THE WAR IN THE BRONX

J?SYOHOLOGISTS ray that in ordinary theless, much of the basic inaterial taught to life me use only 25% of our mental non-commissioned reserves in the Brons is cilpacities. The Waves and the Spar8 learn similar to that which a Hunter officer candi- t,o use at least SO%." This is the way the date at Smith College would learn. N;~v;ll Training School of the women's Re- For 1Pha.t Jobs Are Thsg Training? servr at the Bronx Buildings of Hunter Col- lege describes the improved mental activity The Training School at tlie Brons is \\.hat which naval training brings to the American is known as a "boot school," that is one women who go through its indoctrination. which offers preliminary indoctrination and classifies students according to the jobs for A tight-packed, concentrated, six week' which they are most suited. Specific train- coarse. leaves recruits "amazed at their pow- ing for these classifications (called ratings,! ers of retention and digestion of facts," in is acquired in a specialist's school after t.he words of the Public Relations Division. graduation from the "boot school." For es- Alid this combined with a vigorous physical ample, if after completing h'er course nt Hun- clductlt.ion program turns out women both ter she wishes to become a Raclio 3Ian. tlie pl~ysicallyfit and mentally receptive for spe- Apprentice Seaman Wave or Spar goes on ciitlizecl training to release a man for active to the Xavy radio training scliool at 3Iadison. duty. That the Hunter College campus in Wisconsin, to work for t.he official rating of tlie Bronx sllould be the scene of this trans- Radio >Ian. Other ratings possible nre: formation is something for which \ve students Yoeman of Hunter are both lionored and proud. , ' (stenographer) Many Hunter girls, in considering joining Storekeeper the Navy or Coast Guard have laughingly Baker rcmilrked. "Bnt we don't want to be sent to Ship's Cook Parachute Rigger Hunter !" They probably would not be sent Aviation Machinist's to I-Iunter, since the School in the Brons Mate trains only enlisted women, that is non-corn- Aviation Metalsmith rnissioned personnel, and not oflcer candi- Pharmacist's Mate dates. College gradnates are ~~s~~allyconsid- Photographer's Mate ered for ensignships and are trained nt Smitll Aeriographer's Mate Specialist in Northampton, or Mt. Holyoke. Mass. In this instance tlle prospective ensign starts A11 girls at the Hunter ciliripus receive the her four months' officer's training nu an Ap- same training, no matter what field they prentice Seaman, the equivalent of tr buck choose to enter. All enter and leave as Ap- ~)l+iv;ttein t11e Aidiiny, r111d upon ~raduation prentice Seamen and work for their ratings receives her commirrsion. Thus the training at another school. The only two exceptions to through which a Hunter girl accepted by the this rule are Yoeman who have been stenog- Navy or Coast Guard Women's Reserve raphers in civilian life. and Bakers and would probably go differs from that oflered Ship's Coolzs who, after working especially at t.he Bronx in location and length. .\' ever- well for six weeks in the galley (kitchen) of Student Hall. may remain at the Station to digestion of the most possible liiaterial in the work for ratings. As in the army, ratings least possible time. witoh little space left for consist of classes, such as Yoeman, 1st class extensive individnal research. T\'lien a TVave or Storekeeper, 3rd class. or Spar completes her indoctrinatioll course and looks back upon her studies. slie herself Above all, t.he primary thing to remember is often amazed at t.he amount of material is that for every well trained, physically fit she has covered and remembered in so short llrave or Spar a fighting man is released for active duty. The Waves and Spars are not a time. But this is ~varand speed is the key- an auxiliary to but actually a part of the \\lord of efficiency. Navy and Coast Guard. A Spar or Wave who serves her country in this way adds -4 Typkcr.1 Day anot,her man to our fighting sea forces, takes The first thing a Wave or Spar hears in over a man-sized job, and receives pay equal the morning is the blast of the Mate of the to that of Navj- and Coast Guard men of her Deck's whistle and the woras, "Hit the deck ! rank. Rise and shine !" The deck is the floor, and rise and shine-well, we lano\\- what that 1Yhnt Are They Taqightt means. This occurs at the clleerful Ilour of The Waves' and Spars' program consists 6 :00 A.M. or thereabouts. Hunter students of drilling, physical education, and three aca- probably remember grumbli~lgthrough the - demic courses: Naval Organization and Ad- dark on a cold blustering winter morning at ministration, Naval Personnel, and Ships and nine o'clock, so that we can just imagine the Aircraft. which includes Naval History. delights of onr Northern canipus at 6 :OO. 3loclelled after the indoctrination pro,vram But, as the Navy says, being a Ware or a given to navy men, it aims at acquainting Spar is no picnic. Approximately thirty-five the lvonlen with the mode of life and the minutes later every recruit is lined up in customs and traditions of the Navy. -4s in formation outside her house. The unit of our college curricnlum each course has three formation is the Company, which consists of (.lasses a week with adequate provision for from 250 to 300 women. Each girl fits into stuclyinp provided. Unlike a college schedule, the military organization of tlie station by Iton.