Charles Collier, an ex-student in the school of journalism, and now stationed at the marine barracks at San Diego, in a recent letter says:
“San Diego is the best place that I know of after having spent three months here upon leaving the Mare Island training camp.
“We marines are stationed within the beautiful exposition grounds now called Balboa Park. Here also is located the navy dry land training school, for which the fair buildings serve as quarters and the large paved ‘plaza’ as a drill ground. “Of course the marines are proud of their football team, and as we have other diversions besides digging trenches, we are no longer recruits and have hopes of getting to France; at least a number are studying French with that in view. “One of the recruits had been instructed in sentinel duties. He was approached at night by an oflicer and he brought his rifle to port arms and called out ‘halt!’ The oflicer stopped and remained some time in the dark and then asked the sentinel, ‘Well, what are you going to do now!’ The recruit was a little nonplussed, but, remembering part of his instructions, ‘I’m going to halt you once more and then shoot you.’ Of course we are experienced guards now, though to date we have guarded nothing more important than the lawns and organ on the grounds.” Frederick K. Kingsbury, ex ’20, a former journalism student of the University, writes from Harvard University where he is training for the naval radio service. “Harvard University has turned over to the navy eight buildings, which are used for class rooms and dormitories. We have 2200 men here now, all training for the naval radio service.
At the end
of a sixteen weeks’ course, we are sent to sea, some directly from here, but others from the receiving ships at Norfolk, Virginia. “This life is very uncertain, for one never knows where he’s going. My course will be over January 19, and then I expect to be sent to some destroyer in the war zone. Of course no one knows just where these ships are, but the North sea is by no means the only field of activity of our destroyers, for one recently transferred from Cairo has been heard from at Naples, Italy. If anyone were to ask me for the main thing in this navy life, I would say ‘uncertainty.’ ” Sergeant Harry B. Critchlow, Camp Lewis, formerly reporter on the Port
land Evening Telegram, Salt Lake City Herald-Republican and Chicago Evening American, writes: “After more than four months of grind in the regular army I have found but one thing I do not like. The grub is fine—I have gained 14 pounds~—the bunks are O. K.; the drill is man-making in its habits; but that ‘revelee’ business is ‘the nuts.’ I can see only one redeeming feature:
the regimental band plays popular rag time pieces while you dress. As luck has it they do not play the ‘Star Spangled Banner.’ I do not care to stand at attention these cold mornings unless entirely dressed. “As I see it, the newspaper man who enlists will greatly profit by his experience, if he returns from the war alive. Every day is cram full of 11
