The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-28
BUFFALO BILLS SCHOOL
NOVEL INSTITUTION TO BE EsTAB-
LIsHED IN THE BIG HORN BASIN.
Ii Is Intended to Transform the Youth
of the EGete East Into Gem
uine Rough Riders.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April q. - Gen. E V.
Sumner, former commander of the Depart
nent of the Platte and a soldier of world
wide reputation, has consented TO take
charge of the new military school of rough
riders TO be established in the Big Horn
basin near Cody, Wyo.. by Buffalo Bill and
three or four of his New York friends.
General Sumner has been made general
manager and treasurer. and the school is to
teach the Eastern youth how TO hunt and
fish, ride and shoot and the essentials of an
absolute military life. In consideration of
summers assuming direct and personal
supervision of the school Buffalo Bill" and
three or four of his friends raised $4,000
and Incorporated the school under the laws
OF New Jersey. General Sumner was in
Washington this week in consultation with
Colonel Cody, and the details Of the build
ings 10 be erected were decided on. 1t rs
General Summers intention TO leave at once
for Big Horn basin and commence imme-
olate construction of a mess hall, recitation
rooms, barracks and an arena i'm which the
students can ride. Until the completion
Of the buildings necessary the students will
be given the advantage Of an outdoor camp
life, an order for tents having been sent
out this week. General Sumner, i'm discuss
ing the possibilities of the school. said:
Il do not anticipate having many stu
dents from the West. because the Western
boy gets an early education in shooting
and fishing. and. If he lives in the country,
becomes an expert rider. But the boys from
the East and Europe do not have the ad-
vantages of their Western cousins, and
axnact 70 dpou y 1aroalx from fha middle
States and New England, as well as from
England, France and Germany. When /
established a somewhat similar school in
Colorado a year ago / had over three
thousand applications for places. but the
people of Colorado somehow or other did
not see the advantage OF such a military
academy, and it was impossible toy get
enough money together to put the school OF
rough riders on a substantial basis. But
when the plan was laid before Colonel
Cody and ! agreed to take charge of the
school, Cody sent a telephone message TO
some of his New York friends and in two
hours had an organization and $50 1000 suo-
scribed. The one stipulation was that the
school should be erected In the Big Horn
basin, near the town of Cody, in which
Rrffalo Bill Is vitality interested Naturally,
Omaha will be the depot of supplies. Ey.
orything that can possibly be bought will
be bought either there or in Cheyenne.
THE chief feature OF this rough rider
school will be 10 teach a man how TO take
tdlC vi Jul tbCAAt win ot ~
teach the young men all the details of
rough and unpleasant military life. and the
school will be divided into two courses.
one of three months and the other extend
ing over an entire year. The tuition will
be $500 for the term and
5000 dollars for the year. This will include
the carrying out Of the curriculum. A
horse will be furnished the pupil, guns.
and everything. in fact, that a plain and
practical soldier needs. 1t does not neces-
sarily follow that these men who are stu
daptS of the Cody ROnQh Rider School Will
enter the army. but Ii Will fit young men
TO be better able to take care of themselves.
and should they decide upon a military
life, they will have learned the rugged
lesson that is needful."
The idea seems to be an excellent one.
There was a plentiful lack Of such SOL
dierly training among the volunteers at
Santiago. Their want of the knowledge
of how 10 ak care OF themselves In camp
and field caused many of them TO die of
dysentery. homesickness and fret. They
had been taught company, regimental and
ba ttalion drills. but they found no oppor-
tunity TO practice these maneuvers. There
was no clear parade ground. but instead a
narrow road that debouched upon a rough.
rugged hillside that afforded no chance for
proper company or regimental formations.
The straight-line wheels and the break
of tours which have elected such tumultous
applause along Pennsylvania avenue at in
augurations could not be executed, and In
many cases men of the volunteer army
were compelled TO form Indian file as they
laboriously climbed the rugged side of the
mountain and to show their proficiency in
lodging the bullets OF the enemy. While
the youth who will enter the Cody School
of Rough Riders will have all the advan-
tages of the regulation drills, they Will
nave the still greater advantage OF know
ing how to take care of themselves IN
hand-to-hand encounters. to erect and
strike the camp. to cook their food, to es-
tablish proper systems of sanitation and
many other things essential TO the soldier
and frontiersman.
General Sumner. an old Indian fighter
himself. and a splendid soldier in camp
and field. Is enthusiastic over the enter
prise which he believes I'm "A little while
will grow to be one Of the greatest mill
tary schools Of the world.