“AERIAL” OF VICINITY OF UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO.
(Note the Cadet Camp lying north of main University Building.)
The importance of the work done at this unit was now most firmly established. The length of the course was increased in September to six weeks, and it was arranged that three courses went through the school at a time, each composed of 150 cadets with two weeks intervening. By now the strength of the unit had increased to 19 officers, 119 non-commissioned officers and men, 149 United States army and naval cadets and 261 Imperial cadets. Occupation of the buildings so kindly furnished by the University authorities covered Burwash Hall, East and South residences, School of Practical Science, Medical Building, portion of Convocation Hall, Thermodynamics Building and dining halls in University and Victoria College.
In September, instruction was further expanded by the formation of a school at the factory of the Canadian Aeroplanes Limited, where members of flying units received introduction to the theory and principle of aeroplane construction. There were three courses, each lasting eighteen days, and each being divided into ten squads, members of which remained together throughout their entire period of instruction. Examinations were set and corrected by an examining party at the School under direct supervision of the Commandant, when sixty-five per cent. of marks was necessary before a cadet passed through and was posted to a flying unit.
In the month of December, 1917, the strength of cadets greatly increased and it became necessary to draw again on the goodwill of the University authorities and occupy Wycliffe College. Simultaneously a pool was formed in a remodeled hotel, Haydon House, some four miles from the School, where were housed such cadets as the flying units were unable to take owing to the reduced amount of flying during the winter months. By the end of the year cadets on the strength amounted to 721.
Training material now began to arrive more regularly from England, and, as a result, the instruction given was considerably diversified.
In March, 1918, a seventh flight was formed for the study of aerial navigation, in which much more complete instruction was given in map reading and course plotting. Machine gun instruction was transferred to the Armament School at Hamilton, and the time thus secured given to further study of aerial navigation.
The practical education of the mechanics taught at the School was ensured by the construction at Leaside of engine running sheds, in which engines of various types were set up and their operations drilled into all pupils under conditions which simulated those on active service as nearly as possible. Considerable improvement in the engine knowledge of cadets was immediately noticeable.