Franklin and Marshall College - Oriflamme Yearbook (Lancaster, PA)

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'L -ls.. 'X' st Y. I z S '15, ima' U1 ifugp, N. vqjd 5. .KRW WW. D. Q L '43 R UDRPQ L 113,104 'ms I vjugpg I Nu. eiogpg Yfmlny' 111111 lo, Of. ARMY gtlifm. NA VY 050111- IRP5 mary UI Y Jan- W ll 6. rl Y J.. 'S il 0148 bU0lf' i . F. 81 M. in the First and Second World Wars --A Comparison BY DB. H. M. J. KLEIN Students and alumni of Franklin and Marshall College have taken part in every war waged by the United States since the establishment of Franklin College and the adoption of the Federal Constitution in 1787. In the Civil War students were enlisted in both the Northern and Southern armies. In Spanish American War-days the students formed the college cadet group. After the first World War had been in progress two years, six months before America's entrance, in October, 1916, Lieutenant W. M. Chubb of the United States Army spoke to the college students on the importance of military training. Early in 1917 Congress passed a bill providing colleges with the services of a regu- lar officer of the U. S. Army. On March 10, 1917, the College Board, the Faculty and the Student Senate approved of military drill. Captain James Lightner of Lancaster, Co. K, 4th Regiment, spoke at a regular chapel period, challenged the men who wished to enter military training to place an X after their name. The list was posted outside of Old Main. Two hundred students signed and Com- panies A and B were organized. Military drill was voluntary and elective. War was declared on April 6, 1917 and by May 2 the first group, 54 men, one-fifth of the College, left to enlist in the service. By May 9, almost a hun- dred had enlisted. Each of three fraternities had fifteen men on the list. Stu- dents who were enlisted received credit for their college work. Many went to Ft. Niagara to enter officer training units in order to lead and instruct men who were to be drafted later on. Commencement was held early, J une 4, 1917. ' At the opening of college in September 1917, there were 211 students in at- tendance. They were permitted to choose between'military drill and physical training. Two companies were again organized, each electing its own officers. Each company also organized its own baseball team. By December 12, F. 81 M. had 216 enlisted men in the service, among them two Brigadier Generals, W. M. Black and H. D. Styer, and the youngest Captain in the U. S. Army, H. H. Worth- ington, aged 22. I When 1918 came, Old Main was closed down on account of a coal shortage. The classes were held in the old Science Building and in the Library. There were wheatless, wheatless, meatless, smokeless, Mondays on the College Campusf' and as one professor added ualso brainless Mondays. The sports program was abolished and War Saving Stamp Campaigns flourished. Commencement was held on May 8, 1918 with 34 graduates, 5 of whom were in the U. S. Armed Forces. Thirty-five men of the class in the service did not receive diplomas. During the summer of 1918 another U. S. Army unit was to be founded on the college campus, the U. S. Army Instrument Repair Branch, known as the Bowman Technical School, under military command. The old F. 81 M. Academy Building served as barracks. Two hundred and sixteen men were trained in fun- damental operations for instrument repair, from July 15 to December 12, 1918. The professors of the college lectured to these men on uWorld Crisis, and aWar Aims, throughout the summer. By September 1918 the S. A. T. C., Student Army Training Corps, was in full swing on the college campus. Lt. George L. Dernier, a West Point graduate, was in charge. Qld Main was turned into a barracks. All the students were ducted except a few under eighteen. A Military Band was organized, parades and reviews of the battalion were held on the campus and in the town. There were frequent scuflles between town and gown. The soldiers were not confined ' fffontinued next pagej E71

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