} dependent and rather eccentric ideas, who quite naturally as a military man, long resident at the Point, wished to forget that the law required the education of the institution to be decided by an aca¬l; demic faculty, and governed by regulations. He chose rather to remember that it was a military post, governed by a military com mandant, and sought to gratify his own ambition by grasping its,. sole direction. Professors Mansfield and Ellicott, who held no command in the army, took a different view of the subject. They. justly thought, that the object of the institution was to give a: thorough scientific education, especially adapted to the art of war; that this required discipline, and a course of studies systematic and complete; and that all this was evidently contemplated by the law, which said that the Academy should be governed by regulations,; and hence an academic faculty. This difference of opinion was vital. It led to a controversy of two years, which belongs to the private rather than the public history of the Academy. Little of. it was known to the public, and we are now concerned only in the issue. Had the views of Captain Partridge prevailed, the institu-, tion never could have become what it is. Fortunately, the Professors had the law on their side, and also the good opinion of the administration, and eventually gave to the scientific college the cast and features which it now has. For three years, between 1814 and 1817, this internal controversy continued, gradually tending to give the Academy a systematic organization. General JOSEPH G. SWIFT, (head of the corps of engineers,) who was officially inspector of the Academy, took up his residence at West Point, in November, 1816, but remained only two months. While there, there could be no controversy, as to the government of the Academy, since the commander of engineers was legally its chief. After the removal of General Swift, Captain Partridge, as senior officer, again took com-, mand. It was determined, however, to remove him; and the Government most fortunately hit upon an officer, whose character, education, and accomplishments, most eminently fitted him for the post of governing, and disciplining the young men, who were in turn to become the savans as well as the ornaments of their country. This officer was SYLVANUS THAYER, a native of Massachusetts, commissioner in 1808 from West Point to the engineer corps, and who had recently traveled in Europe, examining the military schools of France and Germany. The arrival of Colonel Thayer constitutes *Captain Partridge, who was a useful and energetic man, had subsequently full opportunity of carrying out his popular views in the military schools of Norwich and Middletown, which he founded by his own efforts.¿¿ the most important epoch in the history of West Point. Why it is so will appear evident when we trace out the scientific culture of the Academy, and the discipline which it furnishes. Up to 1813, we have seen that the Military Academy was merely a small company of officers and cadets, who, being stationed at one post, were required while there to pursue certain mathematical and military studies. It had no one element of organization. From 1814 to 1817, professors Mansfield and Ellicott were struggling with no more than partial success, to give it organization and systematic instruction. But, in 1817, Colonel Thayer, who had seen in France what such institutions required, and whose enlightened mind realized the necessity of adopting better methods, at once coöperated with the Professors, in making a permanent and successful reform. At this point we should notice the additions made to the academic staff, between 1816 and 1819, and the steps taken by the war department toward carrying out the views of the Professors, and Colonel Thayer. CLAUDE CROZET was appointed professor of Engineering, in March, 1817; DAVID B. DOUGLAS was appointed assistant professor of Natural Philosophy, in January, 1815; CHARLES DAVIES was appointed assistant professor of Mathematics in December, 1816. Rev. THOMAS PICTON was appointed Chaplain, and professor of Ethics, in July, 1818. THOMAS GIMBREDE was appointed teacher of Drawing, in January, 1819. Major JOHN BLISS, instructor of Tactics, in April, 1818; Lieut. GEORGE W. GARDINER, instructor of Artillery, in September, 1817. CLAUDIUS BERARD succeeded Francis Masson, as teacher of French, in Jannary, 1815; JOSEPH DU COMMUN was appointed second teacher of French, in March, 1818. Of the old professors, Captain Partridgeand Francis Masson were gone; all the others remain. Thus, in 1817, when Colonel Thayer took charge of the Academy, the corps of teachers was composed of professors Mansfield, Ellicott, and Crozet; teachers Zoeller and Berard; and assistant professors Douglas, and Davies, exclusive of the military teachers and of those ap-. pointed in 1818 and 1819. This was properly the Academic Staff, and Colonel Thayer was willing and pleased to have them take their proper part in organizing the institution, and raising it to that high standard of discipline and excellence to which it has since attained. In the meanwhile, the war department, under the enlightened administration of Mr. Crawford, had endeavored to supply some of the obvious defects of the Academy, by new regulations. So far we have pursued the history of the Academy, as it pro-: gressed from a germinal idea to actual being and life. It is now may necessary to trace that system of scientific culture which is its essen tial element and peculiar character. In this the student of educa tion be more interested, and as we trace it still further, in its fruits, the education and services of more than two thousand young men, who have held the most important positions in all the depart ments of life, we shall be better able to pronounce a just judgment upon its merits and services. Mr. CRAWFORD, one of the most enlightened men who have ap peared in public affairs, was, we believe, the first to understand and attempt to remedy the defects and irregularities which professors Mansfield and Ellicott had pointed out.* In March, 1816, “Rules and Regulations" were drawn up by Mr. Crawford. The main points in them were 1. There shall be a Board of Visitors, to consist of five suitable gentlemen, who shall attend each annual examination. 2. There shall be a General Examination twice in each year; in July and December, and an annual vacation in July and August. 