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The
City of Bangor, Maine, has the distinction of being the first City in
the United States to adopt military training in its public school
system. Bangor High School’s Junior Reserve Officers’
Training Corps is a direct outgrowth of the establishment of military
drill during the Civil War.
On
2 December 1861, City Mayor Isaiah Stetson and the Bangor City
Council directed the school committee to institute military drill in
the public school system.
The
report of the School Committee states: “Early in December,
upon the recommendation of his Honor the Major, the City Council
instructed the School Committee to introduce the military drill into
such public schools as might be deemed expedient. The concluded
to make the trail in the boys high and other select schools, and
invited Captain David Bugbee and Lieutenant N. S. Harlow and Sergeant
Henry McLaughlin to take charge of the matter. The former took
the high school – the latter two, the select. Two hours a
week, on Wednesday and Saturday forenoons, were devoted to drill, at
Gymnasium hall. The Committee is highly pleased with the
proficiency which has been made in both schools. The military
instructors have given their time gratuitously and are entitled to
the thanks of the City. The boys of the high school, and their
instructor, are so much interested in the matter that they propose
continuing their drill during the vacation.”
From
1862 until 1898 the unit was known as the Volunteer Drill Company,
and eventually wore a gray uniform of the militia type. The
boys furnished their own uniforms and equipment.
In
1898, at the outbreak of the war with Spain, interest in the military
training unit increased greatly. A larger unit was formed,
still at individual expense, known as the Bangor High School Cadet
Corps, uniformed in the then “Army Blur”. Similar units
were now being organized in other New England cities.
During
the First World War the Bangor unit furnished many officers and
non-commissioned for the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).
Congress authorized the formation of the present Reserve
Officers’ Training Corps, in high schools, military schools and
colleges through the National Defense Act of 1916, and in 1919 Bangor
High School was designated as one of the first Junior ROTC units.
Captain Walter D. McCord was designated as the first Professor
of Military Science and Tactics, and all expenses of uniform,
equipment and training, were assumed by the Federal Government. The
School Committee stipulated that, as a requirement to graduation,
each physically fit boy should take two years of ROTC, with a third
year being offered on a voluntary basis.
After
four years the War Department queried the City of Bangor as to their
desires on continuing the ROTC unit. A petition signed by 132
prominent Bangor citizens encouraged the School Committee to request
retention of the unit.
In
1957 the School Committee reduced the requirement for graduation to
include one year of ROTC. ROTC at Bangor High School then
became a three year program with one year required for graduation.
One-quarter credit was given for each year of military
training. Over the years there was a gradual shift of thinking
toward making ROTC a volunteer program for all three years. On
three separate occasions during the 1968-69 school years when this
matter was discussed at School Board meetings, the ROTC program was
soundly supported and enthusiastically endorsed by the Board.
During
the 1968-69 school year authorization for a Technical Track Program
was requested by the Senior Army Instructor and approved by
Department of the Army. Bangor High School now conducts both
the Academic and Technical Track Programs.
The
Bangor School Department Program of Studies Committee met on 23
November 1971 to discuss the matter of granting credit(s) to students
taking Junior ROTC courses at Bangor High School. The
discussion concluded with the following recommendation: “That
any student presently enrolled in ROTC (Military Science I, II, and
III) or has completed one or more years of ROTC will receive one (1)
Carnegie credit per year toward graduation”. This
recommendation was approved by the Bangor School Committee on 6
December 1971.
On
March 6, 1972, the Bangor School Committee voted to change the status
of ROTC at Bangor High School from mandatory to elective. This
change became effective on March 7. On Tuesday morning, March
7, the Principal made an announcement, to the effect that, any
sophomore boy, who so desired, could disenroll from the ROTC program
immediately. Only three (3) boys chose to drop ROTC from their
schedule.
The
JROTC program has continued at Bangor High School from 1972 until the
present as an elective. Credit is granted for each Leadership
Education Training (LET) level taken. The credit given is the
same as any other in the high school, with one credit earned for each
two semesters of study.
The
Bangor High School JROTC program was the only Army JROTC program in
the state through the early 1990s. The Army made an effort to
expand the JROTC program and added programs at Sacoppee Valley High
School, in southern Maine, and Nokomis and Hermon High Schools
in the early 1990s. Old Town is the newest school to be added
to the JROTC program in the area.
Since
9/11 fifty percent of the young guys and girls have served in the
Armed Forces, U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard and
Reserves. Numerous cadets receive ROTC scholarships to
universities and appointments to the Military Academies.
Current
instructors at Bangor High School are Army Instructor Master Sergeant
Bernice Dill who was hired in 2001, and Lieutenant Colonel Kevin
Harris the new Senior Army Instructor who replaced LTC Jackson
Kurtzman who retired after fifteen years of service in 2008.
Beginning in 2001, Bangor High School JROTC has won an astonishing ten straight
Northern New England Drill League and Northern New England Raider
League championships. These leagues compete throughout the New
England States against thirty different school programs.
This
year the program celebrates its 150th
Anniversary and the 75th
Military Ball, and wish to celebrate it with all generations of
Bangor High School JROTC program alumni.
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