From Volume XXXIII, Number 23 Thursday, April 5, 1917 George Younger, ’17, Who Has Seen Border Service, Instructing Rookies in
Fundamentals of Military Drills
A military training company was formed by the men of Lawrence at a
meeting held in the lobby of Brokaw Hall on Monday afternoon. The
meeting was conducted by George Younger, ’17, of Appleton who is a
member of the Mounted Orderlies Section, 2nd Wis. Infantry. Over sixty
men were present at the meeting and forty-five signed the gentlemen’s
agreement that was presented at the meeting. Three hours a week was
voted as the minimum time for the drill, which will be held every
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights at 6:45.
Purpose of Organization
The articles of the gentlemen’s agreements are (1) the signers pledge to attend drill regularly and (2) in case of actual fighting offer their services, if possible, to the country. The main purpose of the organization is to form a military school where the men who do not know any of the requirements of military life can have a chance to learn the fundamentals. This idea of the military school is the moving spirit of the organization because the men of the college realize that universal training is a desirable request for good citizenship.
A secondary reason for the organization is the fate that in case of actual fighting a large number of the men will join the service and if a unit is formed of school men it will make military life more pleasant
that it would be if the men joined a strange company.
Articles of Agreement
“We, the undersigned, believing that every citizen should do his part toward safeguarding the country and knowing that in case of war the
college men will be among the first to enlist, hereby band ourselves
together as a volunteer, independant unit in order that if hostilities
break out we will be prepared to take up our duties as defenders of the
country of our allegiance; and further,
“Because a group of college men would make military life more pleasant; do therefore organize as the Lawrence Company and pledge to attend drill regularly, and in case of actual fighting offer our service, if possible, to the country.”