change was startling and immediate--and the
college boys liked it. Among the strict demands of the new instructor
was one that required every student when he appeared for drill to have
his boots well blacked. Not only must the toes of the boots appear well,
but every boy must see to it that the heels also received proper
attention. Perhaps Lieutenant Pershing was interpreting for the Nebraska
boys the familiar old proverb, "Black the heels of your boots."

The new professor speedily became popular, for no man is more unpopular
in a student body than the teacher who weakly condones their neglect or
too readily excuses their deficiencies. In spite of their protests to
the contrary, they like the strict work and the fair and exacting
teacher. And Pershing was liked--and liked more because he did not try
to secure the goodwill of his students.

The impression which the new instructor in military tactics made upon
the student body is well shown by the following statement of the
director of athletics in the University at that time, who naturally
cooperated with the official representative of the Government whose
influence over the college boys speedily became pronounced.

"He was the finest man I ever worked with," said
Best. "It is true he was mighty strict with his
work, but the results he got were so good that
everybody he worked with loved him for it. When he
was here we had a regiment the University could be
proud of. I just worshipped that man and everybody
around the University felt the same about him.

"Usually he was mighty dignified in his work, but
he had a way of getting next to the new men.

"The boys at the University got a surprise the
first time Pershing drilled them. It had been
their habit before this time to come to drill with
shoes blackened or not, just as they pleased. When
Pershing took hold the first thing he looked at
was to see that all shoes were well blackened and
that the heels looked as good as the toes. He was
just that thorough-going in everything all the
time."--From the _New York Times_.

An incident recently told by one of his students in the University of
Nebraska also is illustrative of the grip the drillmaster had upon the
student body.

When Lieutenant Pershing later was appointed to a new position in