Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-04-15
Patriotic Training in the Public
Schools.


Commander Shaw, of the department OF
New York, q. A. r., and his efficient
committee on public schools have been
doing an excellent work in awakening an
interest in military instruction and pat
riotto teaching. One of the plans, which
meets with considerable favor from the
nress and the public, is contained IN the
report of Col H. H. Adams, as follows:
Moral Development-The committee
fully concur in the fact that patrlotlc
exercises improve the student morally
stimulate his integrity or cnaracter' IN
press him with the responsibility OF COM
ing citizenship, and elevate his IDEAS Oh
manhood.
Intellectual Development-The records
of such schools as have given most at
| tsntion to the matter of patriotic exer-
discs show that the students OF these
| examinations stand the highest In
| scholarshfp and that under thorough dis
otpline marked development in method
| exactness, tenaoity of purpose, ana KIM
dred qualities are conspicuous results;
PHYSICAL Development-The setting
up" drill is blessing to any boy be no
| a scholar IN the public school or other-
wise. 1t Is noticeable fact that on
entering a schoolroom of boys who are
| under military training you find them SIT
| ting erect and most attentive ana re-
| spectful The pupil who is unaccustomeo
to this discipline, when asked 10 recHe'
| half rises or stands in q STOPPING posture,
! s,,pported by his desk, and in an inaudiole
| tome responds to the call; whereas, with
| the boy under training, he rises quickly
stands erect, and in prompt manner
with clear enunciation. gives his reclta-
ton These facts are derived from tne
records of several of the prominent
schools in New York city, and from
schools in the country, from Pennsyl-
| wanda, Connecticut and other states.
| Method-Your committee would, there
fore, recommend that in the NTH year
or, in other words, in the year next 10
the graduating year of the grammar
grsde--military instruction should be In
froduced and maintained, embracing the
"setting up drill and company forma
tions, properly oficered and that IN
struotion should be given by officers OF
the state militia at such times ana places
as can be made convenient.
Uniforms = Your committee woulc
recommend that no uniforms be worn by
the students of the public schools so or
ganized.
Use of Armory-Your committee furthel
recommends that proper efforts should d
! made to obtain the use of local armorie'
for the purpose of drilling at stated pc
J RODS during the week, after school hours
of the pupils of the public schools OF tn
J state, when accompanied by milrtia OF
, ficers And, further. = It the indorse
/, ment of tn legislature OF the STATE "
obtained for measures embracing militar!
instruction of some kind in the publ
schools. Your committee further sug
eests that the military instruction in tn
public schools shall not be made com
pulsory.
, Grades-That there shall be one, or,
, the most, two grades, as above indicated
which shall receive military instruction.
Arms-Your committee suggests ina
the drill with arms be entirely voluntar
: and under such restrictions as may
! exercised by the principals of the school:
: Graduating Class-Your committee ttnd
that the graduating year of the gram
mar schoolboy is one In which TN
student is required to use his entire tim
In perfecting himself in his studies
= Having passed through the experienc
and discipline incident to military II
struction, he should be freed from a
duties interfering with his last year
!. graduating work.
Drill Masters-Your committee turtle
l. recc mn ends that the state be asked
furl ish such commissioned or non-con
I missioned military officers as may
availabls to give instructions in tho "se
ting up and other forms of military ev'
lutions, at such times during the week
y will meet the requirements of the schoo
!. boys and make available the service
the military officer.