Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-12-23
News Story Made PerShing
 General Instead Teacher

Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 22.-It was newspaper story that diverted John J. Pershing from his purpose to be- come a school teacher and started him upon the military career which lead to his appointment as general in the United States army and com mander of the American Expedition told by General Pershing's sisters, Mrs. Butler and Miss May Pershing, who are residents of Lincoln and who have given to The Associated Press intimate views of Pershing's character in his youthful days.
 It was while Pershing and his sis- ter, now Mrs. Butler, were attending the Missouri State Normal School at 'Kirksville, Mo-, that his attention was one day called to newspaper an nouncement that examinations were to be held for appointment to the West Point Military Academy. Young Pershing asked his sisters advice as to whether he should try for the ap- pointment and she advised him to do so. Then followed a short season of intensive study in preparation.
 In few days he was s'called before the examining board and, although improperly prepared, received the highest mark among the contestants and soon afterward was notified of his appointment. Up to this time his action haG been a secret between his sister and himself and it remained SO until he was ready to start for West Point. On his way to the military academy he stopped off at the home of his parents and for the first time told them they were to have a soldier in the family.
 As boy, General Pershing. his sis ters says, was of quiet serious temperament, assuming. as the oldest of six children, many of the responsi- bilities of the family. He was wont, during his early years which were spent in Laclede, Mo-. his birthplace, to manage one of the several farms operated by his father, John F. Per shing, merchant and farmer of Iaclede.
 "John," Mrs. Butler said, although of a quiet disposition, liked good time and enjoyed fun as much as any one. Yet when he started anything he wanted to get the result and he gen erally attained that object before he gave it up." While at the normal school at Kirksville he was always in the cen ter of student activities and never was content to be merely one Of the crowd, but wanted to be head of the movement. His personal magnetism and generally likeable character quickly won him friends and support CTS and soon he became one of the student leaders,
 Loved a Good Time. After having been graduated from West Point and having served with General Miles in campaign in New l Mexico against the Indian chief Geronimo, Pershing was stationed as 1 military instructor at the University | of Nebraska. His friends there re- member him ,a,s fun-loving young man who enjoyed music and dancdng' parties and other social activities and who appreciated a good joke.
 "Old Jack Best,' the veteran trainer
 at the university. remembers Per shing intimately. "He was the finest man that I ever worked with" saic
 Best. ''It's true he was mighty stric1 with his work but the results he go'
 were so good that everybody he
 worked with loved him for it. Wher he was here we had a regiment the
 university could be proud of. just
 worshipped that man and everybod,
 around the university felt the sam'
 about him. ], If any of you newspapel
 men get. chance to tell it to him
 you just say that old Jack wishes hin
 the best luck in the world. and tha
 he hopes he will beat the Germans al
 alone.