Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-11-07
1. f. 10 !. j. j. !. !. !. !. i. j. !. j.
!. THE EDUCATIONAL SIDE j.
i. OF CAMP LIFE. J..

l. 10 y i IL !. !. j. !. !. !. !. !. j.
Editor Keowee Courier: have
been thinking ever since | came |
would write you, and If you will al
low me space in your valuable paper
! will give you a few items on "rhe
University of Camp Jackson"
Many declaim against war and
training for war because these, they
say, ARE directly opposed to educa-
ton. Look at the reduction Of
numbers in our universities! Think
Of the students and professors draft
| ed into army service, their education
| now OF absolutely no use to them!
They are becoming mere brainless
automatons, sinking in culture and
morals to the level OF the lowest of
their ass0ciates!"
So cry those who refuse to see that
the true education OF many Is In the
great "University Of the Camp" Here
YOU find education given It's full rec
ognition--more than it receives in
the business worlde Among the first
questions asked the recruit is, "How
much education have you had?" And
if the recruit Is college man with
Il backbone, he stands a good chance
Of becoming a commissioned Of
ticer and entering the enlisted mems
training school He finds, too, that
his duties allow no mental laziness
| on his part, but that he must study,
study, study as never before. If the
recruit cannot read and write, he
must learn in order to perform his
duties; and classes are found in his
battery or company to give him this
opportunity. More and more clearly
In this camp life are shown the ad-
rantages over and responsibilities to
the uncducated. When one finds that
the man sleeping in the next cot, in
| telligcnt and shrewd as he very prob
| ably Is, cannot write his name, it
makes him say, as no delving into
statistics could. eff there's anything
in the world | can do to help this
man who hasn't had chance, I'm
going to do Ii.
Yes, there's greenness enough in
Camp Jackson, but it Is fast wearing
Off Just to meet men from parts of
the country where they grow tobac-
co instead Of cotton; just to obey in
stantly an officers sharp, clear COM
| mands: just to have to think before
| acting-this must wake a man up
and keep him at his best mentally
| and physically. But sometimes green
ness amounts to rank ignorance. This
was the case with Joe, the negro, who
on the first day he came in camp,
was told to salute every officer he
met "And do yO' know, cap'n," Joe
explained after the sad affair was
over, 81 ain't been standin' round no
time before there come er man wild er
gold hat cord, and | done forget
which wus my right hand. Quicker'n
creased lightnin' | skunt around the
corner, and, Lord Almighty! dere
was er man wild er little buzzard on
his shoulder!"
Some statistician has proved that
the expenditure Of sending troops to |
the border was justified. if by moth
ing else. In the physical improve
ment which they received. What |
value. then, should one place on the |
education given to our army now?
1t Is worth more than thirty dollars
month to the conscripted man. 1t
is invaluable. Men have been taken
out OF the ruts Of their daily lives
and made to think rapidly and act |
There is a great re-
sponsibility on the educational de-
partment Of the Y. NJ. C.. A. to fur
ther the education Of men so stu
ated TO meet this responsibility the
educa tional department must have
the help of the educated men of
Camp Jackson. They should make
Camp Jackson a university This
means a sacrifice of time and pleas
urc. but a sacrifice never to be re-
gretted. 1t would be a disgrace to
let even one man leave the American
army without at least learning how
to write his own name