Show TE E take pleasure in pu publishing the WE W V following article from a member of the battalion setting forth his objections objections objections to one of our editorials It is needless to state that we are at with the writer in some of his state state- ments We would like to present our side of the question once more but a alack alack alack lack of space forbids However the subject of military drill will come up again before the close of the college year for we are told that President Kingsbury is going to consult the feelings feelings feelings feel feel- ings of the students before a successor to Lieutenant Wright is appointed In Inthe Inthe Inthe the meantime let there be a free and andopen andopen andopen open discussion Let the friends of drill tell their side ide of the story and its enemies tell theirs To the Editor 1 of the tIle Chronicle IN last weeks week's number of the CHRONICLE CHRONI CHRONI- CLE there was an article cri criticising the action of oJ the Faculty in the matter of drill As drill seems to have but few friends among the students of the University University University Uni Uni- permit me to say a few words in its defense I am not over fond of drill myself nor in fact of any other work that may fall to my lot to perform but as work must be done by all of us then why not do it cheerfully Drill has been prescribed prescribed prescribed pre pre- scribed by the Faculty and as there is no getting out of it w why y not make the best of it I believe that the reason most students students- do not like drill is because because because be be- cause they are required to do just three hours more work in a week than they would have to do if they did not take it and consequently as that extra work is compulsory they look upon it as a useless useless useless use use- less drudge I J once heard a little story which illustrates illustrates illus illus- tra tes this beautifully As near as I can remember it was like this A farmer who was about to leave 1 1 OJ for the village on business called his little son to him and said Johnny I 5 1 want you to stay at home today and if you are a good boy you may split all of the wood that is in the shed and i Johnnys Johnny's face was wreathed in smiles at atthe atthe the pleasant anticipation But Johnny continued the father if you are a bad badboy badboy badboy boy while I am gone you must split all of the wood that is in the shed and Johnny frowned to think of such pun pun- Such I fear is the case with many of the students Perhaps if they were told that they may drill they would look upon it as a favor and be glad to drill but just tell them they must drill and it is disagreeable even to think of Your article stated that A few enthusiasts enthusiasts enthusiasts en en- of the drill availed themselves of the opportunity thrown open more to wear three or f four ur g gold ld stripes upon their arms use swords and give commands than for any real benefit to be derived from the drill itself Now I think that you do these students an injustice for I do not believe that any of our commissioned or ornon ornon non noncommissioned commissioned officers have taken drill for such a ridiculous and nonsensical cal reason as to be able to to wear three or four gold stripes upon the arms use swords and give commands As for forthe forthe forthe the benefit derived from drill your article seems to suggest that there is none Ione or at least very little This is another another another an an- other error on your part for if there was no benefit to be derived from drill then why has the government seen fit to detail competent drill masters to nearly all of the state and territorial universities ties Why is the average soldier more fully developed heal healthier thier and stronger than the average man who has taken no drill or no physical culture and why are the countries that pay so much attention to military education the most powerful power power- ful Take for an example of a military t J school West Point There the military i part of the school takes up more time or at least as much time as their studies in any other direction and can anyone say that the cadets are not benefited by their drill Look at the thet t II II fourth classmen green Plebes or They enter West Vest Point as should round ered awkward boys and come out straight healthy well-developed well men Can anyone say that their minds have been neglected No they cannot I think I may truthfully say that West WestPoint WestPoint WestPoint Point is the finest school in the United States and yet the military department probably receives the greatest amount of attention You also stated that anyone acquainted acquainted acquainted ac ac- with the military department knows exactly what this drill means What is meant by this article I cannot say but to myself and I think I may say to some others it means that at the end of the year I hope to be able to carry myself more erect and improve my general appearance and condition so that I may look and feel like a strong and healthy boy hoy instead of a hollow- hollow shouldered round-shouldered invalid You suggest that II as as much brain action should be required as is given for a regular college study I think I Imay Imay It t i I may truthfully state that drill is not so f much a form of training for the brain as asfor for the body but for all that the brain brainis is required In order to become proficient proficient proficient profi profi- in drill a careful study of the tactics tactics tactics tac tac- tics is necessary and if anyone believes that the tactics are easy to learn thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- I must refer them to any of the commissioned officers at Fort Douglas y and they can vouch for it that it is almost impossible to learn them per per- Member ember of 01 Battalion |