Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-08
MILITARY INSTRUCTION.
Policy to Be Employed in Detailing
Army Officers.

Several important changes in the system
OF details of army officers for duty at pri
vate educational institutions are made In
the regulations governing such details just
issued by the War Department According
to an official statement prepared at the de-
partment in explanation of the revised
system 1t has long been recognized by army
officers that the land grant and agricul-
tural colleges, where military instruction
is required, presented fine fields for the de-
velopment of young men for future service
for their country.
At the outbreak of the war with Spain
great many of the young men were Sc
lected from these schools for appointment
in the regular army and much larger
number sought service in the volunteers.
where their knowledge Of drills was of
much value.
The new order undertakes to divide these
institutions into three classes: First, those
which have an optional military course;
second, those agricultural colleges which
are required by law to include military
tactics in their curriculum; and third. those
strictly military schools or colleges where
drill and discipline are the primary objects.
The new order intends that none but act
I've young officers shall be detailed to the
schools in the third class. 1t is also one
of the desirable things that the off,
GERS shall be graduates of one Of the ser
vice schools and shall have been. recon-
mended by their commanding officers as
especially fitted for this duty. The details
Will hereafter be made for a period OF
two years for the active officers and the
detail for retired officers, when made will
be for four years. officers detailed in the
future will be sent to the institution two
weeks prior to the departure of their pre-
decessors in order to acquaiut themsel
with existing conditions During the pres
emit year schools which already have retired
officers will not be disturbed. but it is con-
templated to have the order in full force
al the end of the coming school year.
Heretofore the department has had much
difhculty, from time to time. concerning
these details because many of the institu-
lions appear to consider 1t sufficient to have
1t announced in their catalogues that an
army officer is detailed as instructor, al
though no particular attention was given
to the military branch. In the future, when
an application is made for the detail Of an
officer at any institution to which an Off
Ger has not heretofore been assigned, an
inspector will be sent to explain to the fac
ulty the requirements of the department
and to satisfy himself to the intention
and ability of the school authorities tC COM
ply with the requirements. 1t is intended
to have annual inspections made of the
schools having army officers instructors,
and any institution which fails to come up
to the standard required will be deprived
Of the services Of the instructor by his
wthdra wal. and no instructor will be al
lowed at any institution, under any clrcum-
stances, which does not guarantee to main
tain at least one hundred pupils under MILL
tary instruction.
This order is intended to do away with
the perfunctory performance of military
duty at colleges and to classify them
that the department as well as the parents
of young men contemplating attending such
institutions may be fully informed as to
the real character of the military instruc-
ton.