The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-27
THE MILITARY SPIRIT.
1s Is q Legacy OF the war to All, Isotl,
tsss Old and Young.

10 Is q Legacy OF the war to All, Both
Old and Young.
between the war of 1919 md tho war of
the rebellion military matters were lit
Tie considered or thought of in. the
United States, not even the Mexican
war being enough to arouse any general
inserost In the subject With tho ut
tempt to sever tho Union, however, q
new order succeeded the old, and though
quarter of u century has elapsed since
the last shot of tho civil war was fired
Inc military idea is still In existence.
thas Is evidenced, remarks the New
xork Telegram. not SO much by the In
crease In the strength and efficiency of
tho militia, though noticeable in that
direction, rs by tho adoption Of military
drill and discipline in various civic insti-
buttons, whose purpose Is us far removed
from way as could be imagined Nearly
all OF the fraternal and beneficial orders
have auxiliary organizations In the
nnture OF drill corps-as, for instance,
the corps of the knights Templnr, tho
uniformed rank of tho knights Of
Pythiss, the drill corps Of the workmon
and others which are readily called to
mind. Nor is this oil. In schools and
colleges, from the primary public school
to the universities, 10 say nothing Of
private military schools, drill. is.eucour-
aged md in most cases made compul-
sorry.
The children in the lowest grades Of
tho public schools arc taught to' march
and keep time to the drum beat, while
in the more advanced institutions a
complete drill including tho manual Of
arms, Is included In tho curriculum.
congress has encouraged this idea by de-
failing officers OF the regular army In
vnrious colleges and universities us mil
itary instructors, 80 that the students
get West Point course of drill less Of
course the very rigid discipline which
obtains ut the National military acade-
my. There is every thing TO be said for
this system, not alone on account of
its being IN excellent primary school
for the life Of soldier, but as
well for It's immediate and per
manent benefit TO the youth Of the
land. 1t inculcates habits Of instant
and rcudy obcdienco; it teaches the
great lesson that to command ono must
j, first learn to obey, nnd It makes boy
respectful to his superiors and consider
ate his interiors.
1 AS to the future, it makes nation Of
unar1ncd soldiers ready and qualified to
spring to arms ut moments warming
should the occasion arise, and capable
OF being converted into veterans on
very short notice. Nor must tho physi-
cal benefits of this system DO over
looked. The young man who grows up
lanl1 and slouchy and awkward, as
many do, is taken In hand by n compe-
tent military instructor and put through
the "sctting-up drill" and almost be-
fore he knows 1t he finds himself
changed into an erect, wcll-gaited and
even graceful fellow, with his lop-sided
stumbling replaced by square march
to the front, and his hnlting walk by O
measured step. This, then, is in out
limo q legacy which the civil war has
left us, and one of which we should be
proud Another quarter Of century
oHtu see the finest men and women in
those world In the United States, and
Fitch of the racial improvement will
be traceable to the universally of mil
itary drill.