The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-12-06
Former Student Now
Petty Naval Officer
Normal School Budoet\

Tyler Holland, formerly a student in
She Normal school, now an officer IN
she Great Lakes Naval Training sta
ton, was a visitor at chapel Friday
morn ng, having arrived in the city
Wednesday evening for tWoweeks'
visit at the home of his parents on
Normal avenue. :
Tyler was one OF several young men
trained in the business department OF
Che institution who recently entered
yoenlan service in the L. S. Navy.
He took his physical examination last
spring at Fargo, and from tFo-e went
to Minneapolis where the exam nation
IN clerical subjects was conducteI
FROM that city he was sent out with
others direct to the Great Lakes Sta
ton, the largest OF the four great ma
val stations Of the United States, be-
iRg located Oh the lake shore about
fifty miles north Of Chicago. Here lie
was Kept N the detention camp for
three weeks during which time he re-
celved the usual NEGOTIATIONS and vac
olNat onS, and then was admitted to
the training school for officers Three
busy months were spent there, drill
Ing, dc ng routine duty, and studying
such subjects as the Morse lnterna-
tional code, the use Of the compass,
uanlgat on with all its allied subjects,
signalling, both Wigwagging and SEM
aphcre, and related activt es, as we'll
as actual practice in naval warfare
and the handling Of boats
During these three strenuous
months a number of the men were dis
carded altogether, and when the close
of the term arrived the remainder be-
came either third, second, or frst-class
seamen. Tyler was awarded the rat
Ing Of frat-class seaman as indicated
By the; three white stripes on the cuffs
81 his sailors blouse. He thus be-
game "bOy petty officer and was
placed in charge CT 1872 men, for the
purpo e OF drilling them in the same
subjects at which he had spent the
preceding three months. For this pur
pose he was granted the help of an as
s!stant, a further mark of approval
IN the part OF those in command
The station, as whole, is made up
OF many separate units, comprising in
all from eighteen to twenty thousand
men. During the summer, tents were
used but since the weather has grown
cold these men are all housed in good
buildings. Like the soldiers in the
arm! environments, they enjoy many
advantages accorded them by reason
Of the activities of the Y. NJ. C. A., as
well as being provided with splendid
library facilities. Religious services
are conducted each Sunday by the var
isus denominations. The government
furnishes free moving pictures or 9th
er entertainment every evening. Cit
zens Of Chicago and it's suburbs, Evan
ston, Lake Forrest, and other places
open VIDE Their doors Of hospitality
and each weekend finds the naval sta
zion the recipient of several thousant
invitations for Sunday. Tyler says hi
has at different times been entertain
ed at Chicago, and a number of small
or places, and that "home feed" i!
especially appreciated after the rou
the of the station life.
81 Many musical and dramatic organi
cations come out from the cities ant
furnish programs for the men, all O.
shem being entirely free. The station
itself has a number of bands, but the
most important Of them is the famous
Sousa's band, numbering one hundred
pieces
Young officers who have made sue
cess of their work are in line for rapit
promotion, and Tyler, though yer.
modest about what he has accomplish
ed so far, is hopeful of continued re
sronsibility as excellent. and is heart
lily III love with the work
It is worthy of note that Mr.. Hoi
land was the only member of the frs
training school group to secure com
mand, who had not formerly been
university man.