Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-11-08
PIERRE RESPONDS TO CALL

PIERRE RESPONDS TO CALL
Of President and Council of Defense
| AT the request of the President and
the State Council of Defense, a School
of Telegraphy will be opened in
Pierre in connection with the City
Schools November 19, 1917.
This course will be intensive, from
four to six hours of instruction day
tive or six days a week, and will be
continued for three months. 1t may.
however. be completed sooner than
that, and SO soon as students can
pass the government test of sending
and receiving twenty words per min.
ute, they will be transferred from
the draft list of the National Army
to the Signal Corps, provided they
are eligible physically under the
army regulations.
The course is intended primarily
for men subject to draft call, but
should the number not be too great,
others who desire the instruction
will be enrolled.
10 make the course self supporting
fee of s25 will be charged, payable
IN two installments, $40 with enroll
| ment, to show that the student means
business, and SIS at the opening of
the school. There was a choica be-
tween course giving two hours Of
instruction per day, three or five days
week, with teaching donated, or in
tenslve instruction of four TO six
hours a day, i've or six days week,
and pay a modest fee for it, 1t was
| believed that the saving of more than
S25 worth OF time and expense duril g
the shorter period could be made;
consequently the fee and the hustling
work. The city is providing quarters
for school, rent, heat and light free,
and an instrument Will be given free
to each student completing the course,
except as stated in the next para
graph
All that is intended is to provide
intensive instruction and to turn out
the students properly qualified for
government work in the shortest t
possible time and at the least ex.
pense to themselves, and should
there be any cash balance left at the
end of the school, it will be returned
TO the students pro rata.
| Should it be possible to provide in
struments by borrowing them, the
cost of the instrument will be deduct
ed from the tuition fee of $25 and re-
| funded to the student.
The government needs telegraphers
| at the easiest possible moment. and
South Dakota must provide 300 of
them.
All drafted men who avail them
selves of the opportunities offered by
such courses will thereby prepare
themselves for more efficient patri-
otic service, and will secure better
prospects for promotion in specializ.
ed work than the regular service
affords.
Adyices from Washington give
authority for the following new rates
of pay for the enlisted forces of the
Signal Corps:
Master Signal Electrician. .Ss1 90
Sergeant, first class ss......... 81 90
| sergeant. .............'. A 90
Corporal 36 90
| Private, first class ss.... SO 90
FrlVate Observation-Disclosures. 80 90
From the nature of it's work, the
Signal Corps has to be organized into
small units demanding about as many
officers as privates. In company
there are seventeen privates, one
hundred first class privates, and
the rest are officers. This gives a
much greater chance rapid promo
motion and better pay than is pos
slble in the regular drafted service.
For further information write City
Superintendent of Schools, Pierre,
S. D.