The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-12-24
TO FORM SCHOOL
RIFLE CLUBS
CAPTAIN ORLANDO JOHNSON
OF PLYMOUTH RECEIVES
COMMUNICATION.
Letter Refers to Theory of President
Roosevelt to Teach Rifle Practice
in School.

Captain of Company | Orlando
Johnson, of Plymouth. has received
from the war department at Wash
ington, d. c., letter with instruc-
tons that he believes will appeal to
the boy students of high schools The
letter refers to the theory of Presi-
dent Roosevelt that boys ought to
have practice in handling rifles in the
high schools OF the country. Captain
Johnson believes that such practice
would prove good thing. He sub
mits the letter which is as follows:
Since the interest in school boy
rifle practice has become so pro-
nounced owing to the successful tour
naments which have been held in
New York and Washington and
which are planned for other cities,
the national board for promotion OF
rifle practice has received many in
quiries as to the lines on which
school boy rifle clubs should be or
gained.
This work was taken up some time
since by the National Rifle Associa-
ton OF America, with headquarters
in Washington, and the bylaws were
amended to provide for affiliated
clubs from institutions of learning and
a fifth class was added TO the men,
bership. To become eligible to be
affiliated with the National Rifle AS
ISOLATION, twenty or more students
must organize themselves into a club,
first securing the consent of the
school authorities. A president,
treasurer. secretary and captain are
elected from the members and by
laws provided by the National Rifle
association must be adopted.
These bylaws provide that all
rifle and revolver competitions held
by the club shall be governed by the
rules and regulations as laid down by
the National Rifle Association and
that any amendment to the bylaws
shall be submitted to the National
Rife Association for IT'S approval
Such clubs when admitted TO affi'i-
ated membership are presented an
nua,,y with a medal for competition
am ing its members Combination
aet,a oil &C.,
nished free to the club for the pu--
pose of giving its members an oppoc-
tunity to qualify on the indoor range
as Junior farksmen. Competitions for
the National association medal mus.
be held on an outdoor range, at 200
yards on wha is known as the "a
target. Any military rifle and any
ammunition may be used and there
are two sighting shots and ten shots
for record in the standing and prone
positions. Where the club has no
range of its own the National Rifle
association secures permission TO use
the nearest range of the regular army
national guarl or rifle club. The Jun
;or Marksman's Medal is given only
to school boys under IS years OF age.
1t is contested for with any 20 cali
Der rifle, with sights in front of the
firing pin, glass barred. Any ammu-
milton may be used The distance is
fifty feet and the target the regular
National Rifle association fifty+foot
gallery target with one inch bulls
eye 70 qualify a competition must
make not less than forty points
standing and forty-two points prone,
or total Of eightytwo out of pos
sible 100.
1T is possible also for boys to
qualify as Junior marksmen on what
is known as a subtarget gun machine
where no ammunition is used but
where the shots are recorded electri-
cally upon a target To qualify on
this machine a competitor must make
a score of forty-five or better in ten
shots standing. There are also junior
marksmen's medals which may be
won by boys on the outdoor ranges,
a u. S. army rifle or a military ap-
proved by the National Rifle associa-
ton being used with any ammunition
preferred The distance is 200 yards
with ten shots standing and ten shots
prone and two sighting shots at each
position Not less than forty points
standing and fortv-two points prone
or total of eighty-two points out of
a possible 100 must be made in order
to qualify.
Systematic effort is being made
to secure the formation of such rifle
clubs in all agricultural colleges re-
ceiving support from the government,
at all military schools where regular
officers are detailed as instructors and
at high schools which have cad
companies. A large number of such
schools have already affiliated with
the National Rifle Association The
association gives a medal annually
for competition among the members
of each schoolboy club"