New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-08-20

tus of Harvard university, mnde an
address not long ago before the
Harvard Teachers association. IN
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~ which, he severely criticized the
slYASm United States Military academy AZ
uWNlllIUVU West Point rs nm educational ihstl-
III NMNIIy tution.
rSNX Now, West Point is an Institution
~ Of supreme national Importance, II
nr. Eilot's criticisms can be sus-
tanned. il IN The manifest duty OF
.,a,os and the secretary of war to bring about
nii changes necessary !" IL 'e ~"
hlgh public purpose.
REPRESENTATIVE Fred A. Brlttcn of Illinois In
trnduccd a resolution requesting that certain III
formation be furnished the house by Inc war
department.. Representative Jnlli's hnhh OF
California. chairman of the committee on military
affairs wrote to Secretary OF War Newton II.
t.aker concerning this resolution. Secretary Baker
,nul, this opportunity TO write representative
ltni,n n long communication. which Is IN purpose
aud effect a formal defense OF West Point ana
'sr answer to Or. Eliot's criticisms. In view or
,ir supreme importance of West Point as an
American institution, "A summary of Secretary
I;akrr's defense Is well worth printing.
Dr. Ellot's criticisms are as follows:
L. NO American school or college Intended for
youths between Is and 20 years of age should
accent such M prepared material as West Point
accepts.
. "Nu school or college should have a com
pie,ciy prescribed curriculum.
4 mo school or college should have its teach.
ing done almost exclusively by recent graduates
of the same school or college who are not teach.
crs and who serve short terms.
4 The graduates of West Point during the
World War. both in the field and in business
offices. did not escape. with few exceptions, from
,he methods which they had been taught and
drilled ia during peace. The methods or lighting
were. IN the main. new and the methods OF sup
Ily ard account; ought to have been new. The
rct-iape methods prescribed to the American
Regular Army officers of passing the buck were
very niischieyous all through the actual fighting
and rcniaIn Il serious impeachment to the efficiency
az the war department To this day.
Ia answering criticism No l. Secretary Baker
sris forth the methods Of admission 10 West
Point by congressional and presidential appoint
turnt. connective examinations. entrance exam
mn,Iors etc He then says. In rnrt:
~Fruu, IS.S to 1913 the total number of cnndi-
d.t,.s who have presented themselves for adm's-
sion 10 West Point has been 1919. OF these
So have been admitted. or the residue 422o
,,.rr rejected for admission by the academic
bu,,d: 27+G failed to report; a2l were rejected by
,... incident hoard; 5EI were rejected 10y the joint
,..,,,p Of tIr academic board and the medical
h,r,rd; G,s passed, for whom no vacancies existed;
;os failed to complete the examinations; lSS de
cl,.,4d appointments after completing the eAhml'
,sfiu,,. ard ~ appointments were Cancelled.
III ihus rppears that the process of selection is
.-afIuttNNi0r. lllAi lNf Requirements '"'H " iN'N's
academic standpoint. are adequately high, ana
ti,ot the standards are rlgidly enforced.
linking American secondary education as 1t is.
,o- rid, and poor. Ia the city and in the country.
.,st and west. ann persuaded that no college
,l,-,uinp its students from a wide geographical
a,aa cunIar.s with West Point in the quality OF
a.. material which II receives, and If more uni
f,~,o excellence could be obtained by sectional or
c,,ss selection. surely the exchange would he n
,,sd one for the national constituency which the
sratlemy has always hal
A. to criticism NJ. =, Secretary Eaker says lie
49, not attact, any value 10 any opinion he
a, r,t express ~ to tle controversy between tie
,r-scrfied curriculum and the free elective sys
teus If collegiate education. But he says. II
cannot he conceded that West folht mas a hAeh
,uci,stic and unclIanging curriculum lie men
,t,,s tbe opunirtuieni Of n board Of investiga
lion in 1917. and says il Is only one In a con
,;nyinr series Of Investigations with the view OF
,daptinr the instruction TO the demands "h'ci