The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-11-10
GOOD BYE BOYS,
WE'RE THROUGH
GRADUATES OF AMERICAN
BATTLE SCHOOLS IN
FRANCE CELEBRATE
PROMOTIONS.
(Reciprocal News Service)
By George T. Bye.

(RcciprOCal News ocfVieej
By George T. Bye.
With thc American Army, France,
Oct. Sl.-To the tune OF pooupye
Bows. We're Through, they sang
the following:
Goodbye, A. /. s. S,
We're through with you | guess
We've shot, we've stabbed "eN'
crawled
While our instructors stalled.
And though we nearly dled
You must admit we tired.
When we 90 will we return
No, mol No!
50 TO you, bon jour, boys we re
through.
They were new graduates OF the
American battle schools III France,
and thev were singing on the eve
of their graduation. The next day
when they were no longer priyates
and corporals and sergeantS, but
second lieutenants, there was such
run on gold shoulder marks thar the
outfittcrs' stock was exhausted, ana
more than hall who were not lucky
had 10 salute the others who We're
able to display he outward insignia
OF Officers at every chance meet
irg.
one oi the lucky ones was Lieu
tenant Brown, of SiouN Falls, >.
D., who was so moved when | men
Toned the Argus Leader OF SIOUX
Falls, that he unbent from his lofty
licutenancy and confessed his irst
emotions in the morning when he
had pinned on his shoulder bars to
his doughboy tunic.
Il was afraid for an hour they
were falling off, or getting crooked,
he said. Il kept looking down at
them every minute. The first time |
got a salute | looked round to see
il there was an officer near me, then
[ remembered | was one and 1elt
squeamish all over When | got |
back to the barracks, the sentry
high -baled me with rifle salute,
and it brought Precipitation out all
over me. must have grinned like
a silly idiot. When got in by
myself ! grited my teeth until they
hurt, and was mad enough to punch
myself.
Fort Leavenworth In France"
The place might be called Fort
Leavenworth in France since ii is
the service school center OF the
American Expeditonary Force.
Here is the General Staii School
the School of the Line, the Candid
ates School, Engineer, School,
Tank School and all the special
schools for musketry, Sniping. trench
motarS, etc.
The students who arrive for in
struction range from privates to
colonies. \ private'S selection for
a course at the Candidates School
means that his commanding officer
has trust i'll his special abilities and
feels that he is OF officer stuff. An
officer is only too happy to be or
,dered to one of the schools, as the
lectures anu the class room study |
OF war problems better fit him for
his command and make promotion
easier
Most of the lecturers are Ameri-
can officers who have become spec
ialists in certain branches of mill
tary service, although few of the
shining lights are British and French
officers whose long experience of
modern war responsibilities makes
the most valuable. In one parti-
cular the instruction is all British
Under intelligence
comes raiding. forward observation
and very intricate organization for
keeping headquarters informed Of
enemy activities, even TO the anti
of enemy deductions and
future plans.
Lieutenant Pond, Meadeyille, Pa,
who was taking the special course
in trench mortars. read me the fol
lowing from his notes OF an inspir-
ing talk made by 4 British general
10 Gank officers; I'VE must click.
We must have military snap and
dash. We must give ourselves up
to al! service regulations. for the 4
purpose Of these things is to save
our lives. We do not waste time
teaching you how to get killed. That
is for the enemy to worry over. We
must try our best 10 live. And
that is the reason for all diSciplin-
ary regulations OF the army, even
though the purpose may seem a bit
remote at times
This same Lieutenant Pond, who
quoted the above, was required to
write an examination essay on the