Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-19

while the changes were working out
The present effect of the war on edu-
cation is shown in the reduction OF the
great universities of Oxford and cam
bridge TO mere shadows OF their former
extent Instead of having about 1000
e i0,eao students, they are now re,
cuce6 10 the Dimensions of small
schools, with about 500 each. There is
IRE sane reduction to mere shadows
in the extensive system of universities
and technical schools throughout the
country at London. Glasgow. Shefheld,
Manchester and all the great cities All
the ahlsoodied students have gone 10
the war and even those not aoleoodiec
are engaged on research work in mu-
nitions aerons utics, aviation. wireless
Selegraphy and ulapTuaking for the gov
eminent
Teaching Stats Depleted.
The public schools have been SIM
ilarly affected. particularly in the
teaching stats, aboa, $4,000 school
teachers having been taken from the
regular establishments to join the army.
The scholars 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 ef-
fects, in the loss of teachers, the mill
itary occupation of over 1000 schools
as hospitals, barracks, etc; the diS-
placement of 10000 pupils by TINS mil
itary occupation of schools; the taking
in Of $4,000 refugee Belgian children,
and the substitution of women for men
as teachers. One school has a woman
teacher for the first time in sixty
years. Another large school mas h1ty-
seven woman teachers
Even the courses of study are ma
teriaIly 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
onerations. In another locality war
loans. war taxes and similar subjects
are discussed. Letters from relatives
at the front are regularly read oe1oIe
the classes, as 95 per cent of the pupils
have relations at the front. Much OF
the composition is on war subjects.
Geography of the countries at war has
been greatly stimulated; also the MS
tory of the Balkan and other countries
one school the boys have constructed a
sand map, 20 by 13 feet, Of Flanders,
the Dardanelles anu the Trentino front
in Italy.
Changes in the Big Universities.
1t is at the great universities. how
ever, that the greatest change has oc-
CURED. At Oxford. which is a univer-
sity grouping of twenty-five schools,
Balliol has furnished $50 soldiers and
has had 81 killed; Oriel furnished $40.
killed 81; Magdalen furnished 725,
killed LOG; Trinity furnished $50, killed
Sc; Christ Church furnished 1,015,
killed 113; St Johns furnished 4S5,
killed SO: University furnished 554,
killed IS; Queens furnished 403, killed
~; Corpus Christi furnished 240, killed
a.
Cambridge shows the same large rep
resentation at the front and heavy
death lists. Up to the beginning OF the
year Cambridge had furnished 1873
men at the 'front.' Of which 1,403 had
been killed, 1915 wounded. 213 miss
ing or prisoners. Victoria crosses have
gone to five Cambridge men and eight
oxford men; while many other crosses,
honors and foreign decorations have
gone to the men of both institutions.
AS result of the depletion of the
universities, foreign students are about
all that remain. The oxford cricket
team, for instance, is made up of about
ten Americans and two or three stu
dents from India At Trinity only four
British students remain, these being
exempt from service for one cause or
another; at st. Johns. 8; at Wadham,
s. and similar depletion all along. The
American Rhodes scholars go on, as
usual, however, with little or no
change in courses, although the whole
manner of college life has changed
to khaki. and undergraduates attend
courses and teachers give lectures in
Khaki. Owing to the restrictions on
night lighting, some of the schools
have given up their traditional evening
services. The workpeople around the
universities also are all changed. all
the men servants having gone to war
and women having taken their places
Tor the first time as bedmakers and in
the kitchen and butteries Keble has
introduced seventeen women
Athletics Practically Suspended.
In athletics, for which the uniyer-
stiles were famous. there is practically
a complete suspension. Few of the col.
leges were able to keep up foot ball OF
hockey teams. Rowing has similarly
been demoralized and none of the ia.
nous old Fights could be kept together
By combining. Magdalen, St Johns
University and New College managed
to ship two four-oared crews, which
have taken part in some local contests
Track teams have been completely
given up. About the only outward evi.
dence of athletics has been the drilling
of squads of university recruits pre-.
paratory to their leaving for the front
The after the war" changes of the
universities and the whole educational
system, high and low, has stirred up ar
y
Lord Haldane has summed up the mair
direction of this change, as follows
THE calamity of war has brought with
1t one element of brightness and hope
We have been stirred out of our sIum.
bers. We have learned that we cannot
have the knowledge and science re-
quired for the advancement of our in
dustries and for the making of grea
discoveries unless we have the broat
foundations of education in our people
We have learned the German lesson II
more ways than one, and we should NEE
her with spiritual weapons, just as W
meet her with temporal weapons"
Theme Discussed by Others.
Many others have taken up the sam
theme, urging that scientific branche
must prepare men for competition wit
Germany. The president of the hea
masters congress urged similar change
Business men. also, have been calle
into the discussion. one head of a larg,
business concern declaring that tn
educational system of the country mus
be made more practical. after tn
American method. so as to be bette
adapted to the needs of industry.