The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-08-15
PLEA FOR COLLEGE
TRAINING IS IN
FULL SWING
Students Army Training Corps Pro-
misses to De of Great Value 20 the
Nation This Year.

With President r. G. McLaurin of
the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
J nology serving as educational head of
the Students Army Training Corps,
and a staff of we'll known civilians to
| help in the task, the War Depart
ments plan to have every important
college in the country a military post
for the training of men for the Army
and Navy is making rapid Roadway.
at Plattsburg, N. Y, San Francisco,
Ca, Fort Sheridan, ILL.,, with attend
ance of 1000 members of college fac
ulties and selected students began a
sixty-day course designed to prepare
men to assist in the work of military
instruction in the colleges this year.
Details of the plan have just been
announced by the War Department.
1.-THE plan is an attempt to mobilize
and develop the brain power of the
young men of the country for these
services which demand special train
ing" says the War Department. ats
object is to prevent the premature en-
listment for active service of these
men who could by extending the per-
iod of their college training, multiply
manifold their value to the country"
In its announcement the Depart
ment points out the needs for highly
trained men as officers. engineers,
doctors, chemists, and administrators
of every kind.
"The Importance of this need can
not be too strongly emphasized" says
the War Departments circular. This
marksmen, but also engineers, chem
lists, physicists, biologists, doctors
and specialists in many other lines
Scientific training is indispensable
Engineering skill is needed by the Of
fcers who direct every important
military operation and and who CON
troll our lines of transport and com
munication. In the same way chem
ical and physical knowledge are in
as behind the lines, while the task of
saving the lives and restoring the
health of hundreds of thousands OF
wounded calls for the services of reg
iments of military physicians. The
scientific training which prepares
man to fulfill one of these highly spe-
nialized duties and the more liberal
training which helps to develop the
qualities of leadership needed by the
officer or administrator are essential
elements of military efficiency.
"The boy who enlists in the Stu
dents Army Training Corps will be a
member of the Army of the United
States. He will be provided by the
War Department with uniform and
equipment, but will he on furlough
status and will not receive nay. He
will undergo regular military train
ing as a part OF his course during the
college year. will attend six weeks
camp for rigid and intensive military
instructions with privates pay, and
will be subject to the call of the Pres
ident for active service at any time,
should the exigencies of the military
situation demand 1t. The policy of
The Government, however, will be to
keep members of this corps in col
lege until their draft age is reached,
and the War Department will have the
power to order such men to continue
in college even after their draft age is
reached whenever their work . such
men to continue in college even after
their draft age is reached whenever
their work is such that the needs of
the service, e. g., for doctors, engi-
neers, chemists, and the like. are such
as to make that course advisable"
The Students Army Training Corps
is administered by the Committee on
Educational and Special Training of
the War Department, which is a sec
ton of the Training and Instruction
Branch of the War Plans Division of
the General Staff. Competent Of
ficers and non-commissioned officers
will be assigned to the various insti-
tutions to carry on the work of mill
tary instruction.
In view of the educational signifi-
canoe of the new plan, Dr. p. P. Clax-
ton, Commissioner of Education, has
sent a copy of the Wer Departments
statement to school and college exc
cutives throughout the country.