Francis H. Smith

“ Habits of industry, punctuality, and system in the discharge of all duty, constitute helpful elements to ensure success in life; and by giving higher class standing to a cadet who has good conduct, the regulation illustrated and enforced what universal experience confirms. ”

“ By the Act establishing the Virginia Military Institute, provision was made giving authority to the Board of Visitors to make such arrangements with the Trustees of Washington College as would provide for an interchange of instruction between the two institutions; the Institute giving to the students of Washington College all needed military instruction, the cadets receiving instruction in those branches in which no provision existed at that time in the Institute. ”

“ The examination in French was no less satisfactory, and gave peculiar gratification to the Board of Visitors.
Of the thirty-two cadets, twelve of whom were pay cadets, who were examined, eight were found deficient in studies, two of whom were also deficient in conduct, as being in excess of the maximum limit of demerits, for the year. ”