The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-17

rev minutes vigorous Sett1ng-up eX-
erctses. Watch their effect on your
self and you will see why they are
SO highly regarded by the most ex-
perienced soldiers of the army. 1t
will be only a short time until you
look upon the early morning setting
up drill as one of the pleasantest fea-
lures Of your day.
Then comes washing up" and
breakfast. Usually breakfast is fol-
lowed by a half-hour for cleaning the
barracks and hunks and putting
clothing and bedding in order. FIRE.
quently the company commander will
inspect the barracks Immediately af-
forwards to make sure that every
man has attended to his part of the
work. There is then often some time
which the trained soldier uses for
attending to his personal needs, tidy
ing up. his clothing. and the like.
The remaining two or three hours
of the morning are likely to be spent
in drfll-at first in "close order" and
later in :" extended order also. These
terms will be explained in another
part of this course. As you advance,
the drills will become more and more
interesting. During the drill there
are numerous short periods Of rest.
In most camps guard mounting
comes about noon. This consists of
relieving the men who have been
guarding the camp and turning over
this duty to new men. Each soldier
| mounts guard not often than once
a week. After guard mounting the
| men go to dinner, which comes at
twelve o'clock. At least one hour is
| always allowed for dinner and rest.
| During the afternoons the work is
likely to be varied and to include adj
ditional setting-up exercises ana 9TH
| err drills target practice, bayonet ex-
ercises, and later more, advanced
drilling. About five o'clock comes the
evening parade and retreat" when
the flag Is lowered or furled for the
| night. The band plays 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner while all officers
and soldiers stand at attention. The
ceremony is designed to deepen each
which he serves; it is always impress
sive. After the flag is lowered, it is
carefully folded and escorted by the
guard to headquarters, where it is
kept until the next morning, when it
| is again raised.
Supper comes between five and six
O'Clock, and is usually followed by a
period of rest. In the training camps
there will be many opportunities for
a variety of healthfuf amusements-
for sports, music, the thatre, and SO
on, as later described. Taps are
sounded by ten o'clock. This is the
signal to put out all lights, retire and
keep quiet. cit closes the day for
the soldier and sends him to his blan-
kets a tired and sleepy man.
| This is only sample of a day in
| camp. On some days your company
will go off on hikes" After a time
| there may be longer marches, when
you will carry your shelter tents with
you and will make your own camp
each evening. These are days that
will be especially interesting. You
/ will learn the soldiers art of adapting
yourself to new situations and max
| ing yourself comfortable.
| Your officers will ask you to do
nothing that they have not many
| times done themselves. They will ask
nothing of you which any normal,
healthy man cannot do. After a
| month or two of this training you
will find that you have begun to take
on some of the skill and the self-re-
| lance of a real soldier.