Throughout the summer the university had been corresponding with the War Department in an effort to put the program in place. In fact Stanford had made military training mandatory as of 23 April 1918, so returning students already had classes in military theory and tactics in their resume. Those students over the age of twenty were to be inducted into the S.A.T.C. and treated as full time soldiers. Their room, board, tuition and uniforms were all paid for by the government and they were to receive a $30 per month salary. Stanford was to be reimbursed $1.498 per day per student to supply room, board and instruction.
Within days life for Stanford University, the Stanford SATC, the San Francisco Bay area, and beyond had changed.....Charles recounts "....the disease has made such inroads at Stanford that the whole place is under quarantine and all classes have ceased for the time being. When they took me out last night over 210 (total) had been sent to the hospital and about 30 cases in first stages were confined to quarters.
"The disease comes on very speedily....
"Overcoats and rifles were issued to us yesterday, but I was unable to get mine. The rifles are Russian models and awkward looking things with nasty little four edged bayonets on the end that undoubtedly were designed solely for use on the Germans..... 
This was the second round of Spanish Influenza. The first, in the spring of 1918, largely missed the US West Coast. The second and third did not. By the end of December over 23,000 cases had been reported in San Francisco with over 3000 deaths. The greater Bay area, including Stanford University had many more.
As the campus fought influenza, students were brought to hospital tents to isolate them from those who were not yet infected. And life went on. On Oct 10 Charles notes, "....bands singing and little children playing happily in the gardens on the campus one can scarce believe that only half a mile distant 40000 men are seriously intent on perfecting themselves in the art of killing and 2500 boys are training to lead them to the front in the classrooms hidden away under the warm red tiles peacefully giving forth their soft warmth of color among the oaks and pines of the campus...." he goes on to talk about the house where " The university will have a big bill when this house is finally vacated. Never have I seen such destruction in all my life there are seventy five men in the house and between their boots and seventy five army cots the hard wood floors are ruined. Every room has had plaster mared & dishes silverware etc are disappearing from breakage and souvenir fiends so fast that we can't keep track. I caught one man setting on the Piano yesterday. Oh! it makes my blood boil. Our little white enamal guest room is so badly damaged it will have to be done over & some furniture refinished. All this in one week....."
Charles was referring to Camp Fremont when he mentioned 40000 men. Between 1917 and 1919 over 43,000 men were trained in the camp which was located in the tiny town of Menlo Park, population 2300. Charles exaggerated a bit as he claimed 40000 men, the highest population over the 18 months of it's existence was about 27,000. But a teaming mini-city it was. After the war thousands of soldiers were naturalized as they left the service.
One last quote from Charles.... "What a cartoon one might make of the campus now. I wish I had a few moments to put some of my impressions on paper. .... even coeds must wear gauze masks at classes.....in addition to all I have named we have K.P. to do, have to sweep our rooms, make beds, sweep halls, attend evening assemblies or lectures twice or three times a week and do any special thing for which we may be detailed by the Sergt. We are also supposed by practice during spare time to perfect ourselves individually in the 'execution of commands positions of the soldier, manual of arms' etc to quote from orders."
Thank goodness for Charles, he gave a face to both Stanford and the Student Army Training Corps at the time Frank was there. His letters have many cartoon drawings that depict life in in the SATC.
My Dad did not remember his father ever talking about his experiences at Stanford or his WWI service. Was he infected with Spanish Influenza? It seems unlikely, his often delicate health would have made that more traumatic.
The Stanford Daily, Volume 54, Number 17, 6 November 1918
Student records have not been found for Francis Martin Madden at this time. The Alumni Directory and Ten-year Book: 1891-20, Volume 3, states that Frank attended Stanford from 1915 to an unknown date. We know he was a Junior in 1918. In the commencement issue of the Daily Palo Alto, 16 June 1919 he is found on two lists. The first is a list of students and alumni who served in the military. The second is a list entitled Class Role Names Nineteeners. This appears to be
a list of those that matriculated in 1915 and should have been the class of 1919. Some are on the graduation list, but the war seems to have taken its toll on the class. Many Nineteeners did not graduate in June. Some are found on a lists of graduates for January and Apr 1920. I did not find Frank on either of those lists. I did not find a list of June 1920 graduates. The 1920 census taken 18 Jan 1920 says that he was in school on or after September 1 1919. At the time it was taken he was in Bay City.
 Ibid; 9 Oct 1918 Camp Fremont hospital - to Miss Rene Gray-Chowchilla, CA
 Ibid; 10 Oct 1918 Camp Fremont Hospital - to Miss Rene Gray-Chowchilla, CA
 Ibid; 23 Oct 1918 Stanford - to Miss Rene Gray-Chowchilla, CA
1917 - Intensive Drill to Start at Once
1918 - Student Camp to Open in June