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H.-REPORT OF LIBRARIAN.

LIBRARY UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY,
West Point, N. Y., September 12, 1901.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report upon the library for the past year, in accordance with circular No. 27, Headquarters of the Academy.

The number of books in the library on July 1, 1900, was 44,873 volumes; the number of pamphlets was 7,581. To these were added up to July 1, 1901, 946 volumes by purchase, 181 by binding; 711 volumes and 447 pamphlets were presented. This gives the total in the library on July 1, 1901, 46,711 volumes and 8,028 pamphlets.

The remodeling of the library is now nearly finished and the books are being returned to it. The completed building will afford more space and far greater facilities for developing the library in all desired directions than has ever before existed. For this reason a moderate increase in the estimate of funds has been made for next year. The immediate purpose of the increase is to complete all incomplete series of desired books and all sets of scientific and other periodicals, and for supplying deficiencies in military maps and charts, and for providing the necessary arragements for the proper display and preservation of these latter additions, maps and charts. Very respectfully,

The ADJUTANT UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY.

S. E. TILLMAN, Professor and Librarian.

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1.-TYPE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS.

ADMISSION OF CADETS.

Candidates selected for appointment shall appear for mental and physical examination before boards of army officers to be convened at such places as the War Department may select on the 1st day of May, annually, except when that day comes on Sunday, in which case the examination shall commence on the following Tuesday. Candidates who pass successfully will be admitted to the Academy without further examination, upor reporting in person to the Superintendent at West Point before 12 o'clock noon on the 15th day of June of the same year.

No candidate shall be examined at any other time unless prevented from presenting himself at the May examination by sickness or other unavoidable cause, in which case he shall report to the Superintendent at West Point before 12 o'clock noon on the 12th day of June of the same year.

Each candidate before he shall be admitted to the Academy as a cadet shall be shown, by the examination provided for in the preceding paragraph, to be well versed in the following-prescribed subjects, viz: reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, English composition, English literature, arithmetic, algebra through 'quadratic equations, plane geometry, descriptive geography, and the elements of physical geography, especially the geography of the United States, United States history, the outlines of general history, and the general principles of physiology and hygiene. Candidates may be examined either orally or in writing, and no rejected candidate may be reexamined except upon the recommendation of the academic board.

EXAMINATION PAPERS.

Reading. In reading, candidates must be able to read understandingly and with proper accent and emphasis. They will be required, if called upon, to define intelligently the leading words of the text read.

Writing and spelling.-In writing and spelling they must be able, from dictation, to write legibly, neatly, rapidly, and correctly sentences from standard pieces of English literature, both prose and poetry, sufficient in number to test their qualifications both in handwriting and in spelling. In punctuation and capitals they must be familiar with the rules for punctuation and for the use of capitals. In order to test their knowledge, sentences will be given for correction, or for this purpose a theme may be required of the candidate.

The following specimens are from a recent examination in this subject:

There was no pursuit, though the sun was still high in the Heaven when William crossed the Gette. The conquerors were so much exhausted by marching and fighting that they could scarcely move; and the horses were in even worse condition than the men. Their general thought it necessary to allow some time for rest and refreshment. The French nobles unloaded their sumpter horses, supped gaily, and pledged one another in champagne amidst the heaps of dead; and, when night fell, whole brigades gladly lay down to sleep in their ranks on the field of battle. The inactivity of Luxemburg did not escape censure. None could deny that he had in the action shown great skill and energy. But some complained that he wanted patience and perseverance. Others whispered that he had no wish to bring to an end a war which made him necessary to a Court where he had never, in time of peace, found favor or even justice. Lewis, who on this occasion was perhaps not altogether free from some emotions of jealousy, contrived, it was reported, to mingle with the praise which he bestowed on his lieutenant blame which, though delicately expressed, was perfectly intelligible.

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Arithmetic. Candidates must possess such a complete knowledge of arithmetic as will enable them to pursue the study of such branches of mathematics as are taught at the United States Military Academy. They will be subject to examination only in that part of arithmetic which relates to denominate numbers, the processes of common and decimal fractions, the greatest common divisor of numbers, and the least common multiple of numbers.

The following are typical questions:

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Multiply .0578 by .4.

to an equivalent decimal.

