The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-12-26
Every Man Now Held in France Has
Opportunity to Gain knowledge
of Wide and Important
Nature.
Y. M. G. A. rs IN CHARGE
Standard Text Books Used With Spe.
cial Books, Pamphlets and At
iases Of United States
and Maps.
IBy United Press

PARIS, Nov. IS (By Maiu Every
American soldier now held in France
will have, il he wishes it, the oppor-
tunity for instruction ranging from
reading and writing to university
training. For illiterates such in
struction will be compulsory. But
this bald statement represents mere
ly the external and immediate evil
dence Of what is to be done. The aim
is education in the truest sense: to
the end that our men may go home
not only without having lost more
time out Of their lives than is actual
ly necessary. but with clear idea
of their relations to society and to
the nation.
The operation OF the educational
of the Y. NJ c. A., with many Of the
instructors selected from among the
officers and enlisted men. Educa-
tional centers will be established
wherever there are 500 or more
troops, and those who are unable to
attend the classes at such places Will
Il be reached through army correspond
ence schools.
The great universities Of France
and England have opened their doors
/ to men OF the American expedition
airy force. An American boy who
left college, for instance, in his
sophomore year to enter the army
will be able to continue his college
work in France or England, for
which credit will be given when he
returns to America. The same ia
cilities in the way of instruction and
furloughs will be extended to those
who wish to learn trades, and to
those who have need Of the more
elementary forms OF education.
Plenty Of Time.
That there will be ample time for
operation Of the program Is assured
| by physical reasons. Lack OF ton
mage alone will prevent the rapid re-
turn of our men to the United
States. and, while their transporta'
ltion already has begun, there will be
! thousands who will be held abroad
either because tonnage is lacking or
because they have special duties to
perform. Necessity for the realiza'
| ton of the educational program Is
so compelling that 1t will be put into
effect regardless Of the great Cd
/ stacles which exist.
| In the broadcast sense the aims OF
! those who are responsible for tue
! inception and who have the direc'
tion of the army educational pro
gram are, first, better citizenship
after the war, and, second, better
citizens to be produced from the FOL
lowing generations.
Many men who would not other
wise have the opportunity for the
equivalent Of a high school educa
ton will be enabled to assimilate
degree OF knowledge and Of culture
which will inevitably tend to raise
/ their standard of living and to arouse
| in them ambitions for their children
This will apply in the same proper
ton to men whose occupation wa
given as "1aborer" before the war
but who will go home equipped &c
earn their livings as skilled work
men.
The more immediate aims OF tht
program, however, are those which
will fill the public eye and will pro
duce quick and tangible results. The
objects of the educational work here
fall into two major divisions. AL
though there are numerous smaller
issues with which the military au
thorities are concerned. The ma loi
divisions are, first, economic anc
social, and, second, practical with
reference to the individual.
In the curriculum as it stands ten
tatively. the proposed textbooks or
the United States include those or
physical geography. economic ana
commercial geography, and histor
ical geography, showing growth Oh
the country as world power. Eco
nornic, political and literary history
is also covered; and there ara spe'
cial books ON government, state and
national, and on the government c.
cities.
Standard Textbooks.
For such instruction standard
textbooks will probably be used in