"I WAS NOT IMPRESSED"

Year after year we find out from different sources that Harvard students are indifferent and sloppy in the things they do and the way they do them. Upon being censored we are wont to worry a few moments and then relapse into our old ways. Last night we were told the same story, but in a different way, and we hope, with a different effect. Colonel Applin openly and in good, clear English remarked that he was not impressed with our work, that we are half-hearted in our drill, and, in short, that the discipline, appearance and marching of both our R. O. T. C. and that of Yale is decidedly bad.

His words came as a shock to us; we have been fed up with so many compliments on the excellence of every maneuver we execute that we did not know what to make of this man who openly told us we were distinctly bad. Not that the University minds being told that it has faults; it does not. But what aroused us was the fact that each and every member of the R. O. T. C. has known right along that things were in a bad way. We have known it, we have discussed it, and then we have blundered along in the same old manner. Yet we have always kept this knowledge as a secret and until last night no one had found us out. Inspectors, both official and unofficial, have told us how pleased they have been with our work and in the privacy of our rooms we have laughed and said: "Well, we get away with it, anyway." This time, however, we were caught red-handed. We have no excuse, we are inwardly glad. The cat is out of the bag and we have something to work for: our pride demands that we redeem ourselves not only in the eyes of Colonel Applin, but in our own. Today's exercise was the best example of unmilitary drill the Regiment has ever given, and at the supper tables the blame for the many confusions was passed from man to man; the captains told their companies that they did not do well and then, the unpleasant scene being ended, ready for a leisurely hour, we drrifted into the New Lecture Hall. That hour revived our morale, we needed a tonic, and we have got it. The word "click" has come into our vocabularies to stay,--discipline means something real and fundamental.

We have learned our lesson and it is bound to be with us forever: the day of indifference is over, at least as far as drill is concerned. Colonel Applin has done more for the R. O. T. C. than any other lecturer we can remember hearing; in return we hope that in a week or so he will honor us with another inspection to see a real, live Regiment showing the effects of his words.