The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-09-25

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gan and Captain Daniels. 1t ought to be said that
these two officers have given of their best and are
still remaining In the service. despite the calls Of
their business In civil life to forward the project
which has as Its essential element military plus a
high grade Of civilian vocational education for the
youth of America who may become officers or en-
listed men of the United States army.
Last Jupe was mt West Point. where 1 wit
messed the presentation Of diplomas to $50 young
second lieutenants Of the army who after two
yours course ut the academy hud been sent to
Camp Humphreys for vocational trimming. They
returned to West Point for the purpose OF receiv-
ing their diplomas. So 1t will be seen that this
school at Bevoir-on-th Potomac has been In
operation for some time.
Even IN its prepurnto stages this school not
only has instructed young officers Of the army. but
hundreds Of enlisted men: They work in machine
shops. in lumber camps. for the peninsula Ia heav-
lily wooded: In carpentry. In printing, In map max
Ing. In backsmthlng. in railway construction and
railway operation in electricity. and in fact In
all branches of industry which serviceable In
civil life as In the nrmy The completion of the
school as outlined will give to an officer. regular
reserve or National Guard. and to the enlisted man
that roundabout vocational education which It
will be difficult to get elsewhere.
Here IL every necessary manufactured product
Of the war time. Everything that engineering In
genuity has produced Is here. one might say an
kind Of educational sample. Camp Humphreys IL
a stOrehouse Of the material necessary for instruc.
tion along nearly every line Of military and
civilian effort.
Appropriations are needed to carry the work At
Camp Humphreys to conclusion Congress has
been asked for money and the probability IL that
It will be forthcoming. No one knows today
whether the United States il to have any form Of
universal military training not. but II the de-
cisfOn shall be In Its favor young men who from
year year enter their country's service for field
training will be given an opportunity to benedt BY
a training at this Potomac school.
The students who thus far have been under in
struction at Camp Humphreys. officers and enlist
ed men alike. have started at the beginning of
things. The West Point classes went into the
machine and carpenter shops, laid tracks. did Sec
tion-hand work and all the other things necessary
to give them practical knowledge Of the things
useful to them In their soldier profession later
In any profession trade or business which they
might enter on return to civil life. 1t has been
q school of hard work. of regular living with a
sufficient amount of recreation. and with things
SO well balanced generally rs to promote the
normal working und 'recreating" lives of men,
There broud-guage and narrOwgaug rail-
roads In operation mt Camp Humphreys. There
are many army trucks. HrmOred trains signal,
searchlight. and flash range apparatus; forestry
study numbering. bridge laying. and all other ia
clities for training a brOad scale.
The very character OF the terrain and the ample
timber supply at Camp Humphreys will allow the
development of field Notifications a large scale
and under varied conditions. Roads already avail
able from footpnths to modern great highways,
furnish the fields for the practical study of
muncation which forms such an important part
Of the duties of engineering troops in the field.
Five miles of stnndardgaug railroad and 20
miles of narrow-gauge or combat railroads. to-
gether with warehouses and depots cover in all
their operations the functions Of the service of
supply.
Adequate areas for target practice and for the
use of gas are already developed. The water
supply is plentiful and of excellent quality. The
climate is healthful, and mild enough to make field
work practicable during the entire year. An area
ten miles square is large enough for maneuvering
large bodies Of troops and Is sufficiently varied in
character to cover the wide range of field condi-
TONS including fiat. open country rolling ground.
wooded areas, valleys and ravines.
Camp Humphreys will be engineer school, a
term which Is used to embrace all the phases of
engineering training. There will be an Institution
for post graduates of the military academy and
of civil institutions prepare them for the work
of the corps of engineers. The course will require
two years and will cover many subjects which can
he grouped under these heads: Military. military
engineering civil engineering, electrical and me-
chanica engineering.
There will be n cadet school for the completion
of training of cadets who have not completed the
full course at the military academy; school for
reserve and National Guard officers; school for
line officers; q correspondence school for reserve
and National Guard officers. covering the duties
of engineer officers of the various branches of the