~trer. the object of its approach is the belonging to each of the following units, ar- ranged according to the number of persons tivity have not as yet been arranged. hut ere- in each : ning programs will probably consist of lec- tnres, movies, or soine other forins of enter- Brigade, about 6.000 tainment, with curfe~vat an early hour to Regiment facilitate early rising. There \\rill nndoubt- Battalion edly be some provisions made for free time. Company especially froni Saturday afternoon whe11 Platoon classes will probably end until Monday nlorll- Since all group inovenieiit is accomplished ing when they begin again. But from a by marching ill forinations based upon these glance at the typical day of a Wave or Spi~r units. it is very in~portantfor every woman it is evident that there is more worlr tha~l to know her address, so to speak. A whole play. company marches to class or mess together; there is never ally aimless individual wan- Sattt~('a111pt(s, Sew lists dering about. Breakfast in Student Hall is staggered to accommodate the eventual 6.000 Almong the 1aiidmarl;s of the College tl~ttt recruits wlio will have arrived at the School will remain intact are the names of the build- by the end of 39arcli. ings (for the present, at least). the tunnels. tlie classroonis, tlie gyms. and last but )lot r1 7 he morning prograiii may consist of lec- least, the sunken garden. Even the Navy II~I~ tnres or drill or both, according to the indi- not as yet thought of a use for that! vidual company's schedule. By the end of the day, hourever. each company will have Our infirmary will witness coiiiplete physi- had tl~reehours of lecture and two hours of cal checkup and the infliction of tlie famous drill or gym.- - "shots" our Navy and Army men talk about. After riooii mess, the afternoon may i11- In the basement of Davis Hall the lockers elude more classes or drill and some time for will be put to use, as have been the corridors. study and recreation. Evening mess takes in which six of New York's leading depart- place at from 5 :30 to 6:00, depending upon ment stores have set up counters for the fit- the practicability of the present schedule. As ting and sale of uniforms, which process, by in any institntion. the administration is al- the way, occupies first place upon a new rr- cruit's list of activities. It is in the hasen~t.~~t ~vayson the loolrout for more eflcient ar- rangements and therefore considers its plans of Davis Hall, therefore, that the enteri~~g only tentative until put to the test of actual Spar or Wave sees lier uniform for the first experience. time. Although the uiiiforn~sof the two re- serves are almost identical, both being dark Especiall>- capable is the staff of instruct- blue and extremely smart looking. the way ors. 1vllic11 11as been recruited from special- to tell them apart is by the insignia. The izecl fields in civilian life. In charge of phys- Wave wears a light blue ailcl~oron the lapel ical eilucatioii Is Lt. (j.g.) Violet Bopnton, and the Spar a shield on the lower part of forinerly associate professor of physical edu- lier sleeve. But whatever the difierenceb. oi~ti~)liat Ohio State University. The drill there can be no denying that a woman in tlie masters. 1v11o seacl tlie girls through the paces Navy or Coast Guard Reserve is a pretty. of regular military drill for men. are ten trim, and efficient sight. Asli an\- soldier 01. (']lief Petty Officers of the Navy. sailor, for these men. usually so critical of Exact regulations concerning evening ac- \vomenls clothes and uniforms in particular, seem to have given their unanimous approval On the whole, howeyer, the campns looks to the attire of their \r70men team-mates. pretty much the same: low Gothic buildings, Student Hall, once the site of relaxation flat open spaces, and slim young trees shiv- i~ndmeal taking for Hunter students is nowr ering in time to the Bronx Winter wind. But the recreation center for our "armed wo- by Spring, when the green turf of the hockey nien" ancl its cafeteria the galley and mess field vibrates to the marching feet of smartly I1a11 which train bakers and cooks and may uniformed young women, and the trees bloom \eon feed some 10,000 months, or 30,000 in a brisk military atmosphere, the Hunter ~ilealsa day. As for the living quarters of the College Campus will have finally yielded to l\'aves and Spars. the apartments in the the Naval Training School of the Women's liouses surrouncling the college will be occu- Reserve. 1'0 Captain William F. Amsden. pled by two or three girls to a room and fur- commander of the new school, and to the nished licrpel>- from the tables, chairs, and thousands of \Jromen to train there we stu- some double-decker beds from the liners dents of Hunter College extend our hearty "?IIanl~i~ttan"and "America ", no\\, used by welcome and onr hope that you ~villenjoy the .\rm~-;I\ troop ships. your stay at the Bronx as mnch as nre did.

He sat there in a large, overstntt'ed chair. he leaned heavily upon me. \T1hen he finally liis bald heail catching the lights, his round got settled in the depths of the chair, he face beaming. There was something about loolced up at me and grinned appreciatively. that face, a look of contentment, perhaps. But I had to leave then and I did not see that brought such pleasure to the heart of him again for a while. the observer. When I returned, I could not see him for I remembered how I had seen him at a a moment since he was surrounded by a dinner I had given. He had come in late, group of young women. I stood there, watch- after the meal, but in time for the chatting ing him exercise his charms, for he had and smoking session that is an after-dinner that simplicity of spirit and joyousness of tradition. heart that bring refreshment to those lie - He entered the living room ancl hesitated came in contact with. It was strange to see in the doorway for a minute as his small. that, though there WRS such a vast difference beady eyes took in the smoke-filled room and in age, he managed to capture the heart of the scattered groups. T noticed him standing every young girl in the room. t,hns, seemingly debating with himself, and Just then, I noticed something about liis then I observed a sudden look of determina- ' face that made me push my way towards him tion come over his face. When I saw him through the crowd, glancing at my ~vatclias start slonrly and painstakingly toward the I did so. By the time I got there, his eyes lilrge chair in the corner, I immediately hur- were closed and his head was resting heavily ried over to offer my assistance. He looked on his chest. So I scooped hini up in my 1113 at me. smiled a slow, toothless smile, and arms, made apologies for him, i~ndcarried iiccepted my help gratefully. it seemed. as him off to his crib.