Change .013 to an equivalent fraction whose denominator is 135.

Deduce a method for finding the greatest common divisor of any two integers which can not readily be factored.

Find the greatest common divisor of 261, 281, and 291.

How many men would be required to cultivate a field of 2 acres in 5 days of 10 hours each, if each man completed 77 square yards in 9 hours?

Five cubic feet of gold weigh 98.20 times as much as a cubic foot of water; and 2 cubic feet of copper weigh 18 times as much as a cubic foot of water. How many cubic inches of copper will weigh as much as of a cubic inch of gold?

English shillings are coined from a metal which contains 37 parts of silver to 3 parts of alloy; one pound of this metal is coined into 66 shillings. The United States silver dollar weighs 412.5 grains, and consists of 9 parts silver to 1 part of alloy. What fraction of the U. S. dollar will contain the same amount of silver as 1 English shilling?

What is the difference in grains between 424 lbs. Av. and 42. 375 lbs. T.?

Algebra.-Candidates will be required to pass a satisfactory examination in that portion of algebra which includes the following range of subjects: Definitions and notation; the fundamental laws; the fundamental operations, viz: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; factoring; highest common factor; lowest common multiple; fractions, simple and complex; simple or linear equations, with one unknown quantity; simultaneous simple, or linear, equations, with two or more unknown quantities; involution, including the formation of the squares and cubes of the polynomials; evolution, including the extraction of the square and cube roots of polynomials and of numbers; theory of exponents; radicals, including reduction and fundamental operations, rationalization, square roots of binomial surds, equations involving radicals, and imaginary quantities; quadratic equations; equations of quadratic form; simultaneous quadratic equations; ratio and proportion; arithmetical and geometrical progressions. Candidates will be required to solve problems involving any of the principles or methods contained in the above subjects. The following are typical questions:

Enunciate the commutative law, the distributive law, the associative law.
What is a homogenous algebraic expression? Give example.

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- {a—(3c−3b)+2c− (a−26-2c)} ].

Find L.C.M. of 6(a3—b3) (a−b)3, 9(aa—b1) (a—b)2 and 12 (a2-b2)3.

Deduce the condition that the roots of the quadratic equation ax2+bx+c=0 shall be equal, equal numerically with opposite signs, real, imaginary, rational. A hare is eighty of her own leaps before a greyhound; she takes three leaps for every two that he takes, but he covers as much ground in one leap as she does in two. How many leaps will the hare have taken before she is caught?

A and B run a race, their rates of running being as 17 to 18. A runs 2 miles in 16 minutes 48 seconds, and B runs the entire distance in 34 minutes. What was the entire distance? A and B can do a piece of work in 4 hours, A and C in 3 hours, B and C in 54 hours. In what time can A do it alone?

A gun is fired 36 times before a second gun begins, after which the first is fired 8 times while the second is fired 7 times; but the second requires the same amount of powder for 3 shots that the first requires for 4. When both guns have used up the same amount of powder, how many shots have been fired from each?

A, B, C, and D, working one at a time, do a certain work in 130 days. A gets 42 cents, B gets 45 cents, C gets 48 cents, and D gets 50 cents for each day's work. Each received the same amount. How many days did each work?

Having 300 barrels of flour worth $7.50 per barrel, and 800 barrels worth $7.80 per barrel, and 400 barrels worth $7.65 per barrel, how many more barrels of flour at $8.00 and $8.50 per barrel will make 2,000 barrels worth $7.85 a barrel?

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There is a number which consists of two digits, such that if we divide the number by the product of its digits we obtain a quotient 5 and a remainder 2, but if we invert the order of the digits and divide the resulting number by the product of its digits we obtain a quotient 2 and remainder 5. Required the number.

Solve

Simplify
Solve

2y2-4xy+3x2=17 }

y2-22-16

(3+13)(3+15)(√5—2)
(5-15)(1+13)

V2x+7+ V3x-18= 17+1

Find the geometrical progression whose sum to infinity is 4 and whose second term is -2.

Plane geometry.-Candidates will be required to give accurate definitions of the terms used in plane geometry, to demonstrate any proposition of plane geometry as given in the ordinary text-books, and to solve simple geometrical problems either by a construction or by an application of algebra.

