Education: Mayhem in Medford

An appalling fact dawned recently on Principal Leonard Mayfield of the Med ford, Ore. high school — there had not been a single fist fight .among his 350 little gentlemen in a year. A husky old wrestler himself, Principal Mayfield realistically reflected that many of his boys would soon have to know how to kill other boys. By last week Medford High’s physical edu cation program had been radically revised. The new course, called “Personal Combat,” is ranger-style training in high school. Says Mayfield: “It’s gang-fighting, that’s what it is.”

Boys are taught how to creep and crawl, break arms, kill with bayonets and knives, gouge eyes, knee the enemy in the groin. They are warned at the start to expect bloody noses and black eyes — especially when teams tear into each other with no holds barred. They take their lessons in dirty fighting seriously.

“If they can lick themselves, “says their instructor, “they can lick the Germans and Japs. I don’t want any kid from Medford High School bellyaching, committing suicide or getting sent to the garbage detail when he goes into the Army.”