Thursday, October 1, 1942
DAILY NEBRASKAN
5
Nebraska Pershing Rifle Company
Begins Fifty-First Year on Campus
BY BOB MILLER.
With an, inauspicious beginning
back in 1892 Nebraska's Pershing
Rifle company began a national
movement which now embraces
some 29 companies throughout
the entire nation.
A new school year begins and
interest once again focuses itself
upon the local company. Designed
to be an example for the remain
der of the basic cadet corps,
Pershing Rifles devotes much of
its time to intensive foot drill and
military courtesies.
Call for Frosh.
Every fall there is a call for
freshmen basics to try out for the
company. At the completion of
tryouts, the active chapter picks
the pledge class to carry on the
tradition. Any freshman, no mat
ter what branch of ROTC he is in,
may try.
In an attempt to gain recogni
tion and precision with a small
drill unit, Lt. John J. Pershing in
1892 set the foundation stones for
the now famous organization. In
his mind there was a certain
standard of drilling he desired and
to realize this standard he picked
out 40 of the most proficient sol
diers in the regiment at Nebraska.
Acted as Example.
Those 40 formed a crack drill
unit and acted as an example for
the rest of the regiment.
The following year was one
which saw national recognition
come to the infant organization as
the company entered the Maiden
Drill competition. With a master
ful flourish the group annexed
first place in this contest. The ex-
hibition was of such a nature that
some of the citizenry of Omaha
contributed to a fund for a cup
to be presented to the winning
company. $1,500 was another prize
that resulted from this.
Pershing Leaves.
In 1895 Lt. Pershing was trans
ferred from Nebraska and 'in re
spect the group then known as
the "Varsity Rifles" voted to
change the name to "Pershing
Rifles."
It was from that small group
that th basis for the large na
tional organization was moulded.
In 1905 the Nebraska organization
received photos of the National
Military Academy at West Point
sent by the academy's commander.
To Second Best.
An inscription on these stated,
"From the best drilled cadet corps
in the United States to the second
best."
By the middle of the century
after the world war and the part
which Gen. Pershing played in the
national fight, the Rifles had
achieved prominence and a corps
was on nearly every campus spon
soring ROTC. In 1929 a national
assembly met and chose Lincoln
and the University of Nebraska as
the national headquarters.
Has Colonel's Rank.
The National Commander was
given the rank of Colonel and each
regimental commander was a
Lieutenant-Colonel. The former as
custom has dictated has always
been a Nebraskan. Fred Voigt
held the rank last year.
. As for the organization on the
Husker campus, the situation is
well in hand. Under the watchful
eye of Francis Cox, company com
mander, the plans for this year
are being formulated. There will
be tryouts next week for prospec
tive Riflemen and then an entire
year of intense drilling, social
events, outside competition and
training is on tap.
Sponsor Military Ball.
One of the achievements of the
Pershing Rifles that has been re
corded in the history of books was
the sponsoring of the Military
Ball, annual social extravaganza.
Although the military department
took the sponsorship over some
time ago, one trace of the Rifle
influence is the crack squad drill
which efatures every ball.
All members of the crack squad
are picked from the company as a
whole and then begins a period of
training on manual of arms that
makes the crack squad member
as agile with a rifle as it he had
none at all.
March in Parades.
In addition the entire company
marches during all parades and
ceremonies as a body behind the
band. There are several compets
each year both in the company
and in the regiment that help to
keep interest on a high plane
throughout the season.
Significant of active standing in
the organization are the blue and
white fourrageres or cords worn
on the left shoulder. All pledges
are entitled to wear p. blue and
white pledge ribbon over the left
pocket until they are initiated.
Entering its 51st year of activ
ity on the Nebraska campus,
Pershing Rifles has a record be
hind it of which it can be justly
proud.
On Second Floor . . .
Library Shows Photographs
Of Once Famous Gibson Girl
Idol of American Women
Second floor of the UN library
is the scene of the newest exhibit
on campus, one showing illustra
tions by Charles Dana Gibson.
