The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-01-10
STORY LED TO WEST POINT
How General Pershing Became
Soldier.


and commander of the American
expeditionary force in France. The
story is told by General Pershing's
sister, Mrs. Butler and Miss May
Pershing, who are residents of Lin
coin. Neb., and who have given to
the Associated Press intimate views
of Pershing's character in his youth
full days.
It was while Pershing and his Sis
ter now Mrs. Butler were attending
the Missouri State Normal School at
Kirksville, Mo-, that his attention was
one day called to newspaper an
nouncement that examinations were
to be held for appointment to the
West Point Military Academy. Young
Pershing asked his sisters advice as
to whether he should try for the ap-
pointment and she advised him to do
so. Then followed a short season of
intensive study in preparation. 8.
In few days he was called before
the examining board and, although
improperly prepared, received the
highest mark among the contestants
and soon afterward was notified of
his appointment. Up to this time his
action had been a secret between his
sister and himself and it remained
so until he was ready to start for
West Point. On his way to the mill
tary academy he stopped off at the
home of his parents and for the first
time told them they were to have a
soldier in the family.
Boyhood Days.
AS a boy, General Pershing, his
sisters say, was of quiet, serious
temperament, assuming, as the Oldest
of six children, many of the RESPONSE
bilities of the family. He was wont,
during his early years which were
spent in Laclede, Mo-, his birth
place, to manage one of the several
farms operated by his father, John
F. Pershing, a merchant and farmer
of Laclede.
"John," Mrs. +Butler said, "al-
though of a quiet disposition, liked a
good time and enjoyed fun as much
as any one. Yet when he started
anything he wanted to get the result
and he generally attained that object
before he gave it up"
While at the normal school at
Kirksville, he was always in the cen
ter of student activities and never
was content to be merely one of the
crowd but he wanted to be head of
TIE movement. His personal mag
netism and generally ikeable cha
racter quickly won him friends and
supporters and soon became one of
| the student leaders.
After having been graduated from
West Point and having served with
General Miles in a campaign in New
| Mexico against the Indian chief,
| Geronimo, Pershing was stationed as
military instructor at the University
of Nebraska. His friends there re-
member him as a fun loving young
man who enjoyed music and dancing
parties and other social activities,
and who appreciated a good joke.
"Old Jack Best" the veteran train
er at the university remembers Per-
shing intimately. "He was the finest
man that l ever worked WITH" said
Best. "It's true he was mighty
strict with his work but the results
he got were so good that everybody
he worked with loved him for it.
When he was here he had regiment
the university could be proud of. 1
just worshipped that man and every
body around the university felt the
same way about him. If any of you
newspaper men get a chance to tell
it to him, you just say that old Jack
wishes him the best cf luck in the
world and that he hopes II will beat
the Germans all alone.
Usually he was mighty dignified
in his work but he had way Of get
ting next to new men," continued
Best. "The first time I ever saw him
he walked right up to me, slapped me
on the shoulder and said, We'll, Jack,
they tell me you got along mighty
well with my predecessor. If you did
I am darned sure we'll get along just
as we'll
Had to Black Shoes.
"The boys at the university got a
surprise the first day Pershing drill
ed them,' said Best. 1T had been
their habit before that time to come
to drill with shoes blackened or not,