The Coolidge examiner., 1931-01-02

shing as the winner and appointed
him as a cadet to the United States
Military academy.
1t was by this narrow margin
that Uncle Sam obtained the gen.
eral who was to command the
greatest armed host ever, raised in
the United States and to lead ii
to victory with the allies in the
greatest war in the worlds history.
No ambition nurtured from early
boyhood prompted John Pershing
to seek admission to West Point
He had no set ideas on becoming
a soldier when he was little fel
low. In fact, he was headed for a
career as teacher or a lawyer,
and was a student in the Kirksville
Normal school when he won the
appointment to the Military acad-
emy.
He saw his cOngressman's notice
of the examination in newspaper
and asked his sister, who was also
attending the Kirksville school, if
she would advise him to try the
test. She certainly would, she told
him. This cOincided with his own
ideas on the subject, so his mill
tary career may be said to have
had its first impetus in the reading
of a newspaper advertisement.
General Pershing was born in
1860 at Laclede, Mo-, hamlet of
some 700 inhabitants. His father.
whose ancestors had come from
Alsace, had the general store at
Laclede and also owned a farm on
the outskirts of the town. The
future commander of the A. e. F.
was the Oldest of six children. He
assumed much responsibility in
helping to care for them.
The Persning youngsters spent
considerable time on the farm.
Young John developed into capa-
BILE worker in the fields even as a
boy. The outdoor life and exercise
made him fine outstanding and
vigorous youth. He was known as
a good fighter when he had to use
his fists, but he was never one to
go out looking for trouble
He could ride horseback, fish,
swim and hunt when he was lit
tie shaver. Such training fell to
the lot of all boys in the West in
those days His mother taught him
his first book lessons and instiled
in him the desire for good edu-
cation.
If he wasn't a brilliant student,
he was conscientious one and
stood we'll in his classes. Fellow
pupils of the Laclede days can re-
call that when John Pershing had
a problem TO solve he worked at 1t
until he had the correct answer.
While he was quiet as a boy, he
was full of fun and enjoyed play
ing pranks with the youngsters of
his own age.
Before he entered the Kirksville
Normal school he taught for two
terms at Prairie Mound, a few
miles distant from Laclede He
was eighteen at the time Some
of his pupils were older than that.
One day he had to chastise an un-
ruly pupil. The lads father, well
over six feet tall and big in pro
portion, appeared the next day to
demand satisfaction of the teacher.
He had a gun in his pocket. He
stormed about and rOared threats.
First the young teacher took the
gun from the man. The he handed
him a sound thrashing with his
fists.
Young Pershing was leader
among the students at Kirksville.
He was equally prominent at West
Point They tell the story that
when a group Of hazers tried to
put the new cadet through the
mill, he thrashed two of them
SOundly.
He was serious, persistent and
determined in his efforts to become
an excellent soldier during his stu
dent days at the Military academy.
He made a good record in his
studies. ranking thirtieth in his
class when he was graduated in
1886. He was senior cadet captain
and was elected president of his
class.
The newly made second lieu
Ipudul was W tllC NufOilS'
He saw service as young officer
under Nelson A. Miles in the
Apache, Geronimo and Wounded
Knee campaigns. Then he taught
military tactics at the University
of Nebraska, also acting as assist
ant professor of mathematics.
He studied law while assigned to
Nebraska, was graduated with hon
ors and admitted to the bar. Then
he was ordered to West Point as
an instructor From there he was
detailed to duty in Cuba. serving
under General Shafter in the Span
ish-American war. He was pro-
noted for bravery at the battle of
Ell Caney.
He made brilliant record in
the Philippines and led the eXpedi-
ton into Mexico before being put
in command of the A. e. F. Uncle
Sam was fortunate, indeed, that
John Pershing topped his rival in
the West Point competitive exam
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