The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-07-01
TURNSU. s. ARMY
into UNIVERSITY
Government Gives Every Soldier
Chance to Get Education.
WILL TEACH TRADES ALSO

Possibilities Of the Plan Demonstrated
in the Wonderful Work During Past
Few Months by Educational Com.
mission in American Expeditlonary
Force in France--Men and officers
Eagerly Grasp Chance to Study.
A great new educational force in the
shape of the American regular army
will come into being In the United
States in the near future If the present
plans of government officials, army OF.
ficers and prominent civilian educators
are realized.
Briefly 1t is proposed to make Uncle
Sans standing army huge university
in which the young men Of the coun.
try will receive not only physical and
military training but will be given op-
portunties to acquire academic and
vocational learning which might be be-
You'd their reach in civil life.
The old days of virtual wastage OF
time which represented almost blank
pages in the life diary of the soldier
will be thing of the past. Instead OF
being turned back into civil life In
more helpless state than when he en-
tered the army he will be equipped to
wage vigorous fight for his place In
the sun Of the business or professional
world.
100000 Soldiers In Glasses.
The possibilities of this plan have
been demonstrated in the wonderful
work done during the past few months
by the educational commission In the
American expeditionary force In
France. Since the signing Of the ar
mistice something like 100000 Ameri-
can soldiers have been appreciably
benefited by the army schools, which
have been put within the reach of ev-
cry man and which have provided ia
cilities to study almost every conceiv-
able subject from farming to philoso,-
ply.
Few Of the army educators In
France realized at the outset how
great work they were starting. The
avidity with which the enlisted man
and his officer have seized upon the
proffered opportunities has astounded
them.
With this object lesson before 1t the
army has been inspired to carry on
this work at home in the standing
forces. The project assumes. 1t Is un-
derstood, that the standing army Of
the future will be comparatively
large one, and that there may be a
short period of compulsory training
for the youths of the country, although
the scheme is not dependent upon the
compulsory feature.
Under the new system all subjects
would be taught, from A, B, C's for the
illiterate up through perhaps the first
year of university work. Vocational
training would naturally form most
important phase of the program. Boys
who had had no opportunity for
schooling before entering the army
would be started on their way and
would be permitted to re-enlist at the
expiration Of their service In order to
carry on their studies. Others, who
perhaps had finished high school,
would be given chance to begin their
college course so that there would be
no waste Of time in case they were
planning to go into professions or bust
ness.
There would be military training, Of
course, and the soldiers would be made
as nearly physically perfect as pos
sible. A large part Of their time, how.
ever, would be devoted, If they SO de-
sired, to improving their minds. Thus,
the army believes, any boy, no matter
what his standing In society, would be
materially benefited by his period Of
service with the colors.
Help to Get Good Positions.
Probably the man who would profit
most would be the one who had ac-
CURED either no education or had been
forced to leave school at an early age ;
for example, New York East side
boy who has left school to help sup
port the family and has no equipment
to enable him to secure lucrative work
and so drifts about in unskilled labor.
II he enters the army. he is to be put
to work in the school, housed and fed,
and paid regular wage which he can
send home to his people. At the end
of the year it is expected that he will
be proficient enough In his trade so
that he can get job with good pros
poets. The gate to the broad highway
will be opened to him.
It is believed by educators that
many poor youths will devote not only
one year to the army, but will remain
for several years, in order to acquire
at least some higher education.
This, in brief, Is the plan which Is
being worked on In Paris now by
prominent men who have every hope
that it will be carried out.
Masked Men Return Watches.