Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-06-06


in the world is now being maintained
by the United States war department in Eu-
rope. This school system is training or has
trained about 100000 men. 1t has spent more
than a million dollars for text books alone,
and a million and half of text books have
been donated to it. 1t includes as one of its
departments the largest English-speaking
university in the world.
The full extent and nature of our overseas
army schools is not known to the American
public because the war department has been
so busy building up the system that it has not
had time to describe it. The essential facts
about this great educational enterprise are
told here for the first time.
Before the armistice the war department
had formed plans for educating the men in
Europe, and the Y. M. G. A. was already con-
Quoting some schools in very efficient man
ner. With the signing Of the armistice both
the need and the opportunity for such a sys-
tenn became Immediately greater.
There were several million Americans I'M
der arms. Those still on American soil coui,
be quickly demoblized but it would take a
long time to return the overseas troops, while
some of them would be detained there in
definitely as an army of occupation. Not only
did this present an opportunity to prepare
these men for civilian life, but it made it
absolutely necessary to provide some occupa-
ton for them, since their military duties
were greatly relaxed.
Accordingly the plans for an educational
system were speeded up. The work of the
Y. M. G. A. was placed under military charge
and greatly expanded while leading Ameri-
can civilian educators were called upon for
aid and advice.
While a large part of the work of organi-
zation done by these civilians, nearly all
of the actual teachers were drawn from the
army. 1t was found that there were no
less than 100000 men in the expeditionary
force who had had some teaching experience,
II, S1D fLN o q
college professors, or men otherwise suffi-
GENTLY trained to conduct collegiate instruc-
ton. The army had the essentials of COM
plete educational system within it's ranks.
The French ministry of public informa-
ton added to the teaching force by assign
ing to the American army several hundred
teachers of French, who have taught this
language by the direct method to a quarter
of a million Americans Text books were
bought through the Y. M. G. A. with gov
eminent funds and were donated by patri-
otto Americans, and libraries were estab-
lished by the American Library association.
Moving pictures are extensively used, and
educational films have been supplied by the
department of agriculture, the public health
service, and other government departments.
special text book on France entitled
"France-Our Ally wasu written by Madame
Hughes La Roux, and a similar text book on
England was written for the Americans by
Gilbert K. ChestertOn, the famous British
essayist.
The American school system in France is
divided into four parts the post schools,
the divisional educational centers, the Amer
lean Army university at Beaune, and the de-
tail of officers and soldiers as students at
French and British. universities.
A post school is an elementary school, like
our own public schools from the eighth
grade down. 1t ordinarily includes five hum
dred or more men. There are about 1000
of these schools in the expedtionary force
Three hours day are devoted to study, and
this much is subtracted from the daily drill
These schools are force for "Americaniza-
tion,' teaching the English language and the
elements of American citizenship to thou
sands of foreign-born Americans. Other
popular subjects at the post schools are
French, history geography and mathematics.
Citizenship is the leading course and is
taught through illustrated lectures. There
are 10000 men in these schools, including
$4,000 in the army Of occupation.
The divisional education centers are the
high schools of the army. A survey of each
division is made to find out what subjects
are most in demand. The educational CEN
ter is located at a central point. Not more