Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-27

AND inspection starts. Then We pass
inYi.eview to mess. Out at 8 and re-
turn to the barracks for 2 O'Clock,
check. Then to study and back for
check at 8. Study It'll $3.50 and then
to bed as all lights must be OF at 10.
Sometimes we draw guard mount and
must guard a beat at two-houl'
stretches twice a night.
"Shot" Second Time.
During my first three weeks l
cannot have reserve Saturday or Sun
day as I I'M under confinement be-
cause OF incubation and vaccination.
three weeks. My arm was all
swelled up and l was really in bad
condition. Today my arm feels fair.
l was shot, yesterday for the second
time
AT 11:30sin the morning the, sun
beats down and during u calisthen-
les we sweat some. The evenings
cool off and q heavy sweater is COM
Portable. - =
Few Pass School.
only % per cent of the men pass
the school and they claim it is luck.
II a man appears at drill with a tie
on he is demerited. If it is off at the
close-another demcrit. If shoes are
not shfned, shirt unbuttoned. or if
yoa are not shaved. etc, more de-
merits. | got a demerit for calling
for mail too Don They won't allow
this, but 1 didn't know it. 1 won't
do it again.
over my first weeks progress. Out
of 500 men l ranked 18th for the
week. In six subjects I received four
Y. sG.'s tVery Good) and WI Good"
l''Very Good" is at a premium here.
! got one hundred per cent in wireless
and SO get to be class leader. l call
roll n form class: I am also senior
officer at mess, having charge of Il
table in the dining hall to keep the
boys orderly. In military am a
sergeant.
No Place for Pettcd Boys.
The work here is very stiff; u
barracks are crowded and u grub
only fair. A girl friend of mine sent
me a box of candy II say 1 could
have stood or my head for JOY. We
get no sweetmeats or fruits here, just
beans and drills. I have lots of study
time, as the above outline of routine
will show. y
"As to being confined, l would say
that the strict discipline and necessity
of having lots of pep has made me
forget the outside world. I have alb
%solutely no desire for shows, dances.
girls, etc, as my whole time is con
sumed by hurrying to and from
tendency to forget all else but his
studies.
"They are SO exacting here that it
really would set a man crazy if he
were the least bit inclined to be
nervous. l figure the first three weeks
are the easiest. SO I am endeavoring
to get wise to my senior wing studies
to make them come easier.
Before the "Benzine Board"
cat the end of our third week we
go before the academic board-which
the boys call the 'Benzine Board.
Here we are severely cross-eXamined
and unless a man has absolute milf
tary characteristics, he is 'funked'
regardless of his standings in studies.
They grade o here on poise, mill
tary courtesy and ability to carry OF
a conversation with the major. who
leads the questioning. Forgetting to
end sentepces with sir and making a
poor salute or about face has caused
lots of '1unks.' The engine work is
very hard and the instructors have
queer ideas. The designer of a cer-
tain aerial engine 'aunked' here on
engines, while a raw recruit passed
etc.
Requirements Arc Rigid.
" 1.-THE boys here are a swell bunch.
Lots of athletes as all-American half
backs. American 100-yard swimmers
etc. The morale and physical condi-
ton Of all men are very high. We
have a few cases of men fainting in
drill after incubation on account of
the terrible Strain. We nearly all
worry ourselves stiff because we feal
f1unking. One poor grade sets a man
back a whole week and another one
hunks him regardless of whether his
other subjects are above the average.
II don't know how soon my first
Nght comes. I am assigned to
Wight No. 3, which consists of SO
men,"
Mr.. Alexander. who has lived in
this city for some time. is well known
to many Grand Forks people. Dur
ing the last few years he resided in
st. Paul, MINI.