Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-09-25

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gan and Captain Daniels, it ought to be said that
these two officers have given of their best and
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
nigh grade Of civilian vocational education for the
youth of America who may become officers or en-
listed men of the United States army.
Last June was at West Point, where wit
messed the presentation of diplomas to $50 young
second ieutenants Of the army who after two
years course at the academy had been sent to
Camp Humphreys for vocational training They
returned to West Point for the purpose of receiv-
ing their diplomas. So it will be seen that this
school at Belvor-on-the-P Potomac has been in
operation for some time.
Even in its preparatory 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 is heav-
lily wooded in carpentry, in printing, in map maxi
Ing in blacksmithing, in railway construction and
railway operation, in electricity, and in fact in
all branches Of industry which are serviceable in
civil life as iii the army. 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 is every necessary manufactured product
engineering
genuity has produced is here, might say, as a
kind of educational sample Camp Humphreys Is
storehouse of the material necessary for instruc-
ton 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 is that
it Will 6e forthcoming No one knows today
whether the United States is to have any form Of
universal military training or not, but If the de-
cision shall be in its favor young men who from
year to year enter their countrys service for field
training will be given opportunity to benefit 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 II the things
useful to them in their soldier profession or later
in any profession or trade or business which they
might enter on return to civil life. 1t has been
school Of hard work, of regular living, with a
sufficient amount Of recreation, and with things
SO we'll balanced generally as to promote the
normal working and "recreating' lives of menu
There are broad-guage and narrow-gauge rail-
roads In operation at Camp Humphreys. There
are many army trucks, armored trains, signal,
searchlight. and flash range apparatus; forestry
study numbering, bridge laying and all other ia
cilities for training broad scale
The very character of the terrain and the ample
timber supply at Camp Humphreys will allow the
development Of field fortifcations on q large scale
and under varied conditions Roads already avail
able, from footpaths to modern great highways,
furnish the fields for the practical study of COM
municaton which forms such an important part
of the duties Of engineering troops in the field
Five miles Of standard-gauge railroad and 20
miles of narrow-gauge or combat railroads, to-
gether with warehouses and depots coversin 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 maneuverng
large bodies Of troops and is sufficiently varied in
character to cover the wide range of field condi-
tions. including fiat, open country. rolling ground
wooded areas valleys and rav:nes.
Camp Humphreys will be an 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 to prepare them for the work
of the corps Of engineers. The course will require
two years and will cover many subjects which can
be grouped under these heads: Military, military
engineering. civil engineering, electrical and me-
chancal engineering.
There will be cadet school for the completion
Of training Of cadets who have not completed the
full course Mt the military academy; school for
reserve and National Guard officers; a school for
line officers: correspondence school for reserve
and National Guard officers. covering the duties
of engineer officers of the various branches of the
reserve and National Guard. Naturally large