[19] Dr. Mercer of Louisiana, made a donation of $11,800 to this chair.
[20] A Cadet in the military organization of the Army denoted a junior officer between the grade of lieutenant and sergeant, and was introduced from the French service. An Act of Congress, passed May 7th, 1794, provided for a Corps of Artillerists and Engineers, to consist of four battalions, to each of which eight cadets were to be attached, and authorized the Secretary of War to procure at the public expense the necessary books, instruments and apparatus for the use and benefit of said corps. In 1798, an additional regiment of Artillerists and Engineers was raised, increasing the number of Cadets to fifty-six. In 1798, the President was authorized to appoint four teachers of the Arts and Sciences necessary to Artillerists and Engineers. No appointment was made till 1801, and in 1802, the Military Academy was established at West Point, where the corps of Engineers was directed to repair with fifty Cadets, and the Senior Officer of the Corps was constituted Superintendent. Col. Williams was then Senior Officer of Engineers, and became, ex-officio, Superintendent, and continued such until 1812.
[21] Captain Partridge attached much importance to pedestrian excursions in reference both to hygenic, and educational considerations. To these excursions he attributed his own robust health, and his familiar knowledge of all the details of American battles. In one year, (1830,) he made four excursions from Norwich, each occupying from four to six days—and from one hundred and fifty to four hundred miles—the last day’s walk generally averaging over sixty miles. He had ascended and measured the altitude of all the highest mountain elevations in the Northern States.
[22] Miss C. E. Beecher’s “Appeal to American Women,” “Calisthenics,” &c.
[23] [We do not share this alarm, or believe that hard study, apart from open or secret vice, has had much, if any thing, to do with such physical deterioration as does exist.— Ed. Am. Jour. of Ed.]
[24] Aristippus.
[25] Written December, 1861. Recommended by Governors Andrew and Morgan in their messages in January.
[26] Such a Manual will soon be published by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.
[27] An early friend of this institution, on learning the fact stated in the same Report of 1862, from which the above extract is taken, “that in the course of six years one hundred and twenty-four students were turned back to pursue a second time portions of the academic course,” and of this number only six passed the final examination, (thereby costing the country over $300,000 in pay, salaries, and equipment, for absolutely nothing, and at the same time depriving the naval service of an equal number of competent young officers,) writes to a member of this Board as follows:—“I have had the curiosity to question fifty middies, as I happened to meet with them, without selection, and representing different classes in the institution and different States, as to the circumstances of their appointment—and of these fifty, forty were the near relations or sons of political friends of the parties making the nominations, and five were the sons of persons in official stations at Washington, although appointed ‘at large,’ leaving but five for selection from other sources. In several cases the answers were significant—‘My father had to bleed freely for my appointment.’ ‘My brother worked hard for his election.’ ‘I had the promise of a cadetship at West Point, but as there was no vacancy that year, I got an appointment here.’ ‘I am an exchange. Senator —— got an appointment for Mr. C.’s nephew, and Mr. C. nominated Senator —— friend’s son for the place.’”—[Ed. of Amer. Journal of Education.]