New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-28
MILITARY DRILL FOR BOYS.
LONG EXPERIENCE WITH THE SYSTEM
IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
AN oITGRowTH OF THE CIVIL wAR-A PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE ADOPTED by THE CITY
ADMIRABLE RESULTs-CADETs AP-
PRECIATED Ky BUSINESS MEN.

ENTERPRISE ADOPTED by THE CITY
ADMIRABLE REsULTs-CADETs AP-
PRECIATED BY BUSINESS MEN
| Boston Jan q (SpeciaD.-For thirty years mill
tary drill has constituted part OF the curriculum
of Boston's High and Ls'in schools. Occasionally
during that period the wis ION Of giving up for drill
two hours week the part OF every pupil In
the high schools Of the city has been debated by
cranks but II has never been seriously questioned
by the School Board. by whose judg-
ment the people OF Boston have been accustomed to
rely.
The moral aspect Of this system is not indstinct.
It has a positive value 1t teaches discipline which
IL of nestinabe value TO the boys in after life. in
business. social professional life. 1t inculcatcs
| respect superior authority: prompt and unques-
tion!ng obedience when occupying inferior posi-
ton and Is incentive to studiousness to good be-
havor and obedience to inc rules Of the school gem
orally.
Military drill like work in a wel-regulated gym
naslum develops the physical syS'em. II tends to
the encouragement OF an erect and manly bearing.
an easy graceful carriage and an air which COM
mands respect 1t may Danish the early seeds of
consumption and kindred diseases. and in many
other ways may promote the physical wel-being
Of the growing boy.
HOW THE SYSTEM ORIGINATED.
Tho Introduction of military drill into the public
schools Of Boston was rhe outgrowth Of the martial
spirit engendercd by the War OF the Rebellion In
1861 Amos A. Laurence Martin Brimmer the Rev.
Edward Ever It Hale. g. Rowland Shaw and sev-
eral other Distinguished citizens periodically es-
tab,shed what was then known the Massachu-
SETS Rife club. the object OF which was To in
struct and 10 tit men to be officers i'm the volunteer
regiments then organizing In III" State. Hobart
Moore an officer In the militia and thorough tao
fican. was engaged as dril-maa.er The drills were
held in the large hall over the Boylston Market
building witch was demolished years ago. and a
large business block erected ON tn" SITE At The
corner Of Washington and Ioylston sts
II 1864 the men who had been instrumental In or
ganizng the Rife club petitoncd rhe School Board
To permit the Introduction " military drlll into me
public schools They agreed to pay for an nstruc-
tor. TO pay the rent Of Boyls,on Hall as "A drroom
for ono year. experiment.. end II AZ the "NpI-
ZION Of that period the School Board deemed II
wire procedure the irill was to b. inserted In the
curriculum q the schools and the city was to as
sumo the Expense.
Gc1rg. = Hale was appointed chairman Of a sub
committee Of The school Board - investigate aad
re.prt THO result the cst1bll: hment of dr.ll.
II vas p, fret introduced IN the Dwight and Eliot
grammar schools as well IT, Tho Latin aad the
Enslish High schools hut T. was found taa' The
grammar school boys w'rr not IarS' 'rpuSh TO
endure IN. physical str1ln. Rni 1t was aNor"ard
confined to the pupils of the Latin and liSh whose
ages range from fourteen II eighteen year.. iio-
bart Moore was appointed Instructor. and fhe WORK
was entered upon with enthusiasm and intelligence
one vcar's work demonstrated the experiment To
be- "A wise one AMI It was decided 10 establish the
drll rcsu,qri~ combining II 20 IN" Latin md to III"
various Iich schools throughout the city. Tier"
are a; present eight High schools in Boston in which
are enrolled about Lon boys. The military classes
,r. divided int, three bataons OF eight companies.
and one battalion u ten companies
CHOOSING TIRE OFFICERS
p,nl,s NJ, chosen each year IS an excellent one.
ami cinin,nilv calculated - cncourag. industry in
tho stulIc.. rcspcc, for the rulcs Of the school
and cor-,c, department. In fact. no better ay."m
Tor the cultivation and stimulation - respectful.
scnilomauiy condu0' among schoohoys has eyer
been devised The officers are CHOSEN from IN"
graduating class each yeaT Every boy in the class
sends IN 20 fhc master st Of the boys Pc prefers
a. r.c promoted I'm the school regiment and In the
companies These lists are carefully tahulatei
slowing the number 81 vote for each caniidiie.
