Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-27
ME work the Y. NJ. C. A. is doing
to further the education Of SOL
diers here and abroad. is en-


diers here and abroad is en-
tirely worth while The broad
range this effort takes would require the
space Of text book, but certain things
which stand out clearly are of interest
to the entire reading public.
The motif of the scheme is "to In
crease the efficiency of the soldiers
and sailors for the immediate task Of
winning the war, and to- prepare them
for better social relations after tho
war" -.
When one Is told that every weak
there are 100000 men attending lee
lures given by the Y: M. G. A he
jumps to the conclusion that such
figures must cover all the educa, lonal
work so afforded all over the Cnited
States. But this has nothing to do
with anybody but soldiers enrolled
under the Stars and Stripes. Some of
this vast number are in their teens,
age: some of the instruction and lee
lures arb given in England. some in
American camps and some in France.
France. at this time. Is tho worlds
checker board, with men and women
and things and purposes as varied in
lege. as instituted there, while only
one OF a thousand movements in the
terrible chaos of world war. 10
recognized among the French as one
prevail, and that Of the United States
Army and Navy and the khaki-clad
lads themselves. =.
Foreign travel has always been
limited to the few fortunate. The Y.
M. c. A. believes that with what
training it can give the boys while
here in camp and "oNer there" the
observations ard experiences Of life
in a foreign land, coupled with the
spiritual value of actual warfare, Will
make better citizens of American SOL
diers than they otherwise would have
been. There has probably never been
an educational scheme conceived on
SO broad a scale or embracing SO
many men, 1885,.
Military experts believe in the alb
,sorption OF all the know ledge possible
for. a man who expects to do his. part
= in this scientific slaughter of his
foes on land and sea and in the air.
Sharpened mentality makes for
: sharper thrusts and quicker wits In
more, perhaps, than in the aviation
I. service, where so many young men
. long to go, and so few, comparatively.
I are fitted therefor. A trained, alert
ytmind, cool nerves and the power or
; buick decision, requisites for this al
Turing branch of service. may be De.
veloped through proper effort, ""
ia educators think. ~: -; :, .
10. There are. about. 300 educational
'rsecretaries and six departmentlsecre-
n taries in this work in American can
. comments. Well known educators.
scientific men, poets, thinkers and
artists are on the lecture list. John
Masefield, an English poet, who spent
some time in New York In his earlier
days and has been friend OF the
United States ever since. is one whose
appearance is scheduled for evening
lectures in one of our sixteen cities
of soldiers. Besides being a very
readable poet, he is one Of the or
flcial war historians of his country.
Overseas lecturers are detailed 10
travel from one Y. M. c. A. center to
another. One very sensible course
concerns the geography of the battle
front. Lectures on this topic are open
to men in all grades of the new
school. French lessons, begun In
camps on this side Of the Atlantic, are
resumed on the other side Together
With the customs and habits OF the