The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-09
Washburn s. A. T. C. Men Hon
OrabIy Discharged Today.
Captain Shaw Thanks Men for
SOldierly Spirit.
BARRACKS ARE DARK TONIGHT
Raw Recruits to Trained Men
in Two Months Time.
Officers Proud of Achievements
of College Command.

OF 29S enlisted men on the roll of
the Washbur4 college unit of the stu
dent army training corps, 296 were
returned to civil life this afternoon.
Each one of the 296 bore in his hand
as he left the barracks his diploma
Of service in this mans army"-an
honorable discharge from the United
States army.
The final checking in of the supplies
held in trust by the men of the corps
was completed this morning, and at
noon the men ate their last meal from
out the pocketbook of Uncle Sam. This
afternoon the final roll was called as
the men came up for their last army
pay check-which by the way, is not
a check at all, but the actual coin and
currency of the realm.
Shaw Thanks Men.
Capt. Frank E. Shaw, to whose en-
ergetic work is due the great showing
of the Washburn unit, babe his men
goodby in a short talk. Captain Shaw
thanked the boys of the corps for
the spirit they have shown and the
interest they have taken in the mill
tary work and in the school work.
He expressed himself as Unfortunately
proud to have been placed in COM
mand of such a unit, every member
ute-the word soldiered being taken in
its true meaning and not in the rather
sighting meaning which is in some
cases ascribed
Tonight for the first time in two
months and more the three barracks
which form the complement of build
ings for the unit are dark. The beds
are vacant and the buildings do not
resound to the hilarious, joyful noise
of healthy men in relaxation. The
11or
them to houses in Topeka, and many
| of them to their firesides in other
| parts of the state. For the Washburn
| student army training corps unit was
| not an essentially Topeka institution.
Its personnel was gathered from the
| four corners of Kansas, and it is on
record that two or three other states
| were represented in the student body
of enlisted men.
| Men Were Young.
! Most of the men in the unit were
| boys who registered in the last call
| issued by Uncle Sam to muster his
, forces for war. Most of the men in
the camp were under twenty-one years
! of age tho a few of them were men
| who, on account of dependents, had
| not been able to enlist before. The
| camp was officially opened October 1,
1918, and is officially disbanded and
demobilized today.
|
| today from which an opinion could be
| formed, the Washburn unit of the
| student army training corps is the
first organization of its kind in the
nation to complete rehabilitation and
| discharge it's personnel.
| During its short lease of life and in
spite of the disruption caused by the
| flu epidemic, the Washburn Students
Army Training corps, its officers and
| men, can point with pride to a full
list of achievements.
Recruit to Soldier.
a. First and foremost in the list comes
the things done in a military way.
| Starting in with a force of men few
| of whom had even an elementary
knowledge of military tactics, the
unit today is a well welded and prop
| erly functioning whole. The men are
smart and snappy in salute, execute
| the evolutions of military formations
with martial precision. are proud of
| their uniforms and their service. They
are soldiers even tho they did not
thru no fault of their own-get a
chance to exhibit their prowess and
ability on the fields of France against
| the Hun. The first, last, and only
demonstration of the Students Army
Training corps fitness to fight was
given in Topeka as a prelude to the
Haskell football game.
Shows Athletic Prowess.
Which brings up the accomplish
| ments of the s. A. T. c. in athletics.
| Washburn turned out varsity team
this season which could successfully
contend for the championship of the
of wins for the season it is thought
that the Washburn team could, if
unable to be officially named as
champion, no doubt tie up the decis-
ion SO that no championship would
be awarded for the season. Just to
show the spirit of the team 1t is as
serted that Coach Bearg issued a chal-
lenge to the College of Emporia-
the team having the, most eligible
claim to the championship-offer
to give the Emporia school a margin
of ten points to play Washburn.
Last, but by no means least, the
| Waskburn students army training
corps lost but one man on account of
the fin