Military Review English Edition May-June 2016 | Page 107

ROTC

adaptability of the Army ROTC program belies the
with the great body of the community.”7 The academic
notion that large organizations are prone to becoming
institution envisioned by Partridge would “reconcile
staid and hidebound.
the efficiency and discipline demanded by a regular
A comprehensive understanding of ROTC’s impact
army with the republican values and popular sentiment
on the American profession of arms begins with an
inherent in the militia system.”8 Most graduates would
examination of its origins. The antecedents of the Army
serve in the militia, and some in the regular army, thus
ROTC program may be found in events nearly a century improving the overall quality of the officer corps.
before then President Woodrow Wilson signed the
Partridge garnered national fame for his efforts to
National Defense Act of 1916.
transform the traditional college curriculum by making
The notion of providing
quality precommissioning military education on
American college campuses
is as old as the Nation itself.
In 1783, George Clinton, a
senior political leader and
then governor of New York,
advocated making military
education available at one
civilian college in each state
of the Union. Under Clinton’s
proposal, upon completion of
their studies, graduates would
be commissioned and serve
for a brief period on active
duty. Upon their return to
civilian life, these officers
(Photo courtesy of Norwich University)
would become the nucleus of
ROTC cadets from Norwich University conduct marksmanship training in 1938.
an expanded Army during
times of national emergency. Given the multiple comit more practical, scientific, and relevant to modern life.
peting priorities then facing the new nation, however, no
As ROTC’s subsequent history illustrates, the ongoing
substantive action was taken on Clinton’s proposal.5
effort to improve the curriculum for new officers has
remained at the forefront.
The Role of Alden Partridge
The Partridge educational model was fully in
No proper accounting of the origins of American
place at a number of academic institutions before the
collegiate military training is complete without recoutbreak of the American Civil War. University of
ognizing the pivotal role of Capt. Alden Partridge.
Virginia founder Thomas Jefferson required all stuIn 1819, Partridge, who served as U.S. Military
dents there to participate in military-oriented instrucAcademy superintendent, established the American
tion. Both the Virginia Military Institute and The
Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy in Norwich,
Citadel embraced his concept. Indiana University and
6
Vermont. That institution, known today as Norwich
the University of Tennessee had established compulsoUniversity, is widely recognized as the birthplace of the
ry military training by 1840.9
ROTC program and the citizen-soldier.
Under the concept of the citizen-soldier, men were
The Land Grant College Act of 1862
to be trained on campus for future service as military
Partridge’s pioneering approach contributed to the
leaders. Under the Partridge model, such officers would concepts embodied in the Land Grant College Act of
be “identified in views, in feelings, and in interests,
1862, also known as the Morrill Act.10 Introduced by
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