The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-03
OF U. s. SOLDIERS
 ATTEND SCHOOL

Paris, June 3-(CorTespondenc or The Associated Press) - Scores of thousands of American soldiers eager ly have grasped the opportunity to attend the schools which the army now Is providing for all the men Of the American Expeditionary Force, under the direction of the Educational Corps.
 The post schools which are primary grades of this school system are used wherever they can find a roof to shelter them. Floundering through the mud of some lTrTle hamlet where American soldiers are stationed, one Is likely to stumble upon such school in full operation. An army chaplain recently chanced upon such 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 ser geant-teacher was using a piece of tarred paper as a blackboard. It was II o'clock al night and 1 men whose military duties prevented them from attending in regular hours composed the extra class.
 This little scene Is symbolic of the spirit with which the American sol- dier have taken advantage of the ed- ucational training offered them by the army school system.
 Men in some cases are working eight, ten and 12 hours day at mil itary duties and then studying at night in the post schools, tired in body but doggedly determined. In some cases they have voluntarily worked at night so as to be allowed to attend a lecture or school session in the daytime. Illiterate men who have been taught to read and write often ask permission to take their dog cared primers home with them when their divisions start for America. Thousands of such men have been started on the road to education in the past few months. But it must not be mistakenly assumed that all the soldier boys are coming back with a higher education" The big idea of the Educational Corps is to give man a start and enable him to find himself" so to speak. Many a sol dier has been a round peg in square hole back home. The army is helping these men to get started on the right groove.
 Practically is the key word of all the educational courses. The soldier is not going to school merely for the fun of it.'' He wants results that will help him with his job back home and Is getting them. Noca tionaI train ing 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 mathe- matics hold the major places. If there is sufficient demand for the teaching of a given subject 1t is placed on the curriculum
 Agricultural courses are provided in many of the schools and find many pupils. Fifty per cent of the men in the army are from rural districts and many of them intend to return to their farms. Thousands of city men who have had their first days of out door life since they joined the army declare they will never return to the office stool. They like the independ- ence of the farmer and hope to go into agricultural work when they return.
 The practical phases of farming are being taught to the men.
 Teaching of citizenship is an inn portance course. Under this head comes labor problems and subjects vital to the national welfare.
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