The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1918-09-17
MILITARY
EDUCATION
For the Youth. of the Land
Outlined by the Government.
II Year Old Boys May
ENTER UNDER SYSTEM

it's program for great military edu-
cation system, applying particularly
to boys of 1S years of age, who are
to be given both military and acad-
emic instruction at government ex-
pense. Seventeen year old boys may
enter college and pay their own ex-
penses until the age of 1S is reached.
After they become of selective serv-
ice age the war department will
take over the burden of their edu-
cation also.
The department says that 400 COL
leges, schools and technical schools
have placed their facilities at the
disposal Of the war department and
have been accepted as training in
stitutions. The list announced in
cludes the principal colleges of North
Carolina.
1t is estimated that approximately
10000 youths in the 1S year class
and perhaps 100000 lads approach
ing their eighteenth year will be ad-
mitted to these institutions this fall
and the entire system, the depart
ment says, will be in operation about
October /.
This quarter Of a million young
men will be given their military
training at the expense of the fed
eral government. Those who are
past the eighteenth birthday may be
inducted in the United States army,
wear the uniform of private, be
educated, clothed and rationed at
the expense Of the government and
become an integral part of the mill
tary establishment. Those under 18
may be uniformed, may be trained,
and may reside in military barracks
but until their induction into the
army they must pay their own ex-
penses.
The new system was designed
primarily for the 1S-year-old class,
already subject to call for active
service but whose calls have been
deferred until the older classes are
exhausted. Meantime such of them
as 60 into the military institutions
will be in every sense soldiers, even
to the point of receiving the pay of l
private.
The further plan of providing
training for the 1S-year-old boys is
a privilege offered as a means of
preparing them for service when
their time to 60 has come.
Student soldiers will be given
their military instruction under Of
flcers Of the army and will be kept
under observation and test to de-
termine their qualifications to be-
come candidates for officers commits
sions or for technical experts such
as engineers, chemists or doctors.
After a fixed period they will be Sc
lected and assigned to military duty
in one of these ways:
1. Sent to a central officers train
ing camp; or,
2. To non-commissioned officers
training school; or
3. Kept in the original school for
further intensive work in a speci-
| fed line for limited time; or,
4. Put into technical training Of
military value; or,
5. Transferred to a cantonment
for duty with the troops as pri-
vate.
The student-soldiers Of the stu
dents army training corps will be
housed variously as the facilities OF
each institution shall permit. So
far as available, fraternity houses
and dormitories will be used
Where needed, barracks will be
built. Pending the determination
and adjustment of the exact cost al
each school, the government will al.
low for subsistence and housing on
a per diem basis Of 81 for each man
a rate based upon five months expe.
rience with 100 collegiate institu.
tions and 100000 soldiers Of the
national army training detachment
and showing that the average cost
of housing is 15 to 20 cents a day
and Of subsistence on the army ra
tion 70 to 80 cents.
Inasmuch as the governments as
I. sumption Of costs will not begin nm,
2 IS 'I + l-l