The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-31
ARMY OFFICERS IN COLLEGES.
An Important Means OF Securing Popular
Military Education.

WASHINGTON, July 30.-A bill Just introduced
into Congress increases to 100 the number OF
army officers that may be detailed as instruc-
tors Of military tactics and drllmasters In
schools and colleges The navy detail would
bring this maximum up to 40. exclusive OF
those that may be assigned as instructors OF
steam engineering and steel shipbuilding In
scientific schools. and Of retired army officers
who may voluntarily assume such duties.
The present bill indicates tho Importance to
which this means OF popular military instruc-
ton has grown. The reports made to the In
spector- General. during the present summer.
by regular officers detailed to inspect some OF
these schools. show high average degree OF
efficiency in the military departments. One
institution Is declared to be in its drills Sec
ond only to the corps Of cadets at West Polnt:"
in another. there was perfect steadtness In
ranks and good soldierly set up. while the
arms and accoutrements were scrupulously
clean and neat. and would compare favorably
with those OF regular companies:" In third.
there was excellent discipline and military
spirit, the cadets soldierly in appearance and
wellinstructed in infantry tactics:" In
fourth. the drill surpassed anything the in
specting officer had ever seen in similar in
stitution. So the comments run on. indicat-
ing high standard Of efficiency. most marked.
OF course in the military schools proper. but
by no means TO De ulSplB0O III COlloR6b anu
The last report OF Gen. breckenridge showed
that a institutions to which Officers were de- De;
belonged to the military depaI1tments ., Add
7.6o3 in the military departments; At least
one other school has been added to the list
in all il parts Of the country. re taught By sub:
alterns who are considered specially fitted
n
than thirty practical instruction, Is given in
artillery as we'll rs in infantry. and IN six there
of them hold fewer than three drill q week;
and from that tho number goes UP to five and
institutions are expressly called military acad::
emies; but the great majority are general
schools: universities and colleges. particularly
The influence OF this constant military train
ing upon so largo body OF young men, re-
newed year after year with new. classes. Is per-
prsciation; some q them established their
and some eyen still earlier. Some, teachers
are educated in n part of these schools. 50 that
can well be underst3od that the influence 81
other institutions. Besides drills there are
military lectures in some Of the schools; and
the text books used last year included the
United States Drill Regulations. Upton s aud
Reeds d, Tactics Cali9s Notes Ken99ns Man
tions and Art and Science Of War, Hamilton's
Art OF War. and so on. according to the choice
II the new bill should become law, 1t would
| be possible to have more than hundred
| schools and colleges under military instruc-
| ton. And even the present system must have
great effect in imparting knowledge OF the
rudiments OF military science, and in ,accus-
really to n great extent. the American substi-
| tute for the burdensome compulsory service
| OF European nations. Started in an unpreten-
| tious and tentative way. it has already become
| an important part Of the military system. The
organized militia Of the various States forms a
| much larger body OF men, but most cases
| their drills are far less frequent than those OF
the schools taught by these regular officers.
No doubt portion OF tho lads. after leaving
| the schools and colleges Join militia organi-
cations, and thus bring TO the latter re-en-
who do. not Join tho militia. must yet have re-
| ceived instruction enough to 1T them for mill
| tary service. should the country need them. In
| this way tho professional educa1nn furnished
| at West Point to II few hundred young men
by a popular military training. given by com,
petent instructors to thousands OF lads all
| over tho country.
The Importance attached to this system by
| the War Department may be judged not only
from its careful annual inspections OF the
the Army Register the names OF one two. or
three OF tho most distinguished pupils IN the
! military department OF each school. SILL, IL
may DO doubted whether the pending BILL Tor
to 100 is yet needed. There should be great
| care not to assign officers to schools that have
too few students. BY withdrawing officers
| from some schools that are too small to Justify
giving them tho services OF u line olflcer there
might DO enough at least for the present, for
the very fact tn at additional calls are made
! shows the popularity of the system.