The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-06-26
TRAINING CAMPS BECOME
MORE POPULAR

Our citizens military training
camps are each year becoming more
popular with the young men of Amer
lea. The present year brings the tenth
anniversary of this patriotic institu-
ton which is constantly making better
Americans of those who take the
training. In an interesting story on
the life in the training camps and the
purpose of the training, Mr.. Hancock
Adams says in the current issue of the
National Republic:
"Citizens' military camps celebrate
this summer their tenth birthday. Pa
triotic Americans who answered the
call of country in 1915, to drop their
civilian clothes to go to Plattsburg as
one of two or three thousand civilian
"rookies" have turned over the torch
to the young men who accept Uncle
Sans invitation for a month of cit
izenship training in these camps held
from New England to California. Es-
tablished soon after the World War as
feature of the plan for domestic Sc
curity, as laid down in the national
defense act of 1920, these camps have
now become recognized American
institution. Their value long ago has
been demonstrated to the satisfaction
of all except the pacifists and the
non-patriots. They can look forward
to life as long as that of the Amer
lean people and their institutions.
"The camps reach out into even
the smallest communities of the land.
The boy from the east or west side of
New York finds as his tent mate the
country youngster from the little ham,
let up the state, boy perhaps who
has never seen the bright lights of a
city. The son of we'll to do parents
on his way to one of the big eastern
universities, stands shoulder to Shout
der with the boy who must go to work
to earn his own livelihood at sixteen.
Democracy is the keynote of the camp,
democracy combined with citizenship
and devotion to flag and country.
"The camps are what their name
implies. The routine is that of out of
door life, far away from school and
business, or the distraction and tur-
MOL of the city. Young Americans
of all kinds are fond of camping; they
inherit even today something of the
spirit of the frontiersman, and the cit
liens camps give them taste of the
simple country life and the breezes o.
the great out of doors.
"The camps are training camps, too.
The educational aim is never lost
sight of by the army instructors who
have charge of the military and ath-
letic instruction of the boys. They
offer something different from the or
binary vacation. Work is the rule;
not idleness; but the duties are
stimulating, interesting, and with a
strong appeal to the patriotism and
the public spirit that is in the breast
of every red blooded American boy.
Life is serenuous, whether at work or
play, but no American boy objects to
this. The thousands of boys who at
tend these camps want vigorous, not
a soft, program. Yet it is not so Wig
orous program as to take the
strength of the average yooungster.
''Year by year, public interest in
the camps is increasing. Fathers and
mothers are among the most enthu-
siastic supporters Of the camps and
the War Department has thousands
of testimonials as to the value of the
instruction from enthusiastic parents.
Teachers and many clergymen consid-
er the camps as valuable adjunct
to the school and the church, and that
is exactly the function which these
camps fulfill. The heads of big bust
ness houses often select their best
employees for them, realizing that 80
days in camp makes the employee even
more efficient.
Congress was long ago sold on
the idea Of camps and each year makes
generous appropriations to enable the
War Department to conduct this work
in every part of the country. For the
coming summer, 1880 boys will re-
ceive training, and eventually, it is
hoped to train each year 100000"