The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-29
MILITARY TRAINING.
Once Tried in Wor-
cester Schools, But
Project Failed.
EXPENSE IS THE ONLY BARRIER.
There is Plentysof Enthusi-
asm Among the
School Boys.
EXPENSE IS THE ONLY BARRIER.

Six hundred high school boys, ready
to answer the nations call is Wor-
cester's strongest military reserve, yet
the absence of training renders this
regiment of youthful enthusiasm prac-
tically useless in the advent of war.
Military training as part of a high
school boys accomplishments, has been
agitated in the local high schools, and
reached the stumbling point in the dis
cussion when the cost of maintenance
was considered. Chancellor Henry Nc
Cracker of New York University has
suggested the idea of an emergency
army of 100000 young men, and public
school officials in that state have snap
ped at the project as the means where
by the nation will forever be assured Of
trained men for service.
In this city the classical high school
led a movement few years ago to es-
tablish high school regiment. The boys
drilled outdoors and were rapidly dis
carding the frivolity of care-free youth
for the sterner soldiers demeanor when
winter winds howled and regimental
discipline was buried in snowdrifts, for
the boys had no place to drill. Last
| year the principals teachers and BOYS
in the high schools recognized the ma
TONS need, and advocated the estab-
| lishment of military drill but Adjt
Gen. Dalton's letter to Superintendent
of Schools Carroll crushed the project
| to earth, because the state would not
| allow the armory to be used for school
| boy soldiers.
That was the death blow of military
training in the local high schools, for
| when the cost of erecting drill shed
and the purchase of arms was consid-
cred by the school board, the figures
multiplied, until proposed new school
houses seemed beyond reach, and mill
tary drill was relegated to what APP
peared its resting place, but patriotism
has blossomed and ripened into feel
ing which almost ignores cost, and the
cry of hundreds of school boys is 1--WE
must have it,"
| The resurrection of agitation for MILL
tary training in the high schools is pre-
pairing to leap from its place in memory
| to realization. The past year has been
| filled with practical demonstrations of
the worth of trained soldiers, and the
place the raw recruit has taken in vol
unteer militia companies, however loyal
the men might be, seems unnecessary
when the youths in school pine for mil
| itary training.
Principal Homer P. Lewis of the Eng
fish high school, told The Spy man re-
Gently that military training in the
| high schools had but one drawback
| lack of funds. Speaking Of the project,
he said:
IT advocated the idea when it was
suggested last year, but unfortunately
the school committee could not author
| ize the expenditure of cash necessary
| and the project was abandoned. The
war demonstrated the use to which such
a regiment might be put, and hope
that some day Worcester can boast of
a school regiment whose discipline will
| be such that it's worth as the nucleus
of trained military men in future will
! be established
When l was in Omaha, l had prae-
| teal Illustrations presented daily of the
value of military training among school
boys. At that time I became convinced
| that young man displays the sterling
qualities of manhood when military
| training has been made a part of his
| education. In military organization,
there is no opportunity for argument
and when an order is given the private
obeys and it is this lesson of duty that
makes military training valuable to
young men,"
| Principal E. r. Goodwin of the Class
ical high school regretted the fact teat
| the city could not afford to establish
military training in the high schools.
| He said: There is a growing tendency
on the part of the boys to seek mill
| tary training. There has never been
any dispute as to the worth of such
training in the high schools, but the
| cost of securing suitable quarters for
drilling and the purchase Of equip
ments, has been the barrier that mas
| prevented the establishment of mill
| tary training in our high schools.
In Boston the high school regiment
| is looked upon as the feature of the
school training, which tends to IN
| crease interest in educational matters.
| Military drill, one or two hours each
| week, would make the boys study the
harder. 1t would furnish a diversion
which would be to them pleasurable
| and profitable, as it would surely have
! the effect of bringing out their manly
| qualities. l believe that the usefulness
of military drill to the students phys
| ical culture to his intelligence, and
! moral well being, and to making him
valuable as citizen-soldier, has been
| established
supt Carroll was one of the most
| earnest advocates of the move to es-
tablish military training in the high
schools and he said that the expense
part of the project is all that keeps
| Worcester from being the centre for
the education and military training Of
| young men. with its fine public
| schools continued the superintendent,
| this city stands high as an educa
| tional centre, but the need of military
training to young men as a prepare
| ton for active life, is felt Men nf
wealth may soon realize the import
| ance of military training and devot.
the money necessary for the equip
ment and maintenance of Worcester
| high school battalion. Until some man
| of influence takes the initia i've. and
| subscribes. needed money or until a
school committee which places the na
/ tion's need above the city is elected,
/ candor compels the statement that
| Worcester's practical tribute to her
school boys and country in the form cf
military training, seems destined to
arouse enthusiasm. but no money"
The cost of an instructor in military
| tactics at the high schools would he
the smallest item of expenses connect
! ed with the maintenance of a battDl-
! ion. Charles Z. Burbank. teacher in the
| Classical high school. has a military
/ record which places him in a position
I to be a competent instructor Mr. Bur
bank attended West Point and was
captain of a local militia company.
] Later he was principal Of a military
academy at Fort Plains, n Y. and his
/ interest in the establishment of, SCI
tierlv teachings in the high schools Is
s-ss--sss--tsl-.ss
i PE-RU-NA /