William J. Webb

“ Secretary Root discovered that one-third of Regular Army officers possessed no formal military education, and he believed that the Military Academy and the schools of application were inadequate to equip officers to handle the new responsibilities attendant to the growing world prominence of the United States. Nevertheless, he valued the Military Academy as the initial training ground for the Army's officers and launched a successful campaign to increase the cadet corps, modernize the academy's curriculum, and improve its physical plant. ”

“ During the Spanish-American War, officers in the lower echelons demonstrated that they knew their basic jobs, but those at higher levels did not sufficiently adapt to the problems of sudden mobilization and training and the widespread deployment of military forces. ”

“ Prior to 1900 an Army system of individual education did not exist; individual training was accomplished primarily within units. In most cases, Army schools were local in attendance and were designed to improve the academic education of the new officer as well as his professional military education. ”