r- T sj i r«:s *..r UNIVUlii:! / If iUiiiaC, 3r>i i 7 I States iltlttanj Aratomg WEST POINT, NEW YORK OV DEC 21 1932 UNIVERSITY hVUNOlS United States military Academy situated at West Point, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River, is a school maintained at the expense of the United States Government for the practical and theoretical training of young men to fit them as officers of the United States Army. The necessity for a military academy for the technical training of officers was manifest from the very first days of the Revolution. A plan for such a school was proposed by General Henry Knox in 1776, and elaborated by Alexander Hamilton. Its establishment was frequently recommended by Washington. The very last letter written by him declares it to be “an object of primary importance to this country.” The United States Military Academy was organized by Act of Congress in 1802. Its first Superintendent was Colonel Jonathan Williams, a grand-nephew of Benjamin Franklin. Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, whose statue at West Point bears the legend “The Father of the Military Academy,” was Superin¬ tendent during the years 1817-33. The curriculum, military and academic, was adopted under his leadership, and the traditions of Thayer were carried on and improved under the supervision of General James G. Totten, In¬ spector U. S. M. A., 1838-1864, by a succession of able Superintendents. For 47 years one policy prevailed and the type of West Point education was fixed. The expe- rience of the wars of 1846, 1861 and 1898 introduced modifications of detail, leaving the early traditions sub¬ stantially unchanged. The first object of the school is to form character. Habits of faithfulness, obedience, attention to duty first, last and all the time, are inculcated throughout the entire course of four years. At the end of this period the cadet receives a commission as lieutenant in the army. The discipline is strict. A system of daily “marks” enables each cadet to judge his own performance and to bring himself up to the required standard. Habit becomes a second nature and the officer carries into the service qualities that have been continuously inculcated. There are something like 18,000 opportunities for a cadet to be “late” at some duty or drill during his course. Each delinquency is noted and punished, and the habit of punctuality is thus established. So with other habits. The large number of instructors (officers of the army) enables the proficiency of every cadet in every subject to be tested every day and competence is insisted upon as well as satisfactory conduct. A high standard of per¬ sonal honor and truthfulness is maintained at West Point. The record of the disbursing officers of our army for scrupulous honesty has never been equalled by any or¬ ganization in this or any country. The results of a West Point training are appreciated by the Country at large. The services of the army at the San Francisco earthquake and fire will not soon be for¬ gotten. Every citizen is satisfied that the Panama canal will be built honestly and well. The administration of Cuba and the Philippines has been admirable and it has been honest. A training that produces such results deserves the study of educators. The curriculum is fixed and comprises courses in Mathematics, English, French, Spanish, Physics, Chem¬ istry, Mineralogy, Geology, Hygiene, History, Law, Civil and Military Engineering, Tactics, Topography, Ordnance, Fortifications, the Art of War and Military History. The academic ideal is to give power by means of useful knowledge to each and every cadet rather than to develop special aptitudes. It is worthy of note that the graduates are successful in civil as well as military pursuits. They have given to the Country 1 President, 4 Cabinet Officers, 1 Ambassador, 14 Ministers to foreign courts, 26 U. S. Senators or Representatives, 16 Governors of States or Territories, 46 Presidents of Colleges, 136 Professors and Teachers, 87 Presidents of Railroad or other corporations, 63 Chief Engineers of Railroads, 228 Civil Engineers, 179 Authors, etc., etc. Ex-President Roosevelt has said (June, 1902) “No other educational institution in the land has contributed so many names as West Point to the honor roll of the Nation’s greatest citizens”—and this is true whether in civil or military careers. GENERAL VIEW OF BARRACKS, ACADEMIC BUILDING, AND EAST SHORE OF HUDSON RIVER r.'/> SOUTH BARRACKS NORTH BARRACKS WITH CHAPEL IN BACKGROUND EAST ACADEMIC BUILDING WEST ACADEMIC BUILDING CHAPEL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ■■ MEMORIAL HALL, DADE MONUMENT IN FOREGROUND tss THE LIBRARY MAIN ROOM, LIBRARY INTERIOR OF RECITATION ROOM # WEST POINT VIEWS VIEW OF SUMMER CAMP —JUNE 14-AUGUST 28 BATTLE MONUMENT Memorial to the Officers and Enlisted Men o£ the Regular Army who Fell in the Civil War THE COLORS CADET UNIFORMS A CLASS PICTURE EVENING PARADE IN CAMP FORMATION FOR INFANTRY DRILL SATURDAY INSPECTION IN OVERCOAT At the Inaugural Parade, Washington. Marching to position for Review by President SWIMMING POOL AND GYMNASIUM WORK ON PARALLEL BARS — GYMNASIUM FENCING COMPETITION INSTRUCTION IN FENCING — GYMNASIUM PHYSICAL DRILL TARGET PRACTICE LIGHT BATTERY DRILLS MACHINE GUNS DRILLS WITH SEACOAST GUNS DRILL WITH SEACOAST MORTARS Target practice at siege battery PITCHING