The record-union., 1894-02-13
MILITARY INSTRUCTION IN OUR
SCHOOLS.


The Grand Army of the Republic, at it's
twenty national encampment
adopted memorial favoring the intro
duction into the public school system of
some degree of military instruction.
It is pointed out as reasons fortifying
this recommendation that the national
policy is wisely to maintain but a very
small standing army, and to rest the de-
fense of the country upon hastily raised
levies of volunteers, clustered about the
National Guard, the organized militia of
the States.
But the rapid advances made in the art
of war have in recent years greatly less
ened the time heretofore available for the
instruction of raw levies. 1t is, there
fore, more important than ever before
that the citizen should have some practi-
cal knowledge of those necessary move
ments and of the handling of arms and
of the discipline of order. essential to
either organized assault or defense.
The claim of the Grand Army is that
such knowledge is wisely impaired when
given to youth, and therefore the instruc-
ton may well begin in the common
schools. Therefore the Grand Army ad-
vises:
That an organized effort to impress upon
the various municipal, State and National
authorities the advisability of the adOp-
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the public and private schools, as we'll as the
high schools and colleges, shall receive in
structions in military matters, and TO impress
upon the rising generation of the country the
fact that as American citizens IL is their high
duty TO bring to the defense OF their country,
in its need, the education which they have re-
celved in this particular IN their youthful
days.
That it is the recommendation of this Ma
tional Encampment that the Department
Commanders give especial attention to the ac-
compishment of this object through staff
officer, and that the posts in the various cities
towns and villages, by committees, pubic
meetings and other means, give their earnest
cooperation and support IN securing neces-
sary legislative, municipal and school-board
action, as well as to obtain, where required,
national aid by provision OF arms, equip
ments and instructors.
But aside from the reasons set forth
above. and the obvious value of encour-
aging to a certain point the martial
spirit, such military instruction has still
other values, value unrelated to the
army or militia, or to national defense or
assault. For instance, military drill and
discipline teaches respect for authority
and regard for those placed in authority
not from fear, not arbitrarily, but be-
cause of the wise reason for it, and which
the schoolboy comprehends very quickly.
1t induces proper carriage of the body
and cultivates the sense of order, of
rythmical motion and of manly pose. 1t
teaches the value of discipline by expos
ing it's necessity and making clear the
reason for it. 1t enables teachers more
easily to handle the pupils as body in
times of peril, and occupies in that sense
and will take the place largely of the
now all but universal school fire drill
It cultivates spirit of neatness and
taste for orderly movement and habit,
and as it appeals largely to the fancy and
the imagination, it serves most useful
purpose in the way of recreation. But
above all it cultivates and emphasizes the
patriotic spirit, and puts the youthful
mind upon the line Of inquiry why
we arm for defense, why the call
of the citizen to arms is ever made.
why the citizen owes duty to the land
of his birth or adoption. why we are
nation and should so remain, and what
the claim of the nation is upon everyone
of its citizens.
Nearly all universities, colleges, acad-
enlies and seminaries for boys have in re-
cent years adopted military exercises.
most of them going so far as to organize
their pupils into uniformed companies
and battalions. Even the Sunday y-schools
have very recently introduced a semi
military organization, and in the reform
schools it has been found that the mill
tary organization of the pupils is power
full aid in the work of reformation.
We do not understand that it is sug-
gested that elaborate military organiza-
ton shall be set up in the public schools,
Int that as an essential part of physical
culture military drill. with accompanying
military discipline and obedience, be in
troducad. Tt seems to Us TO be a good