The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-29
SCHOOL SYSTEM AT MILITARY POSTS
 AIDS RECRUITING
All Records for EnIistments in Peace Times Broken-Army Offers Advantages in
 Trade Schools

The Birmingham recruiting district continues to maintain its high place on the list of the army recruiting stations, not withstanding the fact that the recruiting service has finally reached it's goal of one thou sand men per day for each working day. All recruiting records in normal times will be broken in November in the Ala bama district and probably in all army recruiting districts. The strength of the army on November 1T was POP, 900 men, approximately 7S,Oo0 short of the author ized strength.
 Naturally, the question is asked why the great increase, month by month, in the number of men applying for enlist ment in the army. The increase in en- listments was well under way before the present unsettlsd business conditions set in.
 The men applying for enlistment at army recruiting stations answer the question themselves For nine out or every ten applying for enlistment in Ala bama state that they are doing so in order to better themselves, take advan- tage of the opportunities offered in edu- cational and vocational training, oppor- tunities denied them in their childhood.
 The army realized that in order to se- cure the class of men desired it had to offer something more than the pay of soldiere. Little was it realized that the solution of securing men for. the army by voluntary enlistment was solved when the present system of educational and vocational training adopted.
 SCHOOLS ORGANIZED
 It is the policy of the war department to give every soldier an opportunity to improve himself educationally. Schools have been organized at all military posts with view of offering suitable courses in educational and vocational training. It is the plan to improve and develop them rapidly by furnishing ad- civilians, as well as the necessary equip- ment to carry on the work.
 Enrolment in army schools is optional, but every soldier is encouraged to take up any course he is qualified to enter. Those not educationally qualified for vocational training are offered the op- pcrtunity in the illiterate and academic schools However, after enrolment, at tendance at schools becomes a military duty. Army schools are not an after hour affair, but a part of soldiers daily work. brief statement as to their character and scope is given in order to show what the army is offering in it's schools which are intended to make a soldier more intelligent and efficient, equip him to better perform his military duties, and at the same time teach him a vocation that will insure his success in civil life.
 FIVE DEPARTMENTS
 The schools are divided into five depart ments, namely: General, business, voca- tional, agricultural and musical educa- tion.
 The general education course embraces elementary English. spelling, arithmetic, peEmanship, geography, physiology and hygiene and civics; advance courses are offered to those able to take up the work in English, higher mathematics. general history, science, Spanish, French and cvics. the class in citizenship or the Americanization course which all men are required to take.
 The business course takes up English, spelling, arithmetic, shorthand, typewrit- ing. bookkeeping, comptometere, mineo- graph salesmanship and commercial law.
 The vocational courses in the army schools very nearly cover the field Of industrialism, certainly in a practical way, for almost every craft and trade found Tn CIVIL llIe IS required III tne army, and soldiers have to be taught to do the army's work In the vocational schools they are taught the theory along with the practical under trained and ef- fcient instructors.
 The vocational schools of the second division embrace automotive instruction, carpentry, plumbing, interior wiringa sign painting. mechanical drawing. horseshoe ing, printing, photography, agriculture, embracing horticulture, animal and dairy husbandry and soil study. A farm oi 400 acres is provided for this work.