Evening journal., 1918-10-23
ADVICE roR pELhwAnE coLLEcE sruprNrs


ONE Delaware College students have been codilcd
- and peited and pampered at homo may ind Il DIM
cult TO adapt themselves to the rigid military discipline
they TO undergo when the college reopong ard Tho
actual military work begins.
Under this new dspensatlon Delaware College VIII be no
place for weaknss grumblers neldawyers and trouble
makers Uncle sam has a summary and sautary way OF
dealing with such classes He throws out the weaklngs
sienees The grumbers and Furnishes nedawyers and
oubo-nakers Any student who enters the service with
out bens able to reconcile himself to those facts is In for
trouble The object Of the plan TO make OF each student
real soldier and not tin soldier to teach him how he
should comport himself as private and as an officer
should he be so fortunate to become an officer There
is to be no boyshness anG foosness about t. Il IS
to be busness-miary buslness-performed in a busl-
nesske way from the time the student begins as a raw
recruit to lie time he is turned out as the finished pro-
duct
b. N Vallandgham, who resides in Newark, and takes
an active Interest in Delaware College affairs has sent 70
US letter deahng with certain phases Of this new MILL
tary dsIensation. It is timely and is as follows:
To the Editor Of The Evening Journal:
Slr-When Delaware College again gets going the
students VIII find themselves not self f-governng body
but soldiers OF the United states Army under strict mill
ary usclpne II some students are not to feel great
discomfort and discomfort, and to the risk OF IN
curing serious penalties all should understand from the
hst the utterly different relation Of the lay student to-
ward academic authority and the soldier student toward
military discipline
Delaware College has ceased for the time being though
ley us hope not for long TO be democratic fellowship
OF pupils and teachers It has become upon its military
Side which, in the present exgency IS its most mpor
ant side sort Of camp with a strcy-ordered hierarchy
and sharply-drawn distinction between the few COM
mlssoned officers and the great bodv of soldier students
As hating with intensity militarism in all its FORMS
and utterly rejecting the notion that military discipline
Is good for all men or for any large portion OF moder
ately-intellgent Americans, old young, earnestly
hope that Delaware College may its mainly
civil character, and return TO the whoesomer dsci-
pllnary form OF student government
Recognizing however, that the country's need IS the
supreme law OF the moment ] cheerfully urge every
student to conform with goodwill and exactitude 20 all
the requirements Of military discipline. The a man
is gentleman by nature and breeding the less he will
he troubled that common soldier he is not technical
gentleman In the eye Of the law. After ALL to be
gentleman by act Of Congress is great distinction
and to lack such distinction need hurt no man
or sense In other words the student who knows
best what belongs to gentleman in civil life will prob
ably know best how TO comport himself toward military
superors as soldier II any man IS peculiarly sensitive
TO the implications Of military distinctions, and to the
penalties Of neglectng 20 observe, with scrupuous care
all that is required Of inferior toward SUPERIOR he
avoid such penalties and the humiliation That
panies them by neglecng duty, forgetting
the strict requirements OF military etiquette. ac-
cepng in good part all that is required Of him by dis
oipne and etiquette the soldier student has the
forting support OF the knowledge that he does what
millions of perhaps better have DONE and the
seriousness Of responding to the call of duty in his coun
try's need
system for the moment in order that democracy may
extend 30 all and be their permanent possession
The best soldier therefore, should be at heart the best
democrat he should also be the best gentleman Note
too, that the officer who is gentleman. both by nature
cratcally sympathetic with his men, must maintain
attitude Of Official detachment lest he nnd himself sub
joct to disciplinary penalties negligent Of military
requirements. War Is serious business and the train
Ing for war; however trivial It's details must also be
serious business =. n. VALLANDIGHAM.
Newark, Delp October 81, 1918
The student who is really nt to be soldier, and per-
haps later an officer and who desires smooth marching
will do well TO take to heart what has been said above
By the TOKEN all parents who have boys at Della
ware College viii do them and the college good service
by mprcssng upon such boys the supreme necessity for
facing the intensive training with love for their homeland
and its 1ag with patriotic admiration for their countrys
military institution, with respect and love for their mill
tary teachers, with unshakabe determination to be-
good soldiers and with heart SOUL mind and body
given up absolutely and rrevocaby to the job in hand
If the Delaware College boys will equip themselves with
those attributes there no telling TO what heights Of self
satisfaction public appreciation and military preferment
they may climb.