Evening star., 1918-04-14
CLASS
FOR TROOPS IS PLAN
Dr.. A. P. Stokes Working on
System for Y. NJ. C. A. to
Teach Soldiers at Front.
LECTURES TO BE PROVIDED

Correspondents Of the Associated Press.
PARIS. March 15.-Organisation e
educational classes and lectures for tha
members OF the American expeditionary
forces has been undertaken by the
Army YIN C. A. with the approval ana
Endorsement of Gen. Pershing. E5
DR.. Anson Phelps stokes. SECRETARY -
Yale University. who is now in Psria
has obtained a few months leave Of
absence In order to perfect the prelim-
mary organization. DR.. Stokes hkD
been studying the question OF sduoa-
tional opportunities In the Army to-
two months.
The plan Of work during the war -
based on the conviction that the Annera-
can soldier will be most efnctent ~ -
fighting man II he understands thov-
oughly the country in which he II lfv~
ing, the cause for which he IL nghttnos
the tremendous issues at stake betweeA
autocracy and democracy and the fnutts
tutions and ideals of France, EnglA14
with those dominant today in GERMANY
knowledge Of French Essential
of vital Importance that our troops
should be able to understand, ana make
themselves understood by. the French
people in whose villages they are bfl.
leted and the French soldiers with
whom they are fighting. This 10 cd
culated to prevent friction, incr@Se
efficiency and tend to create that united
western front deemed essential to the
successful prosecution of the war. Con.
sequently, emphasis will be placed oA
the teaching of French.
The assistance Of teachers In Ffenchl
schools and 1ycees in large towns near
camps is counted upon for giving lee-
sons by the direct method. in which no
rector of the "ohice national des unf~
versities ct ecoles Francaise," repre-
sents group Of French educators who
have generously given much time to
working out this plan.
Glasses In elementary English TO eo1~
diers of foreign parentage, in math6s
matics for men preparing for promo-
tion examinations, and lectures AA4
classes on other subjects will also b
introduced in, camps as the deman4
be voluntary and classes Will generally
be held in the 7. N. C. A. huts In -
evening, SO az not to interfere with
regular military duties.
Americas Professors Utilissa 81
Lectures will be free while the .quso1
t3on OF the payment OF small fee ~
SA0SS62 VIII oSRSu0 l6I 0Ay "a W0ytk41uE
or not professional tAachars NOT con-
rected with the Army or the Y. II. C. 9.
have to be employed. American exte1-
sion and correspondence courses VIII
also be utilized. Prof. DAILY, heAd d
the department Of geology at Harvard
University. and Prof. Erskins Of the de-
partment of English at Columbia UMl-
versity, both now in France as Z. -.
G. A. secretaries. will be among tbo
first to assume the new teaching Aa.'
ties.
service will be arranged SO that 1t caA
be expanded later to meet the larger
demands of rehabilitation. In th1o
connection a plan Of operation 10 beane
worked out with French and British
educational authorities which 10 ex-
pected to do much to meet this need
The Y. NJ. c. A. has been ofiicially roo-
ognixed rs an agency to be made use 6E
for educational as well as recreational
facilities for the Army. The organiae-
tion has at its disposal three hundred
huts in American camps in France, be-
sides number of rented buildings and
halls scattered throughout towns Whee0
troops are chartered