The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-14
military College Asks for Equip
ment Commensurate With
Work to Be Done.
NEED MUST BE MET IF
SCHOOL CONTINUES
Board Of Visitors Explains The
Necessity of Larger Equip
ment to Meet Changed Condi-
tons-C charleston wakes Gift

Charleston, Dec. 10-The following
statement was issued here tonight by
Joint committee Of the board of
visitors and the association of Grad
uates Of the Citadel, the Military Col
less OF South Carolina, John p.
Thomas of Charleston, committee
chairman:
SIN order for the Citadel TO MAIN
tain its distinguished record it is I'M
pera*ive that larger quarters and bet
ter equipment be provided immediate
Ns Ehis isfcommittee has thoroughly
! eapFaased the situation and is fully
prepared to- submit the facts that
prove the case. knowing that the
Gssaaef Shas earned it's high place
aMaeng the military colleges OF the ma
#s1si and knowing that all South Car
oltnians cherish lofty appreciation
sof the, CisadePs worth, this commit
tee has gone about the task in hand
seompletely confident that the people
ssnf South Carolina viii find pleasure
hi giving the military college the sup
port at needs
The 3nnatter Of enlarged quarters
ndsbetter equipment has been placed
-hy this committee before the city
goseRnment of Charleston with the
result that the Citadel is assured Of
q znagnifieent tract Of land, valued
eeuservatively at $4,000 This tract
. Is quite near the small parcel of real
estate now occupied by the institution
and is unanimously declared by per-
sons who have inspected it to be
& ideally suited for development OF a
great military college like the Cita-
DEL
This magnificent gift of the city of
Charleston, which has long been de-
voted, to tho upbuilding of the Cita-
del; Is conditioned ON the action OF
the State, legislature in providing the
necessary funds for the. buildings
Members OF the general assembly
who have been approached have as
serted that the proposal is not only
deserving, but that it should be grant
ed for the good that Will. come TO
Segrhe Carolina through improvement,
OF THE: CHadePs facilities for the Civ
ing OF military training.
- Only ten military colleges in the
Gated States are classed as distin-
srssled by the war department and.
year after year, without a break, the
Citadel has earned its place among
these ten. Again, in the world con-
Hagrtticn the CITADEL record has been
magnificent. More than -S5 per cent,
of Itssiiving graduates have been COM
niissipned as officers in the army,
snaty and marine corps. Many o.
theses. officers have distinguished
themselves on the field Of battle. Many
hare paid the supreme price.
.%s...sIt is not that the Citadel rs striv-
j ing To- produce army officers so much
as H is that the; Ciadel is striving to
pHoance, men who will be available as
afRaSy officers IN the event that their
State and nation need them. The
! citsdej authorities feel that the rec
df is known to the people OF the
State and that the people of the
Saats viii. with great heartiness. re-
spona to the CitadePs call for assist
] ance. It has BEEN careful through
the years to ask for only what mas
been absolutely necessary for It's OPP
: sssration. In asking for money wath
witch to erect additional buildings 1t
] 81 saeaually careful. IT is asking for
oinywhat is imperatively needed.
Members of the board of visitors
md pf the association OF graduates
kuew: that the Citadefs. case is. as de-
sefYfng as it can be and that on its
rssbrd it is sure to receive generous
.ffsament at the hands of the people
whose institution it is. It has become
necessary to enlarge in order to keep
abeeast Of institutions which have not
earned nearly SO much distinction and
Z the board Of visitors will present its
case. to the legislature in Columbia
next month.
sUnless the Citadel is permitted to
measure to the changed conditions it
is frankly stated that it can not hope
10 compete with colleges upon which
great sums of money have been and
are being spent in order to have the
war department class them, among
the distinguished ten. The Cltadel Is
asking for it's very life
5CHIS