Williams College - Gulielmensian Yearbook (Williamstown, MA)

Page 32 text:

I I E L H -M R. O. T. C. Williams Unit S a result of the untiring eHorts of President Garfield and Asst. Professor Shepard, the recommendation of the Trustees of the College, and the approval of the faculty, a unit of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps was estab- lished at Williams in March, 1917. Upon the arrival of Capt. Thomas Norton T. N. GIMPERLING A West Point grudunlc now coinnmndiug a Machine Gun Battalion . Gimperling of the 34th U. S. Infantry on April 13th the work of the unit was organized. In order to en- courage the study of the military science the Faculty allowed those students who registered for the unit to drop two of their academic courses. The course as organized by the new Professor of Military Science and Tactics was designed to include in two months the ground ordinarily covered in one year of study: and in order to do this it was necessary to hold a two hour drill period each week day and an hour lecture every day but Saturday. The subjects covered in this intensive work included the schools of the soldier, squad, company and battalion. signalling. mapping, scouting and patrolling, first aid. personal and camp hygiene, and company paper work. Q50 Krag-Springfield rifles, supplied by the Government arrived the latter part of May g and uniforms ordered through Capt. Gimperling were received in time for the Commencement parade. PRESENTATION OF THE COLORS, MAY 30, 1917 32

Page 31 text:

E G V1-1 E L M E N S1ANl B19 .3 26521035 ..,. I -'W ' an A .- xx. vr F 1-40 V ME Q J ' X if I N 8 , , , .1 A 5 it 'J fir.-5 g z . ,, - 3, I . u I X53 ' ' ,A I XA i Q f J :VH -- Nl 1 Q 1 I Nd rw fuse . 4..-

Page 33 text:

IQ GVLIELMENSIAN WILLIAM A. PEW, Superintendent Comlnandud the 'ind Mass. Inf. during the Spanish War. Was rulircml with rank ol' Major Gcncrul in IXHI7. Early in the spring plans for a summer encampment were being considered, and met with the enthusiastic support of the President and Trusteesfthe Facultv, and Capt. Gimperling. But. the War Department did not sanction the plah, and Capt. Gimperling was ordered away from Williamstown at the end of the College year. The plans for the summer, however, did not fail so easily. Through President GarHeld's eHorts Major General William A. Pew, N. G. Mass., Retired, was secured as Command- ant. On June 28th the summer encampment of the Williams Unit R. O. T. C. opened with an attendance of 260 cadets. It closed August 25th. For the purpose of instruction and control the corps was organized as an infantry battalion of four companies. Companies A and B occupied Williams Hall: C and D occupied Morgan Hall. The College Common was used as Battalion Mess. Extracts from General Pew's report to the President and Trustees follow. Maj. Gen. William A. Pew, Ret'd, Instructors N. G. Mass.. Superintendent, in addi- tion to his duties as such, conducted a series of lectures on Military Courtesy, Military in ,mmm mmol' now in France. Psychology and Minor Tactics. i lst Lieut. A. P. Coleman, 5th Mass. Inf., Adju- A. P. COLEMAN. Adjulunl - Former udjntnnt of Mass. N. 1 .1 . . .i . 33