The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-08-30
At AERO SCHOOL
MITCHELL BOY WRITES OF LIFE
AT CAMP AT RANTouL,
Ill.
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
From the Capital City, the Various
state institutions and from
Many Different Parts OF
the Sunshine state.
Pierre

Horace Jones of Mitchell, q 1917
graduate of State college, is making
daily flights in the army airplane
school at Rontoul, Ill, as a membe
o; ths signal eilntsedeerrs
of the signal enlisted reserve corps.
| He writes that thus far his "instruc
tion has been confined to keeping the
machine level, making figure SIS and
spiral ~nose-dives. The sensation oil
riding through the air cannot be de
scribed-it must be experienced
Ralph Johnson of Hetland and Harry
Smith of Miller, both State college
graduates this year, are also at the
same training school.
The initial part of aviation training
is not unlike that Of the average col
lege, writes Mr.. Jones, in describing
life in the airplane school. The Chief
difference, it has been said, Is that
while college students invariably rush
for the back seats of the class room
our prospective aviators tumble over
each other to reach the front row.
Interest is always at a high pitch,
the attention Of the entire class being
concentrated on the subject under dis
cussion. There is no evidence OF the
Ia .niliar trick of arguing an instructor
Oh on a tangent. Occasionally, when
from loss of sleep a student mods in
class, he has the pleasure of repeat
ing the work the following week. A
notation on his school record shows
an indifferent attitude toward work
and he is dropped back TO the follow
ing squadron. Cases like these are
the exception and not the rule, how.
ever.
From reveille at $3.50 until taps al
$50, the day is all routine. An iron
clad schedule regulates the work OF
the day, and woe be to the individual
who for his own convenience attempts
to change that schedule even to the
slightest degree. Formations and
classes follow in regular order day
after day. The very system Of the
routine makes the weeks go by quick
ly and before one realizes it he has
finished the course and is ready to
move out and make for another
budding aviator.
"The organization Of the school is
no less systematic than the daily
schedule. The squadron, made up OF
the men entering in a single week,
usually about %, is the unit OF the
school. 1t is commanded by a mem
Der of the squadron, the command
changing each week.
with the ringing of the bell which
Jul a class period, squadron
commanders compete in lung capacity
calling their squadrons TO assembly.
Then follows a period of confusion
while each cadet gets into his proper
place. All are then marched to their
classes in a military manner. che
squadron commander reports to the
instructor, squadron, all present
SIR What can be more Notifying tc
the squadron commander than the
stif1ed giggles when one or two come
struggling in after he has made such
a report?
1.-The delight of the militarily inclin
ed m with the hour Of infantry
drill every afternoon. From the ra
tional guard, the training camps and
land grant colleges all over the coun.
try come men who know the last word
on infantry drill Their way is right.
Inasmuch as no two have had just
exactly the same experience. differ
ences of opinion often give rise to pc.
RODS OF heated discussions during
which the less enthusiastic listen
quietly, drowsily resolving to look the
matter up in the regulations later.
interesting and help to bring out the
real truth Of the matter.
FORMATIONS are frequent. So far
as we know. nc attempt has >rer been
made to count the number each day.
The command fall in is given imme.
diately upon rising in the morning.
before and after all meals, before and
after classes and at any other time
the commandant may see fit. In time
one responds to this command auto
m~atically. IHirelessness in regard 10
attending formation may result very
seriously.
1.-THE commandant Is looked upon
more as a military governor Ut abso-
Lutte power than anything else The
remarkable discipline which he main.
tains Is due entirely to his methods of
ADMINISTRATION. Some are inclined TO
chafe at the strict rules az FIRST. hut
as they get further on in thu school
they come to sec how such methods
are necessary In a school Of this kind
Mennonites Hold OF.