Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-05-16

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young Americans between the ages of
81 N taking the examinations nsassls1 for adm admission Dsen
to the United States Military academy
- at West Point. They are the men who
have received appointments to fill the
vacancies In the Corps of Cadets up to Its maxi
mum authorized strength of 1874, these vacan-
cies existing by reason of graduation, resigna-
lions and dismissals from the academy.
III those who received these appointments are
SUCCESSFUL In passing the rigorous mental and
physical entrance examinations-for there is no
place In the world where the demand for a
Sound mind In a sound body'' is more impera-
tive than 1t la In Uncle Sans school on the Hud-
son-they will enter the academy during the first
week OF next July and begin that four years.
course OF Intensive training which makes Officers
and gentlemen"-but most of all, MEM
Where do these 1874 cadets come from? Well,
they come from every part Of the United States
and from every stratum of American society.
Nearly half of them are from the farms of the
North and the East, the ranches of the West
and the plantations of the South. A check-up
on the occupations of the parents of the cadets
at West Point In recent years showed the fol-
lowing: farmers and planters. LAO; merchants,
772; lawyers and judges, 645; physicians, 867:
army officers, 1862; mechanics, BAL; manufactur-
ers. 151 clergymen, 1913; bankers, 90; and one
each for the following auctioneer, author, chief
of police, cook, halter, iceman, inventor, Justice
of the peace, pilot, teamster and warden of a
prison.
From different strata of society the newcomers
to the academy may be when they get of the
train Of the little station at West Point next
July, but "A hours later the son of the teamster.
the son of the iceman, the son of the Judge, and
the son OF the army officer are exactly on the
same plane. They are all "plebesn and. as such,
are placed In the 'beast barracks" to receive
their preliminary training. Rich and poor, col
lege man and high school graduate, they are all
treated alike. They all rise at fve-thirty In the
morning and 20 to bed at nine-thirty In the eve
ming. So far as equality Is concerned, 1t is democ-
racy to the nth degree.
The course OF instruction during the period of
two months before September classes begin Is
designed to give the new arrival a sound, erect
body, and teach him the principles
OF military discipline and drill. Throughout this
phase, the cadet has little or no time of his
own. In what might be termed his moments of
leisure, he is required to learn the cleaning and
care Of his rife and equipment.
The great melting pot is at work: the egotis-
tical and conceited are brought down the weak
are strengthened the surly and Indifferent are
taught to obey and act quickly-a democratic
group of youths is ready to join the Corps OF
Cadets and start the school year. The first phase
is over-the beast becomes a cadet.
The corps is organized into a regiment of IL
companies, In each of which members of all four
classes are arranged according to height. In
cadet argot, the second battalion, composed of
the short men, are called 'the runts," while the
first and third battalions are termed "fankers,' .
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parades and other functions.
Cadet commissioned officers and s~ergeants are
appointed from among the frst-classmen (sen-
iors). The highest In rank performs the duty of
regimental commander, and is titled "frst cap
tain; subordinate grades range down through
battalion and company commanders to lieuten-
ants, who command ~platoons, and to sergeants.
The second-class furnishes the corporals. All
these appointments are based on the cadets rat
ings In leadership, military science, academic
standing, conduct, and personal appearance.
The mass molding' of these men Is carried
to no extreme; 1t ends with the military organ
~izations and disciplinary drills. In all other activ-
tiles, individual characterbuilding, self-reliance
and initiative are stressed. A cadet never loses
sight of the great primary aim Of West Point
the development of personal integrity.
Academic sections are formed with never more
than TO, usually IL, cadets to one instructor.
After the instructor has discussed the lesson to
explain any parts which are not clear, each cadet
prepares a blackboard assignment, and later re-
cites orally from the material on his blackboard.
Every cadet recites and is graded each day. His
assignment customarily includes original work,
develops thorough understanding Of q topic,
rather than the mere ability to memorize, and
the language of his oral recitation must be pre-
else and correct. Thus he acquires that quality
most essential to his later CONGRATULATIONS
At West Point, participation In athletics is not
the special privilege of the swiftest and the
strongest. Every fall and every spring through
out the entire four years, each cadet is enrolled
for some sport, which he attends twice a week.
During the hour and fifteen minutes Of each at
he receives instruction from competent
coaches, and, after short preliminary training,
on his company team In competition with
other companies. In this system of intramural
no cadet repeats a sport; accordingly,
In four years he becomes familiar with eight
different sports which. after he graduates, he
will employ for the physical training Of enlisted
men In the army.
After the nrst class has graduated In June, the
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