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What role did schools play in the military training of students and staff?
What role did schools play in the military training of students and staff?
Learning intention – We are practising critical thinking when analysing sources.
Success criteria – We can state and justify one or more inferences drawn from our research.
Junior Cadet training
Junior Cadet training
From July 1911 all boys and men aged 12 to 25 years were required by the Defence Act 1903-1915 to undertake military training. The scheme operated until November 1929, with Junior Cadets ceasing in July 1922.
Junior Cadets, boys aged 12 to 14, undertook compulsory military training at school, taught by school teachers. The training was 90 hours per year. At school, compulsory physical training had to be undertaken for a minimum of 15 minutes daily. All girls and boys at school usually participated in this.
Boys aged 15 to 17 were required to register as Senior Cadets and men aged 18 to 25 registered for the Citizen Military Force. They undertook twice weekly military training and fines and military imprisonment were imposed for bad conduct or ‘drill shirking’.
Regulations for Junior Cadets
Regulations for Junior Cadets
'The prescribed training for Junior Cadets shall be as follows:
Physical training ...
Marching drill ...
and the attainment of a certain standard of efficiency in at least one of the following subjects:
Miniature rifle shooting
Swimming
Running exercises in organised games
First aid
Mariner’s compass and elementary signalling (...in Naval Training areas only).'
Junior Cadet Training Text Book, 1916, p.5
Physical training
Physical training
The purpose of physical training was to create stronger and healthier bodies in children. It was also to aid the development of the brain and character, therefore providing a physical effect and a mental and moral effect.
Teachers were instructed to provide interesting and enjoyable physical training lessons delivered in a cheerful yet firm manner. It was suggested that a short game be included in each lesson which could be drawn from the Organised Games chapter of the Junior Cadet Training Textbook.
The sequence of exercises was to be learnt by the teacher so that the lesson could be delivered efficiently and with confidence .
Ranks
Ranks
For physical exercises the class had to be formed in two ranks. Students were commanded to ‘right - dress’ to straighten their lines which were then opened out with the command ‘open ranks’ to create space for exercises.
Commands
Commands
Commands consisted of two parts:
the explanation – ‘arms upward’
the executive – ‘stretch’.
They were written as ‘Arms upward - stretch’.
Tables of exercises listing the commands were provided for teachers to follow. There was some scope for teachers to modify the tables or to create their own sequence.
Opening the class for physical exercises. Junior Cadet Training Text Book, 1916. p.68
‘Attention’ position. Junior Cadet Training Text Book, 1916. p. 36
'Exercises ... also have the effect ... of developing in the children a cheerful and joyous spirit, together with the qualities of alertness, decision, concentration, and perfect control of brain over body.'
Junior Cadet Training Text Book, 1916, p.11
Organised games
Organised games
Organised games included:
running games such as Cat and Mouse and Fox and Geese
jumping games such as Leap Frog
contest games such as Four-Cornered Tug
ball games such as Tower Ball and Tunnel Ball
miscellaneous games such as Nine Pins.
The purpose of the games was to add variety to physical training lessons, provide enjoyment and instil a love of healthy playing. The moral benefits were co-operation, team work, using initiative and also obedience. Games were to be played outdoors where possible.
Heads and Tails
Heads and Tails
'Three parallel lines, a centre, and two home lines, are drawn on the ground 10 to 40 paces apart...
The instructor then tosses up a coin, if it comes down head, he calls that out, and the heads run forward to their home line, chased by the tails, who try to touch them before they cross their home line.
Those who are caught place themselves outside their opponent’s home line.'
Junior Cadet Training Text Book, 1916, p.262
Marching drill
Marching drill
Squad drill and marching drill were compulsory for Junior Cadets and training had to be in strict accordance with the instructions in the Junior Cadet Training Text Book.
In teaching marching, a drum and pace stick were required. The drum beat the time and the pace stick corrected the length of pace. Slow time, quick time and double time marching was taught with prescribed pace length and paces per minute.
The prescribed standard for Marching Drill after the first year was ‘a good average of accuracy in all exercises laid down’ (p. 169, Junior Cadet Training Text Book).
Military officers visited schools to assess Junior Cadets in each area of Junior Cadet Training.
Forming Fours in Squad DrillJunior Cadet Training Text Book, 1916. p.186
Teacher training
Teacher training
Teachers could undertake special instruction in how to train Junior Cadets by attending a 16 day training camp. They trained 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 1.00pm Saturday with an examination at the end.
Male teachers could hold rank within the Junior Cadet scheme as teacher-officers.
An emotional moment occurred at the end of the Kempsey School of Instruction in August 1915 when one teacher stated his intention to enlist for the war front and six others then arose and stood beside him.
Kempsey School of Instruction in Junior Cadet Training
Kempsey School of Instruction in Junior Cadet Training
'Twenty-nine teachers were present ... Five subjects were taken, viz, physical training, squad drill, miniature rifle-shooting, organised games, and first aid...
At a farewell social to Captain Cooke-Russell one teacher signified his intention of leaving for the front, and when he asked for companions among the teachers present, six others arose and stood by him amid much applause.'
Kempsey School of Instruction in Junior Cadet Training. The Education Gazette, 1 Nov 1915, p.305
Kempsey School of Instruction in Junior Cadet Training - teacher participants and instructors. The Education Gazette, 1 Nov 1915, p.306
Marching and signalling
Marching and signalling
View original film footage of trainees at an engineers training camp at Moore Park, Sydney. Skip to:
00:00–02.00 for cadets marching
05:00–06:30 for semaphore flag signalling.
'In the case of any school where the training is not being carried out to the satisfaction of the District Commandant ... the Military Board may order that the Junior Cadets of such school shall attend for training for the remainder of the current year under military instructors as prescribed by Regulation 13 for Junior Cadets who are not attending schools.”'
The Education Gazette, 2 December 1918, p.312
Questions
Questions
What surprised you about the requirements or contents of military training for school boys?
Why do think such strict rigour was required in forming ranks and marching?
Why was particular attention paid to issuing correct commands?
Why was the Kempsey School of Instruction recounted in the The Education Gazette, the journal for teachers?
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