The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-09-23
What Training Camps
Have Done For Boys

The following letter, written by the
mother of one Of the young men who
attended the Citizens Military Train
Ing Camp of the First corps area, held
at Camp Devens, Mass, during the
month of August, was originally pun-
lished in the Newton, Mass, Graphic,
which is published in the home town
of the SECRETARY of war What was
done for this one boy has been done
for approximately 10000 other boys
Throughout the United States in the
! camps held in the different corps
areas.
The letter reads as follows:
"On the stage we sometimes see
transformation scenes, but none can
surpass what some visitors saw at the
Citizens Military Training Camp at
Camp Devens.
after the four weeks training. our
boy who went to the camp with rather
hazy ideas OF what life is good for and
the effort that must be put forth to
make it good for something, is home
again with ideas so clarified with an
outlook so far reaching as to almost
transform him into manhood.
When in June he learned of the
training camp he thought it might be
a good thing for other boys, but
whether he wanted to enlist-well, he
must think about it. To give a month
to occupations in which he had NJ
special interest did not appeal to him.
He kept thinking about it and fl
nally decided to throw doubt to the
| xxrfr de- nd bos 4 l,;c -feFa
the die was cast. All the preliminaries
early Monday, August 1, he appeared
on the ground with the other k200
"cits." Uniformed donned company as
signed. chuns chosen, the new life was
inaugurated.
what has happened? A training in
so short a time that it is almost mar
velous. STOPPING shoulders straighten-
ed a firm, alert rapid military step
in place of a slouching gait, eyes
bright and clear and wide open, voice
strong and resonant in fact our boy
has command of himself. He has
emerged from a state of Indifference
and is ready to turn his capacities to
the best account.
For a review: We washed our
belts, put on clean clothes, blocked our
hats, shined our shoes. cleaned our
rifles mad changed our buttons Moth
ing but perfection on these processes
will pass muster. Unwritten laws of
good manners, consideration for others
and good fellowship come from asso-
citation with good fellows who want to
write them in their lives. The boys
were taught to observe carefully. to be
punctual, prompt, precise, exact in
their work, to do their very best every
time.
when these boys are ready for
jobs Mr.. Edison will find more than
80 out Of 71S who viii meet his re-
quirements and not refuse work be-
cause they win get dirt on.their hands
No better school for trophied brains
than the camp school Where is the
host who VIII provide clothing for his
guests? Uncle Sam has done 1t, AMI
has done it generously. Khaki uni
forms, army shoes, shirts, Ieggings are
on the list. Good beds and bedding
and good things to eat, including a
bountiful supply of pie, all kinds, dear
to the stomachs of all New England
boys and to other stomachs, too
An American boy in earnest with
full average mental equipment, good
digestion and yearly "set-up" in such
a camp cannot fail in a decade to join
the ranks of those citizens in every
community who are highly respected
and esteemed because of their example
and their interest in all movements |
for the UP lift of those they meet in
their daily walks.
Thanks, strong and long. for the
officers Of the war department who
have carried out so thoroughly and eff |
ficiently the plans for the training |
camps through which our boys WI /
be better prepared for everything pro-
noting peace. Why should I add -ser2 /