN every duty and obey ev-
cry order given him BY an officer.
There is no favoritism shown, whether
the young man be the son OF 4 mil.
lionaire or Of a day Iaborer.
Tho course OF study ID indeed severe,
but at the same time his physical well
being ID guarded. Between gymnasf-
nm work, drills, marches and abso.
iutely regular hours OF sleep the cadet
~ q hard worked but healthy young
man. III. Irving Hancock In Century.