ROTC to Discontinue Artillery Branch Here

The Army will convert its ROTC unit here from Artillery to General Military Science next June, it was learned yesterday. This will mark the first time in the ROTC's 37-year old history that there has been no Artillery unit at the College.

General Military Science is a non-specialized branch of the ROTC which does not prepare the cadet for any particular division of the Army. Upon receiving his commission, the ROTC graduate is sent to a specialized training school.

The seniors in the College unit will not be affected by the change, for they will graduate in June as artillery officers in the Army Reserve. But beginning with the Class of 1957, cadets will be assigned to whatever branch the Army decides. The Pentagon will be guided to a certain extent, however, by the individual's personal request.

"There is a good chance these students will be able to become artillery officers anyway," Col. Trevor N. Dupuy, professor of Military Science and Tactics, said yesterday. "There is a great need for men in artillery, since it is the fastest expanding branch in the Army."

Previous Agreement

It is understood that this action was part of an agreement made between the Army and Harvard last summer, when the Army allowed the College to alter its ROTC curriculum. These course changes will not be affected by yesterday's announcement.

The Army has urged all colleges with specialized units to the General branch, and aid the Army administratively. Under the program of specialized units, the Army often had more officers in one branch than it could use, and less in others.

Last year, Yale switched from Artillery to the General branch, and it is reported that Princeton is contemplating a similar change.

When ROTC was offered to private colleges in 1919, President A. Lawrence Lowell requested an Artillery unit because he wanted Harvard to have a "combat branch." Dupuy is the 14th professor of Military Science and Tactics to head the unit here.