The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-11
DRILL FOR BOYS.
1t Would Be Boon to the Work.
ing Glasses.
A Project for Drilling Poor Boys West
Point in Prospect-An English
Experiment.

Board of Visitors to the military academy
at West Point is one having for its object
the formation of military academies in each
OF the States. The scheme c0ntemplates,
when such schools are provided, that the
graduating classes shall 90 each year to the
academy for higher examination and a
superior military education. The claim OF
the advocates of this plan is that with such
institutions throughout the land the gradu-
ates of West Point will far excel similar
class of students at either of the two great
English academies, Woolwich and Sand
hurst, or any other similar schools on the
Continent.
The subject of military training for all
OF the boys in the country has lately been
preached, with the view of providing
suitable and healthy means of recreation
for the boys of the laboring classes In par
ticular, after their days work is over. Its
claimed that in every one Of our large
towns the man ufactories, shops and offices
turn out into the streets thousands OF
young fellows full of life, spirit and en-
ergy, capable of being most usefully EN-
ployed il rightly directed, and equally liable
to be instructed into channels Of vice and
crime In Portland, Me-, for several years
there has been a company made up OF boys
OF the poorest class which has been
A GREAT SUCCESS.
The boys not only drill remarkably well
for youngsters Of their age, some of them
being only little larger than the niles
placed in their hands, but they learn self
respect, subUrdinatlOn, punctuallly, smart
ness, and most of those qualities which are
SO essential 10 success III LIE. a term OF
such drill, short though it may be in many
cases, can hardly fail to have beneficial
effect ON lheir future life and conduct. IT,
stead of finding their only amusement IN
the unQueStonably dangerous attractions OIL
the streets at night they soon seem to feel
that they have an object in life apart from
the mere drudgery OF daily labor.
In England Major Fordyce has been in
strumental in raising what he terms cadet
battallons, which are not composed of the
sweepings Of the slums by any manner OF
means, but the members are all from the
working class, and are personally Inspected
and approved before enrolment w hen
these boys first came together little seemed
to be thought by the individuals OF their
personal appearance, but gradually II be-
came matter of reproaeh for any boy 10
appear at drills without clean collar ana
a Decktie. This is, of course, a small thing,
but it gives evidence of desire for personal
cleanliness and self-respect aroused by the
smartness inseparable from the conduct OF
a Hell-dlsciplined battalion.
In addition to the drill-hall there can be
NUtIt Sd.utS Cdu UC plp1Co
or books read. GymnaStic appliances, shoot
ing gallerles, signal flags and other similar
practical things could also be furnished at
a very reasonable cost Instruction in TAX
ing care OF the wounded, the resuscltatlon
OF the apparently drowned. and other such
subjects Incidental to well-conducted corps
have not only proved interesting
TO THE NOVICE,
But are extremely useful things
to know, whether the future career
be that of soldier, sailor, or civilian. In
England 1t has frequently been remarked
that thousands of young men prefer cricket,
football and other field sports to volunteer
ing. Major Fordyce seems to be of the
opinion that this is because such early IA
clitieS are offered for the practice OF these
games that by the time the boys are old
enough TO join the volunteers their prefer
ence Tor field sports has been so confirmed
thai volunteering is put to one side. The
extension Of the cadet battalion system, 1t is
thought, will be likely to remove this lack
OF patriotism to q great extent, and while
not causing the young men to neglect their
games, Will place volunteering upon more
equal terms at the start
III young men learn their drill when be-
tween fourteen and eighteen years of age,
they are never likely TO forget its lessons,
and the phys advantages OF such eXer-
else 10 growing youth are too obvious to
need remarklng upon. The Australian
portance of training the youths of those
countries for the future defense of the colo
MES in that portion of the globe, and have
done all in their power to foster the scheme.
Should private enter prise succeed in an
ticipating governmental action and start
the matter of organizing battalions for the
youth OF this country, the Government
would quickly recognize the value of the
idea and lend arms, equipments, &c, if
not financial aid, to the undertaking. AS
Captain Charles King OF our army has
pointed out, the subjects OF uniforms and
officers which are generally the most prom
inent features in the minds OF the youthful
soldiers, should be the lastto be thought of.
BY the time the setting-up drills and other
preliminary exercises are we'll advanced
A SIMPLE UNIFORM
Could be considered, and after merit had
proved who were hest qualified for officers
they could be appointed. Because a man
or a boy learns his drill it does not neces-
Sarily follow that he loves war or fighting.
Training boys to the use Of arms and diSci-
pline will not brutalize their natures, but 1t
will give them valuable training in che
dience and manlinesS that could not so read
lily be attained by any other means.
Just at present both our army and navy
are meeting with more or less difficulty in
obtaining desirable class of men who will
remain in the service after their first enlist
ment has expired. The naval apprentice
D
however, succeed in keeping up even the
limited number Of enlisted men allowed by
law, and when the attempt is made to get
Americans to enlist after they have at
tanned the age of 81, they are not to be had
for love or money, to the extent at least
that the payable goes at present. Should
the proposed plan of drilling be carried
out, there would be class of recruits who
would not desert, as young man who has
served four years In cadet battalion
knows something about soldiers life, and
if his mind be made up to adopt it profess
sionally it is probably because he has be-
come imbued with military spirit which
will last him for many years.
From this same class the navy will also
be supplied, as the mastless battle-ship re-
quires that the majority of her crew shall
have instruction in other things than yards
and sails. The great quality of unquestion-
ing obedience to orders, so necessary to
perfect discipline. will he part and parcel
of the weli-drilled youth as it is of the ideal
soldier, and with reserve OF that deScrip-
ton to depend upon no emergency can
arise which will not find US well prepared
to meet it,
If the movement can once be fairly started,
and have proper facilities given it for grow
ing straight and strong. it would without
doubt be lifelong blessing to thousands Of
working boys throughout the country. En-
trance to the State military academies pro-
posed by the Board of Visitors at West
Point could be very properly made the re-
ward for eXcelling in the battalions of the
various towns, and a liberal education. per-
haps followed by commission in the army.
would be only natural extension of the
system.-N Y. Times.