The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-09
MAKES MEN or MENTALITY
Variety of Pursuits Stimulates Intellec.
tual Activity Soldiers Have Be
come Students of French and
Voracious Readers.

first rule of life at Camp Douglas, if
recent reports are real index to its
activities. Realizing that there are
other things in war besides marching,
trench-digging and grenade throwing,
the officials at the Wisconsin training
school are attempting to give in
struction along all lines that might
In any way be useful in modern
military service. The Sammies, for
their part, are accepting the new knoWl-
edge with an eagerness and persistency
that will make them better soldiers
during the continuation Of the war and
better civilians VIXEN "peace with vic
tory has restored them to the hap
pier pursuits of normal life.
Among other things the volunteers
who are soon to go to France are now
taking lessons in the French language
iii order; that they may adjust themsel-
YES to conditions at the front as soon
as possible. Their instruction is of
the best AS is evidenced by the fact
that they are studying under no less an
authority than r. F. Silvercruys of the
department of romance languages in
the state university. The professor re-
ports that the soldiers are progressing
finely and that he expects to have Civ
en- them ? working vocabulary of
French expressions by the time they
will leave Camp Douglas for "Some-
where in France
Officers are instructed at 1880 a.
m. and in the afternoon the guardsmen
come in for their daily lesson. The
school enrolment has reached 225, rep
resenting sixteen nationalities, and is
growing. Every battery has class, the
Belgians in Batteries E and B being
the star pupils. Not few Germans
are among the students.
The men have learned to say "Bon-
jour Madame" (How do you do, ma
dame), "Ou est lie marchland de la
bac?" (where is the tobacco store?)
"Par lei, Mademoisel1e" (This way, my
LADY,, "Avezvous du feu?" (Have you
got a matchg
"Where is the doctor?n ct want q
pair of socks, - Waiter bring me the
bill, "Where is the postoffice
"When does the next train leave?"
These and other every day expressions
the guardsmen have learned in French.
We make no attempt to instruct in
French grammar" said Mr.. Silver
cruys. "We are giving the men
knowledge Of simple, commonplace, ev-
eryday things, and this will help them
among their new friends. They will
pick up rapidly when they reach the
other side because the American SOL
der is bright and quick to learn.
"The men are l1eenly interested, and
make excellent pupils. find that aft
err school they have dress rehearsal.
They review the ground covered and
are very earnest about it. Tn groups
on the company streets you will find
men carrying on part of their CONVEX
sation in French. The more proficient
they become in it, the more efficient
soldiers they will be, and the more they
will get out of their great adventure. :"
The mental drill secured in this
training is admirable and has stimu-
lated activity along intellectual lines in
still another direction. The Sammies
are becoming avarieious readers. After
digging they throng the "Y" tent
and spend the evening porting over
books and magazines. No, they do not
read them intensively ,analyze them,
and write literary criticisms of the au-
thor's style but they read them well
enough to get the story and that is
sufficient to give them the mental re
taxation needed by men living con-
stantly in the tremendous strain of
war.
Generous citizens contribute books,
but the reading matter is not always
well chosen. What the soldiers need
and like is the literary opium" Hugh
Drifting asked for in his letters" books
about ivory eolored stone and purple
seas, redcaps, chests of jewels and liz
ards in the sun; books of dreams, the
golden age and FARMLAND =
Many sammies ask FOR wild western
stories. Detective yarns are popular.
The other extreme is seen in requests
for publications of military value,
dealing with signal work, the medical
department, the wireless. College men
prefer books on military science.
Mr.. BritIing Sees it Through and