Tenn. Town Finds New Well For Recruits

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Some Tennessee Tech University students are getting their tuition paid by the Cookeville Fire Department.

The department has recruited ten students as firefighters.

They work a 24-hour shift every third day -- minus the hours they're in classes.

The city reimburses them for tuition and gives them 150 dollars for books. Student firefighters must have a 2-point-oh grade point average in their first two years -- two point-five, beginning with their junior year.

They also must take an eight-week basic firefighter school during the summer at the state fire academy.

The program costs the city about eight-thousand dollars per student firefighter.

The university immediately endorsed the program after Fire Chief Gene Schmid received approval from the City Council earlier this year.