Evening star., 1942-09-13

tnuS giving youngsters
full nine-month course. and indica-
tions are that more than 300 boys
will enroll in these special classes
in the white schools alone
One of the factors contributing to
this estimate was the success of the
pre-fiight course given for six weeks
this summer at Roosevelt High
School.
6S Boys in Glass.
Sixty eight boys prepared them
selves for war service by taking
heavy dose of mathematics and
physics, and a physical toughening
course. The daily grind for six
weeks was one hour and half of
mathematics. with an equal amount
of time devoted to physics and
physical conditioning.
The physical fitness program was
the Comdr. Tom Hamilton program
established at the Naval Academy,
at Notre Dame, Chapel Hill and
other pre-flight naval schools.
Another factor, school officials be-
lieve, is the stepping up of the Ma
tion's war effort since school doors
were closed in June. with young
men certain to see military service
realizing the value of technical
training With Army and Navy
leaders imploring the Nations edu-
Gators to train boys along specialist
lines, District school officials felt
that enrolment in the pre-aviation
courses would be heavy.
Evening Glasses Planned.
In addition to the daytime classes
there will be an evening pre-induc-
ton training course taught at Gen.
tral High School, beginning with
the opening of schools here Sep
tember 81. This course will be
limited to mathematics and physics
and will be held on Monday,
Wednesday and Thursday of each
week, beginning at 7:37 pm. 1t
will be on a par with the course
offered this summer at Roosevelt
High and is designed to give young
men who work in the daytime
opportunity at night to improve
their knowledge of science.
The aviation study course to be
given in Armstrong, Cardozo, Cen
tral, Calvin Coolidge, Dunbar, East
ern, Mckinley, Roosevelt, Western,
Woodrow Wilson and Anacostia
High Schools consists Of eight gen.
eral headings. The subjects are
opportunities in aviation, flying
and flyers, aerodynamics, aircraft
structure, engines and propellers.
meteorology, instruments and navi-
CATION. Leading books are sug-
gested for parallel reading.
Aviation Course Praised.
DR.. G. C. Wilkinson, assistant
superintendent in charge of di-
visions 1913, said the aviation
course given last semester in the
colored high schools was very Sue
cessful. A summer training course
was conducted at Armstrong and
Cardozo schools, stressing mathe-
matics, physics and physical edu-
cation. Not only colored pilots but
ground crews, gunners, navigators
and radio operators are training for
sky battles against the Axis.
The pattern for war is being
woven progressively. Not only will
the pre- aviation course be length
ened from Az to 9 months, but
the special pre-induction night
training at Central High offers
additional opportunity to those
likely to participate in the war.
Basic Training Urged.
The decision to step up the avia-
tion instruction program was
reached by District school officials
before the Conference on Educa-
tion and the War at its recent ses-
sion at American University. Army
and Navy leaders asked the confer
ence to furnish basic scientific train
ing to junior and senior high school
students.
The four instructors for this pro-
gram are Mrs. Pearl Robinson,
Frederick A. Middleton, Harold S.
Heller and Miss Helen M. Her
furth.
Many of the 6s boys who took
the pre-fiight summer course at
Roosevelt High are getting ready to
take Air Force and naval examina-
tions in the near future.
AS the. war lengthens it is be-
coming evident TO high school stu
dents everywhere, teachers assert,
that technical skil1s. once mastered
in the Classrooms, are given practical
application in war and that the
trained soldier who is mentally alert
and physically tough Is the sort of
man Uncle Sam will need to defeat
the Germans and Japs.