The usual school course is one of three years, and his engagement is thus for a term of nine years; that is, deducting three spent at the school, six years’ time with the troops.
The School Division is 496 strong; there are four companies of 124 men. The whole body is commanded by a captain, or major, who has an adjutant. To each company are attached four officers and fourteen non-commissioned officers; the latter teach in the two first years, the former in the third. The school course begins on the 1st of October; the afternoons of three days in each week are employed in ordinary school instruction, but the remainder of their time in winter and their whole time in summer is devoted to military training. The school instruction is not carried beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic up to the rule of three; geography, drawing skeleton maps, and copying, and learning the significance of military representations of ground. Some very respectable specimens of their skill in copying maps were produced; it appeared to be a favorite exercise.
About 150 are admitted yearly, an extra number being taken to supply possible vacancies; about 130 yearly are drafted into the army, six usually as under officers at once, forty at least with certificates of being qualified to receive the grade in a short time; and the whole number who go out have generally obtained their appointment before twelve months are completed. The highest number that may go out at once as under (or non-commissioned) officers is twelve; three for each company. Many, however, have latterly, it is said, become so within six weeks after their leaving.
Where the young men are strong and full-grown, they are allowed to join the army at the end of two years; their whole service (two years for each at the school) being therefore reduced to six years.
Young men, on the other hand, who show no disposition or likelihood to turn out good under officers, are sent off to complete the usual time as privates.
The proportion of non-commissioned officers in the standing army who are taken from the School Division was not easy to ascertain. It differs extremely in different regiments. In one, it was stated that out of the ordinary complement of 180, fifty came from hence. On the other hand, it was asserted that the general proportion was not more than one in forty. A certain number have obtained commissions; but no prospect of such promotion appears to be held out, and any tendency to carry forward the studies with a view to it is discouraged and checked.
The buildings, in the outskirts of Potsdam, are large, new, and handsome, forming three sides of a spacious court or imperfect quadrangle. The dining-rooms are used also as exercise-rooms, and it was made a point to let us see a portion of the pupils go through their gymnastics and exercises; and more particularly their sword and bayonet exercise. Twenty or thirty young men, very healthy and strong-looking, went through the latter exercise in two lines; after which came a single combat with the bayonet, all under the direction of an officer.
The sleeping-rooms are fairly large, and well ventilated, on the same floor. Twelve slept in each. During the day the wooden bedsteads are placed one above another. It was said that iron bedsteads are being generally introduced. Each young soldier is provided with a small cupboard above his bed. The non-commissioned officers had horsehair, the young men themselves straw paillasses. There was a stove in the room, but it was said not to be used.
The school-rooms are on the upper floor. The skeleton maps already referred to were here produced; one, of the two hemispheres, others illustrating Prussian history, showing the original size of the Prussian territory, its extent and condition under Frederick the Great, the whole course of its gradual extention, &c., very fairly drawn, and creditable to the young men.
The time devoted to the training which is given in the School Division appears long. What is now done in three years might as well be done in half that time. The object, however, is secured of retaining the service of the men during a lengthened period in the standing army.