The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-10-22

DulHlS tle great war, you see, OlicerS IOuuu
that altogether too many of their men were IL
iterates. Moreover, one-thrd of the national
forces had to be given mechanical training in or
der to carry on the work of the army. Warfare
has become complicated In this advanced age
that ability to fix a stalled mule is not enough.
A few wallops the nose may repair the latter,
but an auto engine requires expert treat
ment.
SO the education and recreation branch Of the
war plans division was instituted with total Of
S4,5OO,0OO to operate in the next IL months.
Its business will be to take the I'll" out of all
illiterate recruits and to give the rest of the en-
listed men training in any vocation they may
choose. In this way according to the theory, mil
itary efficiency will be increased and the soldier
will leave the army prepared to enter industry
commerce farm a responsible citizen.
Says Maj. Bernard Lentz Of the general staff
corps
Intensive vocational work will be done in the
winter months, while the summer will be ded-
Gated to drilling and maneuvering. This school
work will not encroach the military program
Of the army, for 1t will merely up the time
which used to be given over to bunk fatigue I'M
der eigfthour day."
There Ia a different attitude toward the enlisted
man under the new plan, according to Maj. Ed
mund r. Andrews who will be in charge Of the
education and recreation work at Camp Grant
His self-respect will be increased" he says
land the civilian will also respect him. We want
to get the idea out of the civilians head that
soldier is a hardboiled bum"
And now let take look around the drab
wooden houses which used as barracks dur
ing the mobilization. Camp Grant. as one of the
nine corps areas in our country will be the school
center for the states Of Illinois, Wisconsin, and
Michigan.
In a classroom find dozen more boys
In O. d. blouses sitting at desks. Up in front is
a civilian instructor. One Of the soldiers is read
ing aloud. 1t is a vigorous narrative about ball
game, with plenty of healthy slang and Babe
Ruth ending.
In another room of the same building we find
a platoon of men taking a spelling lesson under
the guidance of Miss JEANNE Polk.
Another building. Here are collection Of gas
vehicles from motorcycles to caterpillar tractors
They are in various stages of ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
Here and there blue denimed soldier
tinkering with the intestines Of an engine.
Other soldiers being taught business meth
DDS. On model dairy farm Uncle Sam is train
ing agricuturists and go on, all through the camp
and the other camps like it.
The greatest Americanization work the normal
graduates will perform this winter will be taking
the nliterate soldier recruits. of which there are
many. and teaching them to speak, read and
write English
Once at a great exposition in foreign land an
American stood watching the troops of all nations
90 bv on parade. the story goes. foreigner
stood beside the American pointing out the SOL
liers of the various countries and their flags He
said: "Those the English troops and that is
the flag of the king those are the German SOL
diers and that Is the flag of the kaiser; those are
the Japanese troops. and that Is the flag of the
mikado; those are the soldiers Of Russia and that
is the flag of the car" Presently, as the Ameri-
can troops approached, flying the Stars and
Stripes marching to the tune of the Star-Spanged
Banner the American spoke for the first time and,
turning to his foreign friend. he said
"And those are the American soldiers and that
Is my flag; not the flag of any king, not the flag
of any car. not the flag of any kaiser but my
flag and the flag of every man. woman, and child
in my great country. the land Of the free"
So 1t is-and should make it.