OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

CITY OF CHIGAGO

RICHARD M. DALEY
          MAYOR

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the United States Military Academy at West Point was founded on March 16, 1802, by an Act of Congress under the direction of President Thomas Jefferson; and

WHEREAS, prior to this legislation, West Point played an important role in American history. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington positioned his headquarters at West Point, as this plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River was considered to be the most important strategic position in America; and

WHEREAS, trained in military discipline and honorable conduct, and grounded in a demanding civil engineering curriculum, West Point graduates were responsible for much of the railway, bridge, harbor and road construction that took place during the first half of the nineteenth century; and

WHEREAS, by attaining the highest ranks during the Civil War, graduates established West Point as an academy dedicated to the most noble ideals of military leadership; and

WHEREAS, the rigorous West Point curriculum, which balances education in the arts and sciences, continues to form cadets committed to intellectual, physical, military, moral and ethical excellence; and

WHEREAS, the Academy has graduated more than 500,000 men and women exhibiting the highest standards of academic, physical and leadership ability and prepared to serve in high- level military, political and civilian leadership positions:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD M. DALEY, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, do hereby proclaim March 16, 2002, to be UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT DAY IN CHICAGO, and urge all Chicagoans to recognize the important role of West Point throughout our nation's history and the committed efforts of its graduates to attain the highest standards of excellence and integrity by serving our nation with honor.

Dated this 28th day of January, 2002