Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-05
A BATTALION OF CADETS

n bAlIhLION Oc OADbIS
THOR years this newspaper has
n strongly advocated military
training in the schools of Har-
risburg. sOnce through the coop
Grafton of the late James II. Worden,
| then president of the school board, O
cadet corps was established at the
high school, but owing to the milk
sop physical instructor placed in
charge the corps never got beyond
the organization stage. subsequently
an effort was made to interest GER
tain of the school authorities, in
cluding the principals of the two
high schools, the Harrisburg Acad-
| emy and the parochial schools, but
owing to the indifference of one or
two of those interviewed the matter
was allowed to drop and all the data
which had been gathered on the sub
| iect was turned over to Superinten-
dent Downes. 1t should be said that
DR.. Eager, the head of the Techni-
cal High School, and Father john
son, of the parochial schools, exhibit
ed a real interest in the matter, but
nothing could be accomplished in
| the absence of cooperation by the
other institutions.
Now that there is general interest
in the military training of school
boys it may be expected that some
thing will be achieved along this line
without further urging on the part
of the Telegraph or those who real
ize the Importance of training our
boys for military defense. Major
General H, P. Mccain, the Adjutant
General of the Army of the United
States, in a recent letter to the head
of Pennsylvania Military College at
Chester points out that consider
able number of students failed in
the various officers training camps
because of their loose training in
educational institutions. He refers
to mental and physical indifference
and suggests that the school authori-
ties had not placed sufficient en-
phasis in the avoidance of this men
tai and physical handicap. On this
point he says:
At military camps throughout
the country mental alertneSS, ac-
curacy in thinking and acting,
clearness in enunciation, sureness
and ease of carriage and bearing
must be insisted upon, for two
reasons; that success may be as
sured as nearly as human eitort
can guarantee it with the material
and means at hand, and that price
less human lives may not be
criminally sacrificed, Only by the
possession of the qualities re-
natural leader.
A great number of men have
failed at camp. because of inability
to articulate clearly. A man who
cannot impart his idea to his COM
mand in clear, distinct language
and with sufficient volume of
voice to be heard reasonably far
is not qualified to give commands
upon which human life Will de-
pend. Many men disqualified by
this handicap might have become
officers under their country's flag
had they been properly trained IN
school and college.
Manysmen fail to measure up to
the requirements set for our OF
ficers' reserve because they have
not been trained to appreciate the
Importance of accuracy in think
ing. Too many schools are salts
fed with an approximate answer
tive is given increased mental eff
fort to Coordinate ones ideas and
present them clearly and un-
equivocally. Insistence upon de-
cision in thought and expression
must never be lost sight Of. This
requires eternal vigilance on the
part of every teacher. 1t is next
to impossible for military instruc-
negligence of schools in this re-
gard. This again has cost many
men their commissions at camp.
Three months is too short
corrigible "beater r-about-the-bush"
that there is only one way to
answer a question, oral or written,
and that is positively clearly and
AS a last important element that
seems to me has been lacking in
the moral and mental makeup of
some of our students here is the
characteristic of grit. Not that
they would have proved cowardly
in battle, necessarily, but some
have exhibited a tendency to
throw up the sponge upon the ad-
ministration of a severe rebuke or
criticism. Their feelings have
been hurt" and they resign. They
have never been taught the true
spirit of subordination: They are
not ready for the rough edges OF
life. The true training school
should endeavor to inculcate that
indomitable spirit that enables
one to get out of self, to keep
ones eyes fixed upon the goal
rather than upon the roughness of
the path to realize that one un-
able to rise above the hard knocks
of discipline cannot hope to face
with equanimity the tremendous
responsibilities of the officer
under modern conditions of war
fare. This idea of grit belongs in
the campus.
When the Telegraph strongly urg
ed military instruction in our local
schools, specially the high schools,
we were met with the argument that
the people would not favor such in
struction because it might smack of
militarism. In opposition to this view
we held that military training would
inculcate reliance, obedience and
mental and physical discipline.
Perhaps the time is now here when
the people will approve such a
course and favor the organization of
at least a battalion of cadets com
prising one company each from the
two high schools, the Harrisburg
Academy and the Cathedral school.
Who will lead the way?
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE