Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-14
OTTAWA CADETS IN
THIRD PLACE WHEN
TRAINING IS CLOSED
COMPANYs II, DESPITE HEAVY
LOAD THRUST UPON 1T, Is
LEAD ONLY BY CHICAGO AND
DETROIT IN FINAL TESTS AT
CULVER.

With eyes aglow, heads erect and
| lightness of foot that was even more
conspicuous than on their departure
thirty nine Ottawa high school cadets
marched from the Rock Island station
to their homes yesterday afternoon al
ter a two weeks tour OF duty al
Camp Thomas H. Barry, at Culver
Indiana.
There was reason ter the lads be
ing so chirked in their actions and
appearance At the final disposition OF
the awards, or rewards, by the Culver
Authorities, Company H, made up
largely of local cadets, landed in third
place. Detroit, with solid Detroit
front and Chicago, with equally a,
rhicagOish a breast line, were the
only two companies able to lead Ma
jor Follett's men. 1t was generally
admitted that Company H. insofar as
it included only Ottawa boys. was one
Of the finest in the regiment. Rockies
sent to the encampment by Mon
mouth, Kankakee, and one or two 9th
er villages about state, were lode
stones on the necks of FOlletts men
and the burden proved too heavy fol
them to carry into front place. While
Ottawa was assigned Company II II
also had to be burdened with about
forty or fifty other youths who did
not know the first principal of mill
tary discipline or conduct. Then be
sides there was bit Of civic Jealousy
entering into the contest and 1t was
openly charged that Kankakee and
Monmouth were deliberately trying tt
hold Ottawa back because Compan,
II was accredited solely to Ottawa.
The Ottawa cadets were decorated
with blue ribbons as an evidence 0
their prowess on the field and in quar-
4 ters
The command arrived home ct 3;3
where expectant mothers and faith
ers greeted them. They were all il
the pink of condition and any signs o
homesickness that may have been ap
parent the day previous to departure
we're erased long before the trair
reached Ottawa.
The final word of dismissal Sunda,
brought to its formal close the train
ing camp where 500 boys represent
ing ten states of the middle west hat
been undergoing two weeks of inten
sive military training The CLOSING
drills Sunday were witnessed by hun
1reds who came from far and near tt
see the attainments of the boys.
The work of the camp has beef
done under the personal charge o
Captain e. Il. Steever, U. s. A., who i
detailed to the middle west for the in
production of military training. HI
was assisted by Major II. c. Bays, I
1 S. r., and other officers and alumni o
the Culver academy. The boys wer
organized into two battalions Of fou
companies each Illinois boys Const
tuted one battalion while the othe
comprised the boys from other states
Indiana supplying the larger part o
two companies Each company wa
supplied with a complement of Culve
cadets as company officers and tn
efficiency of these youngsters as dri
masters was demonstrated in the pei
lection of drills
The routine of the camp was strel
uous for it gave few minutes of res
from reveille at $50 to taps at ga
D. M Tents had to he policed an
company streets cleaned before breal
fast; then five hours of drills or elias
instruction supplemented by work o
the target range filled the day, an
the evenings were generally give
over to talks ON military subject
such as target designation, camp h.
gieno or guard duty. few ente
tainments, however. gave varlet,
The drills took the boys thru con
pany and battalion drills in close an
extended order, bayonet exercise
trench making and fighting, first all
and the problems of camp selectio
and making
Following his idea tnat boys lo'
. competition, Captain Steever put int
effect on the second day Of the cam
, system of company markings upo
their housekeeping, setup, marchir
and punctualty and the passing da!
! saw some mighty struggles among II
, companies to lead There was mai
[ brothers keeper in evidence wht
some boy evinced a tendency to
4 late to drill or mess. Special even
Z such as the best line at parade or
!. the big review by Colonel Juli
s Penn, H. s. A.. who inspected /
camp counted 100 points for the wi
ming company and often caused
n shifting In the standing.
!. Rutland township. and Herbert