The age-herald., 1902-02-09
American Military Academies,

The State Adjutant General has learned That several military academies have been in the habit of distinguishing their officers from the rank and file of the cadets by using the same insignia of rank that are in use IF the Regular Army and the National Guard As this is expressly forbidden by laws covering the subject, the adjutant gen eral has notified every military academy in the state that no such insignia may be worn by any of the cadets. The first of this year saw time of bitter regret among the sol dier boys who were obliged to discard their shoulder straps.
 The growth of private military academies in the United states during the last few years has been prodigious both in the mum Der of institutions and in the attendance During the last three years the colleges in the country which teach military tactics and have drills by uniformed cadets have in creased In number more than 40 per cent and in the public high schools throughout the country upward of 20.00o young men now devote more or less attention to military drills and In many cases are provided with handsome uniforms and modern weapons In certain states nearly one-eighth of the total number of public high schools have introduced the military drill as regular feature.
 Naturally, however. 1t Is at the private military academies that the militant spirit In American youth is fostered on the most extensive scale. To these institutions conls hundreds of young men who hope to ulti mately gain admission to West Point where as others are attracted by the opportunities afforded for athletics and physical exercise generally. Although the private military academies are most numerous fin New York, New Jersey and adjoining states, they are by no means confined to that territory. In. decd. institutions of this character have sprung mp in all sections of the country and some of the most pretentious military schools are located beyond the Mississippi.
 There are great pos sib,ities in the pro posed extensive introduction of military training in the public grammar schools of the country, where dt present upward Of s.000,000 boys arc regularly enrolled The experiment of affording this class of in struction for pupils in the grammar grades has already been tried, and with consider able success. Tn Colorado City, Col: New port Ky. and Butte. Mont. military instruc- tion is paid for out of the regular school funds, and. indeed. for the boys in these grades military instruction k compulsory The result of the adoption of this plan in the cities mentioned has been most gratlfy- Ing. Fear was expressed at the outset that the attention of the pupils might be detrnct cd from their lessons. but. in stead of this proving to be the case. fl was found that the boys actually took greater interest in their other studies, In addition better discipline
 
 the pupils have shown a marked improve ment physically.
 Tn quite ninumber of cities the pupils who desire 10 reteive ins:ruc'ion in military drli are accommodated. This is the case in tic grammar schools of New York city, Gcneyl. Yonkers and Rochester. x. Y. As practiced In some places, however, this plan has objcc- tlons in that the pupils who desire to be nfi iaH ', necessity of furnishing their own uniforms, and in some instances must also supply their own weapons and ammunition. a state of affairs which is cohtributory to undesirable distinctions between the poor boys and those whose parents are possessed of some means.
 The possibilities of military drIll. with in- cidertal camp life and campaigning. in de. velopng manhood are strikingly illustrated by some of the recent achievements of the more important private military academies in this country. The War Department now details some of the ablest officers in the Army to act as drill masters at these in- stitrtions. and In the complement of pupils 1t Is nothing unusual to find a number of young men who have been outclassed by only the scantiest margin in the competitive examinations for admission to West Point
 At the prominent private academies the cadets participate in an encampment. where they secure taste of actual campaigning. When In camp there is an average of three cadets assigned to each regulation army tent The young men are not allowed cots or mattresses, but the tents are provided with doors and each cadet is allowed a pillow and two pairs of blankets. Each tent is provided with camp stool fer each occupant and one pail ard dipper, together with one basin
 During this interim of life in the open the cadets receive instruction in pitching and breaking camp, and are taught to srnise or