The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-09-03

SNiAOCA III VIC
country. After satisfactory
three month probationary study
period, they will be commission
cd as WAVE officers, ultimately
proficient in reading, writing
and speaking the language OF our
Pacific enemy, as we'll as able 10
understand Japanese language
broadcasts. The Navy wants
more women to apply for admis-
sion TO the school and all in
quiries should be addressed TO
the officer in charge, Lieut.
Comdr. A. f. Hindmarsh, USNR,
Room 1925, Navy Dept, Wash
ington, ID. c.
These future translators and
interpreters have the job of
learning in one year. language
that used to require three 10 five
years of study. The girls have
six textbooks and 81 dictionaries
TO bone" from, because al
though the japanese may lack
battleships, they do not lack
words.
To facilitate this blitzkrieg
learning OF complex language,
classes are limited TO six students
and the instructors, most of
whom are Nisei, whose records
have been investigated by the
Office Of Naval Intelligence,
offer almost individual instruc-
ton TO each student. The WAVES
attend reading, dictation and
conversation classes, see sound
movies and listen TO photograph
records.
Their pattern OF learning is
the same as that OF a child who
is just learning how TO speak.
First they are shown the char
acters; then they listen 10 them
and learn to say them: simultan-
eously they learn writing and
principles OF grammar.
What kind of girls have vol
unteered for this job that re-
quires spending 1880 hours a
year in class. 5000 hours in
study, and $50 hours in taking
examinations? The answer is -
just about the cream Of the in
tellectusl crop. The WAVES at
Boulder range in age from 10 TO
30. but the average looks like
any college coed, is %, loves 10
swim and dance, and is unmar-
ried. Besides being college grad
yates most OF the girls have
either had some previous train
Ing in japanese or Chinese. or
were Phi Beta Kappas in their
undergraduate days at one Of
the more than 40 schools and
universities represented at the
school.
While the girls are examining
their craniums full Of japanese.
they live in a home like atmos-
phere in two former fraternity
houses Lieut.. q. g Rebecca W
Smith, formerly head of the
English department at Texas
Christian, keeps the log and acts
as chaperon at the former Phi
Gamma Delta house. where All
America "Whizzer" Whites tro-
phies remain. while Ensign Tai
lulah p. Kinds Of Houston. Tex.
is officer in charge at the former
Sigma Phi Epsilon house. The
girls are free from 1890 Satur-
day noon until 9 o'clock Sunday
night and may entertain men
callers during the week in the
assembly room from 10 10 p. m.
The houses are adjacent and
share the same garden and the
same mascot, collie, called
Nami-San. which is Jap for
Honorable Wave" OF course,
she's a female. Each home is
divided into decks" with a
study hall at the end of each
deck where the girls cram for
the three hour exams that are
given every Saturday morning
The daily routine at the school
calls for the strict training given
all WAVES. Reveiffe is at $40
and at $50 room inspection.
Clothes must be neatly folded in
dresser drawers and beds made
with hospital corners. The girls
must look "shipshape and sea-
or criticisms are re-
corded on their permanent Navy
records.
The women students have drill
twice a week and four hours OF
physical training, including cal
isthenics, softball. hiking, riding,
basketball, volleyball, field
hockey and swimming. While
this is a little less rigorous than
the commando course that the
men take, il is designed TO equip
WAVES for the school grind and
the duties to which they will be
assigned when they graduate.
Ensign Fred l.. Brannan, who is
IN charge Of physical education,
says: Almost as soon as l began
teaching the women, they start
I'd asking II they could try the
course. It's not easy,
but | think they'll enjoy it -
occasionally"
MRS. HARRY METLER. and
laughter, Norma, of 36 Mack