Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-21
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Status of the S. A. 7. C. Boys
To The Editor Of the TclcgraPh:

o fNe EdNor OF EHc 4cicBfuPH'
The Students Army Training
Corps as we look at it, was great
organization. We all are aware OIL
the fact that the U. S. Military
Academy, at West Point is the pest
and most efficient training that
young man can acquire.
What is an S. A. Il. c. school but
a miniature West Point Academy?
1t is based on the same plan,. has
the same rules and regulations as
the military academy. Thus the
government has established minla-
ture West Points throughout the
country. These schools are made up
of a small per cent. of college boys
and q large per cent. of working
boys who could not for some reason
Join the. army even though they
wished to. Speaking of the S. A. 7. G.
school as a miniature West Point,
what one of these boys was willing
to break up their whole school year,
or give up a fine position, and leave
dependents in a bad way for IL
months training as fake west
Pointer? 1t is plain to be seen that
not one would have been willing.
The Student Army Training
camps have all been disbanded or
must be hv the 21st of December.
We must of course realize the fact
that our government is in a bad
way financially and is preparing for
an international permanent peace.
Thus the government has after : IL
monts successful training and great
progress cast aside the S. a. L. 4.
cantonments. Yes, she has cast them
aside and we may speak of these
camps as things of past and mere
experiments which have proven sue
cessful.
Let us now consider the standing
of the soldiers in general who maze
up these organizations, they are or
to be more exact were college stu
dents. q am speaking in genefall.
After being discharged they are
merely lost sheep. They have been
paid off for the number of days IN
camp this month at the rate of 81
per day. Thus they were thrown out
of the camps with from Sl4 to S2l
in their possession, and no other
footing whatever. There are some
but few who are able to go back
to college, and see their way clear
financially. There are some VINO
have no desire to return, and there
are others, | may say the largest
per cent. who have great desire
to return to college and complete the
year, having successfully completed
the first semester free of charge. But
what is their footingY They nave
been thrown out into this wide,
stretch of land with no finances to
back them up.
The largest number of boys who
entered colleges this year through
the S. A. It. c. were boys who did
not have the money to go to college,
had il not been for this organiZa-
ton. Their minds were filled with
great opportunities which have all
turned out to be false.
They were first told, ''if they en-
tered the students army training
corps, they would spend from three
to six months at school, receive
a college education while there and
then "be sent to an officers train
ing camp" This proved false, owing
to the cession of hostilities. We may
not expect the government to make
officers of them nor do they desire
any office whatever.
Secondly. they were told that
while at college they would receive
the prescribed college courses.
which would ordinarily prepare
them for professional life and re-
ceiye military training on the side.
To their great disappointment, they
did not carry college subjects, but
carried subjects prescribed by the
War Department, purely military,
through and through. The upper
cIassmen were required to drop their
future college courses and carry a
military course on the same basis
as the lower classmen. On what
grounds can this be spoken of as
Just, other than just lie?
Thirdly, we were told if by chance
the war should cease, that dhey
would be given n full years college
course free of charge. You see that
this has proven false. No sooner had
hostilities ceased on the western
front, than plans were laid for the
rehabilitation of the students army
training corps.
Lastly, there were those poor in
finance, who jumped with JOY at the
thought of acquiring at least one
years college education, and inn
medIately gave up good positions.
some who could not afford to do
even this. but with the help of others
left those dependents on them in a
fair way.
This Is the position of the aver
age college boy to-day. All his
bright plans for the future have been
cast aside and was merely n dream
built Int his mind by the persuaslons
| of higher authorities. College presi-
dents. lie has not. nor will not re-
ceiVe any college education except
at his own expense, which he cam
not AFFORD. The s. A. I. c. boy on
the whole IL In a bad way to-day.
| Having given up some fine positions