MODERN NEEDS

Evening Star, Issue 20780, 30 April 1931, Page 5

MODERN NEEDS

SANDHURST REFORMS ARMY AS A CAREER Sweeping changes in the curriculum at the college brought about by the new attitude of parents and boys towards the Army, were described by Colonel Tollemachc, of Sandhurst, when he addressed the English Headmasters’ Conference at Cheltenham, says the ‘ Morning Post.’ After outlining the way in which the Sandhurst syllabus had been broadened and modernised to meet present conditions, Colonel Tollemacbo said; “ A year ago a headmaster said to me, ‘ I only advise boys who would bo quite impossible in any other walk of life to go to Sandhurst.’ “ All tins is changed, and wo arc becoming a little better now. Except in the cases of boys who actually prove educationally deficient, wo believe that among the boys who now leave Sandhurst there will he very few who will not bo of the type wo desire both in military and civil life. “ Some time ago we found that ilte Army was losing popularity with the hoy himself, who was told that the pay was small and that his brains would nob increase his pay. “ All the conversation around him dealt with commerce, stocks, and shares, and quick riches. Wo discovered that the old adventure of the Army was being rather ousted by tlie modern adventure of commerce. It was realised that if the Army was to bo made attractive to the boy wo must give an education at Sandhurst which is not merely specialised, but is of the best possible general nature. “ Warfare was becoming more and more complicated, requiring brains and ability on the part of the officers, and wo found that we had to build up the brains and personalities of the officers from the very beginning. We realised that in the Great War some of the greatest mistakes of office)n were made in their dealings with civilians, and in their lack of knowledge of civilians, and wc realised that a great war needed broadmindedness on the part of its leaders.

“The old regime at Sandhurst aimed at turning out purely military specialists, and this was not what the Army or the public'.wanted. The curriculum which was going on undoubtedly deadened a boy’s intellect, and led his thoughts into narrow channels. 11 The Sandhurst curriculum had to be drastically overhauled, and in the new curriculum wo now try to give a boy the power of self-development.” Colonel Tollemacbo outlined the changes which had been made in the syllabus, which, he said, had now been widened to allow of this self-develop-ment, and the narrow military education had been broadened. Referring to the general impression that the Army was not a profession worth going into from the monetary point of view, he contended that there were many plums to bo gained both in, and by means of, the Army. “ Naturally,” ho added, “ these plums are not to Jie had for the asking. They have to be earned. There is an impression that boys with brains are wasted in the Army, but I hope you will do all yon can to dispel that unfortunate idea.”