Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-23
SCHOOLS ARE ORGANIZED
FOR POLISH CHILDREN
German Lieutenant Writes OF lIIs tc-
ti>itics in Sunn Town East
at NnrSuM.

Especial Cable 10 III" Times oispa;ch |
BERLIN January % lieutenant
iicllwi.:. who was Il school teacher in
writes, - the "Allgcmcincs Schulblatt."
IN cducatioma! monthly published at
Wicsbadcn:
We arc stationed in small town
east - Warsaw and have very little
10 do. rs are lar behind our front.
Recently received orders 10 organize
:; school for the children ot the town.
After several conferences with the To-
cal authorities I started my work, us
in. the vacant residence Of a wealthy
lumber dealer who had fed to the in
terror of Russia. for Il Schoolnousc. In
y stor:,." hous. found Il humble" Of
benches. which formerly had done duty
In :: Jewish private school. aud | also
procured = blackboard and a few other
necessary things
The children 81 the town. MOST OF
whom never had been inside of Il school
house. were notified by the police that
they would have IL present themselves
for instruction. about 200 hoNs and
girls nctwren the ages Of SIN and four
teen years, appeared and they were Il
sorry lookin. lot.
with dirty faces aud unk"mpt hair
the boys noisily rushed into my an
proviScd hall III learning. Mos, Of
them wore fur caps that had been left
behind by tossacks and their principal
garments we're large fur coats.
although til. ground Vas frozen
in.tllN al the boys wore no *hocs.. while
the footwear at the others consisted of
old i>ucs boots that once hc!pu@cd 10
father or mother
''ihe girls q; least = !cw Of them.
were not quito :" dirty. Some even
had rouhcd their hair. hut their dress
consisted OF all Kinds Of old. east of
garments al adults ami only few
wor. stockings only the Jewish Girls
we're really tidy, and their Intelligent
faces and neat appearance distinguish ell
them favorahly from the r"st "t the
crowd.
1T WAS almost impossible 10 keep
the children quiet. but finally sue
cccdca in getting their attention and
started to divide them into classes with
the aid Of !, sergeant, who speaks
Polish. Most OF the Jewish children
understood a, least some German. and
| organized them into special class
which am iu3tructinr myself About
forty Polish uud Russian boys and
girls who have received some instruc-
ton in private schools. were taken iii
charge by Lieutenant iiarbeck who is
trying I" educate them with the help
OF our Polish speaking sergeant.
THE rest Of the children. about
100 were turned over to Polish
woman teacher. who has been cugae.
cd Ivy uS. These youngsters have prac
t;cally grown NJ Wild and they can
only bc given kiudcrcarten instruction
~ present. although many nj them arc
twelve and fourteen years old In a
few months. attic" little discipline
has been drilled int" them. We viii
teach them TO read and write
with tho results obtained SO far
| am more than satisfied. The Jewish
children arc model pupils aud mako
astonishing. progress. Many Of th1
Polish ana Russian boys arc also be
ginning to show greet interest III their
studies. aud they arc nov learning to
keep themselves clean. Not ono 81
them comes To school unwash"d or an
kcmp'. and al are worry much attached
y" their ioa"hcr t;y next summer I
hope Ia have an excellent school il
am not ordered - tho front again