This shooting shows the value of the practice with the subtarget machine, as the teams from both Columbia University and St. John's Military School had been practiced in actual rifle shooting, and yet were inferior in marksmanship to the high-school boys, who had only used the machine.
A match was put on the programme of the New Jersey Rifle Association, September, 1906, at Sea Girt, in which a number of the boys entered. The pressure upon the target accommodation in consequence of the national matches was, however, so great that it could not be held at the date appointed, and the boys could not remain.
The high schools which are equipped with this subtarget gun machine have organized rifle clubs, and are holding interscholastic contests in the armories of the different regiments of the National Guard, shooting with .22-caliber ammunition, and are displaying great proficiency.
The movement has the hearty support of President Roosevelt, who has accepted the office of honorary vice-president of the league, and also has announced his intention of writing to the boy who attains the greatest skill in the rifle matches during the year a personal letter of congratulation and commendation.
At the present time there are over 7,000 young men being instructed in these high schools in shooting with a military rifle, the gun used being the regular Krag army rifle as issued by the War Department.
Great interest in the matter has been taken by both teachers and boys. Many of these have now become so proficient, that the services of a paid instructor have been dispensed with. It would, of course, be much better if a regular officer could be procured for such a purpose. But the finances of the league will not permit it to continue to incur the expense of paying the salary of such an instructor. It is believed that if a young and active regular officer could be detailed to act in this capacity he would be of the greatest service, and could, besides helping the shooting, give the boys some idea of military movements and discipline, which would be of great value. In fact an officer in this position would accomplish greater results for the country than is obtained by any of those who are detailed as instructors in many of the small colleges. The supply of regular officers is, however, insufficient for the needs of the Army, and it has so far been impossible to have one detailed for this purpose.
The league is now preparing a manual of instruction to be used in the different schools. In addition to containing instructions for the use of the subtarget gun machine it will give a general idea of what is necessary to know in order to shoot accurately.
Those who have had charge of the instruction of these boys are unanimous in the opinion that they acquire knowledge of rifle shooting in about one-quarter of the time that is found necessary in the case of grown men.
It is hardly necessary to state that the experience of our recent wars has pointed out that while there is no difficulty in case of war in getting all the volunteers that the country requires and they can be given a reasonable amount of drill in a few weeks, it takes a long time to teach them to shoot, and that unless they can shoot accurately they are of little value as soldiers. If, however, the young men who are graduating from our high schools in the different States should be skilled riflemen the country can rest content with a small standing army, knowing that in case of war it can put into the field at short notice a force of volunteers whose skill in rifle shooting will enable them to be fully the equal of any army which may be brought against them.
The system is, therefore, a great factor for national peace.