University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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C 'l' O B ER 1911 31 .-, 'X photo! by Bmnine

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5, 'L fav' THE JAYHAWKER

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I 32 THE JAYHAWKER Fighting Jayhawkers BOUT face! the command reverberated over the field like a chime on a frosty night. Melo- dious though it was, the tonal quality was of only secondary interest. What followed the command was an astounding thing. At the instant the atmosphere was disturbed by the piercing sound, a virtual riot ensued. Men in dark blue uniforms began marching. Some of them did anyhow. Others performed the manual of arms. While the remainder stood quite motionless, chained by bewilderment. That is all but one, a small pimply-faced freshman. He executed an about face. Probably an eagle scout,'f mused the sergeant. After approximately ten minutes, during which the weary sergeant and two corporals worked frantically, the platoon was once more aligned. They were ready for action. The sergeant looked anxious, but mus- tered his courage finally by a supreme effort of will power. Then, with an air of apprehension draped about him, he barked, Right Shoulder-Arms. He closed his eyes, choosing darkness to pandemonium. This time the platoon really showed its true met- tle and worth. Three men in the first squad began cleaning their rifles. Two others i:an screaming away into the distance. The rest remained immobile, except for one man, a small pimply faced freshman, who performed the required movement. Yes, it looked hopeless. It always does at this time of the year. There are so many new men, who for years believed implicitly, that soldiers were mythi- cal characters rented by the American Legion to Warner Brothers. This state of ignorance is an advan- tage in one way. That is the freshmen, knowing nothing, start on equal footing with the rest of the men in the unit. Don't let this article mislead you. I am not derid- ing the R.O.T.C. Far from it. By actual experience I know the changes that will come about, even within a few weeks. Commands will be executed without hesitation. Saddle shoes will have given way to the Zag Spawn EWLZM regulation black. White shirts will replace the multi- colored ones. There will be less complaining about the tonnage of the rifles, and maybe they will defy precedent and start marching in step. By next spring they will actually appear to be an entirely different group of men. Their military bear- ing will readily be seen to be deeper than the blue uniforms that bind them so thoroughly, and that bearing is the essence of a soldier. V Those men, who look so bewildered, so unmilitary, now, will succeed next spring and will once again attain a superior rating at the government inspection. They have done it so often that it has become a tradi- tion. Take my word for it, the attainment, of his rating isn't achieved without hard and bitter work. You're sadly mistaken if you think that it is an after- noon outing those boys have every Monday and Wednesday afternoon. It is work, nothing more. You start out with a rifle that weighs slightly over eight pounds, but after an hour or so of carrying it about in that quagmire called a drill field, one begins to think he has a field howitzer, slung over his shoulder. On days so cold that an eskimo wouldn't permit his dog outside, these soldier boys arecom- pelled to drill. By the time you reach the drill field your knuckles are bright blue trimmed in white. You assume you now must also be of this hue although you can't see it, in fact you can't even feel it. Unpleasant? Yes, it is. So are the balmy spring days, when every- one else is playing baseball, or out jellying. By the time of government inspection it is usually so hot those uniforms feel like sheepskin coats. It is hot, and muggy. It is not unusual in such heat for three or four men to keel over in a dead faint,--always an encouraging thing to witness. Yes, that's R.O.T.C. It's hard and it's strictly for men. If you've got it, you stick, if not, well, you wash out. I guess they say that holds true for almost anything, but in this case it is exceptionally apparent. Those men have a job to do and believe me, they're going to do it. 4