New-York tribune., 1918-12-04
100000 Youths
Enroll Here Under
State Military Law
Registration Is 100 Per Cent
i'm City; Grand Total Near
5000; Boys Answers

Between $4,000 and 175,000 youths
registered for military training
throughout New York State yesterday
in accordance with Governor Whit
mans proclamation calling on all boys
sixteen, seventeen and eighteen years
of age to present themselves at the
nearst public school btween a. m. and
9 y. m for enrolment under the state
military laws.
Approximately 10000 registered in
the greater city. These estimates
were given out last night at the tenn
pora1y headquarters of the State Mill
tary Training Commission, at 157 East
Sixty-seventh Street, from where the
work of registration was directed
On the basis of the state military
census Of 1915 these figures represent
100 per cent enrolment. and indicate,
according to James Shillinglaw, Of the
Bureau of Vocational Training of the
State Military Commission. that New
Governors call almost to man.
In the metropolitan district regis
tration went smoothly. The entire ma
chinery of the greater city's public
school system was utilized in the work
of enrolment All the city's 600 school
houses were registration places, and
enrolment went on all through pre-
scribed hours independent Of class
work.
DR.. A. P. Way, assistant director of
physical training, who had been as
signed by Superintendent Ettnger to
see that the schools gave the military
commission the fullest measure OF CO.
operation, announced that thousands Of
teachers, working in relays of two
hours each, took part in the work and
helped carry it on with minimum dis
turbance to their regular duties
Twelve thousand school buildings were
used as registration places throughout
the state, it was said.
Youthful ambition, as revealed by
answers, took queer turns. One of
the questions each lad had to answer
was, "What do you want to be ten
years from now?"
Some boys gave evidences Of the
urge to be salesmen; others showed
inclinations to be statesmen, stage
carpenters, automobile mechanics, ora
tors, parsons and sailors. There was
general current to the accepted pro
fesslons.
The question, do you claim you,
work should be recognized in part as
the equivalent of technical military
training?" was answered almost uni
versally in the negative. Mr.. Shilling
law explained there was only one abb
solute ground, physical disqualified
on which exemption from prescribed
training will be granted In cases
where boys indicate they are takinf
up legitimate vocational trainings ir
their spare time, the commission will
make efforts to help them continue
along such lines without interference
There were two forms of question.
naire, one for schoolboys and fads who
work in mercantile and manufacturing
establishments and another for youths
engaged in farm work. 1t was reported
that the demand for the latter form ir
the greater city was surprising
Each registrant was given certifi
cate similar to the registration card:
issued under the Federal draft. On the
backs OF these certificates are space!
for periodical Endorsement of the
registrant by the military supervisors
The state law provides that without {
properly vised certificate boys canno
go to school or work.