Evening star., 1942-07-19
BY BILL BONI,
Wide World

Vluc wOii
CHAPEL HILL, N. c., July l8-If
the United States Navy's flight
school is an experiment in how much
body building can be accomplished
in II weeks, it is an equally interest
ing venture into the field OF ad-
vanced education.
The boys are having tremendous
lot of learning crammed between
their ears In less than three months
and, while all of 1t may not stick,
they seem to be taking to 1t ad-
mirably.
The educational part Of the pre-
flight schools program, as carried
out here on the University OF North
Carolina campus and at similar
schools at the Universities OF Geor-
gia and Iowa and st. Mary's in Cali
fornia, has received only small
proportion of the public notice given
the physical training project. 1t
deserves considerably more.
During my visit here sat IN on
classes with the students, and talked
WIFI LIlC IlcduS Vi tLAC nSoaShAS esAA~
military instruction staffs.
Mathematics in u Days.
I learned that 1t Is their aim to
turn out graduates who in n days
will have been given the funda-
mentals and an understanding OF
the mathematics taught in second
arv schools over a 12-year period; !;
will have been asked to absorb in 80
days the essentials of full year OF
elementary college physics; Will be
able literally in the twinkling OF an
eve to identify all Allied and most
enemy combat aircraft and war
ships; will have a sound grounding
in the history, aims and traditions
of our Navy; will know something
about first aid, ballistics, signaling
seamanship, ordnance and gunnery
That is only a gh-lighted out
line of the sizable order 1ntrusteo
to two remarkable staffs-the aca-
demic under 1t. Howard Hamilton,
an educator for more than 20 years,
a former professor at Ohio state,
and older brother of 1t. Comdr. Tom
Hamilton, to whose vision and drive
the pre-flight schools owe their ex-
istence; the military instruction
staff under 1t. James p. Raugh. q
Naval Academy graduate who, like
many others, left lucrative civilian
lob to 20 into this Navy program.
1t. Hamilton's staff teaches math-
ematics and physics, the essentials
of naval service, and course IN
nomenclature and recognition whose
procedure is a Navy secret.
Two Assignments
The military instruction staff has
two assignments:
To receive the incoming battalions
which check in every two weeks Isl
to 800 strong, see that they are reg
istered and equipped properly, ge
their regulation haircuts, and ar
given their innoculations agains
typhoid, tetanus, yellow fever ant
small pox;
To teach them ordnance and gun
merry Tin which they learn TO tax
down machine guns, and to mr.
rifles, revolvers and machine guns
and lecture them ON the subject
that will enable them to fit into tn
routine of the service when, roughl!
q year from now, they finish theil
flying training and are assigned tt
the fleet.
These men pitch into their jot
with an enthusiasm and spirit thaT
has few ii any equals.
Their days are full from the tint
the first classes meet at 7:20 eacf
morning until all Of the school goe'
into the sports program at $3.50 II
the afternoon. Yet many Of then
are back at work in the evening, act
ing as counsellors for the boys, Civ
ing special classes for those who ar,
having difnculty keeping pace with
the regular work, and even instruct.
ing their fellow-o Officers In subjects
they will need to know when the!
are transferred to active duty d
some future date.
Enthusiastic Staff
Never, as long as I've been in tn
educational field, have I seen sucl
an enthusiastic teaching staff" say
It.. Hamilton.
"And to me one Of the most re
markable features OF this program i
that some of the best teaching i
being done by men who never ha,