University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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l You'd better sign up, buddie-time's a wasting. gg HIS is no Laughing Matter! The title of this popular song of a few seasons ago might well be the theme of this year's ROTC unit. No longer does Joe College grasp his sides and roll with un- restrained glee on the grass at the sight of Dusen- berry's Mob straggling over Mt. Oread's slopes. No, indeed, for the Joe of today has probably joined this motley crew and is doing right faces and taking obstacle courses as if he thoroughly enjoyed it. The appeal which the ROTC holds for present day college lads lies in the fact that it is practically immune from the fell clutches of Local Board No. 1. Not only that, but while attending his classes, Joe is receiving valuable training which at the end of four years will give him a second lieutenant's commission in the Army of the United States. Of all the many reserve programs open to stu- dents of the University of Kansas, the ROTC is probably the most practical in view of the needs of the student and the nation. Only in the ROTC does joe receive assurance that he will complete his school work for a degree. He must complete eight semesters of ROTC before being eligible for a commission and, in general, these are finished at the same time the work required for a degree is completed. While go- ing to school the boys receive expert instruction in the type of work they will be required to do when they eventually are commissioned into the Army. Hitler, when he marched in Poland, and I-Iirohito when he loosed his treacherous bombs on Pearl Har- bor, changed the thoughts and actions of the Ameri- can people. Among the changes wrought by the evil men was the tremendous increase in enroll- 'PHE ment in ROTC courses over the country. Kansas University was no exception to this trend. In the last three years, the enrollment in K.U.'s ROTC unit has increased over 600 per cent. A change has come over these marching Jayhawk- ers. Marching comes easier because they try harder. Each man in the navy blue uniform of our unit real- izes that in the not-too-distant future, he will be tested by an ordeal more terrible than he can realize. Only by becoming trained and fit, physically and mentally, will he survive when the time comes. With this realization each man, from the Cadet Major down to the lowest freshman buck private, is doing his job with a greater seriousness than ever before. Let's take a look beneath the surface and see what the ROTC is made of and what it does. Its purpose is to take these green inexperienced college freshmen and in three or four years turn out a man who will be a good soldier and oHicer. Limited as they are by lack of time and equipment, the staff officers are do- ing a superb job. The Reserve Officers Training Corps is a separate division of the University. It is staffed by regular Army officers, several of whom are graduates of K.U. These men teach the classes in tactics, gunnery, and military customs and they supervise the drill. Cadet officers, chosen from the student soldiers, are in direct charge of the drilling of the cadet units. They are chosen for ability and receive valuable experience in commanding men. Before he graduates, a man will have experience in commanding units of varying sizes from a squad up to a battalion. In our military history, one outstanding fault has glared from the pages. In all our wars, from the Revolution on, the lack of trained officer personnel has handicapped our military efforts. The establishment of West Point al- leviated the situation to a certain extent, but in times of mobilization, the officer shortage has always be- come acute. ROTC was established with the idea of

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OCTOBER 1942 of the responsibility. Under their constitution they elect their own house oflicers as well as representa- tives to an Inter-Dorm Council. The actual operation of the halls is strictly up to the members. Some, especially trained, serve on the cooking squad. Other house jobs rotate, with each boy giving an hour of his time a day and extra time on Saturday. Yes, I said an hour a day that's all it takes. These boys are used to doing things for themselves hence they hang up their own clothes, etc. The little things they do make the difference. There is probably just about half the work in these dorms as in the average fraternity. Another interesting point is the boys do their work well. There are no slackers simply because slackers cannot be tolerated. ' - As one wanders through these smooth running halls today, it is indeed difficult to understand why the doubters doubted. Can college boys cook? Why I walked out into the Templin Hallkitchen which feeds over seventy boys three meals a day. In the big iron stoves was steaming pan after pan of chocolate pudding. On the sideboard were ten lemon pies freshly done. The cooks were grinning over their handiwork. And the dishwashers were plying their trade cheerfully. No confusion! No shirking! Mother Nellis had taught them how and they were carrying on like experts. First Row, Left to Right: DeSales Weber, Wilsong Georgia Frances Wiggins, Great Bendg Lois Thompson, McPhersong Mar- cella Stewart, Winfieldg Ruth Scholfield, Fort Scottg