River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-10-03
Appropriate Exercises
for S. A. 7. c. Unit

On Tuesday morning at IL O'Clock
the community and the school OBJ
served the establishment of our D.
A T. C. unit by appropriate exer-
cises on the Normal school lawn
Addresses were delivered by the
Hon. Ferris White and Rev. D. b.
Spencer. President Ames, in a few
we'll chosen remarks, welcomed the
vounq men to our school and assur-
ed them that all the resources of the
institution are at their command.
The commanding officer, Lieut..
Nicholas Jaureguy, read the orders
of the day and concluded the exer
cises with a short but ringing patrl-
otto address. The students and
others also had the privilege OF
hearing from the other two officers
assigned here by the government,
Lieut.. George ]. Serck and Lieut..
George M. Kleder. The establish
nent of this military uuit marks
taking over of large part OF the
Normal school plant and the Nor
NAL school faculty for government
work in military training. At pres
ent nearly 100 men are enrolled IN
the military unit and more are ex-
pected during the present week.
The high standard of admission set
bv the government has made it i'm
possible for a great many young
men of this part of the state to en-
ter the unit. A number Of our pa
triotic local boys are also disap-
pointed that the age limit is placed
at l8 years. The men accepted Tor
this unit represent the finest pro-
duct of the high schools of our ter
ritory and those who have been as
sociated with them during the two
days that they have been with US
are confident that this group OF
Young men represents as fine a
source of officer material as can be
found.
Under orders from the govern
ment the men are classified accord
ing to age. Those 20 years of age
are given purely military subjects;
those of Is and 19 will be left in the
school longer and have more choice
in the selection of their work. The
government expects to make calls
upon our school every three months,
at which times the men of proper
age will go either to environments
or 10 officers training camps, &C.
cording to the proficiency which
they have shown in their studies
and drill. 1t is expected that OPP
portunity will be given every three
months for young men who have
become eligible to join this unit and
it may be that the government will
assign soldiers from the Depot Bri.
pade to this school for training
Everyone in River Falls who heard
our army officers on Tuesday morn
ing feels that the school and com
munity are to be congratulated or
having so high type of officers and
gentlemen assigned for duty here
The men on the faculty who have
been most closely associated with
the organization of this military
work are the ones who are most en-
thusiastic in their appreciation Of
the fine personal qualities of oul
commanding officer and his assist
ants. With the support of the fac
ulty and of the people of this com
munity we may look forward to &
high degree OF military attainment
by our young men under this lead
ership. The establishment of this
unit will be an event that will long
be remembered in the history of oul
Normal school and of River Falls
The year we had the soldiers" will
be the year from which future Nor
NAL school events will be dated. Al
who were present at the exercises
Tuesday morning felt that so i'm
portant an event was being proper
~ observed by these exercises.