A Report on the Feasibility and Advisability of Some Policy to Inaugurate a System of Rifle Practice Throughout the Public Schools of the Country

A Report on the Feasibility and Advisability of Some Policy to Inaugurate a System of Rifle Practice Throughout the Public Schools of the Country (in Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 021 ) NATIONAL BOARD FOR THE PROMOTION OF RIFLE PRACTICE. In pursuance of the resolution of the board requesting the late Gen. L. M. Oppenheimer, of Texas (who died since the last meeting of the board, and whose death is deplored), and the undersigned to report "on the feasibility and advisability of some policy to inaugurate a system of rifle practice throughout the public schools of the country," we respectfully For many years attempts have been made to inaugurate a system of military instruction in the public schools of the country. As a rule, these have not proved successful. In a few private military schools situated in the country some target practice is conducted, but the difficulty of carrying on anything of the kind in the public schools has rendered it impracticable. The matter, however, has recently been introduced in the public schools of the city of New York, and the success which has been attained there has demonstrated the feasibility and advisability of introducing rifle practice in the public schools among the boys over the age of 13 years. The schools of the different States are organized upon many different methods. The educational authorities not unnaturally are jealous of their prerogatives. No outside organization could well introduce a new subject of instruction in the schools without seriously interfering with the educational routine. Consequently, however desirable it may be that the pupils attending these schools should be taught to shoot, such instruction can only be secured by the voluntary action of the school authorities and with their h