Knox College - Gale Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

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KN GX AT WAR CHAPTER TWO Machine Gun Drill By September, 1942, after one semester of war, Knox College had done a remarkable job of gearing itself for the war effort. The faculty and administration formulated a group of new courses designed to equip the men of Siwash both mentally and phys- ically for service in the armed forces. A compulsory calisthenics course was intro- duced for all men, both aerial and marine navigation were taught for the first timeg Dean Adamec taught a class in introduc- tory Russian g and Doc Delo, geology prof, worked out a course in military map read- ing. In addition, other departments modi- fied their study plans extensively-for example, Mr. Mortoii and the Ec clepart- ment explained the intricacies of war eco- nomics, the history department emphasized the background and immediate causes of World War II, while Mr. Beauchamp, veteran of the first World War, instructed in a specialized report writing class. All of this was extremely valuable - but it was the military science department, naturally, that eclipsed all others in importance this year at Knox. Knox College is extremely fortunate having on the campus one of the two in- fantry units of the Reserve OfHcer's Train- ing Corps in the state-the other being at the University of Illinois. The Knox unit was established in 1920 following the first

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Knox at War is the most important section of this hook. It gives you a true picture of the scope and intensity and spirit of Knox College at war. The Knox faculty and students worked harder and longer this year than ever before. The men realized that in few short months their lives might well depend upon their know- ledge of military science, mathematics, or physics gained while at Knox.

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Inrlmclizm in thing: military, lbe primary function of Old Sirvaslz. Major Blue, bead of the Air Carp: Training Program, lec- tures to his men on Willard field. World War, every year graduating twenty men as second lieutenants into the U. S. army reserves. The ROTC department at Knox has consistently been awarded the uexcellentn rating by the inspecting ofhcers of the Sixth Corps Area. In September more students than ever before enrolled in the military science cle- partment. Every man in the freshman class who was physically able took the course. Wasting no time in getting under way, all basic students were ordered to re- port to Sergeant Herndon and get out- fitted with their form-fitting uniforms. On the first Monday after school actually got under way, drill was called and the junior and senior men began the task of teaching the freshmen the mysteries of military drill. For these drills the students are assigned to one of four companies-A, B, C, or D, which in turn go to make up a battalion. Each of the four companies consists of approximately fifty men. The freshmen and sophomores are rated as privates or corporals, the junior students are given sergeant's stripesg while the second year advanced students, the seniors, are cadet commissioned ofhcers - ranging from sec- ond lieutenants up to cadet colonel, who is the battalion commander. Drill is held just once a week, between 3 :30 and 5 :3O Monday afternoons out on Willard held back of Old Main. The bugler blows assembly, roll is called, and the companies then march off to their as- signed drill area to practice. The new student learns the position of the soldier at attention, the difference between eyes right and right face -ad infinitum. One drill handicap was the rifle shortage, all the Springfield 1903's having been shipped off to the wars. By passing around twenty