The following are typical questions:

Name and define the different kinds of triangles; of quadrilaterals.

Prove that if a perpendicular is drawn to a given straight line at its middle point: 1st. Any point of the perpendicular is equally distant from the extremities of the line; 2d. Any point without the perpendicular, is unequally distant from the extremities.

Show that if through the middle point of one of the sides of a triangle a line be drawn parallel
to the base, it will bisect the second side and the part intercepted will be equal to one-half the base.
What number of sides has the polygon the sum of whose angles is twenty-six right angles?
To draw a common tangent to two given circles.

Find the locus of the middle points of all chords of a circle equal in length to a given line.

Find the locus of the middle points of all chords of a circle passing through a given point within the circle.

Prove that through three points not in the same straight line one circumference may always be made to pass, and but one.

Prove that the square described on the hypothenuse of a right-angled triangle is equivalent to the sum of the squares described on the other two sides.

Given the side of an equilateral triangle equal to 10 feet; find its area.

Define "limit of a variable." Illustrate by an example.

Prove that the area of a circle is equal to the product of its circumference by half the radius. Angles at the centres of equal circles are proportional to what? Angles at the centres of unequal circles are proportional to what? Define the unit angle or radian.

The regular inscribed hexagon is double the equilateral triangle inscribed in the same circle, and one-half of the circumscribed equilateral triangle.

English grammar.-Candidates must have a good knowledge of English grammar. They must be able to define the terms used therein; to define the parts of speech; to give inflections, including declension, conjugation, and comparison; to give the corresponding masculine and feminine gender nouns; to give and apply the ordinary rules of syntax.

They must be able to parse correctly any ordinary sentence, giving the subject of each verb, the governing word of each objective case, the word for which each pronoun stands or to which it refers, the words between which each preposition shows the relation, precisely what each conjunction and each relative pronoun connects, what each adjective and adverb qualifies or limits, the construction of each infinitive, and generally to show a good knowledge of the function of each word in the sentence. They must be able to correct in sentences or extracts any ordinary grammatical

errors.

It is not required that any particular text-book shall be followed, but the definitions, parsing, and corrections must be in accordance with good usage and common

sense.

The following questions were used at a recent examination:

I. Give the principal parts (present tense, past tense, and past participle) of the following verbs: 1. choose; 2. crow; 3. freeze; 4. slay; 5. stick; 6. fly; 7. sit; 8. burst.

II. Write the plurals of the following words: 1. motto; 2. fairy; 3. money; 4. belief; 5. axis; 6. synopsis; 7. man-of-war; 8. Norman; 9. M.

III. Write the feminine forms of the following words: 1. hero; 2. mankind; 3. murderer; 4. testator; 5. priest; 6. ambassador; 7. Englishman; 8. poet; 9. emperor.

IV. Write the possessive case of the following words: 1. men; 2. I; 3. it; 4. boys; 5. they; 6 prince; 7. King John; 8. King of Italy; 9. Henry the Fourth.

Define the following: 1. Personal pronoun. 2. Preposition.

Parse the words in italics in the following sentence:

Other things being equal, it is obvious that the writer who has most words to choose from is most likely to find in his assortment just the word which he needs at a given moment.

Correct all the errors in the following sentences:

1. It was not her that did it.

2. Who do you take him to be?

3. He surely don't expect me to do it.

4. Neither by you nor he was it considered necessary.

5. Each have their own faults.

6. How do you know when its coming?

7. I should not have asked like you did for twice the the money.

8. Are either of these places marked on the map?

9. Two fatal errors underlaid his theory.

10. Except you go with me, I shall stay at home.

11. You or he is in the wrong.

12. Here comes Smith and two other men.

In English composition and English literature.-Candidates must have a fair knowledge of the general principles and leading rules of composition. Their knowledge will be tested by the correction of errors in the selection and right use of words, of errors in the construction of sentences, by their proficiency in variety of expression, and by their ability to write a letter in the correct form.

They must have a fair knowledge of the names of the most prominent American and English authors and the names of their principal works.

