The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-27
SOLDIERS FIND
FRANCE A BIG,
REAL SCHOOL OF
ANCIENT HISTORY
Castles, Chateaux And
Cathedrals Constant
Source of Joy. .....
AMERICANS NOW
SPEAK FRENCH
Warriors Of United States
and Sister Republic
Make Up Readily
(Bv RHETA cHILDE DoRR.l

through the open door Oh LIlS Gull
partment to two soldiers who were
standing in the corridor smoking
their after luncheon cigarettes.
One Of the soldiers wore a horizon
blue uniform, a little worn and stain
ed with hard usage, although the
boy was barely twenty one. The
other soldiers uniform was brand
new o. D. cloth, made in America.
The two stood beside the window,
their arms entwined, looking at the
lovely valley of the Loire and teach
ing each other their respective Ian
guages.
"Sammee," said the French soldier
How you say "donnez moi une allu-
meter
,1"You say gimme a match But
listen here, CASTOR, cut out the Sam
mic. Forget it."
what you mean forget IT, Sam
nee?" persisted the poilu, accepting
the match. The lesson went on and
I agreed with the old general that
the sight Of French and American
youths associating on affectionate
terms and learning each others fam
liar argot was indeed agreeable.
Learning tho Living French.
One of the stock arguments Of the
pacifists in trying to make war out
an unmixed evil Is that it sets back
education. I am sure that many
American mothers have had misgiv-
iugs on this point, and have deplored
the necessity Of interrupting their
sons college life. But I want to as
sure them that their sons are learn
ing more in France than any college
could have taught them. They are
learning French, for one thing, at
least all the enterprising ones are.
Not the foolish, academic sort Of
thing they study in high school and
college, the object being to read
Moliere and the classics, but the liv-
ing language.
"A striking Illustration OF the diff
ference in the two methods was af
ferded me during a recent trip into
the war zone. In the party was one
Of our intelligence officers and a
French woman writer of unusually
broad education. The American Of
woman writer spoke only few brok-
en- sentences Of English, and they
had to be constantly interpreted to
each other. One day, in the course
of the conversation, 1t transpired that
the officer before joining the coIors
had been a high school professor Of
French, and that the woman had for
five years drawn a good salary as q.
teacher Of English.
The American soldier in q few
months can. If he wants to, get a
practical knowledge Of the French
language that will be a business as
set to him all his life. Most of the
soldiers appreciate this, and the free
classes offered in all the Y. M. c. A
centers are we'll attended. They learn
in the classes, and they learn even
more by association with French
soldiers and civilians.
Treasure House of History.
My soldier son knew not a word
OF the language when he enlisted
but when I saw him in France he
was using 1t fairly we'll. corgratu-
lated him on his new acquisition, and
he said: There's an awfully pretty
girl in cafe the fellows up cur
way patronize, and she doesn't know
any English"
1t is not only the French language
that our soldiers are learning, but
French history as well. The part Of
central France occupied by our army
is a stored treasure house Of his
tory. No part of France is more
French. It abounds in castles, cha
teaux, museums. pointed towers,
dungeon cells and torture chambers,
ancient churches and crumbling city
walls Even the farms centuries old,
some Of them, show the remains Of
past defences.
To our boys, fresh from the new
prairies Of Iowa and Dakota, or the
still virgin forests Of Oregon and
/ Washington, this past they are sur
rounded by Is the most romantic
and wonderful thing that ever came
believe it is real.
Even to those soldiers who come
from the older sections Of the United
States the sight is thrilling. In the
/ gardens OF the Luxembourg Palace
! in Paris, built by Henry Of Navarro
for his second wife, Marie de Medici
stands a stately marble Mountain,
moss grown and mellow with time.
The date cut in the marble is 1920.
I had this pointed out to me by
soldier from Massachusetts. Think
I of It," he exclaimed, the very year
when our oldest aristocracy, the Pill
grim fathers, were cutting down
trees for their first log huts and
their rude stockades, these French
people were making beautiful things
like that fountain
Throng cathedraIa.
Long before that they were build
ing beautiful things. Down in the
southernmost part Of our territory
in France stand the ruins of a mag
nificent castle, the one where Edward
the Black Prince took refuge when
he was being pursued by that French
king with whom he was contestfng
the crown Of France in thirteen hun
dred and something. With two young
naval officers / explored the place
one warm spring day, and we were
actually awed by the achievement
Of those builders Of olden days.
The castle was not only strong,
it was noble and fine in all its
masses. 1T makes you proud Of your
Norman ancestors" said one of the
American officers, a Virginian.
You cannot go into one Of the old
Gothic churches or cathedrals on
Sundays or weekdays without meet
ing American soldiers, hats in hand,
gazing silently at twelfth century
Madonnas and saints, or tombs Of
medieval bishops. The miracle and
charm Of Gothic architecture Is not
all that. draws our boys to the old
churches. The sense OF time and
antiquity possesses them. 1t is some
thing entirely new and wonderful to
them to realize that the world went
on that people lived and loved and
thought about themselves as modern.
and up to date centuries before Col
ll1nbus discovered America.
IN certain French city, where I
made friends with many American
soldiers, a group OF university pro-
tessors are making Ii their business
to escort Or soldiers over the place,
giving 1han2 historical talks This Is