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Show The Boyhood j of Famous ! Americans k jgerald I Gen. John J. Pershing The competitive examination for West Point was on. It was a close "" 1 if I 1 , A, p", 'i v La Sit contest between two of the Candida Candi-da t e s. The Mis-s Mis-s o u r i . congress-m congress-m a n, conducting the examination for his district, had a hard time" grading them. Finally, Fi-nally, he decided that one of the two leaders rated Just one point better bet-ter than the other. He named John Joseph Pershing as the winner and appointed him as a cadet to the United States Military academy. It was by this narrow margin that Uncle Sam obtained the general who was - to command the greatest armed host ever raised in the United States and to lead it to victory with the allies al-lies in the greatest war in the world's history. No ambition nurtured from early boyhood prompted John Pershing to seek admission to West Point. He had no set ideas on becoming a soldier sol-dier when he was a little fellow. In fact, he was headed for a career as a teacher or a lawyer, and was a student stu-dent in the Kirksville Normal school when he won the appointment to the Military academy. He saw his congressman's notice of the examination in a uewspaper and asked bis sister, who was also attending attend-ing the Kirksville school. If she would advise him to try the test She certainly cer-tainly would, she told him. This coincided co-incided with Ids own Ideas on the subject, sub-ject, so his military career may be said to have had Its first Impetus in the reading of a newspaper advertisement. advertise-ment. - General Pershing was born In 1860 at Laclede, Mo., a hamlet of some 700 inhabitants. His father, whose ancestors ances-tors had come from Alsace, had the general store at Laclede and also owned a farm on the outskirts of the town. The future commander of the A. E. F. was the oldest of six children. He assumed much responsibility In helping to care for them. The Pershing youngsters spent considerable con-siderable time on the farm. Young John developed into a capable worker in the fields even as a boy. The outdoor out-door life and exercise made him a fine upstanding nnd vigorous youth. He was known as a good fighter when he had to use his fists, but he was never one to go out looking for trouble. He could ride horseback, fish, swim and hunt when he was a little shaver. Such training fell to the lot of all boys in the West ln'those days. His mother taught him his first book lessons les-sons and instilled in him the desire .for a good education. If he wasn't a brilliant student, he was a conscientious one and stood well in his classes. Fellow pupils of the Laclede days can recall-that when John Pershing had a problem to soh-e he worked at it until he had the correct cor-rect answer. While he was quiet as a boy, he was full of fun and enjoyed playing pranks with the youngsters of his own age. Before he entered the Kirksville Normal school he taught for two terms nt Prairie Mound, a few miles distant from Laclede. He was eighteen eight-een at the time. Some of his pupils were older than that. One day he had to chastise an unruly pupil. The lad's father, well over six feet tnll and big in proportion, appeared the next day to demand satisfaction of the teacher. He had a gun In his pocket. He stormed nbout and roared threats. First the young teacher took the gun from the man. Then he handed him a sound thrashing with his fists. Young Pershing was a leader among the students at Kirksville. He was equally prominent at West Point. They tell the story that when a group of hazers tried to put the new cadet through the mill, lie thrashed two of them soundly. He was serious, persistent and determined de-termined in his efTurts to become an excellent soldier during his student days at the Military academy. He made a good record in his studies, ranking thirtieth In his class when he was graduated in 1SSH: He was senior sen-ior cadet captain and was elected president of his class. The newly made second lieutenant was assigned to the cavalry. lie saw service as a young ollicer under Nelson Nel-son A. Miles in the Apache, Geronimo nnd Wounded Knee campaigns. Thcu he taught military tactics at the Uni-I Uni-I versify of Nebraska, also acting as assistant professor of mathematics. He studied law while assigned to Nebraska, was graduated with honors and admitted to the bar. Then he was ordered to West Point ns an instructor. in-structor. From there lie was detailed to duly in Cuba, serving under General Gen-eral Shaffer in the Spanish-American war. He was promoted for bravery at the battle of El Caney. lie made a brilliant record In the Philippines and led the expedition into in-to Mexico before heinc; put in command com-mand of the A. F.. F. Uncle Sam was fortunate. Indeed, that John Pershing topped his rival in the West Point competitive examination for his district dis-trict by the narrow margin of that single point. (.by The North American Newspaper Alliance.) |