The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-08
HARVARD TRAINS
1,10O OFFICERS
To BE PREPARED
Military Science Depart
ment Biggest in Uni
versity.

Cambridge, March 8-Harvard Uni
versity is the center of the most
comprehensive campaign of prepared
ness that has ever been undertaken
by an American institution of learn
ing
The immediate aim is to turn out
men by the hundreds who shall be
fitted to command in case Of war. Be-
hind this immediate purpose is a plan
to turn Harvard into a West Point
to devote al. the resources Of the
university to the training Of officers
in case of war.
There are LOO men enrolled in the
department of military science and
tactics. And the course is by no
means "snap course" 1t is the
biggest course in the university in
point of numbers and of hours.
Each man enrolled in the course
has to put in nine hours a week in
hard work-f1ve hours of drill and
fourSof instruction.
In addition to their work during
the academic year the cadets will put
in 10 weeks in some camp to be des-
ignated by the War Department.
The soldering in Cambridge is real.
Every man is subject to military dis
cipline., Cuts are few and far be-
tween Nobody is permitted to take
the theoretical training without the
drill. Each cadet has to take a
pledge Of fidelity.
The thoroughness of the work done
is indicated by President Lowells ad-
vice to the cadets at the beginning Of
the enrolment last month:
ION you, as officers will depend the
lives Of other men, and it is the duty
of every man to become as expert as
possible, for history is strewn thick
with the plumbers of commanding Of
ficers.''
The foundations for this strenuous
campaign of preparedness were laid
last autumn, when the defense act
went into effect. Capt. Constant Cor
dier. u. S. A., laid a proposal to es-
taIblish a reserve officers training
corps before President Lowell. Pres
ident Lowell and the faculty accepted
Capt Cordiers suggestions with en-
thusiasm A score of the most emf
nent professors in the university Of
fered their services as teachers in the
projected course.
Can't. Cordier is easily the hero of
the day at Harvard. His office in the
basement of University Hall is bust
ling scene of military activity. He
is an ideal trainer Of soldiers. In adj
dition to being head drillmaster, Capt
Ccrlier is professor of military science
ard tactics. His firsts assistant i
Capt William S. Bowen, U. S. A., an
other clean-cut, energetic young off,
Ger, who; shares the popularity and
effectiveness of his chief.
These two officers are finding their
task already too great for their pow
ers.. It is expected that the War de-
partment will assign another commits
stoned officer to Harvard in the i'm
mediate future To the three nom
the Harvard corps, eight or ten will be
added without much delay.
Here is an outline OF the work that
is being done, furnished 10y Captain
Cordier:
Lectures on discipline, organiza-
ton, theory of target practice, the
rifle in war, minor tactics, service of
service of security,
marches and camps, supply service,
service, map reading, field fortified.
tons, company administration, SANTA
tion-personal hygiene, infantry drill
include the regiment.
and combat principles; command Of
troops, trench and mine warfare, ele-
ments of international law, rules for
land warfare.
Section work: map maneuvers,
work with relief map, construction of
field intrenchments (work with sand
table,. company papers-including
records, returns and acquisitions for
supplies, and property accountability;
manual for courts martial, compost
ton of field orders.
instruction under arms, to include
drill, close and extended order, school
of the soldier, squad, company, ma
company, battalion and reg
iment, bayonet exercises, preliminary
instruction and gallery practice, mill
tary sketching, first-aid instruction,
minor tactics-terrain exer-
cises, involving advance, rear and
flank guards; outposts, attack and de-
tense of localities, trace and construc-
ton of intrenchments upon the
ground, signaling, individual instruc-
ton in the giving Of commands, exer-
else of command-actual handling of
attachments of men,"
The drill squads are now using the
old Krag-J orgensen rifles which were
issued to the university by the gov
eminent in the late nineties. Requisi-
ton has been made for supply of the
new SpringfeIds now used in the reg
ular army, and it is expected that the
improved arm will he soon available.
The democratizing influences of uni
versa1 service are admirably illus
trated in the workings Of the cadet
corps.
The millionaire's son drills side 10y
side with the boy from the West who
lives in College House and is working
his way through college, perhaps, by
doing chores. Each man is ASSIGNED
TO company command for a month.
There are 10 companies so far. The
boy who is working his way through
college thus finds himself issuing Or
1ers to the young man who lives on
The gold coast
Fire destroyed "a four story apart
ment house at Boston, at a loss of