The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-03-07

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These special service schools are
located at the following forts: The
school, Fort Monroe, Va; the
school, Washington, d. C.;the
school of submarine defense, Ft. Totten,
N. Y; the school of application for
field artillery and cavalry, Fort Riley,
Kan; the army medical school, WASH
ington, d. c.; and the infantry, cavalry
and signal school, Fort Leavenworth,
Kan. In addition to the schools NELL
toned, the necessity of providing
higher technical training for our in
creased military force has led to the
creation of the staff college at Leaven-
worth, Kan. 1t is impossible for me to
tell you much about this institution,
but 1 am certain that the object is to
give post graduate work to the COM
missioned officers of the army.
The more advanced study of military
problems, such as marches and deploy-
ments of forces, the attack aud defense
of positions and tactical problems on
maps are subjects that should be con-
sidered under all kinds of circum-
stances, as they are Of vast Importance
to this great nation. Then the nnif-
cation of state militia organizations on
the regular army standard, is another
subject that might Deconsidered. But
whether these are subjects that have
been or will be considered at this col
lege l cannot say, as 1t has been estab-
lished within the past four years.
Schools for the instruction of the
enlisted men in the common branches
of education, and especially in the
history of the United States, are estab-
lished at each post. Any enlisted man
may attend at the post where he Is
stationed, and altho attendance is not
compulsory, the course once began
must be finished.
There are great many men in the
service who are illiterate, and it is for
the sole benefit of these men that the
schools are conducted. Instruction is
given under the supervision OF officers
by teachers detailed from the enlisted
men, who receive extra pay for their
services. These teachers are specially
selected, for they must be able to SO
direct the energy and interest of the
scholar that he will work systematic
ally, and acquire not only practical
knowledge, but good habits of thought.
Examinations are rigid but there is
no encouragement of examining or any
tendency to seek only such knowledge
as will pass the scholar satisfactorily.
These schools are in session four hours
daily, except Saturdays, Sundays and
holidays.
There are also schools for the non.
commissioned officers and the better
educated privates at every post, in
which the instruction is principally
technical. The responsibility for this
instruction, which is both theoretical
and practical, that is, by means o1
recitations, lectures, discussions and
: practical exercises, rests wholly witt
the regimental commanders. Tht
subjects for the first term are drill
regulations relating to enlisted men
minor tactics and subjects which speci
ally pertain to the duty of noncOmmis
| stoned officers and privates of th'
: arm of the service to which they be
Q long. Special care is taken to lnstruc
: this class in the history and achieve
r ments in war, of the company ant
8 regiment to which they belong. Whel
! practicable, elementary instruction il
Q either the French, German or Spanis
i language is given. The course of in
r struction for the second term is prii
Il cipally theoretical and includes recita
It tions on the following subjects: Arm
8 regulations, guard duty, field servic
d regulations. tactics, military law, firin
10 regulations for small arms, military by
q giene and drill regulations. Whateve
Ic practical instruction should be cor
If sidered necessary during this term
,s arranged in connection with routin
G. duty and the drill and instruction {
h the troops, and sometimes include
< such special work as field engineeriu
ID or military topography. For the thir
9. and last term the instruction. is bot
le theoretical and practical. Admin
tration, coast and field engineetin