Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-04
'. M. |. AGAIN HONORED
BY DEPARTMENT OF WAR
Rated as One Of Thirteen Military
Schools in First Rank
During 1915.
ARMY OFFICER FILES REPORT
Is One of Two Colleges Which Has
Always Been Rated i'm Forefront
by United States Government.
Improvement Shown.

! Tho Virginia Military Institute is
rated rs one of the thirteen honor mil
itary colleges for 1915 in the report
submitted to the War Department by
Captain 5. J. b. Schindcl, United States
! Army, who made the annual govern
ment inspection ut that institution last
| April, and which has just been made
| public. The V. NJ. |. and Norwich Uni
, versity. Vermont, are the only two in
StitutionS that have enjoyed the dis
tinction Of always being an honor coll
! lccc since the method of rating was
| first put into effect by the government.
! Concerning the employment Of the
! graduates OF tho school as officers,
| Captain Schindcl said: Il see no real
| son why il should not ne possible. In
time OF war. To make use Of the two
upper classes ~ this institution "a Of
ficers ana instructors. The high state
Of discipline and training, not only
moral. but also military. will he found
an immense benefit to the country
should officers he needed for the volun-
tecr army.
CADET OFFICERS ,HE
Btti>I:D NY FACULTY
'Thc institute is essentially mill
tary, and tho highest degree of i'm
portancc is attached to military in
Struction." the rcpnr; explains. The
officers at the institute are cordially
supported by the faculty in matters
OF military discipline and military In
struction. Both Lieutenant Byrd and
General Nichols stated this fact to me-
THE students arc continually in uni
form. and the surrounding conditions
ar" conducive to military life and in
struction. and the military spirit is de-
Ncloped and nurturcd to the greatest
extent possible. II forms the main
reason for tho institutions existence
II is with the highest zeal that tho
military duty is performed, and the
general appearance OF tho cadets at
inspection arc excellent
Efficiency in infantry instruction
and training is suncicntly advanced
I" warrant d"voting time To instruc-
tion in artillery and in machine-gun
fro"
IMPROVEMENT FOUND ~
TIL: FIELD WORK.
The general remarks OF tho inspect
ing officer reads: II inspected BIS
"ndots. organized into battalion of
six companies The band furnished
was natlo mp OF men who are employed
about thc institution as tailors shoe
makers, etc. Tho following exercises
w"rc observed: battalion review and
Inspection. excellent: arms and uni
''i IiiS III 'N'''ilclli tt!u1Ilpn. ! ne COM
mInd was also seen in field cuuin-
mont; extended order. excellent. The
arm signals. control and direction OF
iir" should he used altoGcthc in place
of v"rhal commands. Butts's manual.
physical development exercises. bayo-
not fencing, signal stick. were also
observed. results being most satisrac-
tory. En%iuccring section second
class signal section, first aid 70 the
Injured were examined and their
knowledge found 20 be satisfactory
ana sufficient
- field problem. involving Tho de-
tense aud attack Of position. the
Ks" forces operating as in a meeting
"nEa"cmcnt. was carried out succcSs-
fully, although there was on III. part
OF IL" attack Il lack Of control. which.
rnf"rtuna'"ly did no: gain a fire. SUI
r"ri"r,y until wcll along toward the
"nd @! the engagement. as the attack
, ing f"rc", M until this phase. did not
h''h;f 10 near Upon the position OF tho
/ defense. fro 81 any greater number
, "i companies. than two at on" time
target practice has hccn satisfactory
although the time devoted to II docs
not seem 20 he rs great as in the
Years past IN other respects tho in
"utui" was fnlly up 70 its work Of
last wear. ana an Improvement was
: round In their work in the Geld"