The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-10
EESTAL DAYS AT WEST POINT
rlEN IF THE RAIN DID SPOIL
THE SHOW
Didn't spoil the Fun Of the Girls n the
cadets and the Chaperons-Stand-
Ing OF tho Graduating Class-Two
hinamen Among tho los Members.

NEsr POINT, June 0.-There are some
rlace Of learning where a downpour on
INV day Of graduation week would SO
,rss, matters that even the sweet girl
visitors would be put out OF sorts. West
LAM, is an exception. True the rain
today spoiled the outdoor programme.
rb,ch consisted OF an athletic meet that
had TO he given up a few minutes after
II started. Field artillery drill this after
rcon and the baseball game with Colgate
we're also postponed. One rather expects
Incle Sans boys to laugh at the elements.
especially a gentle midsummer rain.
and go through their spectacular stunts
according TO schedule, and nest OF the
cadets did laugh to some extent at the
weather. There was a sly look In the
ewes Of some as they pretended not wen
10 smile.
Why was III Ask, the girls who have
come up here in the usual droves and
Who have taken possession Of this de-
liyhtful place, as they always do In
graduation week, what Is a field artillery
Grill compared with a chat with a soulful
eyed young person who Just dotes on
est Point and can see all the joys Of
existence concentrated in gold lace.
bright buttons and uniforms s. tight
end beautifully moulded to a manly
fern that a princess gown looks like a
fsppins robe in comparison. Lots OF the
bows and practically all Of the sweethearts
and sisters rejoiced over II.
The rain turned the hotel on the post
Grounds into one big reception room for
The afternoon. The corridors were alive
With summary gowns and the chatter
sss like the rallies at a skirmish drill.
There were plenty OF cosey corners and
secluded hooks for low voiced converse
tons. and now and then a gentle hand
PRESSURE. Chaperons, OF course there
we're on hand, plenty OF EN-. and they
we're Of just the right kind. trained to the
minute in details and warranted not to
need hitcbing to any place. They Just
stayed where they were put, n even
II 1t stormed and Irritation walk was put
out OF business, there were other places
that could be put to good use on a serious
occasion like a West Point graduation
week. For Annapolis midshipmen any
port may do IN time OF storm, but Tor a
Vest Point cadet any nook and corner
will do on a rainy day II the chaperon
is properly indulgent. and all army chap
eIons are.
SO fast did the social whirl go this after
noon that the assistants Of Col. Scott.
Superintendent of the Academy, found 1t
difficult to round up the graduation cadets
this afternoon to make their declaration
as to which branch Of the army service
they would like TO enter. They struggled
but the telephone had to be used much
more than usual in order to corral the
coming graduates. All were in full dress
and they had been going around making
farewell calls. drinking tea. munching
sweets, saying the more or less solemnly
wise things young men 40 at graduation
time about elevating mankind and serving
the public good. after which they hiked
ii across the parade ground to that
crowded hotel. and the chatter. chatter
about sports. dances, furloughs. army
posts and some other things that, never
look as sweet al nice in print as they do
everybody said it wasn't SO bad if that
artillery drill and baseball game had
been postponed and Irritation walk was
deserted.
The class Of 1909 consists Of ios mem.
bers. but really there are only lol. Two
Of the class are the Chinese cadets; Wen
States uniform after next Friday. The
authorities here say it's an unusually
bright class and will rank with any in
scholarship that West Point has eyer
graduated. They are likely looking
youngsters, but then what college grad
and neater than a West Point cadet, with
his diploma and commission just in sight
and his parents and scores OF summer
girls &c smile on him as he dances at
tendance on them?
This years class Is unusually cocky
because West Pcint has cleaned up
Annapolis in football. baseball and fenc-
ing, all tie sports they engage in, and the
graduating class always gets most Of
the credit. So il on Friday evening,
when the graduating class goes down TO
New York for it's good-by dinner. about
100 young mon appear in the streets
with what is known as a chesty style
Of pure jealousy, The boys here say
they have a right to look chesty and
refer inquirers to the authorities at N
napolis for confirmation Of the reason.
The graduating exercises this year
will be minus one regular feature, the
present Law the Board Of Visitors is made
up from the military committees Of both
houses OF Congress. Congress being
IN special session no military committee
has yet been appointed in ths House by
one, bst that everlasting tariff debate
is on and no one here looks for Senators
TO come up when the delights OF a debate
on a wool schedule are presented to a
Senator. The Board Of Visitors usually
bring a train Of guests with them. and
these will be missed this year But
the cadets and girls won't mind 1t any.
The order OF the graduates was pub
lshed to-day. Stuart C. Godfrey Of Nil.
ford, Mass, is No. /; F. c. Harrington OF
Bristol, Va. is No. 2; c. G. Gee OF Mont.
pelier, Idaho, is No. 8; j. NJ. Wright OF
fairview, N. H., is No. I; J. r. D. Matthe-
son Of Billings, Mon. is No. 5; w. H. Sage,
Jr, Of Bellport. l.. l., is No, g. CD Tay-
Ter oil Buffalo, Wyo.. Is No. 7; E. V: Marks
Of Wilmington, Del, is No. 81; Earl North
q Inlay, Mich, is No. 0; 4. II. Acher OF
Grove City. Pa, is No, 10; g. V. B; Wilkes
Of Washington. Ky. is No II; J. c; q
S. Bcsson Of Amber, Pa. Is No. 10; L. c.
Hardness OF Wyncote. Pa, Is No. II; and
A. K. Blyman Of Hih. Hawaii. is No. is.
An these young men will go in the
engineering corps. an unusually large
number. This is the order Of general
merit for the rest OF the class:
is, Richardson: II. Partridge; IL. Ahern;
r., Beere: 20. McNabb; al. oldield; %,
Erlenkctter. %. Thummel; ~. Beardslee;
q, Whitaker: "a, Miner; 81. Brice; 7s. Briscoe;
=. Dunsworth: 30. Crissy; 81, Farman;
g., h. u. Johnson: 80. G l., yanDeuser. ~.
lveret. IS. Catron; 80. Parker; 81. Greble; IS,
Delano; 81, Davers: 40, p. Hayes; Il, Doniat;
4. Nix; a., j.. l.. Walsh; a. Baehr; IS. Frank
In. Is. Patten: ~, Mslven: ~. z. l.. Kelly;
~. league; so. Ord: 81. Hughes; 81. Donald
son, 81. Philoon: 81. Meyer; IS. Stearns:
80 1'ari1.. . = lI,l. re AfN,tpffnrd 70 ElItars