The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-11-29
UNIVERSAL MILITARY AND Epu.
CATIoNAL TRAINING.

Another one Of the good things
the war has given TO the people OF
the country Is the knowledge that the
schools may be used for giving
young men practical, specific educa
tion within q few months, says The
Kansas City Times.
The schools have been taking
young men who had not even the
| advantage Of high school education
have given them q short course for
specific, important technical duties
and have sent them overseas equip
ped for service.
The Kansas State Agricultural
College, continues The Times, for in
stance, gave two thousand such
young men an emergency educa-
tion." Young men who knew nothing
Of airplanes except in very general
way were taken from their regular
occupations, some from stores, some
from farms, some from offices, and
! in eight weeks were sent forth to
be airplane mechanics and assistants
Other young ment were placed lin
mining schools, and in two months
were sent to France to do engineer
| ing feats in drilling, mining and un-
derground work.
General Pershing sent an emergen-
cy call for truck drivers. In eight
| weeks men were ready to go, equip
ped to handle trucks. drive them over
difficult roads. take them anywhere
and keep them in repair.
The tradition of the colleges and
universities that their usefulness is
confined to young men and women
who can afford to take 4-yeaI
course after they have been through
the prescribed courses in the grade
and high schools, is shattered. Not
that the system Of thorough educa-
tion-the liberal education of ouI
| fathers-Bhould be abolished. The
| schools must continue to take the
young men and women as far in edu-
cational life as they can afford to go
But the war has taught us that
there is something the schools car
do for the young men who cannot
go all the way.
Because a young man has not
completed every point in elementary
and high school work, the college
doors are not to be closed against
him. There is something the school
can do for him, the college or the
university, to equip him for his lfe's
work.
H6 SYSTEM Oh hllAfSl oul II
would give the schools and the young
men the opportunity to continue the
work the war made necessary for in
tensive education. AS a part of the
military training the colleges could
be utilized as we'll as the drill
ground. as they have been utilized
during the last few months. The
short courses could be given those
who had not been blessed with high
school education, and who could not
complete either the high school
courses or attend college.
In the special training schools for
war work eight weeks constituted the
average training. At first the college
professors declared that it could not
be done. It upset al the fine old
traditions of education. But it was
done. 1t had to be done. The Ger
man army would not wait upon the
slow processes of the college idea for
the equipment of trained men.
What was done as an emergency
measure can be done still better as a
permanent policy in times of peace
And, in connection with the idea OF
universal training 1t will offer the
Young men Of the country not only
bodily training, but mental and man
ual training that will increase indi-
vidual and national efficiency.