The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-03
OUR SOLDIERS AT SCHOOL,
some Omccrs Think tho Post schools n
faIIure-thnnge. Recommended.

some Onieers Think tho Post schools n
Faiiure-t'hnng-- Recommended.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 2.-After a quarter OF a
century OF existence. the schools esta blIshed
by tho direction OF Congress In all garrisons
and permanent camps for the instruction OF
the enlisted men are considered by some au-
thoritios as failure. The original law pre-
scribed that the men should DO Instructed In
the common English branches OF education
and especially in the history OF the United
States" The post or garrison commander
was to set apart q room for educational and
religious purposes.
Gen. breckenridge finds that nearly II not
all civilized nations seem to have m ore caro-
fully ~ stcmati2ed supervised. and successful
schools for enlisted men thun We have" and
asks whether 1t would not be well that a Board
OF officers should prepare suitable text books
for our military schools. $50 that all will have
military tendency. as IS the case In Europe"
He ilnds no adequate explanation of the fact
that our soldiers, especially those that cannot
read or write. do not moro generally avail
themselves OF the privileges OF the schools
Whether the difficulty may come from the
character OF the men. the compulsory feature
o. the schools. lack OF interest on the part OF
the instructors. or the defects OF equipment
If a problem demanding II solution. On this
point he makes these suggestions:
arms practice assume tue duty OF Supervising these
i. s paTs %tf .nG sTrS IN Sds
INSTANCES the schools lack Intelligent management
a.. conflict between school attendance and other du
and teacher. and then usually Inc schoo suffers
one no Hhcry gr%n"by rriss. from the existing
or he men of harrison ny company rather than
ing 10 the different standards Of the company com.
S"H,i @p2n whGm 1n. duty roy dsvo!yss through
Sgs %m1 may ssy sSPp.n tina, some men
formed than some who ar" not required to attend.
IL think post schools. as at present con.
they should be reorganized on a different
basis. The Idea on which they are based. no
says is derived from the custom in European
scription. and largely drawn from uneducatsd
Ineir ssryse pS0tnG the re,
years. giving time TO teach them other things
besides military duties. In our service. on the
tary, and the recruiting regulations arc so
stringent that "only INTEL iGsnt and airy we'll
not or should not need the instruction i'm
parted in the present post schools" In other
words; we DO not need TO give the men a gen
tclently educated; and in the next place.
thore is not sufficient time within the three
years to thoroughly teach them their military
duties and give item scholastic education
BESIDES" The men who attend these schools
at present are detailed by their Captains to go.
course Of study is broken into by the routine
are mem Snered menu often Of Initial acauile
nents, lie would therefore. wholly change
the system:
instructed N reading writing and arithmetic but IN;
su6n am Who R max Ts oas. Ssn
they receive their military siueaton
stoned officers and a few @ me moIs inIeliissnt
thSTS or Rr,r unti Az Ds 20
how TO handle men when they are sent out in charge
lies 4c swell a. their ordinary duties as non.eSm,
Trsse the schools favor and the instructor.
well verssd IN tGsir duties,
Col Hughes reports that the unsatisfactory
condition nt the pust schools may be partly
due 10 the fact that attendance is usually an
additional task. lie suggests that IL might be
better - T. all men were required TO attend
some one Of the service schools at the same
Their special school; the men found proficient
IN tho primary Srh"Ol could 20 TO a school in
would he similarly employed during the same
hours" Go, neyi d dnii,. some sehoolrooms
appointed for each post. with homecoming
stoned rank and hospital stewards pay.
in tho Instruction at different posts In the
Department u Texas. during the last year.
Tf 10 IN" ndsT ths 94
system" h1 saws. the schools are OF but little
Erpht 70 me enlisted men" Lieut.. -Col. Lyster.
eNp'c' To- procure suitable teachers for 80
mrLth aud y bunk In the barrack~. with plenty
Of ir!N AMI chance Ot extra duty pay. He
speaks p' one good teacher. who had COOL
school. but rhres times as much pay was Of
tered h'I oul side the army and he bought his
discharge The ray and privileges should he
increased, Tor with the right teacher there il
no difficulty in getting soldier pupils. Major
kryes. bird ,'avalry. thinks that the attend
Rnre should b. voluntary. as compulsory at
Tendance is source u discomfort
According To Major Chaffes much can be
d''r" hl slretness IN marking absences from
tins duty ana giving penalties for absence
He thlnks the evening school the best ant
also that post chaulains. as superintendsnts q
IN" schools ought not 70 be absent during the
school term Lieut. Col Kent reports fair sue
cess VII schools in the GspATtment 81 D1-
kota. Lieut. Col NOyes recommends the en-
Iloyment OF civilian teachers. Col T. NJ
Anderson has these suggestions:
our o.. 81 n To- soldiers has be Vel rond lcted
ami most ~ he SCHOLARS have been bsaea,rd p, the
coaTSr, We. % - iRrt tha ~ tbv men attend
very IN "NsnslE. lave before a written sIa 10 d
ne a 81 "nr "' The teachers that the f4ug
Fact that lho,~ compelled 10 - feel tast tEsy 40
suirctvi on GUN. OF their ilerAcy Tho brighter
men do ma" cars 10 20 berAuse the C0u-o Is necessarily
elcHeuIAry rue teachers sugEes 'hAt the utTu lur-
Ton II pu' rs would Hui interest "a the
90 lrsr now very aonotoEOus frru us Am, att"n.
1hg srhHo. hours r Us 30 taken ron thc a. % ours
AnutIg- .rtNh acs Is thai urb thr tlur 10 the [
tea he's - ~ s'th teaching men OF t'r-.u birth
g. read 1ut Nr &C. Ensl sh
M last ,g-sston, respectfully submitted b thsE
foreigner he rnhstrl In The army unsss f ER- been
IA ufau4e4 before Ills application Tor yullsln
Acting Post Chaplain Goodwin. e. Fort Co |
IL m 5us. recommends better quarters and !
text bOok Is. the enllsting OF competent lnstrue- /
tors, and making the appropriation for schools |
20 70 the post instead OF to companies or bat /
IeTies. Perhaps out Of these manifold sugges- /
tioss some hints may be drawn for improving