Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-11-24
ANOTHER HONOR FOR NORWICH.
Designated as a Unit of the Reserve
officers Training Corps-Is Exclusive
ly Cavalry School.

ChltcN btdtCS, tActpllHp west lOlHt,
has just been designated by the war
department as unit of the reserve of
ficers training corps for training re-
serve officers of cavalry. Norwich uni
versity is the only exclusively cavalry
school in the United States, and is the
only college or university in The United
States designated by the var depart
ment as a cavalry unit, senior division
of the reserve officers training corps.
Norwich university is unique among
American colleges in that it was the
first, by a great many vars, to adopt
a military system l.. connection
with its regular academic courses. The
university was founded in 1919 by Cap
tain Alden Partridge, graduate, and
later superintendent of the United
States military academy at West Point.
1t is the pioneer engineering school of
the country, antedating all others by
at least eight years.
The original name of the institution
was the American Literary, Scientific
and Military academy, but Oh Novem-
Der +, 1884, the state of Vermont grant
cd charter of incorporation under the
name Of the Norwich university. which
thus became the first scientific and
classical az well as the first military
collegiate institution in the United
States.
1t is a characteristic and peculiar fea,
ture of the institution that. in addi-
tion to the usual collegiate courses, the
charter requires ga course of military
instruction, both theoretical and prac-
teal. - For this reason the discipline is
military in form and principle, modelled
after that of the national academy at
West Point. From its foundation to the
present time it has held distinction.
The second president, Truman b. Ran
som, resigned his chair to lead the
Ninth New England regiment in the
Mexican war, and fell at its head in
the assault on Chapultepec, September
1S47. A long line of distinguished sons
served in the Civil and Spanish wars.
Today many are to be found in both
army and navy.
The late Gen. William Tecumsch
Sherman said of the university: "This
military school at one time almost ri.
vailed the National academy at West
Point, and there many man, who af-
forwards became famous in the Mexi-
can and Civil wars, first drank in the
inspiration of patriotism and learned
the lessons of the art of war;
To the discipline and instruction re-
ceived at this institution is due the
reputation acquired by many New Eng
land regiments in the Mexican and
Civil wars. The honor roll Of the Civil
war numbers over 500 officers. The
names of the most prominent generals
are Grenville NJ. Dodge, Thomas +. G.
Ransom, Robert n. Milroy, Joseph A.
Mower, Edward A. Hatch. Truman Sey-
mour, Frederick w. Lander Seth vii.
liams, George F. Buell., Henry s. Bur-
ton, Peter V. Hagner. To these are to
be added II brevet brigadier generals,
80 colonies, 81 lieutenant colonels, "a
majors, 1875 captains. and large mum.
Der of commissioned officers of lower
rank, making 467 in all.
More than 30 of her past cadets
served in the late war with Spain, chief
among them being Admiral Dewey,
Brigadier General Williston, Brigadier
General Edmund Rice, Admiral Con.
verse, Admiral Colvocoresses, and
others of less rank in both branches of
the service.
At the President s call for the mobi
lization of the National Guard in June
1916, 80 per cent of the cadets respond
ed. A number who were under age, and
some who failed to pass the physica
examinations We're eliminated but the
remaining cadets of the university
served through the entire summer. II
addition to the cadets several member.
| of the faculty were i'll service, among
them Colonel l. l.. Reeves, the presi
dent, who served as colonel of the FRS
Vermont infantry on the border, ant
! Captain Charles n. Barber, who wa,
adjutant of this regiment.
Norwich university has for a nun
Der of years been National Guard in
stitution, and has been part of the Ma
tional Guard, in the field artillery, sig
nal corps and cavalry branches of thu
service. The members of the corps wer,
mustered out as national guardsmen il
! September, and since that time tn,
board of trustees has taken the neces
sary action to change its status from
that of national guard organization
to a unit of the reserve officers trainini
corps. The application of the board o,
trustees has just been approved by til,
war department
Under the provisions of the nationa
defense act of June 3, 1916, unde
which the university becomes a caval
ry unit, cadets who have completed tw,
academic years of service and who hav,
been selected for further militar,
training by the president of the insti
tuition and the professor of military
science and tactics will be entitled t.
communication of subsistence. All cadet
receive service uniforms free.
As reserve officers training corp
unit of the cavalry branch of the ser
vice, the government will furnish tn
necessary horses, saddles, and othe
horse equipment, as well as Garcia kcr
for public animals
Any graduate who has completed
course in military training will receiv
commission as a reserve officer of tn
regulars and of the volunteers.
The course of instruction as a cavalr,
unit, in addition to theoretical instruc
ton in various military subjects, en-
bracing rules of war, minor tactics
small arms firing, guard duty, etc, will
include an intensive practical course il
equitation and Craftsmanship.
Norwich is a picturesque as well a
| al