Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-25

Is lOnd OF the DraSS buttons ana tiie
bright and Snowy cloth of the cadet uni
form. and he resolves that he. too. will be
a soldier some day.
tales of battles on sea and on land, and
accounts of wars and military adventure
interest him most and he will read them
in preference to all other kinds OF ltera-
ture.
1t is by reason of this natural tendency
that the promoters of military discipline
are able to accomplish such good results
with material that often appears utterly
hopeless at first. Outside OF the national
academies military science Is taught to
the youth of this country in many diff
ferent ways, at institutions that diner
from one another very widely. First
there are the colleges and universities
which, though not claiming to be military
institutions. give instruction. however. in
military tactics in the classroom and on
the college campus.
A regular army officer is usually de-
tailed for duty at such institutions by the
war department and instruction is given
only to those students who choose to
take ii. Cornell University is a good ex-
ample of these institutions.
Secondly, there are the public grammar
schools all over the country. where the
drill is taught by some instructor of the
school or by some national guardsman.
This is of recent date and is Il result of
the q. A. X. movement to put military
drill into the course of every public school
the endorsement of a great many promi
nent men throughout the country. there
being no more ardent supporter of il then
eX-President Harrison.
1t remains to he seen how thorough the
instruction. can he made in these schools.
but IL is hard to see why it would not be
of at least some benefit to the public
school boy if managed at all properly.
Thirdly. we have the high schools of
large cities where several thousand boys of
"a a % in In
regiments and brigades. and are put
through the drill by more or less compe
tent instructors.
Provision is often made by the state
for such schools to make use of some ar
mory In the city conveniently near. and
very often the organizations attain a de-
gree of proficiency beyond that of a great
many divisions of the national guard of
similar size.
In high schools where the drill is used it
is a fact that school discipline becomes an
easier problem to the teachers and that
the boys exhibit at all times better atten-
ton. better order. quicker obedience and
more manlness in all the duties of the
school, than can be possible of attainment
at other high schools where the drill is
not used.
Schools of this nature. where the drill
has shown its good results to all con-
cerned. are the Boston high school and
the Washington high schools d. c.
Fourthly, we have the private prepare
tory schools of large cities where the
drill is conducted on a plan similar to
that used in the high schools. Very ex-
cellent and thorough work is done at some
of these schools where not only infantry
is taught but artillery. sabre drill and
fencing are also introduced and thorough
ly mastered.
A great many cadets who enter the
academies at West Point and Annapolis
have received their preparation at some
OF these large military schools. and they
are always well fitted for the rigorous
course of study and discipline by reason
of having had similar work before.
1t is apparent that the military schools
of the country are doing noble work
and they should be encouraged in every
way possible. Occasionally one will hear
a parent remark that the military schools
are injurious, from the fact that they
teach the young boy to love fighting and
wars and everything that savors OF dan
ger
Do not these things exist anyhow. and
do not the schools teach the young how
to protect themselves and to assert their
rights and manhood?
1t is essential to success in these days
that a boy should be taught to be agrees
sve. and even to fight at times in order
that he may protect himself and his own.
No better statement of the real truth
concerning the merits of military educa-
ton can be made than that by General j.
M. SchOfield who says:
oucCeSS III all the AFFAIRS OF lie mas
ever depended, upon system. which is
marked characteristic of the result of
discipline and the tendency in all the sue
cessful affairs of life is toward such a
system as military discipline inculcates.
THE dependence of this country upon
militia of the several states as a national
defense. and the interest of the states
themselves, which depend so entirely
upon their respective military organiza-
tions point conclusvely to the wisdom of
fostering such education as will impart
the greatest degree of efficiency to those
organizations as military bodies.
But as important as are these consid-
eratiOns, | regard them even as secondary
effects of such a system of education the
discipline in which must unquestionably
best hit the youth for the primary duties
of life-thOse of good citizens-Joseph
Cablentz Graft in Army and Navy Week
ly.