CADET-TRAINING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1624, 29 April 1919, Page 7

CADET-TRAINING.

THE NEW SCHEME. DEMONSTEATION AT CHRIST'S COLLEGE. A radical change in the scheme of Cadet training will come into operation on a general scale from June 1. This system has already been introduced, so far as Canterbury is concerned, in connection with the Christ's College Cadets, whose annual "barracks" is now in a progress. A Sun representative was able to witness its initiation at a special parade yesterday, which was under. the control of its originator, Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Sleeman, 1.G.5., Director of Military Training, and directly supervised by Captain A. W> Brocks, M.C., Chief Physical Training Instructor for the Dominion. At the time of the visit, physical training, which is the feature of the scheme, was in progress. The lads, looking particularly workmanlike in shorts and shirt-sleeves, were drawn up in widely-spaced lines, forming a square. About 300 were on parade. Tho exercises were based on those practised at Trentham during the past two years. Their distinctiveness from the old laborious up-in-the-morning-before-breakfast exercises is in the "zip" necessary for their performance, and the manifest) zest which their carrying" out engenders. Most of them were really in the nature of a game, and others frankly so. "O-varl" and 300 boys turned somersaults. Another sharp command and one line leap-frogged over the other, or the odd-numbers swiftly raced round the even ones. '' Tchun!" and the boys leaped to their places, in a breathless haste not to be last and thus catch the instructor's'eye. "Alertness is what we aim at; the physical side really comes after that," remarked Lieutenant-Colonel Sleeman. Indeed, all the exercises were calculated to bring out this quality and encourage quick thinking. A "barked" order, and the Cadets streainod off in apparent confusion. But two seconds later found them marshalled in little circles, each comprising a section under a non-com. They were now in position for the "games." These commenced without preliminaries or delay. A section leader swung a weighted rope in a horizontal circle, and the lads jumped to clear the whirling object, which threatened their ankles. Another section played "fill-the-gap," and'so on. The fun was at its height when a sharp order broke in, and the cadets rushed back to their physical drill positions. So the inculcation of "alertness" went on. ! As explained by Lient.-Colonel Sleeman, the idea is to drop some of the purely military side, and substitute tlie physical, the subject, being made as interesting as possible. In addition there is a, serious attempt to mould character, to a large extent based on the truth that a healthy body means a healthy mind. Lieut.-Colonel Sleeman stated that up to 1916 there had been no syllabus of cadet training in existence, consequently cadet companies were found in varying degrees of efficiency. The 1916 syllabus divided cadet training into four parts corresponding with the four years of service. In each part, however, three subjects were included—musketry, physical drill, and infantry training. Tho work being thus divided, 12 instructors were necessary, and experience had proved the difficulty of any company training properly under such circumstances. The intention of the 1916 syllabus was to train cadets so that they could enter the Territorial Force as trained recruits. It had been found, however, that the chief value of the Territorial Force as at present constituted, was for feeding the Expeditionary Force. It was common sense to expect a better scheme of training would be framed on the return of the Expeditionary Force. Acting on this assumption, he had devised the new cadet syllabus, which aimed not so much at imparting military training—which was left more to the Territorial Force—as at giving physical and character training. Consequently the new syllabus was divided into four parts, corresponding not with the age of the cadet, but with the standard of efficiency. For drill purposes each cadet company would be divided into two main parts, These would consist respectively of first and second year cadets and third and fourth year cadets, who would interchange subjects during each drill of one and a half hours duration. For instance, at his first parade a cadet would perform 35 minutes physical training, and 35 minutes of the other subjects, whilst he would receive a lecture for 10 minutes oh patriotism, good citizenship, or some other subject likely to be of benefit. The manner in which this proportion of instruction was managed was as follow: a first year cadot would do musketry; a second year eadet physical training; a third year cadet infantry training; and a fourth year cadet physical training. At the expiration of 35 minutes the first year men would interchange with the second yoar men, and the third with tho fourth for another 35 minutes. By this system, instead of a company i requiring 12 instructors, it would need two for physical training, one for musketry aud one for infantry training. The new scheme,.in actual operation, had beerT found eminently suitable for town cadets. It was not pretended to meet.the whole of the difficulty as concerned country cadets, as it was impossible to carry out the training of outlying units with any degree of satisfaction; unless they, could attend regular parades. Commenting on the work.of the Christ's College Cadoter,. Lieut-Colonel. Sleeman paid a high tribute- to the discipline* intelligence, and soldierly qualities of, the lads, -There were not the same number of senior lads this year, so that some ofthe mere advanced work practised last year would not "be carried out, !-• ■ .'..;■ ,',:■.