Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-12
APPLICANTS FOR WEST POINT
To the Editor the Alexandria Gazette

APPLICANTS FOR WEST POINT.
To the Editor OF the Alexandria Gazette.
Dear Sir:-Your editorial iE the issue
Of the Gazette for August 7, in reference
to the lack of applicants for West Point
has interested me very much and | feel
that should answer it.
In my opinion the newspapers have
written in q derogatory manner of the
patriotism shown by the average
American youth" I believe that there
is a mistake somewhere IN not having
the vacancies filled. / also believe that
this mistake is rot one Of the
average American youth" but that it
| lies in the fact that the law for appoint
/ ment to West Point is inadequate and
possibly some of the senators and repre-
sentatives do not make the best of their
opportunity to fill their respective ap.
pointments,
Ia my own experience know Of two
young men in the city of Alexandria,
am one ofthem, who have tried for
at least four months for an appoint
ment but with no result. And, If !
were to think while, ! could name
four or five more young men who
have been through the saple per.
formance.
About nine months ago l wrote to
West Point and ascertained the va
capcies existing in the Virginia quota
in that institution aud, with this infor-
nation as kind of check, wrote
each congressman who had vacancy
and in each case, save one, received
the Information that their vacancies
were filled This exception was dis
trict in the neighborhood OF Norfolk.
My answer from there was to the effect
that as there were five or six appli-
cants, from the said district, being a
resident Of another district. would
stand no show. Yet i'll spite of these
FIVE or six applicants. this same dist,i:t
was recently reported by the War De-
partment as vacant
Again, ] was instructed by a Con-
gresham who was entitled to give
me an appointment, If he could OBJ
tain one, to prepare list Of Con-
gresham west OF the Mississippi who
had vacancies in their respective dis
tricts. And, parenthetically, let me
say that some OF these districts have
remained vacant several years. I fur
nished list OF iorty-two names and
after about two weeks this congress
man informed me that there was posi-
lively no hope OF my getting to West
Point.
1t seems to me that if there is not
two appointments forthcoming from
these forty-two vacancies, some OF
which are OF several years duration
and are perhaps destined to be vacant
for several more years, there is some
defect somewhere.
According to your editorial there is
shortage Of one hundred candidates
for West Point for 1912. In spite Of
this enormous shortage there are two
Alexandria boys whose ambition is to
reach the Point. yet, according to law,
they are unable to realize the height of
this ambition.
l am not writing this for the fun
OF the thing but because | saw al
opportunity to say that at least two
young men have tried for an appoint
ment and have, so far, failed, but are
still ready to prepare for and take
the entrance examinations if only the
appointment is at hand. l am only
writing this in hopes that the Alexan-
dria Gazette might use its influence to
help two residents of Alexandria in
doing something that they alone have
as yet, been unable to accomplish.