Castle Heights Military Academy - Yearbook (Lebanon, TN)

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Purpose and Discipline. The military work in a good military school is sufiiciently appreciated by the general public to need little explanation. It is, of course, a means to an end and not an end in itself. The proper military training teaches the boy to be orderly, prompt, neat in appearance, cour- teous in manner and respectful to authority. It teaches him self-reliance and self-control. It builds into his fibre the ingredients that go to make of him a real man. The military worlc at Castle Heights is helpful to every department in the Academy. Through it a boy develops character, as in no other way. The daily routine is planned with a view to giving the students sufiicient time to per- form the duties required of them. One event follows another with quiet regularity. Boys learn to use their time wisely. An apprecia- tion of the value of leisure, as well as the value of concentration is developed. It has been found boys not only respond to the demands of the discipline but appreciate the necessity for it. The military school, in which a boy merely wears a uniform, slouches through a few drills, comes down to reveille half dressed, and addresses his superiors familiarly, throws away the advantages the civilian school might possess, and gains none of the advantages inherent in the military system. Hundreds of former Castle Heights cadets are today serving in all branches of the serv- ice. They and their country are profoundly appreciative of the years spent here, which enabled them to meet the national call for trained officers in its hour of peril. And the Castle Heights boy learns all this during the time when the hoy in high school and the civilian school is doing nothing. What are the requisites of a soldier? He must be physically fit, mentally alert, and morally straight. Unless he has these qual- ifications, it is impossible that he be a good soldier. The real military school works day in and day out for the threefold development of spirit, mind, body. Its teaching directs the trained mind to function usefully through the developed body. 1 ? z'3 3 V ' ,QR MILITARY TIZAIN First Steps. The cadet's first test comes when he goes on sentinel duty. Definite responsibilities are laid on him. For the time being, even though he be only fourteen years old, he occupies a position where not even the Commandant may approach him except formally and with the utmost respect. He halts all who would cross his post, permitting none to pass until they have satisfied his challenge. The Senior Cap- tain is of less consequence, on that post and at that time, than he. When emergencies arise, he handles them. The preser- vation of discipline there is his, and his alone, unless he choose to summon the Corporal of the Guard, which he will E421

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IAS ESSENTIAL VALUE not do unless he must. He is alert, thinks quickly, acts promptly. Next, he may become a corporal in his company. In this capacity he finds himself in charge of seven men. They con- stitute his squad. He can make or break it. Again there is demanded of him leadership. If he has not this quality, he must develop it, or he cannot hope to hold his oilice. Other cadets want the honor. A little later he may find himself a line sergeant, with added responsibilities, or a top sergeant, with still more on his shoulders. They must be big and broad to hold it up, for now the boy is becoming a man. i431 Eventually, after he has proved himself, the chevrons of a commissioned officer are within his grasp. Here as first or second lieu- tenant he is in joint charge with two other oflicers of some seventy-five men, or, as cap- tain, their acknowledged leader. They look to him for encouragement, advice, correction, enthusiasm. Perhaps he may even climb to that highest of cadet ranks, Cadet Major, when not only a single company, but also the entire Corps of Cadets acknowledges his supremacy. Nothing else so develops a boy's sense of responsibility. Discipline. Discipline at Castle Heights is a system of control by means of which cadets cannot help receiving certain definite benefits from the Academic Department on the one hand and from the Military Depart- ment on the other. It is one thing for a school to offer a hoy advantages, most schools do that. It is quite another thing to persuade a boy to accept the advantages provided for him. As soon as a new cadet enters Castle Heights, he is given a copy of the Cadet Regulations. These are explicit. They tell him everything he needs to know about what is expected of him. After he has been al- lowed a reasonable period in which to adjust himself to his new environment, these Reg- ulations become his daily rule of life. Then the building-up process begins. Whenever a cadet does the right thing, he reaps the reward. This may not always be definite and immediate, but it comes. The cadet soon understands. There are certain privileges that he wants, holiday afternoons that he would like to enjoy, military and academic distinctions that he covets. When- ever he does the wrong thing, he pays the price. This isn't a special rule laid down for him--it applies to every boy alikeg therefore, he learns not to resent it. A hay is a rational creature. In a surpris- ingly short time he learns that the more he gives of the best there is in him, the happier he is.