3. Cadets shall be admitted in September, and examined in spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic. 4. A course of studies, embracing definitely all branches of science and instruction to be procured, and rules for classification shall be drawn up, and comprise a complete course of education at the institution, According to the last regulation, a course of studies was drawn up by the Academic Faculty, and approved by Mr. Crawford, in July, 1816. This course comprised four years, and was substant tially the same (although largely increased,) which has been pursued since. The first year studies were English Grammar, French, Algebra, Geometry, and Logarithms. The second year comprised French, Geometrical Construction, Application of Algebra, Mensuration, Plain and Spheric Trigonometry, the Conie Sections, and Drawing. "The third year, Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Astron omy, and Drawing. The fourth year, Engineering, Geography, History, and Ethics. In the first draft, Engineering was put in the third year; but since 1817, has been placed in the fourth. In a year or two after! wards was added the Calculus; and in a few years, Chemistry, Min These defects and irregularities arose from not obeying the law, and not pursuing the Ideas it pointed ant. The great effort of Professors Mansfield and Ellicott, was to get the spirit of the law followed practically. eralogy, and Natural Law. This course of studies is exclusive of the purely military part, which under the heads of Tactics, Practical Artillery and Gunnery, occupied several hours each day.. Thus, in July, 1816, the Academy had for the first time arrived. at a course of studies, and a preparation for discipline. In the fall and winter of 1816, began an attempt to carry this course of studies into practical effect. We do not say there had been no studies and no attempt at classification before that, for there were, but that nothing had really been perfected in either, till after the "regulations" of 1816. If we could carry the reader back to the year 1815, and see the difficulties under which the professor of that day labored, the small material provided, and the undisciplined condition of the young men under their charge, we should give better views of the merits and services of its pioneer teachers. One or two reminiscences may possibly throw some light on the subject. Colonel Mansfield arrived at West Point in 1814, and immediately sought for his pupils. He was not like the professors of whom Gibbon speaks, remembering that he had a salary to receive, but forgetting he had duties to perform. On the contrary, he immediately asked for pupils to teach. What was he to teach? Philosophy and Astronomy. But these required prior training, and it was not till the winter of 1814-'15, that he could find any pupils. Then he found five young men who thought that they could go on in such studies. For want of any recitation rooms at the Point, he taught them in the parlor of his own house. As we shall refer specifically to the subject of text-books, we merely add, that the only work to be found at all suitable, was Enfield's Philosophy. There was no classification, and in a few months these five cadets were commissioned. They made the first class in Philosophy, taught at West Point. Again, there are some who will recollect Professor Ellicott, sitting at his desk at the end of a long room, in the second story of what was called the Mess Hall, teaching Geometry or Algebra, looking and acting precisely like the old-fashioned schoolmaster, of whom it was written, "And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew, The cadets were all "boys" to him, and his kind face was long remembered. In the other end of this room, or in the next, was seen his acting assistant, Stephen II. Long, then a young lieutenant of engineers; since distinguished as a traveler, an engineer, and a man of science. The text-book used was "Hutton's Mathematics," and at that time the best to be had. Mr. Hutton had been a professor at Woolwich, England, and his treatises were plain, simple, easily understood, and therefore well adapted to beginners. It was, however, very deficient both in extent and analysis. It was a good text-book then, for there were no cadets trained to pursue deeper or more analytical works. With Hutton's Mathematics, Enfield's Philosophy, and plain right-lined drawing, and nothing which could be called engineering, did the cadets of the Academy get along, without roll, classification, or graduation, till the close of 1816. In August, 1817, as we have said, Colonel Thayer became superintendent at West Point; and in the course of the next four or five years the Academy passed through the great changes which brought it from the inchoate to the crystallized state in which it now appears. The most important of these changes relate to scientific culture; and we shall best describe them by narrating the actual work the classes then pursued, and the change of text-books. The first step was taken, as we have seen, in March, 1816, by the regulations of Mr. Crawford, which required classification, a course of studies, and annual examinations. Some steps towards these were taken in 1816, but very imperfectly. In 1817 the system of classification was first systematically begun. CLAUDE CROZET, a French officer under Napoleon, and a pupil of the Polytechnique School, was appointed professor of engineering, in March, 1817. The annual examination coming on in June, the course of studies in his department did not regularly commence till September, and the second or junior class* of 1817-18 was the first class which commenced thoroughly the severe and complete course of studies at West Point. The labors of that class in the years 1818 and 1819 may have been equaled, but certainly have not been surpassed. It was not a brilliant class, but its labors were not the less on that account. It had not merely to pass over the plain turnpike road of science which is now made easy to those who follow; but, like the pioneers of an army, had to cut down the obstructions, make their own bridges, and to no small extent, furnish their own munitions. Let us look into the class-room of 1817, as professor Crozet advances to instruct those 80 *The Class here spoken of graduated in 1819. Of its living members, are HENRY BREWERTON, late Superintendent at West Point; EDWARD D. MANSFIELD, Commissioner of Statistics for the State of Ohio; JUSTIN DIMMICK, late Commander of Fortress Monroe ; DANIEL TYLER, a distinguished Engineer and General in the Army of the Potomac; WM. H. SWIFT, a distinguished Engineer, and President of the Illinois Canal Company; JOSHUA BAKER, a Civil Engineer, Judge, and Planter, in Louisiana; and Major TURNBULL, distinguished as a Topographical Engineer in the War with Mexico. Among the dead was GEORGE H. WHISTLER, the most distinguished Civil Engineer our country has produced. |