LIBERTY GIVEN TO WEST POINT CADETS The Isolation that has fr from m the beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning hedged about the life of the West Point cadet is an outcome of the location of the Military academy rather than of any prearranged plan When it took two or 01 three days to go from New York up the Hudson by sailing salling sloop there was not much opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- op- op for cadets to visit the outside outside outside out out- side world Traditions that grew up under those conditions have hae been very strong and lasting Many believe that the past accomplishments of graduates of the Military academy have been possible possible possible pos pos- sible in spite of the seclusion of their undergraduate life rather rathel than as a a consequence of It it During the last three years s there have have- been several important changes made In in the rules governing cadet life Ufe One of the Uie most beneficial of these these allows allows- increased I liberty to cadets especially especially- of the first class The cadets under tinder the new system are divided each month Into conduct grades according to their conduct record record rec rec- rec- rec ord for the past month and those thos who whose e report has been satisfactory are allowed liberty occasionally to to accept invitations to visit their friends In the vicinity This privilege as as' as aswell well as the similar one obtained in the same maner manner man man- ncr ner er of having a few days' days liberty at Christmas with permission to go SO home is highly prized by the cadets and has Ijas had a marked effect on their rec record rd Even greater privileges hav have been extended extended extended ex ex- ex- ex tended to the cadets of the upper class such as not requiring them to undergo the minor and annoying punishments necessary for 1 the younger men and al allowing allowing allowing al- al lowing them greater freedom within the post The engineer of the new Brooklyn bridge e recently invited the first lass class to visit the Y rk and a number of them were allowed to do so The War department has also sanctioned sanctioned sanc- sanc sane sanc an arrangement by which the first class is to visit the Gettysburg battlefield ld next spring in connection with its study of th that t campaign Under the old law all candidates were required to pass a rigid examination examination examination examina examina- tion in reading writing spelling grammar United States history arithmetic arithmetic arith arith- metie and geography This law has been changed so as to bring the entrance entrance entrance en en- trance r requirements in line with the secondary school system of the coun coun- try It has also made it possible forthe forthe for forthe the academy academy- authorities to admit a candidate without a special examination examina tion who can show satisfactory evidence evidence evi evi- dence that his previous training has hasi been been- such as to to- tofit fit him to take up the course at the academy In certain cases the papers of a successful successful suc sue candidate at a competitive examination examination ex ex- are received and if satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory are accepted in lieu of a mental mental men men- tal tab examination while in others certificates certificates certificates of of graduation from a public high school or certificates from incorporated incorporated incorporated colleges and universities are are considered It is expected that this will vill increase the number number of of cadets who are able to graduate from the cade- cade my Experience with the old sy system tem has shown that ability to pass the rigid entrance examination was no Indication indication indication indica Indica- tion of ability to pursue pursue- the course course after after after af af- af- af ter admission The alteration of the entrance requirements will permit a needed much-needed revision of the course of study at the academy itself which the majority of its graduates have long thought contains too too much applied mathematics and insufficient study and training in languages history and similar su subjects A number of changes have been recently recently recently re re- re- re Introduced in the an semi annual ual examinations by time is saved and the examination n made while equally thorough thorough- less drawn out Improvements Improvements Improvements Im Im- Im- Im have also bee been made in inthe inthe inthe the practical military work of the cadets cadets cadets ca ca- ca- ca of the first fit class Formerly as now the cadet officers were selected from the first class and of that class they alone received training in all the duties of an officer the theother other members working constantly in the ranks The result was that the transition from carrying a rifle to the position of an officer was tot too great and n new w graduates graduates graduates ates on joining their regiments often made ludicrous errors not creditable to their training at the academy Another wise change that will do much to prevent any future development development development develop develop- ment of hazing is one which takes the preliminary training of the new cadet out of the hands of the yearlings and puts it in charge of the physical in instructor instructor instructor in- in at the academy In the old days the ambitious yearling considered it his duty to show his superiority by taxing the newcomer beyond I proper Cl Now under an experienced instructor this is regulated more thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- and more skillfully without any nagging The abolition of hazing and the condemnation condemnation condemnation con con- by the j country of practices that had grown up in conI connection with it has has' changed the opinions of the Cadets cadets cadets ca ca- themselves and has worked within with with- in the cadet body what might be called a social revolution The spirit of the corps of cadets as strong as s ever and the high r regard gard for truth and frankness and manliness in the best sense lasts as it has lasted for forthe forthe forthe the century of the academy's existence as the cardinal point in the creed of all cadets Whatever changes the development development development de de- de- de of the army and of the academy may work it it is not to be feared that they will ever e prevent the theold theold theold old West Pointer whether he be a graduate or not from feeling something something something some some- thing of the thrill which formerly came over him in the old days when bethinks he be thinks of what he called the honor of the corps New New York Evening Post