Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-10
LETTERS FROM
COLBY BOYS


Captain Harold Leon Pepper Of tn,
city has received a number OF letters
from boys who have been in Colby and
are now in various hNanches Of the Unit,
ed States service which are OF interest
to their many friends here One from
Robert A. Matthews. who is now at home
farming but is awaiting call to Join class
OF the navy. Mr.. Matthews was no,
touched by the draft but is going into
the war just the same. He tells Of the
big farm on which he is working.
One from Ralph B. Huber. who "a AZ
his home in Corning. n. Y. says that h.
is to report Saturday at o'clock for az.
animation. His order number is 4c5. IN.
quota being very heavy in that county
The way the men there are being ex.
empted on account Of being physically
unfit there is no possibility of his being
passed over and he is getting things IN
shape to go at once. A home guard com.
pany has just been organized there and
is training on the Corning Free Academy
grounds, where all Of the Colby boys who
came from Corning were prepared for
college and the principal Of which is a
Colby man.
Morrill, Illsley Is at Robnston visiting
his uncle, Rev. Frank Padelford. He Is
enjoying first real vacation OF his life
Is also studying preparatory to enterin,
Johns Hopkins in the fall. where he is
going into public hygiene work The
country is great but does not like III.
motorboat for they had to leave the,-
boat about three miles below the place
and row back
Ralph \. Smith. who Is on the patrol
boat Lynx. is thinking Of gnirp into -
naval aviation corps. The qualifcation
are education and physical fitness and
the examination of the latter is very stiff
They are marked on A scale Of -four,
mariner, capabilty, education. mathe.
mat1cs. eagerness, appearance and they
are also examined in the manner in
which replies are made to the questions
Transfer is made from Glass 4 to Glass
and everybody enters Glass as seamen,
second class. An eight weeks course a.
NJ. /. T. followed by instruction at the
aviation grounds lasting from two 70
three months. followed by a qualification
test which II passed gives the applicant
a pilots license with the rank Of ensign.
Every man Is given the opportunity 10
qualify. Should he be unable to do 80
he is discharged. The lieutenant was not
sure on that point. Think I would like
the service better than the navy and shall
not lose my rating In the naval service
by applying for transfer" Say they are
not definite in their statements regarding
our discharge II do not sign for genera!
service. THE aviation corps looks morn
like a square deal for us fellows than
anything 7 have seen vet. All must b
college graduates or undergraduates 80
that it makes It a bit higher In standing
than the regular service as regards to
recruits and the manner In which they
are regarded by their superior officers"
He said that he met William r Taft
Colby rs. who is now working al YounTs
Hotel in Boston.
Foster Eaton writes: That he feels
that he does not care where the gov
eminent sends him, that some OF tina
boys there will not stick, but that the
real Americans are going to. Had
compliment from the warrant ofheer
on his work in drilling. The radio
work coming along we'll. can ALREADY
receive better than six words a min
ute. thereby placing myself in the ad-
Vanced class when l reach 10 woros
it means a trip to Harvard. They tell
me that when we graduate from there
will receive at least second class radio
Eth Allen. Colby 'ls. has just left fos
Harvard for his radio course. When
he started in down here about month
ago did not know a thing about the
work. about all he knew was that there
was such a thing as a code. ] guess
there is hope for me- Many at ROCK
land have Travelled extensively. Living
conditions in the barracks here almost
perfect and I never enjoyed such hhe
health in fcy life. We have 10 shower
baths and they are In use most OF the
time. I feel At all the time. have hsa
ell Of my typhoid innoculaticns anu
and just took my vaccination the oth'
er day. Don't know how II Is gone
to turn out yet. In few days, no e'ass
four as far as the fellows in Rccklaha
are concerned, II is going TO be Gen.
eral service for me or mona. ms
morning Walter Camp. the noted raie
football coach, gave us a talk on spoiw
and sportsmanship. He said that 'h'
war Just like a football game, re
auired men who had the stamina. ~.
ter hts speech he shook hands with 70
all. The entrance to the hareer ..
Rockland is protected by an irmeh.s
breakwater almost a mile In lens'h
and every so often we take the cutter
and go there for A salt water SWIM
Jimmie Knox. Colby IA. Is quite Ia
vorite with the fellows here. He cater
es or the hall team and goes by VI.
name ~ Jimmie. Saw a launching IN,
other day: 1t was a great sight ano
was on the ship when she went IN.
the waves. She was christened wv
Edith Mute. rather prett" name 1r'
boat is an oil burning freighter inteno
ed tn take the place Of the last pos'
the Germans SUNK