FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>  
nd highest in the class in that particular study. At the end of every week the markings of each cadet in every one of his studies is posted, and the sections are rearranged, if need be. The men in the lowest section of all in a given study are styled the "goats." The members of the "goat" section, in math. for instance, are men who feel rather certain that they will presently be "found" and dropped from the cadet corps. However, at the beginning of a year a man may fall into the "goats," and then later, may pull up so that he reaches a higher section and goes on with better standing. But in general the "goats" are looked upon as men who are going to be dropped, and this usually applies, also, to a majority of the men in the two or three sections just above the "goats." About forty per cent. of the young men who enter West Point as cadets are dropped before their course is over. Most of these losses occur in the plebe and yearling classes. When a man has completed two years at West Point he has a very good chance to get through and win his commission as an officer in the Army. In geometry Greg was in the third section above the "goats," Dick in the sixth. "I wish I had your head, old ramrod!" groaned Greg, half an hour later. "If I should lose even a hair's weight from my head I'd be in the 'goats' next week," replied Prescott grimly. "If I ever get to be an officer in the Army, I wonder what earthly good all these math. headaches will do me in handling a bunch of raw rookies?" "If we have to go back to Gridley, 'skinned,'" grimaced Greg, "we'll at least have company. Dodge is only a tenth above 'goat' grade in geom., and next week will probably see him there." "And he was considered a good student in Gridley!" quoth Dick sadly. That Dodge, however, still had hopes of being able to hold on was proved by the fact that he was now conducting a vigorous campaign for election to the class presidency. "I think I am as good as elected class president," he wrote home to the elder Dodge. And, the next time Theodore Dodge went over to his bank in Gridley, Theodore Dodge circulated the news among his intimates. The evening "Mail," in Gridley, came out with the statement that Dodge was sure to become class president. "And thus Gridley will have cause to feel that it occupies no small place of honor, after all, in national affairs," penned the editor of the "Mail." Dodge had a rather fair following of friends
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>  



Top keywords:

Gridley

 

section

 

dropped

 
officer
 
president
 

Theodore

 
sections
 

headaches

 

considered

 

student


handling
 

grimly

 

grimaced

 

rookies

 

skinned

 
company
 

Prescott

 

earthly

 

replied

 
statement

intimates

 
evening
 

occupies

 

editor

 

penned

 

friends

 

affairs

 
national
 

circulated

 

proved


conducting

 

elected

 

vigorous

 

campaign

 

election

 

presidency

 

reaches

 

However

 

beginning

 

higher


applies

 

looked

 

standing

 

general

 

studies

 

posted

 
markings
 

highest

 

rearranged

 

instance