New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-29
From . stan Correspondent OF The Tribune.l

columns of sturdy, sun-browned boys
marched away yesterday from the old
state guard camping grounds near this
town to entrain for home. Their de-
parture brought to a close the hrst
summer camp organized by the Mill
tary Training Commission.
1t was four weeks ago that the boys
1900 strong, modified for the first
time on the high plateau nesting
among the hills of the Hudson high
lands. They came from every section
of the state, from city, town and coun-
try, recommended by the principals OF
the schools they attend. Their ages
ranged from sixteen to nineteen years.
and except for the comparatively few
of their number who had been to mill
tary academies they were new to SOL
dier's training and discipline.
Camp Was Experiment
Frankly, the camp was an expert
ment. Never before in this country
had so many boys of their ages given
I'D the comforts Of their homes to
enter a regiment subjected to nearly
all the rigors of army life. Trench
digging and other tasks equally
hard were believed by the camps OH
GERS to be beyond the strength of some
of the boys, and therefore were not
attempted, but in all other respects the
programme mapped out for them each
day was as strenuous as that OF SOL
dier's life is likely 10 be.
Even when the sun beat down holly
on the plateau there was little let-up
in the work At other times, when 1t
rained, an attempt was made by the
officers to abandon drill because some
of the boys had with them only few
changes Of clothing, and it was felt
that a wetting might subject them to
unnecessary risks OF illness. But the
boys insisted that they could drill in
the rain as in the sunshine, and drill
they did without harm resulting.
The health of the camp was remark
ably good in the opinion of the officers.
Few cases Of illness were reported and
no more serious accidents than bruises
or sprained ankles or wrists occurred.
Camp Was Big Success
The officers were drawn from the
National Guard. They were few at
first for a regiment of 800 boys, and
when camp opened they undertook with
considerable trepidation the task be-
fore them. Yet despite the lack of pre-
mi 10 ht,
their charges the officers believe the
camp was unquestionably success.
"The boys have measured up to
every situation which has arisen" Col
onel William Henry Chaplin, their COM
mander in chief, said on the eve Of the
camps closing. 81 cannot say too
much in their praise. They came here
utterly unprepared and we had few
| officers for the first week, yet a great
deal has been accomplished"
Captain J. Wesley Lyon, Of the list
New York Infantry, and commander Of
Company A at the boys camp, praised
! the spirit displayed and dwelt on the
| fact that the boys were not there to be
made into soldiers.
"We wish to train each boy to take
care Of himself through life," Captain
Lyon said. though at the same time
he has learned here the rudiments Of
soldering
State Senator George A. Slater pro-
posed the bill which established tho
Military Training Commission and so
made possible the camp, which, It Is
expected, will be followed by camps for
even larger numbers Of boys in sum-
mers to come.
TRAVELLING Exnensea Paid
The boys had their travelling ex-
! penses paid and food furnished with
out expense from an appropriation by
the Legislature. They were required
to furnish only their uniforms and
other clothing. Each was supplied by
! the state with a tent, a cot, two blan-
kets, wash basin and mess kit. In
addition there was one water pail for
each two boys.
Only one requirement. rife-re-
manned, and the hearts Of these SOL
dier-like campers were made glad when
$500 Krag-Jorgensens were secured
| for their use.
When the boys, about 800 of whom
came from greater New York, arrived
at the camD on June 80 $50 white cam
vas tents had been put up by Guards
/ iicH AOl hHtH. lob dHu uhktdl-
ions occupied the centre of the big
drill ground, while the Sd battalion's
| tents were at the edge Of a wood 200
yards away. Organization into COM
/ panies was rapid. The twelve COM
! panies Of cadets, as the boys were
called, were supplemented by an ad-
vance class of 100 men, all school
teachers interested especially in physi-
cal training.
Boys Bad Housekeepers
The boys came "green" in more ways
than one, according to their officers.
They were remarkably "green" in
| matters of housekeeping. They would
sweep out all the visible parts Of their
tent floors, for instance, yet apparently
never think of looking for accumulated
rubbish beneath their cots. They had
to be taught to remove their cots into
the open air each day.
At first, too, unused to military dis
cipline and the hour-ffteen minutes
before six-at which a soldiers day
begins, a considerable number Of the
cadets were prone to oversleep the
awakening bugle calls. But this fail
ing in military perfection soon passed
away.
The first fifteen minutes Of the day
were devoted to strenuous physical ex-
ercises, followed by health talks. After
breakfast came guard mount and then
military drill from o'clock TO IL II