The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-06
WEST POINT ROUTINE.
Cadets Are Busy From 6 In the Morn.
ing Till 10 at Night.

ing Till 10 at Night.
In nearly every case the boy who
wishes to go to West Point must put
in year or two of especially strenu-
Gus study in order to be able to pass
the entrance examination. That is
nothing compared with what is before
him in case he succeeds in entering
the academy. West Point is the worst
possible place for lazy or stupid boy
He is aroused at e o'clock in the morn
ing, has a stated number of minutes
in which to wash and dress himself, a
few more minutes in which to aid his
roommate in setting the little apart
nent to rights.
Let the boy who wishes to go to
West Point gaze around his room at
home and see how it looks. Then let
him understand that at the academy a
scrap of paper on the floor or any 9th
or untidinaeS will bring about a pun
ishment that affects his standing In 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 recitation. The schoolmas-
ters at West Point, who are all army
officers, are looked upon as being the
most strict in the country. No cadet
is 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 to escape unnoticed, for
each class is divided into sections of
about eight young men each, and the
tot 1oo 70 v,
hour and half each. Between a. m
and / p. m. the time is evenly divided
between study and recitation.
At 1 o'clock the battalion Of cadets
marches to the mess hall for dinner,
after which few minutes are allow
ed for recreation" At 2 o'clock stud
les and recitations are resumed until 4
o'clock This IL followed by an hour
and 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 10
they spend the time in their rooms in
cadet barracks at hard study. At 10
O'Clock taps sounds, and Immediate
ly every young man must have his
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" A 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 regulations In the former
case he spends his afternoon AMI ev IN.
ing with his books If he has been
found guilty of a breach of discipline.
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 do everything accord
ing to inf1exible 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 a mil
lionaire or Of day laborer
The course of study is indeed severe,
but at the same time his physical well
being is guarded. Between gymnasi-
UNI work. drills. marches and abso-
lutely regular hours of sleep the cadet
is hard worked but healthy young
man.-H. Irving Hancock in Century.