Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-24
woodland setting. The camp is located
N Tan, ~ fhaSa

woodland setting. The camp is located
upon the level top of one Of these
great ridges. It has an exceptionally
fine water supply, and a subsoil drain
age which prevents the formation OF
puddles and mudholes. The elevation Is
about 1000 feet above sea level, and
during the hottest part of the sum-
mer 1t is cool at Tobyhanna, and there
is fine steady breeze. Military roads
have been constructed throughout the
ideal for the expedition and bfvouac
with which every training period ends.
At the camp itself wooden structures
have been erected for mess halls and
stables. A large building houses branch
Of the Y. M. C. A.. and in the auditorium
Of this structure lectures are held. and
moving pictures are given three times
week To the regular officers and men
who spend the whole summer at Toby
hanna, this branch Of tho Y. NJ c. A
is a greatly appreciated convenience.
Ono Of the most striking things about
life at the School Of Fire is its business
like aspect. Militia
School of Fire encampments in tho
Is Businesslike. past have not a.,
for orderliness. It was formerly the GUS
tom in many states for every Officer to
have an Ice box under his cot. and brews
and vintages flowed freely. while military
exercises at times seemed almost a sec
ondary consideration It Is difficult to
even ind q drink at the School Of Fire
as It Is conducted today. Although hav-
ing no control over tho men in their
quarters. tho regular army officers rgidly
hnt Ffp0 mr. Ayfn r{Y,cr
through the military exercises A quart
bottle Of whisky was produced by a re-
cruit riding on ono Of the guns during a
trip through tho Pocono mountains. An
officer Of the regular army rode up behind
him, struck the bottle out Of his hands
and broke It without comment.
Another unfortunate sergeant neglected
to remove a cigarette from his face while
q battery was being wheeled into posi-
Through a spyglass the colonel saw tho
cigarette and roared to the major, the
major roared to the captain and tho cap
tain roared to his lieutenant, so that tho
unfortunate smoker was scared almost out
of his wits.
It must not be believed. however, that
the army officers in charge Of Tobyhanna
arc unduly severe. They are determined
that everything shall be conducted in a
strictly military fashion, and it must be
said that they have certainly succeeded as
far az possible with the material on hand.
Tho encampment Is above all demo-
cratic In tho militia are found men
OF almost every
The Encampment trade and profess
n.. sion. Some bat
Is Uemocratlc. teries are COM
posed almost entirely Of college men
from privates to captains. Others may
be composed almost wholly of me-
chanics. Most of them. however. show
a wide range of occupation and social
standing. But in camp all distinctions
except those of military rank are laid
aside. and it must be put down to the
credit that this is done with
good gree and without friction.
In addition to tho actual battery
practice and drills of the Medical Re-
serve Corps, described in preceding ar
ticles, the principal features Of the day
at Tobyhanna are the lectures in the
evening. These are not dry and aca-
demic affairs. but are usually tales of
experience and observation by men who
have been there. One evning, for ex-
ample, a lieutenant who nd been sent
to France to spend a year with the
French field artillery as a military OBJ