A report on the feasibility and advisability of some policy to inaugurate a system of rifle practice throughout the public schools of the country

by George Wood Wingate; Ammon B. Critchfield; National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice

Grote Hutcheson,

Captain, General Staff,

Member and Recorder, National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice.

Report on the Feasibility and Advisability of some Policy to Inaugurate a System of Rifle Practice throughout the Public Schools of the Country.

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New York, January 21, 1907.

National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice.

Gentlemen: In pursuance of the resolution of the board requesting the late Gen. L. M. Oppenheimer, of Texas (who died since the last meeting of the board, and whose death is deplored), and the undersigned to report "on the feasibility and advisability of some policy to inaugurate a system of rifle practice throughout the public schools of the country," we respectfully report:

For many years attempts have been made to inaugurate a system of military instruction in the public schools of the country. As a rule, these have not proved successful. In a few private military schools situated in the country some target practice is conducted, but the difficulty of carrying on anything of the kind in the public schools has rendered it impracticable.

The matter, however, has recently been introduced in the public schools of the city of New York, and the success which has been attained there has demonstrated the feasibility and advisability of introducing rifle practice in the public schools among the boys over the age of 13 years.