Th,y are then placed I'm conspicuous place IN ne
schools together with the standing u each boy as
scholar The teachers ar" called together hy IN"
head master. AMI each mana" f. taken up ana dis
rt.se..l II any l.v has made a bad record dufinC
IN. vear II b. has cluMd trouble 10y violating the
rule. ~ tn. school. MS name Is erased from the
lis, and only hose are voted Tor whose conduct
HIS b,.n satisfactory zach ones record AS stu
dent being taken into consideration I'm judging NJ
ness for Office Tais n can readily hr ''en. I'
positive gain to the discipline ~ The school aad has
"A married. cn,ci In promoting studiousness. as it f.
considered an honor to hold the Offices IN the bat
talions.
Before the boys reach tho High School they have
received preliminary military instruction AMI eXer-
els. which hts them FOR clrrying the musket and
wearing the sword. This "setting-up driil consists
81 selected Swedish. frc"-s;and!ng movements ar
RANGED for the 81 ecli use IA" Boston School Reg
imcnt by Hartyig Nisscn. assistant Instructor IN
pnvslcaI training the public schools Of this city at
the reaucs, Of General Moore. The tactics are sub
stan,Iay hose used In the regular army. In tict
thev are Identical except In the length OF thu step
The arms and equipments consls; Of 1900 breech-
loading muskets which were sent To III" factory
ard cut down to the required length for cadets.
There are two lengths adapted to the different ages
Of the boys. 70, cadets wear the belt ana bayonet
scabbard The muskets and swords fcr the officers
are furnished by the city.
The uniforms which the boys provide for hem,
selves consist for the privatc9 OF sInge-brcaMtci
three rows Of Boston School Regiment buttons. five
In each row with onequarter men RiIl ia,c IRON
are OF the material as the coat without stripe
on the side . , ,., -,
dark blue cloth with standing collar. The colonel
lieutenant colonel and major each wears TWO rows
of buttons nine IN each row; whil" Tor the cap
,ains and nrst and second cutenants there are only
seven bu'tons In each row. me threr hisher "i
moiI hill running the length NJ the cum. with
small hutton I'm the angle Of each strip collar
cinsn Of crossed swords IL in each oticers coat
TIN. trousers are OF the same material as the coats
win onc-nuarter inch gold braid on the seams
The non com mlssioncd officers wear silver cora on
the trousers.
Inasnrch as a recent law prohibits any organiZa-
,inn I'm the state from wearing the uniform or insg
MA Of rank prescribed for the officers Of the Massa
chusets militia the schoOlhoy officers ar" heslEha
ted by chevrons on the sleeve OF the cont aoc
Tho elbow points NJ. seven bars OF thrc"-elGhthS
inch gold lace for colonel. SIX Tor lieutenant
for IN
nrs, lieutenant and two for second lleltehhht
The cans worn are OF the cadet pattern III dark
blue to atch the uniform. .
General Hobart Moore has been the Instructor Oh
th. schoolboys since the first experiment was
maI. I'm Boylston Hall. He was l'rigadi"r-fch'ial
OF the Massa chusO'ts militia for seven years re-
signing the Office In 1852. has held nearly AL IN"
Grades beneath that rank and has the most intl-
mate knowledge OF military matters.
DISCIPLINE.
Whenever and wherever member or the SCHOOL
regiment Is I'm uniform he is amenable 10 the aii-
hority Of the School Board and of his teachers ana
any breach OF decorum discipline while wearing