DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 89 



eluding extended order, guard mounting, signal and hospital corps 

 drill, gallery target practice and advance and rear guard. 



Captain Pegram Whitwortli, 1st Infantry, U. S. Army, inspected the 

 corps on the 24th of May last, nearly one month previous to the close 

 of the College year. He saw everything except the cadets in extended 

 order, they at the time not having been so far advanced. If the annual 

 inspection had been delayed as requested by the President, a much bet- 

 ter showing could have been made. However, from the remarks made 

 by the inspector, I judge he was pleased with what he saw. 



While I am a firm believer in athletics of all kinds, it seems to me 

 that matches for baseball or other games could be made on dates that 

 would not interfere with dates designated for military instruction. It 

 is very apparent that both cannot be held on the same day and hour. 

 To haVe to postpone a drill or any other instruction in the Military 

 Department for a game of ball, is inclined to make the Department lose 

 its dignity, and the respect of the cadets. It is hoped that a change in 

 this respect be made as far as practicable. 



There should be some means by which this Department could more 

 accuratelv account for absentees. It is often the case when cadets have 

 left College that the captain or first sergeant, having no knowledge of 

 them, continues to carry them on the roll. My suggestion would be 

 that where a man is reported absent twice in succession, the first ser- 

 geant be required to report to the Secretary's office and find out what 

 the man's status is, and if he has left College to drop him. 



It has been reported to me that very often cadets leave College, and 

 not exi)ecting to return, do not take the trouble to turn in their arms 

 and equipments, but leave them with some one to do so for them. 



To obviate this as much as possible, I would respectfully suggest, 

 that all students who are to take the military instruction, before being 

 classified in this Department and before arms and equipments are issued 

 to them, be required to make a deposit of |.5.0() with the College Treas- 

 urer, for which a receipt should l>e given, this to be shown to the 

 battalion adjutant as a voucher for the deposit. 



When a cadet is ready to leave College and has tunied in the property 

 for which he is responsible, he could get a clearance from this office for 

 presentation to the Treasurer. If something of this kind could be put 

 into eft'ect, it would to some extent teach them what care and responsi- 

 bility mean. They would think a long while before leaving five dollars 



behind. 



A company competition drill was held on June 2, Capt. Merick's 

 Company "D," was awarded the medal. A first sergeanfs medal was 

 competed for at the same time, this was awarded to First ?^ergeant H. 

 S. Hunt of the same company. Col. Shubei, of Lansing, and an officer 

 of the Michigan National Guard were the judges. 



Verv respectfullv, 



W. H. KELL, 

 Major U. S. Army. 

 Agricultural College, Mich., 

 June :{(), 1004. 

 12 



