Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1921-07-21

sdonted new systems of record-maklng
and record-keeping TO meet tnose 0o'
dtions. ~.
"The first change made vas M d'3
carling the record card system Of
cording and fIing correspondence aa
sdoptlng the subjective decimal lat
file system, which is based on the
decimal system of library classinca-
tlon. This system met every conuu-
gency that arose during the war ana
there Is no doubt that had this chanss
not been made at the outbreak oi .ae
war the adjutant generRis omeo
would have failed to function
Abolition of Muster Roll.
This system, as modified and
applied to the military records, brings
together In the file the complete COT
respondence OIL any given generai
subject. so that on call you can readily
get everything of record thereon. Ins
personal correspondence relating TO
Individual officers aud enlisted men 10
filed in folders folder for each IN
diyldual. The folders are arranged 10
the files alphabetically, and when you
call for the folder of an individual
you know you will get all personal
correspondence relating to that IN
diyidual. The great advantage OF THIS
system Hes In the fact that no index
is required In Its operation,
"Prior to July l, 1915 reports show
ing the duty and status of enlisted
men were made to this office in the
form of muster rolls, prepared BIZ
monthly. To obtain the complete mill
tary and medical record OF a man who
had served an enlistment II was nee
essary to examine eighteen to thirty
muster rolls, depending upon whether
his enlistment was for three or five
years, each roll containing approx
mately seventy names, and TO examine
other records In various parts Of the
adjutant generals office.
"The plan Of preparation Of such
records had undergone no material al
teration since the Revolutionary war,
though the experience of the Civil war
had demonstrated that In order to
make readily accessible the records OF
an Individual whose military aud medi-
cal history was to be found on various
rolls and other records 1t was nee
essary to card all OF the records; that
is, to copy each entry on separate
card or slip and to assemble all those
pertaining TO any particular individual.
The long search that was necessary
proved to be time-consuming unsattsr
factory and economically impracti-
cable.
ION July 1, 1919 the muster roll
was abolished, and on that date the
new method Of reporting changes In
the duty and station Of officers and
enlisted men was put into effect
These reports are made daily and are
known as daily reports Of changes.
Upon receipt in the adjutant generals
Office they are filed with the other rec
ords Of the men concerned, eliminating
the expense incurred In carding the
muster rolls and also making the NEST
current information concerning the,
soldier Immediately available.
beginning May 1. 1917, the service
record also replaced what was known.
as the descriptive list. This record r..
opened for the soldier at the time Of
his enlistment and follows him,
throughout his entire service. When o.
soldier Is discharged or otherwise
separated from the service, his service
record is closed and forwarded to the
adjutant general Of the army for
file with his record as kept By H..
War department. While the organt-
zation record and the War departmsnt.
record are In many ways duplicates.
each contains certain information not
contained in the other"
Tub Desk" RscsptacIss.
General Harris explained that the
records are now kept in what are
known rs tub desks" The personal,
military and medical records are thus
segregated and consolidated lndivtdu-
ally. Normally one clerk operates tive
Of these so-called tub desks contain
Ing the record Of approximately 500
men.
when soldier is discharged. q
otherwise separated from the servica,~
continued General Harris, I'VE receive
his service record. pay card and ths
report Of physical examination, which,
together with the other records, are
placed In one container and finally ~
moved to the nls for men not In -
vice.
an this connection q csmparison Of
the status Of the work Incident to the
Civil war with that following The
World war win show the great 40
teal advantage Of the present syBton
ever that which II superseded.
"0n June 90, 1870. less than twonty
months after the signing Of the arnnls-.
tice, there were only 14000 man.
swered communications Of all kind n
the entire adjutsnt generals 60,
while the number Of unanswered on
In one branch Of the surpesn gsnsenps
ONCE In July. 1859. mere than twsnty-
fur years after the close AZ M mn