Edwin Alexander Forbes Brigadier General Edwin Alexander Forbes , who served as the Adjutant General of California from 4 January 1911 to 18 June 1915 , is known as the Father of the California Cadet Corps . During his term of office he originated the idea of providing military training to young men in high schools . At that time the Legislature passed a comprehensive High School Cadet Law . This was the first instance in the United States , so far as is known , where an effort was made to organize statewide military training in the schools , under the supervision of the head of the state Military Department . Forbes was a native of Brandy City , Sierra County . His paternal ancestors were soldiers for many generations in the Highland regiments of the British Army . He grew up on his father ' s ranch in Yuba County , attending school and riding the ranges after stock . At 18 , he obtained a first - grade certificate to teach school and taught for three years in Yuba County . When he reached 21 , he took his savings and entered the law school of the state university . By teaching school during vacations , working as a harvest hand and clerking in a law office , he financed his education and graduated from Hastings College of the Law in May 1884 . Upon graduation , Forbes opened a law office in Marysville and , the same year , was elected as the district attorney of Yuba County , a position he held for four terms . Forbes always took a prominent part in military affairs . He joined Company E , 1st Artillery , 4th Brigade , California National Guard , in 1879 . Upon its reorganization in 1882 , he joined Company C , 8th Regiment . He received a commission as captain from Gov . Henry Markham in 1894 . When the regiment was merged into the 2d Regiment , Gov . James Budd commissioned him captain of Company D . He was chosen as Lieutenant colonel of the 2d California National Guard in 1896 and , with his regiment , he volunteered for service in the Spanish - American War . About the same time , he received a commission as major of the 8th California Infantry , United States Volunteers . At Camp Barrett he was commander of the 3d Battalion and , after commanding at Benicia , he was transferred to the 1st Battalion , assigned to Vancouver Barracks . He commanded that post for a short while and was then detailed to the command of Angel Islands , where he had two companies of the 8th Regiment and one battery of heavy artillery in the Signal Corps . He was mustered out of service in 1899 , but continued as a lieutenant colonel in the 8th Regiment of the National Guard . Forbes had the reputation of being a crack shot . As captain of the Marysville company in 1895 , he broke the world record for target shooting in competition with 50 men . He played a leading role in the politics of his time , and was chairman of the Republican State Convention in Sacramento in 1900 . He became owner of the Marysville Appeal , one of the oldest papers in Northern California , in 1905 , and took an active role in water development in Yuba County and in agricultural affairs and fraternal organizations . Forbes died on 18 June 1915 , while still serving as the Adjutant General .