SHELTER TENTS CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETION OF PONTOON BRIDGE DRILL IN IMPROVISING PONTOON BOATS RIDING HALL —ONE-HALF OF FIRST CLASS CAVALRY DRIL' PISTOL PRACTICE, JUMPING AND CALISTHENICS LEAVING RIDING HALL FOR PRACTICE MARCH INCIDENTS ON THE MARCH ON MANOEUVERS TRACK ATHLETICS THE HIGH HURDLES A BASKETBALL SQUAD POLO HOCKEY ON LUSK RESERVOIR THE BASEBALL DIAMOND CROWD OF ROOTERS CORPS OF CADETS ENTERING FRANKLIN FIELD, PHILADELPHIA wmm INCIDENTS OF THE GAME FOOTBALL ON THE OLD FIELD AT WEST POINT up a 41 r P *5 5 ANNUAL FOOTBALL GAME BETWEEN WEST POINT AND ANNAPOLIS, 1913, POLO GROUNDS, NEW YORK* CITY. WEST. POINT 22, ANNAPOLIS 9. RECREATION —TENNIS, HOCKEY, GOLF, POLO V77?. IN THE MESS HALL VIEW NORTH FROM TROPHY POINT GRADUATION EXERCISES RELIGIOUS SERVICES —DURING SUMMER CAMP SCENES IN COLOR-LINE ENTERTAINMENT DECORATING CAMP FOR THE COLOR-LINE ENTERTAINMENT HUNDRED NIGHTS TILL JUNE —THE ANNUAL PLAY GIVEN BY CADETS A HOP IN MEMORIAL HALL APPOINTMENTS. How Made. —Each Congressional District and Territory—and also Porto Rico—is entitled to have one cadet at the Academy. Each State is also entitled to have two cadets from the State at large; two are al¬ lowed from the District of Columbia and forty are allowed from the United States at large. The law, however, provides that for six years from July 1, 1910, whenever any cadet shall have finished three years of his course at the Academy his successor may be admitted. The appoint¬ ment from a Congressional District is made upon the recommendation of the Representative, in Congress from that District, and those from a State at large upon the recommendations of the Senators of the State. Similarly the appointment from a Territory is made upon the recom¬ mendation of the Delegate in Congress. The appointments from the District of Columbia are made on the recommendation of the Commis¬ sioners of the District. Each person appointed must be an actual resident of the State, District, or Territory from which the appointment is made. The appointments from the United States at large are made by the President of the United States upon his own selection. The cadet from Porto Rico, who must be a native of that island, is appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Resident Commissioner. Date of Appointments. —Appointments are required by law to be made one year in advance of the date of admission, except in cases where, by reason of death or other cause, a vacancy occurs which cannot be provided for by such appointment in advance. These vacancies are filled in time for the next examination. Candidates. —For each vacancy three candidates should be nominated, one of the candidates to be named as principal and the others as alternates. The alternate making the highest proficient average will be entitled to admission in case of the failure of the principal. A candidate for admission to the United States Military Academy from a State, District, or Territory may be admitted without mental examination upon one of the following conditions: 1. That he present a properly attested certificate that he is a regularly enrolled student in good standing without condition in any university, college, or technological school accredited by the United States Military Academy, provided that the entrance requirements for the course he is pursuing in such institution include proficiency in the subjects of mathe¬ matics Ai (algebra to quadratics), A s (algebra, quadratics and beyond), and C (plane geometry); English A (reading and practice) and B (study and practice), as outlined by the College Entrance Examination Board. 2. That he present a properly attested certificate of graduation from a preparatory school or public high school which is on the accredited list of one of the institutions referred to in paragraph 1 of this order, pro¬ vided that he is thus certified to have established proficiency in mathe¬ matics A,, A», and C, and English A and B, as outlined by the College Entrance Examination Board. 3. That he present a properly attested certificate from the College Entrance Examination Board that he has passed 14 units of its examina¬ tions, including mathematics Ai, A-., and C, English A and B, and history A (ancient history) and D (American history and civil government). If a candidate is not able to enter under one of the three above condi¬ tions then he must appear for the mental and physical examinations before boards of Army officers convened on the last Tuesday in March of each year at such places as the War Department may designate. At these examinations the candidate must show that he is well versed in algebra, to include quadratic equations and progressions, plane geometry, English grammar, composition and literature, descriptive and physical geography, and general and United States history, as explained in the circulars of notification. The Board before which a candidate is directed to appear will be, without exception, the one convened at the place nearest or most convenient to his home, or to the school at which he is in regular attendance at the time of appointment. Engagement to serve. —Immediately after reporting to the Super¬ intendent for admission and before receiving their warrants of appoint¬ ment candidates are required to sign in the presence of the Superin- tendent, or of some officer deputed by