Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

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.1 Ann MdLNl IM

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Each room in each division constitutes a militaiy command, of which its orderl) ' is chief, and hence held responsible for any disorder which may occur during his tour of dut -. Meals are sei ved at prescribed times, the cadets marching to and from the Mess Hall in battalion under command of the senior cadet captain, who retains command during the meals and gives the signal for the corps to leave at the proper time. Each mess is in charge of a non-commi.ssioned officer; each company of its captain ; and the senior cadet officer present in charge of all is responsible to the Commandant, through the Officer in Charge. For recitations and lectures, the cla.sses are divided into sections, each in charge of the section marcher. At all hours of the d,i - from eight till four, when the bugle sounds the call for change of classes, the sections are formed on the company parade ground.s, under supcn-ision of the Officer of the Day; marched to the lecture rooms by the section marcher and there, by him, turned over to the professor awaiting them. At all roll-calls, whether for drills or ceremonies, the general appearance of the cadet is inspected by his companj- officers and these are checked b) ' close inspections of the Commandant and assistant professors at stated times. B)- these officers, also the condition of all quarters in barracks is inspected daily; the results of such inspections recorded on prepared blanks kept by the Officer of the Day, and by him reported to the Commandant at the expiration of his tour of duty. Guard Mounting and Battalion Parade daily with a guard regulated and gnxemed b) ' the Guard Manual of the United States Army, may be .said to fill out the list of details, necessaril)- mentioned in order to gixe an)- adequate idea of our military as a system. By all authorities, the conduct and bearing of a soldier on guard is considered a good test of his military qualities ; this, of course, within the limits of knowledge and experience required of a private or non-commi.ssioned officer in the ranks. Recognizing this and the fact that to develop the power to control, men must be placed in positions where such power is put to the test, the .s ' stem of guard duty, above referred to, is carried to such an extent at the Institute, as to render it a characteristic part of its military S)-stem. Because of this and as an example of the application of some of the principles mentioned we again, enter into details. Besides the a.ssistant professor in charge, the guard complete is composed of the Officer of the Da}-, two sergeants, two corporals, and fifteen privates. The privates are detailed from the companies by their first sergeaiits ; the non-commissioned officers, by tlie sergeant major from his guard roster and the officers, by the cadet adjutant, from the list of comiiau)- officers present for duty. That it may not interfere too seriousl)- with academic duties the guard is of two kind.s — the regular and the quarter guard, and each is subdivided into three reliefs. The latter of these guards the quarters, and is on duty from re -eille till taps. The former has charge of barracks during the periods at which the corps is absent at meals and being again posted immediately after supper, is on duty throughout the night, till relie -ed, at re ■ ' - by tlie quarter guard.

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' Ilic Officer in Charge holds the Officer of tlic Da ' responsible for the proper instruction of the guard and for the performance of its duties. He, in turn, makes the non-conimissinncd dUicers iniiler him responsible, while thcv require the sentinels to enforce the regulations uithin limits of the post entrusted to their care. W ' hencxcr, therefore, a breach of the regulations occurs, either the guilty parties are reported ur the sentinel or officer under whose supen ' ision it was detected, is charged with neglect of dut -. From this it is reatliU- seen that the idea of individual responsibility runs through the whole scheme, not of the guard only, but of all conditions of cadet life. Four ) ' ears of such life, while not in all cases productixe of is certainK- most conducive to habits (if ])romptness, exactness, neatness and order, and in these ver - points lie the excellencies of the s)-stem ; fostering, as it does, decision of character, self-reliance and self-restraint, and thus fitting its men to be leaders in the battles of life. In every calling man must control men, and as it is an accepted principle of military ethics, that, other things being equal, he can best eonmiand who best obe) ' s, the importance of such a system as ours is at once app.uvnt. The military s stem is Mimetinies coiKlenined f ir making soldiers — ami only soklicrs. As an answer to such objection we simpK- point to the list of our alunmi, nceupxing pusitions nf honor and respimsibility in all parts nf the countrx ' . The history of to-daj ' , however, proves that the nnlitary training is an iini)ortant pari of the education of our -oung men, fir in no less than nine different States, during the last two years ha e the guverndrs ileenied it necessar - to call upon their militi.i tn pruteet lives and property against the fury of lawless mobs. True efficienc) ' in these cummands is impossible without competent officers, and tor such officers a nnlitary training is absolutely necessaiy, for while the power to control and direct men is sometimes found in-born, such cases are rare and most men, if they have it at all, have it in a rudimentaiy state needing de ' elopment. .Such de elopnient nnist be made gradually and by well directed means and methods, and the opportunities for this in time of peace, are f mml (inl - in nur military colleges. The need, however, for trained leaders, has always been appreciated, and to meet such a neeil — in our nwnst.ite primaiily — the JNlilitai ' ) ' S ' stem of the Institute was first organized. That it accomplishes its purpose, history and the iib.ser ation of conser ati e people bear indisputable evidence.