Front:
RAINTRE
JUN
7.
1985
02184
Sylvanus Thayer
En
Sylvanus Thayer
MA
Back:
SYLVANUS THAYER
First Day of Issue: June 7, 1985
First Issue Location: Braintree, MA
Noted American educator and engineer, Sylvanus Thayer
entered Dartmouth College in 1803 but left four years
later to attend the United States Military Academy at
West Point. Thayer was commissioned in the Corps of
Engineers and served in the War of 1812. After the war,
he was was ordered to study European methods of
educating military engineers so that he might help im-
prove West Point's academic standing. When he re-
turned from Europe, Thayer was appointed superinten-
dent at West Point in 1817 and immediately instituted
sweeping reforms at the Academy. He set new standards
for admission, established minimum levels of academic
proficiency and created a system to measure the progress
of each cadet. Thayer felt that the arts and sciences were
also important, so, he promoted courses in English,
French, the social sciences, mathematics and ethics in
addition to the military subjects. The United States Postal
Service issued the stamp featured on this Maximum Card
in honor of Sylvanus Thayer.
No. 85-36
©1985 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by Tom McNeely.
