Wichita State University - Parnassus Yearbook (Wichita, KS)

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SCABBARD AND BLADE O F F I C E R S Glen A. Soderstrom ..,...7.........,............................., ...,................... C aptain Herman I. Frankenberq ........ ...,.......... F irst Lieutenant Robert E. Strain ......,....7,.,... ..,.,... S econd Lieutenant Darwin Cramer Reed i....,.. ..........,.. F irst Sergeant E281

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1 OWE ALLEGIANCE TO .... To awaken in the student an appreciation of the obligations of citizenship, to prepare him to dis- charge his duties as a citizen, and to qualify him as a military leader - - - this is the mission of the Beserve Officers' Training Corps as outlined by the United States government. The super- vision here this year was under the command of Lt. Col. Robert H. Barrett, who was aided by Maj. Martin D. McAllister, Capt. Harry L. Lewis, and Serg. Francis McCarty, all officers of the United States Army. Less than two months before the Armistice, the Students' Army Training Corps was established at Fairmount College on September 18, 1918, by Capt. William P. O'Neill, Cavalry, with 212 students. Two months later, Lt. Col. Oscar I-Ioop, Infantry, arrived to become the school's first professor of military science and tactics. Since then the size of the unit has steadily increased. Colonel Barrett, Infantry, assumed duties of commandant of the University of Wichita R. O. T. C. on August 14, 1936, relieving Lt. Col. George W. Price, who was transferred to Fort Howard, Maryland, after six years of continuous duty here. Colonel Barrett came to Wichita from Fort Hayes, Ohio, where he commanded the First Battalion of the Tenth Infantry. A native of Virginia, Colonel Barrett was edu- cated at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He is a graduate of the Advanced Course and the In- fantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, the Com- mand and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and is carried on the General Staff Corps Eligible List. Colonel Barrett entered the regular army as a second lieutenant in 1913, and has served on the Mexican border C1914-19151, in the Philippines C1915-19175, and with the 26th Division in France H918-19195. ' Major McAllister was transferred here from Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, on February 22, 1936. He attended Texas A. Sf M. before en- tering the army and served with the Second Divi- sion overseas from February to August, 1918. He is also a graduate of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, the Command and General Staff School, and is on the General Staff Corps Eligible List. Captain Lewis was graduated from Tennessee Military Institute in 1911 and entered the army from the University of Pennsylvania. He saw service in the Philippine Constabulary H913-171, the Panama Canal Zone C1922-25, 1928-315 and came to the University from Fort George Wright, Washington, on june 29, 1935. Sergeant McCarty was assigned to duty here September 1, 1933 and has charge of the care of government property and records. He entered the f27l service in 1911, and with the exception of a short period at the Cavalry Officers' School at Camp Stanley, Texas, during the war, has spent his 25 years of duty in the Infantry. A native of this state, he holds a reserve commission with the rank of major in the Adjutant General's Department. Enrollment in the local R. O. T. C. is not com- pulsory as is training in land grant colleges. This year 374 students received training in the unit which is organized as a battalion of four com- panies, each composed of three platoons. Cadet officers command each company and the band. For six years the local school has been awarded the blue star at the annual federal inspection con- ducted by corps area officials. The star is sym- bolic of the highest rating of excellent and is a goal for which all in the unit strive. Shortly be- fore the end of school, the annual company and individual competition is held at which time awards are made to the best company, squad, and individuals of each class. This is climaxed with a battalion parade. Each company in the unit is rated monthly as to its efficiency. To the winning company goes the designation of Honor Company and a gold streamer for the company's guidon. The rating is based upon drill attendance and inspection of equipment. Heretofore, the band has won the honor twice and Company C once. Members of the first year Advanced Class are required to attend a six-weeks summer camp which is held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. While there they receive instruction on the infantry weapons, fire the service rifle, pistol, automatic rifle, and machine gun, perform scouting and pa- trolling, and carry out principles studied in class. This year Colonel Barrett has been appointed senior camp instructor and Major McAllister his assigant. Sergeant McCarty will be acting ser- geant major of the camp. Range instruction for this year has been under the supervision of Major McAllister who has greatly improved the efficiency and firing condi- tions of the small bore range. Each first year advanced man must qualify before going to camp but all R. O. T. C. men are eligible to receive instruction. This year class teams fired in corps area matches. The women's rifle team placed sec- ond in the meet at the Kemper Military Academy. Several members of last year's graduating class are now on one year's active duty with regular troops under the provision of the Thomason Act. Lt. Elmer Zelsman and Lt. Edwin Miller are with the 17th Infantry at Fort Crook, Nebraska: Lt. john Haas is stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, with the Second Cavalry, and Lt. Robert Colver is at the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood Arse- nal, Maryland.

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N l930 a charter was granted to the University Saber Club by the National Society of Scabbard and Blade, honorary military fraternity, desig- nating it F Company of the Seventh Regiment. 'This action was the result of the efforts of original club members-Major Grant, then PMScSfTy Lt. Col. Harrie S. Mueller, an alumnus of F Company, First Regimentg and University faculty members. The National Society of Scabbard and Blade, only military fraternity recognized by the War Department, was founded at the University of Wis- consin during the school year of l905-06. Purpose was to further the cause and interest of military training among college students. lt slowly spread to the campi of other midwest colleges. lt has 82 chapters with more than 25,000 members. ln seven years the local company has initiated 94 cadets into active membership and l4 promi- nent officers into associate memberships. For the first time this year the chapter inaugu- rated an award of a medal given to outstanding basic course students of the unit, The award, made on a competitive basis, was given during the annual spring competition. North Carolina State College was host to the Twentieth Biennial Convention held November l8- 2l at Raleigh. Delegate of the Wichita company was its captain, Glen Soderstrom. This year F-7 entered the National Society's rifle competition, firing against teams from more than 30 schools. Pictured at left are officers, upper right, Herman Frankenberg, first lieutenantg Glen Soderstrom, captain: Bob Strain, second lieutenanty and Cramer Reed, first sergeant. Members are: Top left, Ioe Hildyard. Second row, Henry Onsgard, lr., and Gene Klingberg. Third row, Sherman Culbertson, Quincy Lee Brown, Robert Woods, and Pat Adams. Fourth row, Bob Perry, George Hinkle, Iames T. Lee, Iames Hamilton, and Austin Gafney. Fifth row, Hal Kelley, Bill Ramsay, lack Sharp, Roger Whit- comb, Dean McDaniel, and Frances Voegeli. Sixth row, Dick Price, Max Billinger, Ir., Lawrence Newton, Louis Garrett, Charles Kinsey, and Robert Lowe. Not pictured are Don Small and Frank Foree. Founders Day was observed this year with a dinner at the Allis Hotel. Lt. Col. Mueller and Lt. Col. Robert H. Barrett, PMSCST, were speakers. The annual dinner dance was held April 30 when the fraternity aided in honoring .... HONCRARY COLCNEL .... Mary Cies, chosen last fall by senior members of the unit's advanced course. She was formally presented at the annual Military Ball held De- cember ll. Her aide for military functions was Cadet Lt. Robert Woods. lt was her honor to rep- resent the unit and school at all military social functions in the city. E29 HONORARY COLONEL MARY CIES