Miss Phyflis Bull, a new libra
rian this year, prepared the ex
hibit of the famous inventor of the
Gibson girl. Also on display are
photos of Gibson's illustrations
and a biography of his life.
The Gibson girl was the idol of
American women in the early part
of this century. The feminine
population wore their hair and
dressed to the style set by Mr. Gib
son. The famous illustrator has
received much publicity lately due
to an exhibition of his paintings,
being held in the Cincinnati are
museum at the present time.
Tassels Note ...
Tassels contrary to previous
Information wil not be able to
pick up tickets for the Annual
homecoming dance today ac
cording to Jack Hogan, in
charge of tickets. An announce
ment will be made in the Daily
as to the date upon which the
tickets can be procured.
2 Great Shows
Sun., Oct. 4
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TTUKMRDKE
Society...
1
BY MARY LOUISE GOODWIN.
At both the DU house party and
the Turnpike Saturday night will
be Theta Ann Hastings and Kappa
Pledge Marcia Craft with Fijis
Bill Long and Norrie Anderson,
respectively. Sunday evening Nor
rie will take in Ted Lewis with
'Corky" York, Theta . . . The Phi
Psi house is keeping the already
busy Delta Gamma phone busier
and all on account of Pledge Dor
othy Thornberg . . . Helen Good
win and Bill McBride is another
Theta-Beta combination that will
be doing the campus this week
end. A really good deal we'd say.
Definitely off is the steady deal
of last semester between Beta Bill
Flansburg and Addy Kloepper of
the Dorm . . . "Sadie Hawkens,
Alpha Phi pledge, must have real
ly enjoyed the "coke" she and
Kappa Sig, Bill Palmer had the
other afternoon. They're follow
ing it up with a big date Friday
night.
Friday may be a closed night
on the campus, but Saturday night
will open it up again with a bang,
with hour dances, the DU house
party and the Beta hayride . ,
And speaking of the DU party
which is, incidentally, the first one
this season, we might say that the
boys out that way are really go
Ing all out for patriotism, using
flags of all the United Nations for
decoration and selling defense
stamp' corsages . . . Pat Hunting,
Triple Delt, will be there with
Bob Ferguson, and Fred Alex
ander will squire June Schaile . .
Mary Waters of the Dorm is tak
ing it in with Leonard Finnigan
while Alpha Phi pledge, Lorraine
Rabe does her Saturday night
dancing with John Drummond.
They're Dating.
Might add Pat Beedle, Chi O
and Bob Garrison to your frequent
dating list, as well as FH Inno
cent Randy Pratt and Theta
"Cocky" Cochran, who may be
seen consuming "coke" in the Crib
most any afternoon . . . Another
Theta-Beta deal that seems to be
on the fire at the present is the
one between Bill Seibolt and
pledge, Jo Bohrer.
The Kappa Sigs smoked cigar
last Monday night from Bob Og
den who was married this summer
to Kappa Delta June Morrison
Also smoking cigars Monday, wer
the Sig Eps . .1. donner Bob Den
nis, whose pin is on Penny Hen
derson of Howard Hall.
Girls at the Dorm enjoyed
sweets furnished by Barbara Bald
win, who passed them in honor
of the new diamond which spar
kles on her third finger left hand
a gift from Jack Henway . . .
No joke is the pin hanging of Bob
Butz Phi Gam. Lucky girl is
Jeanne Hofacre, Gamma Phi of
last year.
Former Chi O Engaged
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Courtesy Lincoln Journal.
Mr. and Mrs. George A. Gray of Coleridge announce the engagement
of their daughter, Amy, to Myron O. Ravenscroft. Both Miss Gray
and her fiance are graduates of the University of Nebraska. She
was a member of Chi Omega and of Delta Phi Delta. Mr. Ravens
croft is now employed in the American Rolling Mills company of
Ashland, Ky.
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