Evening star., 1921-02-20
THE ARMY

Little has been written on the sub
| ject The Reserve Officers Training
Corps the r. o. T. c., as the corps
thorized by Congress in 1915, which
permits military work to be given
boys sixteen to. twenty-one years of
age during their four years school
life-a receptive period when mill
tary training interferes the least with
their career.
Ihe system instills in a boy at that
age when many habits of life are in
the making. healthful, practical and
+ }tneoretlcal training-absolute essen
tials to the development of the quail
ties or leadership SO necessary for
ofhcers. Today there are 234 schools
ana colleges, in every state in the
onlon' including Hawaii and Porto
~ I.ico' which have enrolled 100000 r.
" T.. =, students. Approximately one
ore college men and the others
are boys in high schools
AT the larger universities. r. q r.
Z. units combine at formation such
as reviews and inspections, all the
eoiioatant components of an army di-
VISION thereby providing the choice
OF twelve different types of instruc-
tlon, embracing much valuable train
ing Tor example, engineering, motor
erac.lon' electricity, medical, etc
smaller schools are necessarily con-
fined to either cavalry, infantry or
Signal Corps units.
big feature CONTEMPLATED this
summer is the sixteen R. o. r. c.
camps, two of which will be located
near washington, one each at Camps
humphreys and Holabird 1t is ex-
pected that Plattsburg barracks will
Six weeks training comprises the
summer course, which will bring
these, RED. White and Blue BOYS"
together, as in the world war, from
every state and territory in the
Union.
Perhaps the most unique and thor
oughly American feature of this
training system is it's real democ-
racy-distinctive as the draft, for it
recognizes no distinction of race,
creed, color or dress. Its American
ism. extending throughout the land,
will be found in private or public
high schools, in technical colleges
and universities. Sons of millionaires
or laborers will wear the same uni
form: both share equal benefits. The
training makes for better and more
patriotic citizenship, greater under
standing and increased health. Ac-
cording to statistics, it is claimed
that during the six-week period in
the summer camps of 1919 the av-
erage gain in weight of R. o. T. C.
students was five pounds and an in
crease in chest measurement of two
inches.
During their four years at school
students may voluntarily attend the
years. but the last two years are
compulsory. and for this a consid-
GRAFTON is allowed each student of
81 per day during the six weeks in
camp. Transportation, subsistence,
etc, is also included.
1t is said that many mothers are
strong advocates of r. o. T. c. train
ing, as are women who favor the Boy
Scout movement. One of the most in
teresting letters received from educa-
tional institutions by the War Depart
ment is the following statement from
Susan NJ. Dorsey. superintendent of the
Los Angeles High School:
The value of military training. as
given in our high schools through the
agency of the r. O. T. c.,
is no longer a matter Of question. The
results are apparent and easily evalu-
ated. The Improvement of the young
men in their attitude toward seniority
and authority, their improvement in
cleanliness and neatness; in courtesy
Of manner and WILLINGNESS TO sacrifice
IOf civil BcTNiCo duu lIlc COIiIHOH SOOu,
are all becoming apparent. Recently in
one school where volunteers were asked
to assist in census taking. nearly all
who volunteered were members of the
R. o. T. c., which. as the principal
stated, would seem to indicate either
that the most loyal. patriotic and self
sacrificing boys had enrolled in the r.
o. T. c. or that the organization stim-
ulated such qualities Not the least i'm
portant evidence of the value of this
training is shown in the fact that there
is being developed a consciousness of
ability to do things and a willingness
to accept responsibility and develop the
power Of leadership
New @. NJ. c. System.
In order to bring reserve officers
into closer touch with the funda-
mental workings of his corps, Quar-
termaster General II. L. Rogers has
installed unique system for the in
formation of more than 5000 quar-
termaster reserve officers. Letters are
being sent these officers, giving. in
brief, a general synopsis of the prin-
cipal functions of their corps, which
fully describe the various activities.
Anticipated questions which every re-
serve officer should know are an
swered in a special bulletin. Eff
cheney key sheet, showing the rank.
experience and qualifications of every
regular and reserve officer are SO ar
ranged by mechanical device, that in
one operation requiring but mo-
ment's time, the record cards OF all
officers desired for any special quail
ficatfon may be viewed for examina-
ton. For example, if an officer is
required for historical work, clothing
and equipage, or special technical
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