him, engagements for service in the following form: I,-, of the State (or Territory) of-, aged-years,- months, do hereby engage (with the consent of my parent or guardian) that from the date of my admission as a cadet of the United States Military Academy I will serve in the Army of the United States for eight years unless sooner discharged by competent authority. In the presence of-. Oath of allegiance. —“Each cadet shall, previous to his admission to the academy, take and subscribe an oath or affirmation in the following form: “ ‘I,-, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and bear true allegiance to the National Govern¬ ment; that I will maintain and defend the sovereignty of the United States paramount to any and all allegiance, sovereignty, or fealty I may owe to any State, county, or country whatsoever, and that 1 will at all times obey the legal orders of my superior officers and the rules and articles governing the Armies of the United States.’ (Sec. 1320, R. S.) “Sworn to and subscribed at-- this - day of-, nineteen hundred and-, before me.” Qualifications.—No candidate shall be admitted who is under seventeen, or over twenty-two years of age, or less than five feet four inches in height at the age of seventeen, or five feet five inches in height at the age of eighteen and upward, or who is deformed, or afflicted with any disease or infirmity which would render him unfit for the military service, or who has, at the time of presenting himself, any disorder of an infectious or immoral character. Candidates must be unmarried. Note. —Candidates are eligible for admission from the day they are seventeen until the day they become twenty-two years of age, on which latter day they are not eligible. VACATIONS AND LEAVES OF ABSENCE. Academic duties are suspended from the completion of the June ex¬ aminations until the end of August. During this period cadets live in camp and are engaged in military duties and exercises and in receiving practical instruction in military and other subjects. Academic duties are also suspended from December 24th, until January 2d, except for those undergoing examination. All duties and exercises, as far as practicable, are suspended on New Year’s Day, February 22d, May 30th, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Cadets of the first, second and third classes not undergoing examina¬ tion are allowed short leaves at Christmas, if their conduct during the preceding six months has been satisfactory. Excepting these short leaves for good conduct, cadets are allowed but one leave of absence during the four years’ course. This leave is granted to those cadets who have successfully completed the third class course of study, and extends from the middle of June to the 28th of August. PAY OF CADETS. The pay of a cadet is $600 per year and one ration per day, or commu¬ tation therefor at thirty cents per day. The total is $709.50, to commence with his admission to the Academy. The actual and necessary traveling expenses of candidates from their homes to the Military Academy are credited to their accounts after their admission as cadets. DEPOSIT PRIOR TO ADMISSION. Immediately after admission candidates must be provided with an outfit of uniform, &c., the cost of which is about $160. This sum, or at least $100 thereof, must be deposited with the Treasurer of the Academy before the candidate is admitted. ACADEMIC DUTIES. There are two terms of academic instruction; September 1-December 23, and January 2-June 4. A semi-annual examination is held December 26-31, and an annual examination June 5-12. All cadets who attain a certain standard in their academic work may be excused from the regular annual and semi-annual examinations. PROMOTION AFTER GRADUATION. When any cadet of the United States Military Academy has gone through all its classes and received a regular diploma from the Academic Staff, he may be promoted and commissioned as a second lieutenant in any arm or corps of the Army in which there may be a vacancy and the duties of which he may have been judged competent to perform; and in case there shall not at the time be a vacancy in such arm or corps, he may, at the discretion of the President, be promoted and commissioned in it as an additional second lieutenant, with the usual pay and allowances of a second lieutenant, until a vacancy shall happen. THE LIBRARY. Cadets and officers have free access to the library, which comprises over 90,000 books, maps and manuscripts. The collection contains substantially all standard books on the subjects taught in the Academy and is especially complete in military subjects. Its card catalogues (about 315,000 cards) are arranged with the special object of saving the time of cadets. The object of this pamphlet is to bring to the attention of the youths of the United States the method of securing an appointment to the Mili¬ tary Academy, the requirements for admission, the life of a cadet at the Academy, the studies, drills, exercises, athletic sports, amusements and the many advantages gained by the course at this school. All inquiries concerning vacancies, the scope of the entrance examina¬ tions, and in fact any information desired will be given upon^application to The Adjutant, West Point, N. Y. .uA i 1 ia30 UNIVtflWtV Ut marching from CAMP, TO MSSSjH LTlU f L Pros ef U. $. military Academy Uiest Point 1914