The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-19
WAR HAS SERIOUSLY.
AFFECTED EDUCATION
Great Universities of Oxford and Cam
bridge are Reduced to Mere Shad-
ows of Former Extent, Each Hav-
ing About 500 Students.

ing ABOUT 800 students.
= London, Feb. l9-War has laid heav
r hand on education in Europe, and its e
fects are felt here not only in the con
Il plete arrangement of the present ed,
e cational system. but in the prospect {
far-reaching changes after the war. Tn
basis OF these prospective changes is tn
: undermining of education, making
more practical for coping with every -da
business affairs of life, after the Amer
can and German methods. This, in turI
! has precipitated heated controvers
, over whether the English school system
is to be "Germanized." Premier Lloy
Georges recent choice of Prof. Fisher
head of Sheffield university, as ministe
of education, was one of the steps to ge
a practical educator in charge of affair
while the changes were working out.
The present effect of the war on edu
cation is shown in the reduction of tn,
work of the great universities of Ok
ford and Cambridge to mere shadows o.
their former extent. Instead of having
about 1000 to 10000 students, they are
now reduced to the dimensions of small
schools, with about 500 each There is
the same reduction to mere shadows in
the extensive system of universities and
technical schools throughout the country
at London, Glasgow, Sheffield, Manches-
ter and all the great cities. All the able
bodied students have gone to war and
even those not able bodied are engaged
on research work in munitions, aero
nautics, aviation, wireless telegraphy
and map making for the government.
| The public schools have been similar
ly affected, particularly in the teaching
stats, about $4,000 school teachers hav-
ing been taken from the regular estab
lishments to join the army. The schol-
ars in the secondary schools have also
suffered marked losses, as the top-form
boys have fallen within the military age.
Even the elementary schools have felt
their share of the effects, in the loss of
teachers, the military occupation OF over
1000 schools as hospitals, barracks, etc;
the displacement of 10000 pupils by
this military occupation of schools the
taking in of $4,000 refugee Belgian chill
dren; and the substitution of women
for men as teachers. One school has a
woman teacher for the first time in six
ty years. Another large school has 81
women teachers.
Even the courses of study are mate
rally changed to a war basis. In one
locality there are courses on the west
ern front, the eastern front, the Bal
kans, the war in the air and naval oper
atoms. In another locality war loans, |
war taxes and similar subjects are dis |
cussed. Letters from relatives at the |
front and regularly read before the |
classes, and 95 per cent of the pupils !
have relations at the front. Much of |
the composition is on war subjects. Geog I
raphy of the countries at war has been /
greatly stimulated; also the history OF
the Balkan and other countries of which
little had been known. At one school
The boys have constructed sand map
20 by l3 feet, of Flanders, the Darda
lelles, and the Trentino front in Italy.
II is at the great universities, however,
hat the greatest change has occurred.
At Oxford, which il university group
ng Of % schools. Ballol has furnished
100 soldiers and has had 81 killed; Oriel
furnished $40, killed 81; Magdalen fur
lished 725. killed l06; Trinity furnished
80, killed Sc; Christ church furnished
.075, killed ll3; ST. Johns furnished
s., killed 50; University furnished 554,
Tiled So; Queens furnished 403, killed
p; Corpus Christi furnished 240, killed
4.
Cambridge shows the same large rep 1
at the front, and heavy death |
SITS. Up to the beginning of this year
ambridge had furnished l3,l3s men at
he front, of which 403 had been killed,
.945 wounded, 2l3 missing or prisoners.
ictoria crosses have gone to five Cam. !
ridge men and eight Oxford men; while
ANY other crosses, honors and foreign
have gone to the men of both 4
.
As result of the depletion of the
Universities, foreign students are about !,
i that remain. The Oxford cricket =
am, for instance. is made up of about
N Americans and two or three students
ON India. At Trinity only four British y
udents remain, these being exempt
ON service for one cause or another;
st. Johns nine; at Wadham five; and 4
milar depletion all along. The Ameri "
n Rhodes scholars 90 on as usual, how u
er, with little or no change in courses.
though the whole manner of college lie
e has changed. The academic uniform ri
8 given place to khaki, and undergrad. cl
ties attended courses and teachers give @,
,tures in khaki. Owing to the restrie il
ms on night lighting, some of the n
1ools have given up their traditional
ening services. The work people 8,
ound the universities also are all :,
anged, all the men servants having =,
ne to war, and women having taken " y,
Fir places for the first time, as bed "
kers and in the kitchens and butter al
Keble has introduced IL women. co
N athletics, for which the universities oy
re famous, there is practically com ha
tie suspension. Few of the colleges fu
re able to keep up football or hockey on
ms. Rowing has similarly been de-
rallied, and none of the famous old tn
hts could be kept together. BY com ha
ing, Magdalen, st. Johns, University
New College managed to ship two
r-oared crews, which have taken part ,
some local contests. Track teams have
n completely given up. About the Gu
Y outward evidence of athletics has IN
lal
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