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

Cdli LII
Holmes to check rumors of his in
tention to make certain recon-
mendations regarding the cadet
corps to the Board of Education.
I also wished to check rumors that
he was considering recommending
Maj. Smith as successor to Col. Wal
lace M. Craigie as commandant of
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: Il want to see
the cadets more of virile. active,
energetic, progressively educated
group, rather than 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. I said:
DIR. Holmes, hear you are giving
great deal of thought to Col.
Craigie's successor"
I'll say we have" he replied II
had a meeting with principals the
other day"
Have you anything to say about
your recommendations"
Nothing definite he said. my
ideas are in peculiar nebulous
state. They are not clear cut. We
are not in 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. Allan
Smith, DR.. Holmes?"
Yes" DR.. Holmes replied. I'VE
have considered him. I think some
of his ideas are very interesting. -
Ideas Called Good.
What exactly are his ideas, DR..
Holmes?"
We'll, don't understand them
all myself. It's little hard to say.
But they are very good
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 I want?''
He thought minute.
Intelligent self-control through
the seeing eye, that's it,"
What is the seeing eye, doctor?"
I asked.
He laughed. We'll, I'm not sure.
but that's it. Maj. Smith feels eyes
should be alert and feet light. That
is, feet be able to move instantly"
Or. 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, 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
him?"
Says Major Knows Drilling.
Yes, I do" the doctor replied
He has been in Tokyo and under
stands Japs. He knows drilling. He
could put real teeth into the crops to
cope with the war situation. No
army uses close-order drills now. you
know"
DR.. Holmes, year ago you sug-
gested abolition of the drills. And
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 CORPSE"
Yes" he said. You know. Miss
Doyle, 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 We'd
nesday
No" he said. "I hardly think
III be ready. 1t will be the second
June meeting"
That's around the 28th. isn't it?
Just before Col. Craigies retire.
ment?"
Yes"
so you will be bringing all these
thlngs In at one meeting probably?"
Probably
Opposes Social Oryanization
You wouldn't let whole summer
go by with no cadet head, so it will
be at one of these June meetings
def1nitely?'
OF course he said. "You should
know l will do it by then"
'Dr. Holmes, have seen a letter
you've written about the corps to
the instructors. You talk about it
as a social organization. What did
you mean by that?"
want it to be a strong function
ing body" he said. Not a social
organization.
How can I get to meet Mai
Smith, DR.. Holmes? 1 am so in
terested in his ideas"
Why don't you go out and see
him?" '
what does he do? Did you take
him on yourself?"
Yes, he does teaching in 10
schools. Wait, I'll get you his sched-
ule."
tHe 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
stration of his work, too. You should
see that. It's next week. He gave
one at Powell yesterday"
the policies governing the Cadet
Cnrnc yrithnIr re