The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-21
Tie SCHOOL OF FIRE
By Traderic j. Haskin.

amp 10 g Iobyhahna

II Il 10y 01OoC44N
j
A citizens service in the militia Is
purely voluntary. and the pay which
1 he receives only during the short
1 period Of the government encamp-
i ment IL usually not as much as ne
/ would make at his trade or profess
l sion. His membership In the m1A1tiA
makes mora or less exacttnS DEMANDS
upon his time and attention, Involves
q great deal of really hard work. and
4 for All this he receives no recompense
except the pleasure and satisfaction
(which he derives from the work ana
/ the sense of having fulfilled patra7
l otto duty.
The enthusiasm of most miIiti
! amen for their troops, the pride they
take In their proficiency, seem 70
indicate that these rewards are All
! sufhcient and that being q citizen
d-soldier is very satisfactory avoca-
tion for q man who has any taste at
All for things military. But in view
OF the demands which his enlistment
(; makes and of the lack OF adeQuate
4 pecuniary reward, it is up to Uncle
Sam to make his training schools for
militia men as attractive as possl-
bic. And in this he has very Wen
succeeded.
when the School of Fire for the
eastern states was projected the ue-
partment of militia affairs applied 20
1.-THE geological survey for Information
las to a healthful location. which was
also sufhcfent1y uninhabited so that
i shrapnel practice at ranges OF four
4 and five miles might be carried on
without endangering lives. The town
1 of Tobyhanna in the Pocono noun
i tains Of Pennsylvania was selecteo,
and experience proves 1t to have Deen
/ a wise choice. There is not q more
4 attractive BIT of country In the east
4 fern states. Rolling. forest-clad
ridges are tnterspersed with deep
valleys where clear trout streams
land nonds lie In woodland set
ling The camp is located upon the
level top Of one Of these great rloses.
1T has an exceptionally hne Water
supply. and subsoil drainage when
nrsyents the. formation of puddles
lana mudholes. The elevation Is
labout two thousand feet above sea
i1evel and during the hottest part OF
lfha summer 1t is cool at Tobyanna
and there is fine steady breeze. Mii-
lttary roads have been constructed
throughout the range and the SUIT
rounding country is ideal Tor tns
expedition and bivouac with when
.Eayary training period ends.
Moving Picture Shows.
At the camp itself wooden struc-
4 tnres have been erected for mess
tIi,a11s and stables. A large building
thouses a branch OF the Young Men
IChristian Association and In the au-
4 ditorium of this structure lectures
i are held and moving picture SHOWS
are given three times week. TO the
\ regular officers and men who spend
1.-The whole summer at Tobyanna, TINS
branch of the Young Mems Christian
Association is a greatly appreciated
Inconvenience.
one OF the most striking things
! about life at the School of Fire IS
Its business-1ike aspect. Militia en-
4 campments in the past have not al
ways been noted for orderliness. II
twas formerly the custom in many
states for every officer to have an ice
4 box under his cot, and brews and
vintages flowed freely, while military
lexercises at times seemed almost
secondary consideration. 1t Is dill
cult to even find drink at the
ISchoo1 of Fire as 1t is conducted to-
day. Although having no control
over the men in their quarters. the
regular army officers rigidly suppress
both smoking and drinking through
1.-The military exercises. A quart bot
! tie of whiskey was produced by
4 recruit riding on one of the guns
Iduring trip through the Pacono
mountains. An officer of the regular
army rode up behind him. struck the
bottle out OF his hands and broke IL
without comment.
Another unfortunate sergeant neg
Elected to remove q cigaret from his
face while battery was being
wheeled into position before large
group of spectators. Through spy
glass the colonel saw the cigaret and
roared to the major, the major roared
\ to the captain and the captain
| r0ared to his lieutenant, so that th9
/ unfortunate smoker was scared -
most out Of his wits.
/ 1t Is not believed, however. that
the army officers in charge at Toby
anna are unduly severe. They are
determined that everything shall be
conducted In strictly military fash
ion, and it must be-safd that they
have certainly succeeded as Tar as
| possible with the material at hand.
Is Democratic.
The encampment is above all dem
| ocratic. In the militia are found men
! Of almost every trade and profession.
| Some batteries are composed almost
entirely of college men from privates
to captains, Others may be com
posed almost wholly of mechanics.
Most of them. however. show wide
range of occupation and social stand
Ing. But in camp all distinctions ex-
cept those of military rank are laid
aside, and 1t must be put down to the
militia mems credit that this L. done
with a good grace and without frtc-
ton.