Every Cadet writes his name over his work, and when called upon to recite, assumes the "position of a soldier," until he wishes to refer to his work, when he does so with his pointer. It is a matter of no small magnitude to secure a becoming personal deportment and style in recitation, and to suppress the unmeaning, nervous turnings, rockings, and fumblings, which too often deform the manners of undisciplined students. The instructor marks each recitation according to his estimate of its quality as referred to a scale of valuation ranging from zero to three, the maximum for a perfect and satisfactory exhibition of knowledge. A weekly report of these daily marks is made to the Superintendent, and exhibited to the Cadets who crowd the hall leading to the Adjutant's office every Monday, to see the official estimate of their performances during the past week. The recitation marks are aggregated for the semi-annual examination in January, and for the annual examination in June, and are mainly decisive of the numerical standing of each Cadet in the different courses of study. Frequent and thorough reviews occur, in which each individual's success is critically observed and considered in making out the standing--a greater weight justly belonging to the final and permanent conquest of a course, than to the earlier recitations. The final examination on the subject also has a material weight. By combining all these elements, a definite order of arrangement of the members of each class, in each branch of study, is obtained, and from these combined special standings, a general class rank, or order of arrangement according to each individual's merit, is deduced at the close of each annual examination. In determining the standing of the graduating class the special standing of each Cadet in all the branches of study for the four years, including proficiency in discipline, is considered, and possesses a relative weight in deciding the position of each member. The Annual Examination in June is conducted in the presence of a "Board of Visitors," selected for the purpose by the Secretary of War, and the reports of these Boards, composed of intelligent men of all professions and all political parties, have, for more than forty years, borne favorable testimony to the thoroughness and efficiency of the system of instruction pursued at West Point. The assignment and promotion of the graduating class to corps and regiments in the army, is regulated by the recommendation of the Academic Board, based upon class standing. The highest members only are recommended for the Corps of Engineers, and as the recommendations are almost uniformly adhered to, each Cadet becomes the arbiter of his own destiny, so far as his capacity makes success practicable. He is thus stimulated to good conduct, and the diligent employment of all his mental faculties, by the hope of a choice in the assignments, and of securing after rank, by commission, over his comrades.