Emphasis Preaching Journal

From 1851 to 1854, James Abbott McNeill Whistler attended West Point. He was not destined to become any kind of soldier, but to influence the art of the nineteenth century in a major way. He did have some influence at the Military Academy, however. A story from his Academy days lives on. In a mechanical drawing class, Whistler was given the assignment of drawing a bridge. He drew two children fishing from an attractive, artistic bridge of stone between grassy banks. The instructor was incensed. He demanded, "Get those children off that bridge!