The Nome nugget., 1934-09-08

of places In different parts or the |
 United States several hundred husky |
 young Americans between the ages of
 seventeen and twenty-two have been
 IN taking the examinations for admission
 to the United States Military academy
 at West Point They are the men who
 have received appointments to i'll the
 hcies in the Corps of Cadets up to Its maxi authorized strength Of 1874, these vacan- | existing by reason of graduation, resigna-
 ' and dismissals from the academy. [ those who received these appointments are pessful in passing the rigorous mental and .lcal entrance examnations-for there Is no .e in the world where the demand for a md mind in a sound body" Is more impera- Ethan 1t is in Uncle Sam's school on the Hud- t-they will enter the academy during the first tx of next July and begin that four years sse of intensive training which makes "otticers L gentlemen"-but, most of all, MEN,
 shere do these 1874 cadets come from? Well, q come from every part of the United States
 from every stratum of American society.
 rly half of them are from the farms of the
 tn and the East, the ranches of the West
 the plantations of the South. A checksup
 the occupations of the parents of the cadets
 West Point in recent years showed the fol
 
 lawyers and judges, 6i5; physicians S67;
 " officers S6o; mechanics, s41; manufactur-
 151 clergymen, 12S; bankers, 90: and one h for the following: auctioneer, author, chief police cook, natter, lceman, inventor, justice |the peace, pilot, teamster and warden of a son.
 from different strata of society the newcomers the academy may be when they get oft the 4ln at the little station at West Point next V, but 24 hours later the son of the teamster,
 son of the iceman, the son of the Judge, and B son of the army officer are exactly on the i|ne plane They are all "plebes" and, as such, 8 placed in the "beast barracks" to receive Sir preliminary training. Rich and poor, col B e man and high school graduate, they are all Rated alike They all rise at fve-thirty in the 3 rning and go to bed at nine,thrty in the eve Sg. So far as equality Is concerned, 1t Is democ- By to the nth degree.
 Erhe course of instruction during the period of So months before September classes begin is signed to give the new arrival a sound, erect iy, and teach him the fundamental principles military discipline and drill. Throughout this 'ase, the cadet has little or no time of his n. In what might be termed his moments of sure, he Is required to learn the cleaning and re of his rife and equipment.
 The great melting pot is at work: the egotis- al and conceited are brought down; the weak strengthened; the surly and indifferent are lght to obey and act Quickly-a democratic cup of youths Is ready to join the Corps of .dets and start the school year. The first phase over-the "beast" becomes cadet.
 The corps is organized into a regiment of F mpanies In each of which members of all four asses are arranged according to height. Tn daf onpnf tho sannnd battalion N0rnnoSad nf e short men, are called "the runts," while the st and third battalions are termed "fankers," descriptive of their station on the Hanks at trades and other functions.
 Cadet commissioned officers and sergeants are pointed from among the first-classmen tsen- rs). The highest in rank performs the duty of glmental commander, and is titled first cap in"; subordinate grades range down through lttalon and company commanders to lieuten- its, who command platoons, and to sergeants he second-cass furnishes the corporals. All ese appointments are based on the cadets rat gs in leadership, military science, academic andlng conduct and personal appearance, The mass holding" of these men is carried no extreme; 1t ends with the military organ ations and disciplinary drills Tn all other activ- es, individual character-buildng, self-reliance Id initiative are stressed A cadet never loses yht of the great primary aim of West Point e development of personal integrity.
 Academic sections are formed with never more an 16, usually 12, cadets to one instructor ter the instructor has discussed the lesson to plain any parts which are not clear, each cadet epares blackboard assignment and later re- les orally from the material on hls blackboard 'ery cadet recites and Is graded each day, His signment customarily includes original work, velops thorough understanding of topic, ther than the mere ability to memorize, and e language of his oral recitation must be pre- ,e and correct Thus he acquires that quality ,st essential to his later career-self-rellance. At West Point, participation in athletics is not @ special privilege of the swiftest and the longest. Every fall and every spring through t the entire four years, each cadet Is enrolled F some sport which he attends twice a week. ring the hour and fifteen minutes of each at ndance, he receives instruction from competent aches, and, after short preliminary training avs on his company team in competition with her companies. In this system of intramural hletics, no cadet repeats Q sport; accordingly four years he becomes familiar with eight ferent sports which, after he graduates, he Il employ for the physical training of enlisted sn in the army After the first class has graduated in June, the ,x sacona Inlass-UhIch haa eomnlatad two