Early in April nearly all of the new plebes had joined their companies. It was a wholly new, revolutionized life.
Many of the new plebes had come from homes of luxury, where servants had abounded.
But here at West Point former social lines had no significance, unless it was to invite trouble down upon the head of any new cadet who felt inclined to be priggish.
No cadet had a servant, nor could he engage anyone to perform any of his own duties for him.
Each cadet in the entire corps rose at the tap of a drum—"reveille"—at 5.45 A.M.
At the first sound of reveille every young man sprang from his bed. Then followed hasty but orderly dressing and the making of the toilet. The cadet must be spick and span.
Incidentally, but promptly, he fell to policing. The room must be in order, and the bed made up exactly in accordance with the regulations on the subject. All clothing must be hung as prescribed in the regulations. A match end or a scrap of paper on the floor brought reprimand and demerits.
"Policing" is the orderly care of quarters. At 6.20 police call sounded on the drum outside in the area. Then came a swift but all-seeing inspection of every occupied room in barracks.
Swiftly, indeed, was this done, for at 6.30 the tap of the drum sounded mess call for breakfast. The cadet corps formed outside the north sally port and marched to breakfast.
About seven o'clock breakfast ended. The corps marched back to barracks and was dismissed.