July 10, 1917

Chancellor Avery returned last night from Fort Snelling where he spent part of Saturday and Sunday. The official business connected with his trip was to consult with Captain Parker and other officials in regard to military instruction at the University next fall especially seeking information to get in touch with some officer to replace Captian Parker who will probably not be peritted to return to his detail at the University on account of the war. The other reason for his going was to visit with the Nebraska boys and get in touch with conditions in camp. He was especially anxious to do this as he has written and is still writing dozens of letters for Nebraskans who wish to go to the various training camps. Dr. Avery reports that he found all Nebraskans well and intensely interested in their work. At the moment two thoughts were occupying their minds namely whether the inoculation for para-typhoid that they got Saturday noon was going to spoil their weekly holiday and second whether five weeks from now they were to receive their commissions. Most of the young men had no serious physical effects from the para-typhoid inoculation and they were exceedingly hopeful in regard to their commissions owing to the fact that so far as could be ascertained only one person who had ever attended the University of Nebraska had been dropped from the camp. This student had sometime ago attended one of the professional colleges of the University where military training is not required and hence could not be called a typical U of N man. Minnesota is also making a good showing in the work of the students but from some of the other states there had been a very marked weeding out. Nebraskans were little at a loss to explain the excellent showing that the state is making. Probably the fact that we have a strong central institution instead of divided institutions like some of the neighboring states is one factor. The fact that since the times of Colonel Dudley, and Lieutenant now General Pershing there has been a strong military spirit is another. That the University has been under the control of a single Board of Regents not susceptible to political influences and consequently have been in a position to back the faculty in presenting sound and fundamental courses of study is another reason. Finally the fact that the University of Nebraska still has in spite of certain modern tendencies a large number of old fashioned teachers who still believe that the business of the teacher is to teach and the student is to study had much to do with the excellent showing. At any rate the conditions found were gratifying. No one of course knows what will happen in the final sifting but the general consensus of opinion on the part of army officers is that the government has already done most of