United States Military Academy West Point - Howitzer Yearbook (West Point, NY)

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ister of each and every graduate has been published 'by 1833. It is no more than just to say that the policy of Cullum. The Association of Graduates annually provides Thayer was steadily carried out, and improved upon, by every member with Bulletins and Reports that cover our General Totten, Chief of Engineers and Inspector of the current history. If Lot LLM' 'A c 'co' ' c ' ' ' A fc ' ' ' 'M I ' ' ' maps, and engravf Academy. I take i greater part of the Our Birthday.- mand in Fort Clit 1779, has lately bee an order published Corps of Engineer West Point, by con' of War. The trt school 'at West P 1779, and Generali founder. His advi many other matter exander Hamilton Knox. It- will not poffraiis of Wasl and Knox will be on the walls of the Colonel Thayer.- we know it dates tendency of Colone who commanded 'l ' . , .

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liiiSt,O1'iCS of West A Point, wanted is a vivid picture that shall show what it is, not only what it has done, We all know, more or less well, what VVest Point is 1'L0'ZU,' what is wanted is to realize how it came to its present state. An institution has an evolution like that of an individual-from youth to complete manhood. We cannot understand a man until we know the steps through which he has grown to power. It is for this reason that no picture of West Point can be adequate unless it is projected on the background of a . S 3. 3 U.S.MQA--1370 history. Like every other living thing, its present is rooted in its past. 'Une can rind a succinct account of the Academy in the Cadet Register of each year, and the two quarto volumes- The Centennial of the U. S. M. A., 1802-1902 U-contain its official history for the first hundred years of its existence. There are formal histories of the Academy by Park, Boyn- ton, Farley, Schaff, and others, accounts of cadet experi- ence are to be found in the memoirs of its graduates, novels and stories relating to VVest Point have been written by King, Malone, Roe, and many others, a biographical reg-

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and the class graded. The annual and final class standing of cach cadet was determined by his marks alone. His conduct was recorded by means of demerit marks. A graded series of punishments was devised, before they were imposed the offender had an opportunity to submit an explanation in writing. Boards of Visitors reported annually on the whole activity of the school. The corps of cadets was divided into companies and organized as a battalion of infantry, with ofncers appointed from the cadets. The summer was spent in camp. A commandant of cadets was detailed, with tact- ical officers under his command. An officer in charge had the immediate care of each day's military duties, and he was assisted by cadet OICflC61'S of the day and guard. The U. S. M. A. regulations of ISIS were written on a single sheet of paper Qnovv in the libraryj. Under Thayer they took a form very much like those of 1907. Our School.-Every cadet will recognize, as he reads these phrases one by one, that the whole framework of our school is here described, piece by piece. Each distinctive feature is portrayed. The whole of our corporate effort is set forth. Tye recognize in Thayer the true Father of the Military Academyfa scientific soldier, a scholar, an organ- izer, an administrator-austere, intelligent, and Wise. He represents its whole tradition. His statue stands on our parade ground. A portrait in full uniform, which he always wore, is in the mess hall. Every day he had the cadet officer of the day to dine with him. I can imagine that the young gentleman would willingly have escaped the ordeal, but this ceremony, like all others, had its uses. The great Superin- tendent's wise and steady hand controlled every movement of the complex machine he had invented. He prescribed the standards of military excellence and guided the Aca- demic Board. He was a scholar in classics as well as in science. The men he drew about him, devoted and faithful, seconded his efforts because they respected his ideals and accomplishments. Crozet, Bartlett, Mahan, Church, and their colleagues represent a great epoch. For sixteen years -until 1833-he directed our school. Wlhen he left it, it had taken shape. Our History.-Since that time there has been a gradual increase in accomplishment, corresponding to the gradual increase of scholarship throughout our land-there has been improvement. There have also been periods of change, the pendulum swinging a little to either side of the normal he established. The changes that were not improvements wore out in time, and were corrected and forgotten. There have also been periods of stress when the very theory of the insti- tution seemed to be in danger, but they have been passed in safety. A calm survey of the seventy-four years that separate Thayer's time from ours shows that his hand is still pointing true to our goal, that his ideals still govern his beloved school. Under Thayer 570 cadets were graduated, and most of them entered the army, into which they carried the professional competence, dignity and skill that they had