South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-06
AMERICAN BOYS
ATTEND SCHOOL
WHILE OVERSEE
Wade Through Mud to SCantIy
Equipped CIaSSroOmS
Throughout France.

PARIS. June 6.-Scores Of thous-
ands OF American soldiers eagerly
have grasped the opportunity 10 at
tend the schools which the army is
now providing for AN the men Of
the American expediuonary force
under the direction OF the Educa-
tionaI corps.
The post schools which are prl-
mary grades Of this school are used
wherever they can find a roof TO
shelter them. Floundering through
the mud Of some little hamlet where
American soldiers are stationed. one
is likely TO stumble upon such
school in full operation. An army
chaplain recently CHANGED upon
such a school the pupils Of which
were standing on benches because
the floor was under six inches Of
water and in room dimly lighted
by candles stuck in bottles. The
sergeant-teacher was using a piece
OF tarred paper as blackboard. II
was IL o'clock at night and fourteen
men whose military duties prevented
them from attending IN regular
hours compo ed the extra class.
Symbolic OF Spirit.
This little scene is symbolic Of
the spirit with which the American
soldiers have taken advantage of
the educational training offered
them by the army school system
Men IN some cases are working
eight. ten and twelve hours a day
at military duties and then studying
at night in the post schools. tired i'm
body but doggedly determined. In
some cases they have voluntarily
worked at night so as TO be allowed
10 attend "a lecture or school session
in the daytime. Ilhterate men who
have been taught 10 read and write
often ask permission to take their
dOg-eared primers home with them
when their divisions start for Ameri-
ca Thousands OF such men have
been started on the road to educa-
ton in the past few months.
But ft must not be mistakably as
sumed that the soldier boys are
coming back with a higher educa-
ton" The big idea of the Educa-
tional corps is to give man a start
and enable him 20 find himself" SO
TO speak Many a soldier has been
"a round peg in a square hole back
home. The army is helping the>s
men 10 get started in the right
groove.
Practically Key Word.
Practically is the key word OF
all the educational courses. The
soldier is not going 10 school merely
for the fun of it," He wants re-
suits that will help him with his
job back home and ne is getting
them Vocational training is an
important and successful feature of
the post school and there are few
trades that are not taught in some
of them. In the academic course,
history, English and mathematics
hold the major places If there is
sufficient demand for the teaching
ST a given subject il is placed on the
curriculum.
Agriculture courses are provided
uiany pupils. Fifty percent Of the
men in the army are from rural
districts and many OF them intend to
return 10 their farms Thousands
Of city men who have had their first
DAYS of outdoor sIife since they join
ed the army declare they viii never
return TO the office stool. They like
the independence of the farmer and
hope TO go into agricultural work
when they return.
The practical phases of farming
are being taught 10 the men. Teach
ing OF citizenship is an important
course. Under this head comes la
Dor problems and subjects vital TO
the national welfare