The sun., 1918-07-01
COLUMBIA ISSUES
WAR TRAINING PLAN
Military Instruction Obliga-
tory for All Students Who
Start Next Autumn.
$50 WILL BE IN UNIFORM
All Students Not Bodily Fit
Must Enroll in Physical
Education Glasses.

Columbia University announced yes
terday the essential details of it's plan
for compulsory military training Of
Columbia students. The plan will 70
into operation next autumn. when all
students Of the college will be enrolled
in the Reserve OfYicers Training Corps
and military training will be made oblig-
atory In the largest university In the
world.
Dean Herbert Il Hawkes. said yes
terday that tho Columbia plan will train
men quickly for military service and make
them eligible for camp training leading
to commissions, but that It will also At
students for civil life after the war.
The students will not be divided by
their choice Of courses into those who
sacrifice civil education for military
training and those who sacrifice military
training for civil education
Details OF the plan have been worked
out by Dean Hawkes.. Col. John P.
Finley, U. s. A., retired, and Prof
George L. Meylan. medical director OF
the gymnasium.
All physically At students OF Columbia
College must take military training next
session. This means that about $50
men will be In uniform. including even
students who are taking in Columbia
College courses preliminary to their
work in professional schools. Every
student will be required to take every
week two hours of physical education
supplementary to his military training.
In 30 far as is practicable a student will
have opportunity to meet this require
ment by participating in the sport or
sports in which he Is most interested.
But no student may offer his work on
team as an equivalent until he has
passed what will be known as tho
Group A test" This test requires him
to make high jump of feet, 10
inches; a bar vault of 4 feet, 6 inches:
rope climb Of 20 feet, and one lap on
an indoor track, 176 yards. in rs Soc
onds.
Students who fail to pass will enrol
In physical education classes. The plan
purposes to take men who are not phys
ically At and make them At. 1t Is esti-
mated that the percentage Of students
At for military service can be doubled
by this training.
When a student passes Group A" ne
must register for football, soccer foot
ball, cross-country, indoor track. boxing.
wrestling. athletics Glasses in track and
field sports for beglnners), basketball.
tics.
The Secretary Of War has sent tho
following notice to Columbia:
Military instruction under officers
and non-commissioned officers OF the
army will be provided in every institu-
ton OF college grade which enrols for
the instruction 100 or more ablebo lied
students over the age Of IS. The neces-
sary military equipment will, so far as
possible. be provided by the Government.
There will be created a military training
unit in each institution. Enlistment will
be purely voluntary. but all students
over the age of IS will be encouraged to
enlist The enlistment will constitute tho
student a member OF the army of the
United States. liable to active duty at
the call Of the President
1T will. however be the policy OF the
Government not to call the members Of
the training units to active duty until
they have reached the age OF 81, unless
urgent military necessity compels an
earlier call. Students under IS, and
therefore not legally eligible for enlist
ment, will be encouraged to enroll in the
training units Provision will be made
for coordinating the Reserve officers
Training Corps system. which exists In
about one-thrd OF the collegiate institu-
tons, with this broader plan
Physically At students OF Columbia
will constitute an infantry unit. senior
division. of the Reserve Officers Train
ing Corps.