The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-03-02
FOES START SCHOOL
German Soldiers Teach Children
in Poland.
Lieutenant Hellwig Writes Of interest
ing Experience--Remarkable Prog
a.. ress Made by Pupils After
Discipline Is Established.


.Berlih.-Lieutenant Hellwig, who
was a ,schoolteacher in Nassau before
the war broke out, writes to the Allge-
meines Schulblatt. an educational
monthly published at Wiesbaden:
We are stationed in a small town
east Of Warsaw and have very little
to do, as we are far behind our front.
Recently received orders to organize
a school for the children OF the town
After several conferences with the To-
cal authorities ! started my work, US
ing the vacant residence of wealthy
lumber dealer who had fed to the in
terror Of Russia for a schoolhouse. In
. storage house / found number of
benches, which formerly had done
duty in a Jewish private school, and
also procured a blackboard and a
few other necessary things.
The children of the town, most of
whom, never. had been inside of a
schoolhouse, were notified by the po-
lice that they would have to present
themselves for instruction. About two
hundred boys and girls between the
ages OF six and fourteen years ap-
peared and they were sorry looking
lot.
With dirty faces and unkempt hair
the boys noisily rushed into my i'm
provised hall of learning. Most of
them wore fur caps that had been left
behind by Cossacks and their princi-
pal garments were large, fur coats.
Although the ground was frozen
many Of the boys wore no shoes, while
the footwear of the others consisted
OF old knee boots that once belonged
to father or mother
THE girls, at least few of them,
were not quite SO dirty, Some even
had combed their hair, but their dress
consisted Of all kinds of old, CASTOR
garments of adults and only a few
wore stockings. Only the Jewish girls
were really tidy and their intelligent
faces and neat appearance distin-
guished them favorably from the rest
of the crowd.
ut was almost impossible to keep
the children quiet, but l finally sue
ceeded in getting their attention and
started to divide them into classes
with the aid of sergeant who speaks
Polish. Most of the Jewish children
at least some German and
| organized them into a special class
WHICH ! am instructing myself. About
forty Polish and Russian boys and
girls who have received some instruc-
ton in private schools were taken N
charge by Lieutenant Harbeck, who is
trying to educate them with the help
of our Polish-speaking sergeant.
THE rest of the children, about one
were turned over to Polish
woman teacher who has been engaged
by US. These youngsters have prac-
tically grown up wild and they can
only be given kindergarten instruction |
at present, although many of them are |
twelve and fourteen years old. In a |
few months, after a little discipline |
has been drilled into them, we will |
leach them to read and write.
with the results obtained so far | |
am more than satisfied. The Jewish
children are model pupils and make
astonishing progress. Many of the
Polish and Russian boys are also be-
to show great interest in their
studies and they are now learning to
Keep themselves clean. Not one of
hem comes to school unwashed or
lnkempt, and all are very much at
ached 20 their teacher. By next sum-
ner ] Enpe to have an excellent school
{ am not ordered to the front again."