The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-08-26

the World War has shown could be made upon
military men. He then says, in part:
after all, West Point is a special school, as is
the Naval academy at Annapolis, as is any
school of Mines or of chemistry or of languages.
This does not justify the turning out Of soldiers,
or mining engineers, chemists who know moth
ing else; but it does justify of instruction
which emphasizes the speciality while it pro-
duces educated The purpose of West
Point therefore, is not to act a gloriied drill
sergeant, but to lay foundation upon which a
career of growth in military knowledge be
based, and to accompany it with two indispensable
additions; first, such a general training edu-
Gated men find necessary for intelligent inter-
course with one another, and second, the incul-
cation of a set of virtues admirable always, but
Indispensable in the soldier. Men may be inexact,
untruthfu, in ordinary matters, and suf-
fer consequence only the disesteem of their
associates, the inconvenience of unfavorable
litigation; but the inexact untruthful soldier
triAes with the lives of his fellow men. and the
honor of his government, and it IS, therefore, no
matter of idle pride, but rather Of stern dis
cfplinary necessity that makes West Point re-
quire of her students character for trustworthI
ness which knows no evasiOns.
81 ought to point out that West Point is but the
beginning of education in the army. In each Of
the services there are continuation schools Of
growing breadth and usefulness, and the plan
toward which army education is tending viii
and more seek only the fundamentals both
of education and character. at West Point and
look more and more to the special schools for
"a test may be appealed to with confidence.
During the first hundred years 02-1902) of its
existence 2,371 graduates of West Point left the
army to go into civil life. The occupations of
these graduates are shown in the following
table: President of the United States, I presi-
dent of the Confederate States, 1 presidential
candidates, 8; vtcepresidential candidates, .;
members of the cabinet of the United States, 4
ambassador 1; ministers of the United States to
foreign countries. IA; charge d'afaires of the
United States to foreign countries, 2; United
States consul generals and cOnsuls II; members
of congress, "a; United States civil officers of
various kinds, III; presidential electors, 8; gov
errors of states and territories, 16; bishops, 1
lieutenant governors q judges, IA members of
state legislatures IT; presiding officers of state
senates and houses of representatives g mem
bers Of conventions for the formation of state
constitutions. Is; state officers of various grades
81 adjutants inspectors and quartermaster gen.
erals and chief engineers of states and territories
% officers of state militia, 15S mayors Of cities
IT; city officers, ST. presidents Of universities
colleges ETC., IS; principals of academies and
schools 3D. regents and chanceIlors Of educational
institutions, IA; professors and teachers 1876:
superintendent of coast survey, 1; surveyors gen.
eraI of states and territories IL; chief engineers
of states, a. presidents of railroads and other
corporations 81; chief engineers of railroads and
other public works, So; superintendent of rail-
roads and other public works. 81; treasurers and
receivers of railroads and other corporations d.
civil engineers. 22S; electrical engineers 3. NJ
torneys and counselors at law, 200; superior
general of clerical order, 1; clergymen, 20:
physicians IA; merchants, 122: manufac turers
II artists 8; architects, z farmers and planters
go; bankers. 10: bank presidents, 8: bank off,
GERS %; editors. 3d. authors, 179.
mot all of the foregoing occupations are sio
nif1cant of intellectual supremacy or uecesssrfIy
superior training but the list is one which couId
not have been made by college with an made
quate or archaic system OF education. These men
have stepped out of West Point into civil life
and qualified in large numbers for positions from
fFa wifi he off Of RI
all walks Of life; list quite too large and i'm
posing to represent the triumph OF talent over
obstruction"
Discussing criticism No. 8, Secretary Baker
says that the special character Of the education
which West Point must give limits the field OF
selection of its teachers. He defends the practice