West Point: An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy and of the Life of the CadetRichardson, Robert C. (Robert Charlwood)
History
West Point: An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy and of the Life of the Cadet
Richardson, Robert C. (Robert Charlwood)
United States Military Academy
Set well back from the Plain, and to the north of the new barracks,
is the Gymnasium. It is not built of granite like its neighbor, the
new barracks, but has received from the hands of the architect an
artistic and interesting treatment of brick and limestone. The broad
wall-like surface of the front is broken by six flat buttresses, whose
terminals are richly decorated. Viewing the building from the southeast
corner these buttresses appear like giant sentinels, fine specimens
of the building’s physical development. Far across the parade ground
the Bachelor Officers’ quarters, of similar design, serves with the
Gymnasium to link in one harmonious whole the old and new buildings
surrounding the Plain.
The second story is devoted to the gymnasium proper. It is lighted by
large skylights, and equipped with every possible device for physical
development. The remainder of the building houses a fine natatorium, 77
feet wide and 92 feet long, with a swimming-pool 40 feet wide and 80
feet long; a fencing-room, a boxing-room, a wrestling-room, besides the
necessary dressing-rooms for both cadets and officers. In the basement
is a shooting gallery for indoor rifle and pistol practice.
North of the Gymnasium and fronting the Plain, are the quarters of the
Superintendent of the Academy, an interesting old house that dates
from 1820. Surrounding the house is a quaint old ironwork porch of
later date, but old enough to be a curiosity today. A well-proportioned
central hall gives access to charming suites of spacious rooms on both
sides of the quarters, but the suite on the left is the more beautiful
for it offers a fascinating vista of three large rooms terminating in a
conservatory filled with exotic plants. Delightful hospitality has been
dispensed in these rooms to some of the most noted people in the world.
Royalty, distinguished foreigners, civilians, and soldiers, noted
American men and women are constantly visiting West Point to inspect
the school and are always entertained by the Superintendent. If the
walls of these quarters could speak they would relate some interesting
incidents of the official life of West Point. The beauty of the rooms
is today enhanced by a number of fine family portraits, painted by
Thomas Sully, and the property of the present Superintendent, Colonel
John Biddle, Corps of Engineers.
At any official function the guests usually crowd the fascinating old
porch to watch the evolutions of the cadets upon the Plain opposite, or
sometimes they indulgently stand on the front stone steps to pose for
the breathlessly impatient movie men and photographers. The quarters
are surrounded by beautiful, well-kept lawns and tall graceful elm
trees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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