The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-10-09


tanned, 1t Is the manifest duty Of
congress and the secretary of war to bring about
all changes necessary to fit the institution to its
high public purpose.
Representative Fred A. Britten of Illinois in
troduced q resolution requesting that certain in
formation be furnished the house by the war
department. Representative julius Kahn of
California, chairman Of the committee military
affairs, wrote to Secretary Of War Newton D.
Baker concerning this resolution. Secretary Baker
took this opportunity to write Representative
Kahn long communication, which is In purpose
and effect formal defense of West Point and
m answer to Dr. Eots criticisms. In view of
the supreme Importance of West Point as an
American institution, a summary of Secretary
Bakers defense is well worth printing
DR.. Eliot's criticisms are as follows:
& "No American school or college intended for
youths between IS and 20 years of age should
accept such ill-prepared material as West Point
accepts.
2. mo school or college should have com
pietey prescribed curriculum.
3. mo school or college should have it's teach
fng done almost exclusively by recent graduates
of the school or college who are not teach
ers and who serve short terms.
A. "The graduates Of West Point during the
World War, both in the field and in business
offices, did not escape, with few exceptions, from
: the methods which they had been taught and
were, in the main, new and the methods of sup
ply and account ought to have been new The
red-tape methods prescribed to the American
Regular Army officers Of passing the buck
very mischievous all through the actual fighting
and remain a serious impeachment to the efficiency
OF the war department to this day
in answering criticism No l. Secretary Baker
sets forth the methods of admission to West
Point by congressional and presidential appoint
1nent competitive examinations entrance exam
Anations, etc. He then says, in part
~From 1888 to 1915 the total number of candi-
dates who have presented themselves for admis-
sion to West Point has been 1919 OF these
R352 have been admitted. Of the residue APO
were rejected for admission by the academic
board 2746 failed to report; 921 were rejected by
the medical board; 573 were rejected by the joint
action of the academic board and the medical
hoard: 69S passed, for whom no vacancies existed;
l79S failed to complete the examinations; 1SS de-
xafned appointments after completing the exami-
nation and 80 appointments were cancelled.
at thus appears that the process of selection is
that the requirements from purely
academic standpoint are adequately high. and
chat the standards are rigidly enforced.
taking American secondary education as 1t is
Mr. rich and poor In the city and in the country,
e.st and west, / am persuaded that no college
craving its students from a wide geographical
..rea compares with West Point In the quality of
ne material which 1t receives. and If more uni
-e.xzu excellence could be obtained BY sectional or
<4ass selection surely the exchange would be
- one for the national constituency which the
academy has always had"
(, As to criticism No. 2, Secretary Baker says he
Aoes not attach any value to any opinion ne
,uixht express as to the controversy between the
urcscrlbed curriculum and the free elective sys-
srrs Of collegiate education. But. he says, It
cannot be conceded that West Point has fixed.
,srelastic and unchanging curriculum he men
.s,cr N fy17 and says 1t Is only one In con-
~..,,,nc series Of investigations with the view of
wanting the instruction to the demands which