Questions similar to the following are likely to be used:

Indicate the errors in the selection and use of words in the following sentences by underscoring the errors and writing the correct word above the incorrect:

1. He had exceptionable opportunities for learning the language.

2. A century transpired before it was revisited.

3. King Edward VII. replaced Queen Victoria on the throne of England.

4. I was continually aggravated by his conduct.

5. There were not less than twenty persons present.

Correct the following errors in construction of sentences:

1. The teacher should repress the practice of throwing stones, as far as possible.

2. The French having nearly lost 5000 men, became discouraged.

3. The picture of the king hung on the wall behind the door, covered with a cloth.

4. He made no petition, though he did not like the new representative quite as well as his colleagues.

5. He did not pretend to abolish French music but only to cultivate it.

For variety, change the following sentences into another correct form and still keep the same meaning:

1. If that be granted the rest is easily proved.

2. We hope we shall have the pleasure of seeing you.

3. A man that has little sense is seldom aware of the fact.

4. He was the first that entered.

5. His disease was one that cannot be cured.

Write the following letter in proper form to Charles Smith at 2121 Mount Vernon Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, giving proper address and complimentary conclusion:

March 2 1900 philadelphia pa 8131 Eighth street

by this mail I send you two copies of the boook ordered by you the 13th ultimo hoping they will prove satisfactory hamlin and Co.

What author wrote? 1. Gulliver's Travels. 2. Macbeth. 3. Pilgrim's Progress. 4. Childe Harold. Name one work of each of the following authors: 1. Tennyson. 2. Hawthorne. 3. Milton. 4. Spencer.

Geography.-Candidates will be required to pass a satisfactory examination in descriptive geography and the elements of physical geography. A preponderance of weight is attached to a knowledge of the geography of the United States.

In descriptive geography of the United States, candidates should be thoroughly informed as to its general features and boundaries (both with respect to neighboring countries, and latitude and longitude); its adjacent oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, sounds, straits, and islands; its lakes, the location and extent of its mountain ranges; the sources, directions, and terminations of the important rivers, the names of their principal tributaries, and at what points, if any, these rivers break through highlands on their way to the ocean; the water routes of communication from one part of the country to another; the location and termination of important railroad lines; the boundaries of the several States and Territories and their order along the coasts, frontiers, and principal rivers; the locations and boundaries of the island possessions; and the names and locations of the capitals and other important cities of the several States, Territories and island possessions.

In short, the knowledge should be so complete that a clear mental picture of the whole of the United States is impressed on the mind of the candidate.

In descriptive geography of other countries, candidates should be familiar with the continental areas and grand divisions of the water of the earth's surface; the large bodies of water which in part or wholly surround the grand divisions of the land; the capes, from what parts they project and into what waters, the principal peninsulas, location, and by what waters embraced; the parts connected by an isthmus; the principal islands, location and surrounding waters; the seas, gulfs, and bays, the coasts they indent, and the waters to which they are subordinate; the straits, the lands they separate, and the waters they connect; the location of the principal lakes; the locations, boundaries, capitals, and principal cities of the political divisions of the world.

In physical geography, candidates should be familiar with the relief of the earth's surface; the principal mountain systems, the river systems and watersheds, the coastal and lake plains, and the influence of climate, soil, mineral deposits, and other physical features on the resources, industries, commercial relations, and development of a country and its people, especially of the United States.

The following questions were used at a recent examination:

1. Name the bodies of water surrounding Europe.

2. Where is 1. Cape St. Vincent; 2. Cape Corrientes; 3. Cape Matapan; 4. Cape Lopez; 5. Cape Comorin; 6. Cape York?

3. Name in order the political divisions of South America which border on the Pacific Ocean, and the capital of each.

4. Locate definitely the following islands: 1. Mauritius. 2. Tasmania. 3. Formosa. 4. New Zealand. 5. Madeira. 6. Falkland. To what country does each belong?

5. Where are the gulfs of 1. Bothnia. 2. Guinea. 3. Paria. 4. Salonica. 5. Pechili?

6. What lands are separated and what waters are connected by 1. Torres Strait. 2. Hudson Strait. 3. Strait of Malacca?

7. Bound Italy; name its capital, largest river, and principal mountain range.

8. Locate definitely the following cities: 1. Vienna. 2. Nankin. 3. Cork. 4. Tunis. 5. Montevideo. 6. Batavia. 7. Suez. 8. Pretoria.

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