Evening star., 1943-07-02
Ear|yRu|ingDue
On Compulsory
Cadet Training
Committee Considers
Health or Religion
As Sole Excuses

Compulsory cadet training for all
senior high school boys is being con-
sidered today by the three members
of the Student Activities Committee
of the Board Of Education. The
committee has been given power by
the board to act and will decide the
issue within q short time.
With Mrs. velma G. williams as
chairman, the committee is debating
strict limitation Of excuses from
military training. Under the plan,
only i'll health or religious objection
could be considered by the school
principal as valid excuses.
Now a written excuse from parents
is enough to release boy from mill
tary training. Less than half the $500
white and colored boys now in senior
high schools are enrolled in the
cadet corps.
At the same time that the cadet
training expansion was suggested at
the full board meeting yesterday,
the board members asked Asst.
Supt. of Schools Chester w. Holmes
for review" of the results of the
first year of the expanded physical
fitness program.
Maurer Has Reservations"
Discussing the combination OF
three hours a week of cadet training
with two hours a week of physical
education and an hour and half a
week of health lectures, Vice Presl-
dent Robert A. Maurer declared:
Il have certain mental reserva-
tions.' He fears the boys may ''over-
do" he said.
These boys are adolescent,~ Mrs.
Williams said. They will have cadet
training in the morning exercise
during the day and then go out to
a Job in the afternoon and study at
night
Tell the board how the physical
fitness program is working out" Mrs.
Henry Grattan Doyle, president OF
the board, said to DR.. Holmes, in
suggesting the review of results. In
view of the boys working and going
Into the cadets" Mrs Doyle said.
land in view of the lack of physical
training instructors, We would like a
survey of the benefits of the pro-
gram"
DR.. Holmes does not believe the
combination of compulsory cadet
training and physical fitness will be
too much for the boys, he said.
Cadet training is not partlcu-
iarly enervating," he said. 1T con-
sists largely of marching
Military Leave Granted.
He added that so many instructors
may leave by the end of the summer
that the physical fitness program
will have to be cut down anyway.
Hafdy L. Pearce, acting director OF
the physical education department,
was granted military leave of abb.
sence at the meeting yesterday.
The entire cadet picture would
be changed if the full plan submitted
to the committee is carried through.
Uniforms would be khaki instead OF
blue for the duration The hour of
drill would be changed to morning
so that the boys will be "fresher."
Many new companies would have
to be formed to augment the COM
panies that already have years OF
tradition behind them.
The original medical excuse sug-
eested to the board could be granted
only by the school doctor. DR. James
A. Cannon, with Maj. Charles H,
Fearing, a member of the Student
Activities Committee, has suggested
that the family doctors opinion also
be considered in the decision. The
family doctor could submit an ex-
cuse with full detail, he said and
his request could be granted with
concurrence of the school doctor.
Mrs. Doyle Sworn In.
The board meeting was the last
of the summer Mrs. Doyle was
sworn in for her 18th year as a
board member and her ninth year
as president Maj. Fearing was
sworn in for his first full term since
he was appointed in February to
fill out the unexpired term of Col.
West A. Hamilton. One board va
cancy has yet to be filled
H. A. Haynes, principal of Arm
strong High School. was appointed
principal of Dunbar High School.
The principalship Of Armstrong has
not yet been filled.
Other matters considered by the
board included a request by the
Bolivian Ambassador that the son
of an ex-President of Bolivia be
granted a diploma from Coolidge
High School after studying there
eight months of his four-year high
school term. Without disclosing the
name of the boy. the board sent a
request to La PaZ, Bolivia, that his
high school there grant him the
diploma.
Taking action on the widespread
criticism of inadequate" and poor
ly conditioned" Fairgrounds near
school buildings, the board appoint
ed special committee to confer
with the Recreation Department on
4f Ie