Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-08-19


week was thoroughly all in and spent
nearly all day Sunday just resting.
This week the weather has been cool
er anu have made 1t a point to
quit studying early and go to bed.
This getting up at 5:45 every day of
the week and the double time all
day, requires about all the sleep you
can wedge in, and | intend to get II
even though | neglect rare oppor-
tLnity to cram few more facts and,
figures into my head. | do not think
any Of the subjects we have covered
are hard, in fact, very mechanical
and easy to some | have attempted,
hut instruction is SO boiled down and
systematl2ed that 1t Keeps you on
the aleart every minute for fear you
viii fail to get some minor detail
fnd regret Il too late during the ex.
ans. You are instructed on some
subj ject or piece of material Just
once and may be held for a written
examination on It the next. If you
lave not thoroughly understood and
grasped very word as II was said,
you will be out Of luck the next day.
The whole camp reminds me Of final
exam week at college, but with strict
discipline auperimposed. Orlentatlon
is the only subject which is requlr-
ing any previous knowledge OF math-
omatlcs, etc, and In fact this is caus-
ing the downfall Of quite a number
know Of
Mortar grades were published the
other day and / was elated to flnn
ny average as 90, % being the high
mark. However, the general aver
age was high, and a grade much be-
low 80 was below the average.
used to think a grade OF SO was
above the average, but here every
BODY is doing their level best, con.
Eecuently the average Is raised and
it requires that much more eifor-
10 keep above the average. It was
Just announced that our section pass
cd six gun exams with an average
of GIG. | do not know what my
grade was, but you can see there
is stiff competition and 1t Is a test
20 keep above the average. think
my grand average to date is Dou:
90, and I am not worrying abou,
getting by the academic part, OF
course, but that is. not all
1t makes no difference what grade
you get, if the company commando;
thinks you are not fitted or WORTH
Of a commission you will not get it,
but on the othec hand, he cannot
give you a commission II you do not
get passing grades. To get his en-
dorsement means that you have got
ic make a favorable impression, and
how you do that is up to your own
insenuity. 1t can't be done by being
friendly or telling him what de-
serving mortal you are. One of the
company officers is on hand to OBJ
serve your actions nearly all the
time, for il Is their duty to get u
know you. The manner in which
you handle a company in infantr7
drill is to count heavily. as well as
general military bearings. have
handled that part of 1t satisfactor-
ily so far but there are many things
about 1t | do not know and | may
nake a bad blunder some day
Was fortunate CD enough today
TO witness an alrplane accident. 1t
was fortunate accident, in that no
Cne was hurt. We were working on
tie beach this morning in mechanl
c2l maneuvers, which include every
thing in connection with transporta-
ton and handling of heavy artillery,
when a machine came sailing along
lust owe: our heads, evidently in
trouble and looking for landing
place. ! think they were maneuver-
ing for a landing place on the beach,
hut about $50 feet from shore the
machine turned up and did pretty
nose dive into about six feet OF
water. There were two aviators in
the machine, but they scrambled out
on top, and within 10 minutes one
cf the harbor patrol boats was tow
ing, or rather dragging, the machine
up to the docks.
The airplanes, ballons, diriglbles,
etc, certainly are interesting to
watch. Saw a convoy of transports
60 out the other day Three large
ships crowded with soldiers, cruis-
er in the lead and destroyers and tor
redo boats on either side. Within
half an hour the whole convoy was
out of sight on its way to France.
livery now and then there is a sub
marine seen, and the coast boats are
held In port, and out go on extra
patrol Of sub chasers. They are lit
lie, narrow, long boats that fairly
aeem to skim the water. [ wish