BOARD OF VISITORS, JUNE, 1901. APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 1. Lieut. Gen. JOHN M. SCHOFIELD, U. S. A., retired, president..St. Augustine, Fla. 2. Maj. Gen. DANIEL E. SICKLES, U. S. A., retired, vice-president. New York, N. Y. 3. Dr. J. WILLIAM WHITE. 4. Mr. ROBERT C. HEATON.... 5. BENJAMIN I. WHEELER, LL. D 6. Hon. WILLIAM H. UPHAM.. 7. Mr. JOHN ALLISON.. Philadelphia, Pa. Boston, Mass. Berkeley, Cal. . Marshfield, Wis. Nashville, Tenn. APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE. 8. Hon. JOHN KEAN 9. Hon. JAMES P. TALIAFERRO. Elizabeth, N. J. Jacksonville, Fla. APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS TO THE U. S. MILITARY ACADEMY. WEST POINT, N. Y., June 10, 1901. To the Secretary of War, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives: The Board of Visitors appointed under sections 1327, 1328, 1329, Revised Statutes of the United States, to "attend the annual examinations at the United States Military Academy and to inquire into the actual state of discipline, instruction, police administration, fiscal affairs, and other concerns of the institution and to report the same to the Secretary of War for the information of Congress," and also "to report to the Vice-President of the United States" and "to the Speaker of the House of Representatives," has the honor to report as follows: The board met at West Point Hotel, West Point, N. Y., on Saturday, June 1, 1901, and organized by electing Lieut. Gen. John M. Schofield president, Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Sickles vice-president, and Hon. Charles B. Landis secretary. The president of the board, following precedent and to the end that the work devolving upon the board might be expedited, appointed committees as follows: 1. Increase in scope of the Academy.-Gen. Daniel E. Sickels, Hon. William H. Upham, Hon. John Kean, Hon. Charles B. Landis, Hon. James Hay, Hon. J. P. Taliaferro, Hon. John Allison. 2. Buildings and grounds.-Hon. James Hay, Hon. John Allison, Dr. J. William White, Hon. William H. Upham. 3. Hygiene, athletics and lights, police administration.—Dr. J. William White, Mr. R. C. Heaton, Hon. James Hay, Hon. T. M. Mahon. 4. Armament and equipment.-Hon. J. P. Taliaferro, Gen. D. E. Sickels, Mr. R. C. Heaton, Benjamin I. Wheeler, LL. D. 5. Examinations, instruction, and discipline.-Benjamin I. Wheeler, LL. D., Hon. John Allison, Hon. W. H. Upham, Dr. J. William White. 6. Fiscal affairs, supplies, and expenditures.-Hon. John Kean, Hon. J. P. Taliaferro, Hon. T. M. Mahon, Hon. Charles B. Landis. On Tuesday, June 4, it being learned that Hon. J. P. Taliaferro would be unable to attend the meetings of the board, Mr. Robert C. Heaton was on motion formally made chairman of the committee on armament and equipment. NO GRADUATING CLASS. Owing to the absence of the class originally scheduled to graduate in June, but which had been graduated several months before in order that its members might assume the duties and responsibilities of active service made necessary by the war in the Philippines, the duties of the board were materially changed. There were no graduating class exercises nor formal addresses by members of the board. The mission of the visitors resolved itself into one of observation, investigation, and examination. OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE. While the reports of the various committees, herewith presented, are full and complete, answering most admirably the requirements specified by Congressional enactment, the board desires to place special emphasis on certain matters which it deems of the greatest importance to the successful work of the Military Academy. And the board would respectfully submit in this connection that this same special emphasis has been placed on some of these same subjects by former boards and unless these annual visits are mere matters of form recommendations so often repeated should receive attention at the hands of Congress. Every gate and door at the Military Academy swung open to the members of the board whether they pursued their work of observation and investigation singly or collectively. Every opportunity was given and every facility afforded for thorough work. Col. A. L. Mills, Superintendent of the Academy, appeared before the board soon after it organized, stated that there was nothing about the post that anyone interested in its management wished to conceal and urged the members to visit informally and at their convenience and inclination every branch of the institution. He informed the committee that orders had been given that no limit should be placed on the movements of the members of the board. Accordingly through a period of about ten days the members of the various committees attended the examinations, inspected the buildings, witnessed drills and evolutions in the various branches of the service, interviewed commissioned officers and instructors and talked freely, both on the grounds and in the barracks, with cadets, and in every possible way sought information relative to the present status of the Academy as related to officer, instructor, cadet, and the country. THE QUESTION OF DISCIPLINE. The board entered upon the discharge of its duties impressed with the fact that not only have the achievements of our Army and Navy during the last three years increased the importance of the two institutions which are regarded as the nurseries of those two branches of the service, but alive to the fact that the question of discipline at the institution was one in which the citizens of the Republic were primarily interested. After the most searching investigation, each and every member of the board is fully satisfied that the practice of hazing, which, by tradition, had for nearly a century been considered as inseparably connected with the Academy, has been eradicated. There is every |