Col. Hans C. Minuth is leading Evanston Township High school s

m i I i tary train- ing corps in its struggle to re- gain a strong enrollment. Be- fore World War II the Evanston u n i t numbered

more than 300 cadets. Now less thau 90 students are partici p a t- ing.

Minuth, a re-

Col. Minuth

tired army officer who resides In Oak Park, was named comman- dant of the corps last June by Dr. Lloyd Michael, school super- intendent-principal. An authority on high school military instruc- tion, Minuth was instructor of military science and tactics for Chicago public schools from Sept. 19, 1945, to March 1, 1950.

Minuth's long military career began in 1909 when he enlisted in the field artillery of the New York national guard. I-le was called into federal service in 1916 to serve at the Mexican border.

Alany Decorations

In World War I Minuth saw ac- tion in France. In the last war he was commandant at Camp Grant, near Rockford. He has the silver star, Purple Heart, the Belgian croix de guerre with palm, the Mexican border service, and occu- pation of Germany medals. He belongs to the Military Order of the World Wars, Veterans of For- eign Wars, and the Union League club:

The colonel hopes to build up his unit thru a recruiting pro- gram. He is training a crack drill

squad which will perform before| grade school assemblies, club groups, and at football games to interest future high school stu- dents in the advantages of military training.

Minuth pointed out that are problems connected with in- teresting young people in the par- ticular kind of unit at Evanston High school. Because it is a sec-

tion 55-C unit organized under the national defense act, cadets have to buy their own uniforms.

Cost of Training

"Some parents and students aren't very interested in military training when they learn a uni- form costs $70," said Minuth.

Section 55-C units differ from R. 0. T. C. outfits in that regular army officers are not assigned to the staff and uniforms and other equipment are not supplied by the defense department.

Cadets at Evanston receive basic military training as well as phys- ical instruction. At a .22 caliber range in the school basement they learn small arms firing. There is an annual federal Inspection.

Orlglnal Unit Numbered 150

The corps was organized In World War I at the old Boltwood High school in Dempster st. with 150 boys taking part. For a short period after that war the unit be- came a military and naval train- ing corps.

When the new Evanston High school was built at Church st. and Dodge av. in 1924, the organiza- tion became the military training corps. It met after school as a club two afternoons a week. Lt. Paul W. Jones became Its head In 1926 and the following year mili- tary training was given as a reg- ular high school course. In 1928, after a federal inspection, the unit was given federal recognition.

Because of a disability incurred in World War II, Jones, then a major, could not return as com- mander of the corps. Capt. Wes- ley Waterhouse, reserve army of- ficer, served for a. short period until he was recalled to active duty. Minuth succeeded Vosse Lewis, who served for a short time before leaving the faculty to take another position.

Hans C Minuth