Evening star., 1937-05-02
By Joseph S. Edgerton.

:" y OOS pIt ~ IL" SCI eO"s
THOUsANDs of young men, car
rying their personal belongings
In suit cases which will serve
Il them as lockers, soon will be
pouring out of busses and trains at
military camps. Whistles will blow
and officers and non-coms of the
Regular Army and the Organized
Reserve will take them in charge.
They will live in Army fashion, under
canvas and in barracks; they will be
clad in khaki; they will drill with the
many weapons with which modern
armies are equipped; they will rise,
eat and 20 to bed to the blare of bugleS.
Among them will be some 300 boys
from the District Of Columbia, who
will be scattered among five Army
posts in Maryland and Virginia, to-
gether with nearly 1000 young men
Of their own ages from nearby States.
They will be part OF a small army
of nearly $4,000 men who will undergo
training in the Sd Corps Area this
Summer.
For a month there will be scenes
strongly reminiscent of the hectic
early days of the World War as
rockies from high schools, colleges,
Offices and jobs of all kinds are
whipped into efficient military units
by drill sergeants. There will be
nothing of the fever of war training,
however. These young men of hap
pier day will hav much leisure. They
will have long hours for swimming,
base ball, boxing, wrestling, track and
field sports. There will be week end
sightseeing trips to Washington,
Mount Vernon and other points of
interest
For it will not be war which calls
these young men from the quiet of
their homes into camps and barracks.
They will go as civilians into Citizens
Military Training Camps, and, apart
from about four hours day of con-
centrated military training. they will
lead lives which many country club
members seek and do not find-lives
of healthy sport and keen competi-
ton in the open air, the sport Of
youths selected for physical fitness
and mental keenness.
Much of their military training will
be useful to them in their everyday
life after the camps close. Signal
Corps trainees, for example, will work
with field radio and field telephones;
others will take care of motors and
ether mechanical equipment. All will
benefit from systematic exercise, out
door life, keen sporting competition
and good feeding.
THE object OF the Citizens Military
Training Camps IS to bring to-
eether annually for a months train
ing the best representative young
American citizens from all sections
OF the Nation; to give them the basis
Of military instruction and that physi-
cal and moral development that will
At them to become influential leaders
In their respective communities in
times Of peace. and leaders for ma
tional defense in time of war, it is
explained
It also is intended that the routine
In these camps shall inculcate q
stronger patriotism and wholesome
respect for discipline and obedience
to constituted authority; above all,
to teach the young men of this genera
ton their serious duties, response
bilities and obligations to home and
country"
There is work to be done in these
camps-drills, marches, field maneu-
vers, organized athletics, schools and
indoor instruction" it is stated in the
announcement OF the opening of the
1887 enrollments. 1--WE do not adver-
tise them as vacation-for that i'm
plies idleness, and such an impression
would be misleading to the public.
Many shy lad who never seemed
TO flt in with his fellows at home has
discovered at camp for the first time
the joys of comradeship through par
ticipation in the varied activities Of
the training period. On the other
hand, many an arrogant and self
assertive youth has learned here his
first effective lesson in mutual con-
sideration and respect for others
rights. Plain honesty in thought,
word and act is the recognized ideal
erred in the democracy of good fellow
ship at the training camps"
5"HAT is the life at these camps?
Although it may vary slightly
according to the type of service, it is
apt to go just about as follows: The
day will actually begin, after reveille.
wash-up and breakfast, with 4-hour
period Of military instruction from
1870 to 1l:30 am. This instruction
includes lecture on citizenship.
Z From 1880 to l pm. is given over
b a rest period and dinner In the
basic course. for newcomers to the
&C. M. T. c., the afternoon period
from to pm. is applied to physical
training. including supervised athletic
instruction, such as swimming, boxing
%and wrestling; organized athletics,
such as base ball and track events;
and recreational athletics, such as
tennis, hand ball and practice Of foot
ball squads.
! Except for retreat, roll-call and
occasional ceremonies, all routine
duties and work in the camp end at
F<:30 pm.
The remainder of the day, until
taps at 10 pm, is given over to rest,
study and individual recreation and
diversions in the camp.
: There are no ordinary duties Of
any kind scheduled for Saturday after
moons or Sundays. These are the
visiting periods, and parents, relatives
and friends Of the boys in camp are
invited to visit.
: During the camp Of 1886 trainees
were permitted to compete for about
80 scholarships in the various colleges
and schools located in the Sd
Corps Area. This provides an oppor-
tunity for a higher education for
those who win scholarships. A high
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