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Any resemblance between "Anchors Aweigh," N. T. S. version, and the Glee Club rendition of a Bach chorale may be purely coincidental, but the trainees get plenty of volume to their singing to make up for harmonic discrepancies.
This singing of the trainees had its beginning last November, when the men used to break into song spontaneously, on hikes. Since the beginning of March, however, organization has been the order, and the vocal renderings of the marchers has come under the jurisdiction of the School.
Beer Barrel
Now, in order to keep up their morale and to keep in step, the men sing on any march long enough to permit the completion of a piece. A trip to the Union for dinner or a march to one of the labs can be the occasion for a rendition of "Beer Barrel Polka."
Beginning back on March 1, song sheets with the words to "Anchors Aweigh," "The Marine Hymn," "Don't Give Up the Ship," "Pack Up Your Troubles," "Here Comes the Navy," "The Caissons Go Rolling Along," and "The Army Air Corps Song" were passed out to an all the men and will also be distributed to all the new trainees as they arrive.
Week to Learn
The men are given a week to learn the words, although, according to Ensign H, Marshall Hansen, Regimental Officer, no punishments have as yet been meted out for a failure to do so. When the weather gets a bit warmer, he said, offenders will be given a ducking in the Charles.
Hansen thought the men seemed to enjoy the idea, since by their singing, they can regulate the pace at which they want to march, whereas, when the loud speaker is used, they have to follow the tempo of the music played.
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