June Harries, WakeenegR ' M WdW'h'.S :ZR L R'h , y egma ay ar , ic ita econ ow, eft to zg t: Johnnie May Mann, Olatheg Virginia Markley, Minneapolisg Evelyn Railsback, Osborneg Florence G. Helmke, Prattg Carol L. McCoy, Oskaloosag Mary Roberta Steele, Kansas City, Mo.g Julia Ann Casad, Wichita. Third Row, Left to Right: Mauis Lukert, Sabethag Peggy Rothenberger, Osborneg Betty Steil, Alliance, Nebr.g Lucile Rothenberger, Osborneg Frances Gillman, Kansas Cityg Sara Ann Jones, Garden City. First Row, Left to Right: Jean Scott, Garnettg Jane Scott, Gar- nettg Alice Lewis, Topekag Bertha Cummins, Holyroodg Esther De Bord, Kansas Cityg Idabelle Bradley, Blue Mound. Second Row, Left to Right: Evelyn Crawford, Sabethag Virginia Van Order, Wichitag Lillian Logan, Formosag Ruth Zook, Larnedg Katherine Dietrich, Richmond. Third Row, Left to Right: Marie Larson, Osage Cityg Rosemary Gooch, Topekag Beth Beamer, Alramontg Helen Stormont, Dighrong Violet Conard, Coolidgeg Anna Marie Stevens, Frankfortg Effie Kelly, Burlingtong Joyce Durall, Coats. 35' 27 In the front rooms the easy, comfortable atmos- phere of a fraternity prevails. And yet one senses something distinctly different. It's a fraternity with- out being a fraternityf' said one of the boys. And though that paradox was puzzling I began to see what he meant. It was a brotherhood all right but an informal one. What it lackedlin tradition, and pride, and sense of a mission, it made up in free, frank, friendliness and above all democracy. One can notice a difference of attitude also. These boys are serious, they are responsible. Of course they like their intramurals and they like their parties. They have plenty of both. But here's the point. Their association is based on economic cooperation first and on social cooperation only second. They are work- ing to keep each other in school and not just to have a good time. Each members efforts are indispensable to the group. He cannot fail. And he knows it. Thus the dormitories are really serving two pur- poses: first, they give those who might have been denied the chance for an education the 'opportunity to attend the university, and secondly they serve as a course in living. The boys see at once one of the fundamental precepts of democracy in action. That is they learn in a very practical way that the greatest good of the greatest number can best be realized by united action. ,N , , -AWZW' . . . , m b.J W'

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R OCTO BER 1942 29 E ERIE UFFICER creating and maintaining a pool of trained reserve officers. Today the foresight of this plan is paying dividends. , The training which the men receive is thorough and designed with but one end in view-to make good officers. In the first two years a man is in the basic course. Two sections comprise the unit here at K.U. You may enroll in the infantry or the coast artillery. The course of study for the basic years is very similar in both sections. The catch to the basic course is that a man is not exempt from the draft, but before the prospect of an 18-19-year-old draft loomed, there was little doubt that a man could finish his basic course before being called. After finishing his basic course of study a man, if eligible, is permitted to enlist in the U. S. Army Reserve on a deferred status for two years. In this two years time, he will take work in the Advance Course of the ROTC. Where in the past, admission to the Advance Course was taken for granted, today a cadet ,must excell in grades and ability or he is left outside, looking in. It is here that the future officer begins to specialize. In the Coast Artillery he learns the intricate mysteries of the range finder, sighting devices, the functions and characteristics of large guns and numerous other subjects. The infantry man mas- ters tactics, the mechanism of his weapons, field forti- fications and the operation of motor vehicles. In the Advanced Course a man learns to command troops and to arrive at decisions through an analytical pro- cess of thought. Every effort is made to impress upon the men the necessity for independent decisions and sound judgment. When the lives of his men hang on his decision, an officer must not make a mistake! This year as never before, physical training has as- sumed a position of importance in the military cur- riculum. Drill is held twice a week on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. In the past the cadet strug- gled with an eight-pound rifle and generally suc- Pbotos by Kimball ceeded in lacerating the next man in line before he had mastered the manual of arms.. Last spring the growing army needed the rifles here for training draftees - and as a consequence the ROTC men are forced to do without their usual training in the manual of arms. Now calisthentics or foot drill oc- cupies the cadet's time between 4: 30 and 5 : 30 Mon- day and Wednesday afternoons. Two Kansas Toughernersn Cobstacle courses to the laymanb now grace the north and south slopes of Mt. Oread. After leaping a three foot hurdle, jumping a six foot wide ditch, essaying three other hurdles, clambering up a seven-foot wall and running a narrow catwalk, all uphill, the bruised and weary Jayhawker begins to I C ontinueal on Page 66 Q - The. commissioned officers of the ROTC and the men they are trying to train.