ROTC's Entrants Indicate Greatest Gain Since 1952

An ROTC preference questionnaire sent to incoming freshmen is credited by officers with increasing enrollment in all three units substantially for the first time since the Korean War. The Air Force and Army units showed highest gains, while the Navy detachment showed only a slight increase.

The questionnaire, originated by the Air Force staff, asked each member of the class of '60 to state whether he was interested in ROTC and if so, which unit he favored. Over half the forms were returned, and half of these indicated interest in at least one of the programs.

The Air Force unit, which jumped from 33 in 1955 to 65 this year, received 75 affirmative replies. Additional applications brought the total to 112, 65 of whom were chosen after interviews. Col Waldo B. Jones, professor of Air Science, credits increased interest in the program to the questionnaire; an article by Col. Trevor N. Dupuy, professor of Military Science and Tactics until last year, enclosed with the questionnaire and a color film about the College AFROTC unit shown at several prep schools last spring.

Col. DeVere P. Armstrong, new professor of Military Science and Tactics, announced yesterday a gain in initial enrollment in the Army detachment of 22, from 68 to approximately 90 students. Except during the Korean War, this is the highest enrollment the unit has received since World War II.

The Navy unit increased from 48 to 58 contract students (those not receiving scholarship aid), Cdr. Milton J. Morgan, associate professor, of Navel Science, announced, while the number of regular (scholarship) students remained approximately the same--38.