The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-09
Frederic Haslkin's Letter
Uncle Sans Vacation Camp.

was waxing oternly MP 0nd H.
ON the edge Of q cliff over ~.
Michigan yesterday afternoon 6s;.s
guard duty. and looking u,s2
like . recruiting poster Win 3.
white uniform cleaning ae,is.3
the dark blue water when be- ~
asked about his camp life % d,
II think IT'S fine" beamed n
ley, giving a proud hitch d n
gun on his hip. -Of course the A.
night or two We nearly all fell s.
Of our hamnlecks, but nov s
sleep 20 hard We never turn on
We have to get up at five n ~
morning and scrub the deck, -
we have to wash a uniform eper,
day." he continued as if these ~
the most thrilling events he -
ever experienced.
Boys Fire Big Gulx
But the thing that appeals h
Dudley most, as to every other hpv I
we talked with, is that they a.
learning to fire regular three-ipci
guns. They all manage to brhe
this into the conversation very cas.
ually every few minutes. Besida
this noisy occupation they have n I
the rest of the regular training fx
naval recruits, infantry drill artil
lery, seamanship, signals and ria
range. !.
Ensign Lisle Maxson. who teacasA
them rifle shooting, is going afovpd
these days with a slightly worial
expression. They move with all IL
abandon of growing boys and whsa
a whole company Of them have
loaded rifles in their hands 1t taxa
a brave man to stay within ranse
In spite Of the awful risk he Is run
ming. however, Mr.. Maxson enjoys
his work with them immensely. h
is a sprightly young officer in spot
less white uniform with a singh
gold stripe on his shoulder. Toby
when he asked a class Of rookia
if they had any questions, one carr
est youth inquired in all serioss.
ness, do you think you'll ever ct
any more stripes on your shoala-
ers?"
Last week while General Lsoa-
ard Wood was visiting the station
he called at Camp Paul Jones, the
, rookie camp, and gave the boys =
short talk. The governor Of tho
state is also expected to come out
and make then an address sooai
Captain Wurtzbaugh, the com
mandant of the station, is very O.
thusiastic about the school.
I'VE are all much interested n
the success of this maiden venture
in educating the youth OF the IA
ton in naval IDEAS" he said, "and
we are very proud Of the boys "
have to work with. They have on
" been here a week but they are
making a splendid showing. We
hope that the naval summer school
will be a permanent feature Of tho
navy, congress willing"
Rockies Eager to Learn
Mr.. Gould, the song leader vho
teaches the rockies to MARBLE IN
unison for half an hour day, il a.
SO loud in his praises. He say
that they will accomplish as much
in their six weeks training as TIN
average recruit accomplishes IA
Three or four months. This is part.
! ly because they are better educated
and used to concentrating on schoo
work, and partly because they ar
so eager to learn.
! Lieutenant Wyman says that tn
first day or two they were her
they seemed to be homesick an
llanguishing. He finally discovers
the reason was that they couldn'
get any ice cream in camp. Th
next day the famous Pie Wagon Q
the station arrived, and now !
makes two visits a day and is soil
out every visit. And the faces o
the rockies are brighter as well o.
stickier. It is an appalling sigh
to see them crowding around thi
deadly vehicle, buying whole pie
and huge slabs of bright pink ic
cream which they eat in tnel
hands. But for the consolation o
worried parents in distant part
who read this we can say that the,
seem to be thriving ON this die'
and that every officer who work
with them asserts that they are
fine healthy lot OF American boys