Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24

proved successful In few private mill
tary schools situated in the country some
| target practice is conducted, but the diff
Guilty of carrying on anything of the kind
in the public schools has rendered 1t i'm
practicable.
The matter. however. has recently been
introduced in the public schools of the city
of New York, and the success which has
been attained there, the committee says,
has demonstrated the feasibility and VISA
bility of introducing rifle practice in the
public schools among the boys over the age
of thirteen years.
1.-The schools of the different states,'' says
the committee, ARE organized upon many
different methods. The educational author
tiles not unnaturally are jealous of their
prerogatives. No outside organization could
well introduce a new subject of instruction
in the schools without seriously interfering
with the educational routine. Consequently,
however desirable it may be that the pupils
attending these schools should be taught to
shoot, such instruction can only be secured
by the voluntary action of the school au-
thorities and with their hearty co-opera-
ton.
1.-THE result which has been attained by
the Public School Athletic League in intro
ducing shooting in the high schools of the
city of New York has been so thoroughly
tested that the committee is of the opinion
that that system should be recommended
for adoption.
I'm the early part of 1908 it decided to
institute rifle practice among the boys of
the high schools of New York city, which
schools are attended by boys from fourteen
to nineteen years of age, by installing in as
many of the high schools as possible
"subtarget gun machine That is an in
genious apparatus by which an ordinary
krag army rifle is attached to rod upon
an upright standard. placed on the right of
the firer, in such a way that while the gun
is movable, the rod follows the movements
of the barrel of the rife. and is at all times
parallel with the line of the sights.
THE shooter cocks the rifle and aims at
a target foot high on the other side of
the room, and when his aim is satisfactory,
puIis the trigger. When this is done an
electrical connection is made which shoots
forward the rod which is on the standard,
so that its point punches a hole in a minia-
ture target like visiting card, which is
placed in front of it. which mole is mathe-
maticaliy on the same relative place on the
card target as would have been made in the
target at which the shooter was aiming If
he had a bullet in his rifle. 1t consequently
gives the same eXpedience in holding and
pull OFF as is had in actual shooting.
The machine possesses the additional
advantage that the instructor standing on
one side of the shooter can see by the
movements of the point of the rod on the
miniature target exactly how the aim is
being taken on the large target and is able
to correct all errors in holding and pulling
off as they are made, something which has
The apparatus makes no noise. There Is
no danger of it's hurting anybody. 1t can
be used very rapidly, and there is no ex-
pense involved in it's operation. The re-
suits obtained from it's use are so valuable
that several of the New York National
Guard regiments consider the machine equal
in value to their rifle galleries.
I'm pursuance of the policy adopted by
the league in regard to its athletic games,
ii caused a Workmanship committed to be
appointed in 1905, consisting of the coaches
of the different schools having gun ma
chimes to organize and control The shoot
ing under regulations adopted by the high
schools games committee and approved by
the central games committee of the league.
The committee has been found of great
value in carrying on the work and Great
ing interest in shooting In their schools.
THE system adopted varied in the diff
ferent schools. Most of them preferred to
use school hours for the purpose. In these
schools, usually when each class was sent
to the gymnasium for physical exercise
squads of boys in rotation were detached
to practice their firing under the immediate
direction of a sergeant-instructor. and the
general direction of the superintendent of
shooting, the whole being carefully super
vised by an expert Instructor. Some schools
prefer to have their shooting after school
hours in which case, however, 1t was
carried on under the same principle.
During the spring of 1906 large num-
Der of interschoiastic competitions were
held. These were found valuable not only
in broadening the boys ideas in respect to
shooting, but in helping their nerve in
competitions
''The high schools which are equipped
with this subtarget gun machine have
organized rifle clubs and hold interscholas-
tic contests In the armories of the differ
ent regiments Of the National Guard. shoot
ing with 70 caliber ammunition, and are
displaying great proficiency.
The movement has the hearty support
the office OF honorary vice president Of
the league, and also has announced his
intention of writing to the boy who at
tains the greatest skill In the rifle matches
during the year a personal letter Of con-
graduation and commentator.
AT the present time there are over
1000 young men being instructed in these
high schools in shooting with military
army rifle issued by the War Depart
ment. Great interest In the matter has
been taken by both teachers and boys.
Many of these have become so proficient
that the services Of a paid instructor have
been dispensed with. The league Is now
preparing manual of instruction to be
used In the different schools. In addition
to containing instructions for the use of the
subtarget gun machine 1t will give q gen.
eral idea of what Is necessary to know In
order to shoot accurately.
Those who have had charge of the in
struction of these boys are unanimous in
the opinion that they acquire knowledge
of rifle shooting in about one-Quarter of
the time that is found necessary in the
case Of grown men.
1T Is hardly necessary to state that the
experience of our recent wars has pointed
out that while there Is no Aifficulty in case
Of war In getting all the volunteers that
the country requires and they can be given
a reasonable amount of drill in a few
weeks. 1t takes a long time to teach them
to shoot, and that unless they can shoot
accurately they are of little value as SOL
diers II. however, the young men who are
graduating from our Ugh schools in the
different states should be skilled rifiemen
the country can rest content with q small
standing army. knowing that In case Of
war 1t can put into the field at short notice