The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-24
U. S. OFF ICER
IN CHARGE
Fork Union Academy Cadets to
Have a Regular Army
Instructor.
With OFFICER COMES GUNS
Especial to Tho Times Dlspatch.)

| FORK UNION. VA, April "a breeze
| of pleasurable excitement prevails just
now among the friends OF Fork Union
Academy. AS some one facetiously re-
| marked. tho students of that young and
aspiring school are in Il high state or
iubiation. The explanation Of this rich
flow of enthusiasm appears In the lact
that news has just come from the war
Department that the order has been
issued for the detail Of an officer OF the
army TO take charge of the military
department of the Fork Union Academy.
Che authorities Of that Institution
adopted the military feature at the be-
ginning of the session of 1909, with the
view that II after a fair experiment. 1t
worked satisfactorily, of applying to the
national government for the detail of an
army officer to assume control Of the
military department. The first session
convinced the trustees and faculty that
there were many possibilities of advan-
tage and power in the arrangement.
Several months ago DIR. Hatcher, presi-
dent of the board OF trustees, visited the
War Department in Washington, accom-
panied by Senator Thomas S. Martin.
and entered formal application for the
detail Of an instructor in military science
for tic academy. 1t was understood that
while the War Department had guns and
other equipments for sale, no grant OF
any part of the equipment could be made
for use in schools until an army officer
had been assigned as an instructor 10 the
academy. Tho appointment of this oili-
Ger belongs to the Office OF. the ndjutanc-
generals office, and to that officer DR..
Hatcher took his application.
Tho regulations of the army require
that before an officer can be detailed for
service in any school. u military inspec-
tor is required to visit the said school
withu view Of ascertaninG whether its
conditions will Justify the detail.
TEE INSPECTIONS
Captain William Chanbcrlaine, OF tho
artillery corps at Fortress Monroe, was
selected to make the inspection, his APP
polntment for that purpose being made
by the commander of the eastern division
OF the United States army, with head
quarters on Long Island Captain Cham
berlane visited Fork Union on Easter
Monday and while no proved to be n
most polite and attractive gentleman, he
was unspnrngly faithful in making his
Investigations
Ilo took ample time and looked rlsidly
into every point involved; examined the
charter, records and catalogue Of the
academy; Informed himself thoroughly
as to it's course Of instruction.: satisfied
himself that the accommodations of the
school We're sufficient for at least one
hundred and fifty male students during
next year; that the battalion could guar
antee at least one hundred cadets III
limo over fifteen years of age; that tho
class standing In military instruction
was to be associated with the academic
class standing in determining the final
standing of the student; that the acad-
envy authorities were cordially sympatEc-
tic with the military feature; that the
school would give bond for tho safety
OF equipments committed TO its charge,
with payment for such pieces as may be
Injured Or destroyed, and that the eorpo-
ration would accord to the officer In
charge the most cordial support,
Captain Chamberaine reported favor
ably ia the department at Washing
ton tcstify!ng that the academy meas
ured up to the required conditions, and
suggesting that II was entitled, under
the regulations, TO the detail.
INTER ESTINC: PROCEDURE.
The manner OF selecting these officers
for detail ig probably not generally un-
derstood They are usually selected from
thu retired officers of the army who de-
sire to be detailed for duty In schools,
II Is LEFT to the school to choose tho
man from the furnished list, and upon
being chosen he applies To the depart
ment for assignment. We believe that
the retired officer gets only two-thrds
OF the pay Of those in active service but
when ASSIGNED to duty he is advanced
to full paw tl
1t is also worthy Of mention that
III