American Notes TENNESSEE

"Expect the unexpected," Principal Winston Davis warned the 700 students in Knoxville's Fulton High School auditorium last week. As the assembly settled into an eye-glazing film on the high school's construction, six warriors in camouflage gear suddenly mounted a platform near the stage and began firing their M-16s. The youngsters screamed and scrambled for cover. But the gunplay ended almost immediately, and Sergeant Major Bob Gregory of the Tennessee Army National Guard informed the students that the soldiers were shooting blanks. "This was just a scenario," said he. "It's not for real."

The little demonstration, which the Guard had staged in at least 15 schools since November, was intended to make the pupils realize what could happen if they did not live in a free country. After a brief speech by Gregory, the kids were asked to raise their fists and shout "Hurrah!" if they loved America. Many did so with fervor. But parents criticized the use of weapons to promote patriotism, and the Guard retreated. Further mock raids have been canceled.