Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-14

vantage Of the prone position, When
tney nave accomplished satisfactory
results at this range they may be taken
70 5oo yards and finally to 200 wards.
IN the prone position using the gun
sing the man learns what the rifle will
40 II II IS given fair chance, but at
200 yards in the offhand position he
is apt to attribute to the rifle a great
many faults which should be charged
10 MS personal account When his
own unconscious tendency to pull off,
| results m two" at five O'Clock he
insists on taking left wind and more
elevation. Ana when, in his cratic
newress, he happens to throw up the
piece Oh his next shot, the bullet goes
nigh and wide to the left, missing the
! target altogether and absolutely con-
vlnclng him that circumstances have
conspired to give him the worst shoot
| ing rifle ever issued. 1t is the expert
ence of every company inspector that
1t often takes great deal of ammuni-
ton to get new man past the 200
yard stage, and it is the testimony of
ali who have used the 500 yard method
| that men very quickly acquire conf
dence in the rifle when they find the
bullets going where they hold. But
! regardless of whether the recruit be
started at 200 or 500 yards, he should
| never be permitted to go to the range
| save under the direction of an ex-
perienced coach, nor until he has had
practice on the gallery range.
| With new men the first range prac-
tice should be watched with the ut
| most care and every effort made to
| correct the novice's errors in holding,
sighting ana pulling SO that he will be
able to round out qualifying score
and know how he does it. There is a
| reason for every off, and i'm short
range work the reason is never hard
| to find. Do not allow the beginner to
| lay it to the ammunition or poor light.
Neither have sufficient effect to spoil
the scores required for qualification on
the short ranges. The trouble lies in
the rifle or the ritiemen. If you think
| 1t may be the rife, try it yourself.
Finding the rifle all right. you then
know that the trouble lies with the
| man. Watch him! Note whether he
holds fairly steady. If he doesn't,
coach him into a more comfortable
| position where he can take better adj
vantage of the sling. If his hold seems
to be satisfactory, study his method
of sighting. getting MIN to tell you
| just what he sees and whether he keeps
| on looking as the piece is discharged.
| He may take a very good sight APP to
| the exact instant of the discharge, and
| then shut his eyes and yank the trig-
ger. If this be the case, start linn
| with the empty rifle and teach him to
| keep on pulling and looking till it is
all over. When he can do that and is
| honest with himself and with you, he
| can tell whether he's close in, far out,
| or way off. If both the hold and the
| sighting seem satisfactory, but the
| score is not, study more closely his
method of pulling the trigger You will
probably have found and corrected this
error. If 1t exists, while studying the
question of holding, but if further in
vestigation may disclose tendency
TO exert more strength than is neces-
sary. which will pull the muzzle down
at the instant of discharge. Or there
may be tendency to do the last end
of the pull in double time" so to
| speak, and this is very unsteadying.
At all times becareful that the novice
lines of the target.
If the instructor will observe all
these points in his early coaching the
novice will soon be calling his shots
with certainty and, good or bad, will
know where he is going. And a cold
three" called before the disc comes
up. is far better than a bull when YOU
have just told your shooting mate that
you We're way OUT when you pulled.
1t Is understood that all of this in
| structiOii should have been impaired
on the gallery range. but it will bs
found that men have difficulty in get
ting their feet under them outdoors,
even after putting up excellent scores
| indoors. Careful heed to these sug-
gestions will save ammunition and in
crease the figure of merit.
state Supt. Smith of the public
schools of Maine viii go to Rocklano
next Friday, May u, where he Will par
ticipate in the Knox County Teachers
Convention. the program for which is
is follows:
FORENOON.
10 A. M-Singing by convention led by
Eva ID. Snow.
/ Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Judd.
No. l5- 10 45-Teaching exercise, Fifth Grade
Geography,
Beulah Sylvester. Vinalhaven
10 45-l1-Scientiiic Temperance,
ill-1l 30-Physical Geography.
! Mrs Gardner, Camden
II aT-The Use and misuse of Note
| Books. Supt. l.. +, Moulton, Rock
| land.
Discussion.
Noon Recess,
AFTERNOON
]. 3O-l45 p M-Chorus. Rockland Schools
/ 49, l5-Business.
> Ia. :O-Piano Solo.
> 30 .0N-Address, Snpt. A j. Collins
| Lewiston.
3-Address Practical Psychology
| Prin A. +. Richardson, Castine
| Normal School
3 SO 4-Question Box, State Supt. Paysol1
| Smith.
I4-Conference,
School Improvement League OF
| Maine.
| FVENING-7.30
Singing High School Chorus Rockiand
Address. Reading and Rectitude,
Prof. Wilmot h. Mitchell. Bowdoin
| College.
lSinging, America Convention.
| General Orders No. 16 has been issued