The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-27

found in the A. E. F. who could not read or write, who made their mark" on their pay checks-and progresses to grad uates of American universities, who are provided with opportunities for post grad uate work which, under ordinary circum- stances they could never have hoped for Thus, for all these men the impossible will have happened, in spite of every thing; some good will have come out of the great war.
 At the bottom of the system are the post schools. At all posts, cantonments, hospitals or rest camps, or in any area which has a constant population of 5O or more soldiers, a post school is estab- |lished. Teachers, usually soldier-teachers, are selected by the army educational com mission. Everything is provided by the army-buildings, heating, lighting, equip ment textbooks, etc. The instruction, which very roughly approximates the American primary school, comprises; Courses in common school subjects, mod ern languages. United States history. his tory of modern nations, civics and citi- zenship and additional subjects which may be authorized by particular schools , headquarters. These post schools are controlled by post commanders as to dis cipline, attendance, sanitation and in- struction, but attendance is voluptary | for officers and for soldiers except il- | literates and aliens, who are required to attend.
 In cases where military duties interfere with the completion of a course under taken. a system of transfers and record cards has been instituted the students S record is fixed with his regular service
 record and when opportunity occurs he again enters school and takes up the for mer work.
 i Above the post schools, division educa- tional centers were established in each
 army, corps and division. These centers provide instruction in more advanced sub 1 iects of general education than can be given in the post schools. The official course Includes algebra, trigonometry,
 mechanical drawing, agriculture, sales manship, economics, American and Eng | fish literature, advanced French, Italian. Spanish and German, advanced courses in history, etc. In short, the division edu- { cational schools approximate the home | high schools.
 TEACHING TRADES
 1 But vocational training is also provided | in them so far as the material and equip ment within the division permits. Car
 pertry, telephone repair, telegraphy (wire
 and wireless), land surveying. road con- struction, horseshoeing, automobile re- pairing are taught; and even cobbling, | tailoring, barbering, cooking, baking,
 nursing and other subjects as found prac- ticable or as demanded by the men. Each commander is requested to make com plete survey of his organization in or 1 der to determine the demand for educa- | ton, and in what subjects, and on this basis classes are organized. Courses pro- vide for minimum of five hours study per day, for five days in the week, cov- l ering a period of three months.
 There is even authorization for the or ganization of provisional educational com panies or attachments each provided
 with a proper administrative head. These units are given one hours military train- ing per day, in addition to their educa- tional work. The number of such stu
 dents, however, is limited, and must not exceed 15 per cent of the command
 And then, above these Thigh schools is the magic university" established al Beaune, in the semi-permanent collection Of buildings which had been planned as the great base hospital of the A. F.. F. in France Its thousand brick and con ! crete buildings are grouped just outside the town of Beaune; and when in full operation it will form a larger city! Ii occupies a square mile of ground, ex- elusive of the Agriculturale college al 1 Allery, a dozen kilometers distant Foui hundred buildings will be used as class rooms, laboratories. lecture rooms The