Evening star., 1944-06-05
Reporter Gives Her
Version of Interview
With Educator
BY MARION~WADE DOYLE.

made telephone call to DR.
Holmes to check rumors of his in.
tention to make certain recon-
imendations regarding the cadet
corps to the Board of Education
also wished to check rumors thai
he was considering recommending
Maj. Smith as successor to Col. Wal
lace M. Craigie as commandant oI
the cadet corps.
I had before me letter written
by DR.. Holmes to high school mill
tary instructors on May 13. 1t con-
tanned this statement: II want to see
the cadets more of a virile, active
energetic, progressively educated
group, rather than a social Or
ganizaticn which takes drilling
lightly and merely as a means of
gaining coveted awards"
Met With Principals.
When I reached DR.. Holmes by
telephone, said:
'Dr. Holmes, hear you are giving
a great deal of thought to Col
Craigie's successor"
"Ill say we have" he replied. 81
had a meeting with principals the
other day"
Have you anything to say about
your recommendations"
Nothing definite" he said. INV
ideas are in a peculiar nebulous
state. They are not clear cut. We
are not in a good position yet to
say much"
Il thought Col. Barkman was
going to succeed Col. Craigie."
He would have been the logical
choice. But I heard he did not
want it."
Are you considering Maj. Altar
Smith, DR.. Holmes?"
Yes" DR.. Holmes replied. 1--WE
have considered him. think some
OF his ideas are very interesting. ;
Ideas Called Good.
What exactly are his ideas. DIR
Holmes?"
We'll, I don't understand them
all myself. It's little hard to say
1NV eAACy dlC FCly kOOQ.
Gould you tell me just one, per-
haps, to explain it to me better?"
We'll, yes" he said. He believes
in teaching intelligent self-control
through-now let me see-what is
the word / want?"
He thought a minute.
Intelligent self-control through
the seeing eye, that's it."
What is the seeing eye, doctor?"
7 asked.
He laughed. "Well, I'm not sure,
but that's it. Maj. Smith feels ewes
should be alert and feet light. That
is, feet be able to move instantly" !"
(Dr. Holmes apparently referred to
what Maj. Smith called the moving
eye" technique for drilling.)
THAT sounds more like physical
education to me than cadets, doctor
Do You want that for the cadets?"
We'll, I have to talk to the prin-
cipals about these things, you know. ,
But you do feel that Maj. Smith
would be able to improve the cadet
training If you did decide to rec
ommend him2"
Says Major Knows Drilling.
"Yes, do" the doctor replied.
He has been in Tokyo and UNDER
stands Japs, He knows drilling. He
could put real teeth into the corps to
cope with the war situation. No
army uses close -order drills now, you
know"
DIR. Holmes, year ago you sug-
gested abolition of the drills. And
l remember two years ago you
brought before the board that khaki
uniform. A cheaper uniform. Are
you still in favor of these changes
in the corps?"
YES" he said. "You know. Miss
Doyle, I have lots of notions about
the corps. Lots Then he
laughed. But better not say very
much about them now"
will you make recommendations
to the board at the meeting Wed
nesday "
No" he said. IT hardly think
I'll be ready. 1t will be the second
June meeting"
That's around the 28th. isn't 1t?
just before Col Craigie's retire.
ment?"
Yes" ....:.
DIR. Holmes, have seen a lette,
you've written about the corps tc
the instructors. You talk about il
as a social organization. What die
you mean by that?"
Il want it to be a strong function
ing body" he said. Not a socia
organization.
How can I get to meet Mai
Smith, DR.. Holmes? 1 am so in.
terested in his ideas"
him?" W.
What does he do? Did you take
him on yoursef?"
Yes, he does teaching in 10
schools. Wait, I'll get you his sched-
ule.'
'He gave me the 10 schools Mai
smith visits regularly each week
one in the morning and one in the
afternoon. From it, I learned that
MAJ. Smith was at Eastern FRIDAY
afternoon and went at once to in
terview him.
Maj. Smith is giving a demon
stratlon OF his work, too. You should
see that. It's next week. He gave
one at Powell Yesterday"
DR.. Holmes, I understand rife
exercise is one thing in particular
you want in the corps and the in
structors wouldn't try 1t more than
a few months. Do you still want
that? Still considering it?"
Yes, am, But now, Miss DOYLE
l can't say much. You go see Mai
Smith,
the policies governing the Cadet
Corps without its sanction.
G tho ,iet