The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1916-02-17
PROF. BRAY'S IDEA
OF PREP PAREDNESS

7
nal, John Edwards Bray, state super
intendent of public instruction, com
ments on the recent articles in the
Gazette on "Soldierly Life in Swift
zerland.n which he advises reading,
and asks for the opinion of Nevada
teachers on the adoption of military
training in the High schools of Neva-
da Prof. Bray says:
"No lover of human progress who
believes that international disputes
should be settled by responsible arbi
| tration, will contend that the American
people should educate youth for ag-
gressive war. AS a nation we certain
| ly have, in the main, avoided wars Of
conquest and, more and more, public
sentiment in our country has increased
for judicial adjustment of disputes,
public as well as private.
| However, this record and this SEN
timent do not preclude us from taking
precautionary measures for repelling
attack from a nation, or from nations
that still maintain the aggressive spirit
of the ancient Spartans, Romans,
Gauls and Teutons. And today, more
than at any other period in our his
tory, the wisdom of the maxim, Trust
in God, but keep your powder dry" is
apparent to peaceloving nations as
well as to individuals.
"In the elementary course of study
for Nevada public schools, under the
subject of United States history, oc-
ours this admonition to teachers:
"In the study of the various wars
| that are described in the text, stress
not the campaigns and battles of the
war, but the causes, the cost of life,
| in suffering and in treasure and the
results Lead the children to see in the
terrible cost of war the value of hber-
ty and country, and thus to appreciate
the patriotic sacrifices made by Amer
lean soldiers.
! "Stress the achievements of peace:
discoveries, inventions, settlements,
the growth in population and eduea-
tional institutions, and the resulting
growth and improvements in agrieul-
ture, art, social and governmental con-
ditions.
"Today the world is afame with
war sentiment and practically world
war is on. Preparedness against at
tack and invasion by any of the great
nations at war is live issue, and its
wise and effeetual solution lis of the
utmost Importance to our people.
fThe High schools can render great
aid in this emergency, and they can
| largely benefit the students while do
ing it. There are close to 600, 900 boys
in the high schools of the United
States, public and private, and the bod
ily and moral benefit that would result
from the physical and military train
ing they might receive through the
active cooperation of the national and
states governments would be very
large, and at the same time there would
not necessarily be any lessening of the
| intellectual and industrial training
now being given. Fortunately we have
the proof of this statement in the rec
ord of high schools in the state of Wy
oming, where for five years this train
ing has been ON trial
"Mr. George Creel, writing in the
February issue of Everybody's maga-
zine, after a careful study of the work
accomplished in Wyoming, says
among other things:
''The Swiss and Australian models
have been followed in some degree
but the big outstanding features of
the plan are entirely original, having
particular regard for American ideals
and prejudices.
''Boston has had high school cadets
for fifty years, and Washington, D. c.,
for 80 years, but the Wyoming expert
ment lends itself best to investigation
because it has had the acid test of OPP
position.
''Service in the cadet corps of Wy
oming is not compulsory, and there is
no such thing as active recruiting, yet
80 per cent of the high school popula-
tion of the state has volunteered.
''The labor unions opposed the plan
in toto denouncing it as a scheme of
the employing class to crush labor
Parents objected in fear that martial
ideals would be instilled into the minds
of their boys. The clergy pacifists op-
posed it as a movement to create a
large standing army. The educators
opposed it on the ground that it would
destroy initiative.
All these arguments were met and
overcome in a most kindly spirit by
Lieutenant Steever, who in concluding
/
cadet plan reaches every boy in the
school with training that will
strengthen him mentally, physically
and morally"
''The fight for military training was
won when the Cheyenne school board
consented to its introduction. The
training proved immensely beneficial
in every way and was very popular
with the students The system was in
trodueed in high school after high
school in Wyoming and everywhere
with the same results-large physical
and moral development without any
decrease in intellectual training, with
increased health outlook and a military
preparedness with little additional
training after leaving school efficiently
to defend their country against for
eign foes.
''It should be added that the sys
4 i.