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


N3 know It," says General Harris. Most
~ immigrants here for the purpose
Of becoming thrifty citizens, and with
the army pay there is reason why young
man cannot be honorably discharged at the end of
three years with snug bank account working
education, a good trade, and American heart.
Orders have been sent out by General Harris
concerning the enlistment of young foreigners who
do not speak English and illiterates who desire
education Glasses in elementary English and 9th
er grammar school subjects organized
Inc new schools are at Camp Jackson. S. c.,
camp Pike, Ark. Camp Grant Ill.,, Camp Travis
Iexas, and Camp Lewis, Wash. These recruit
educational centers modelled after the one which
has been so successful at Camp Upton, N. Y, now
transferred to Camp Dix. ~ ].
An astounding percentage of the men in our
great army Of more than 3,5600O0 in the World
war were illiterates, and 1t necessary to give
technical training to 1,250 600" says General Har
ris. I'm fact, educated were so scarce that
many regiments at the front We're badly handi-
capped because their best were taken out
for other duty requiring men Of capacity and in
telligence"
just a year ago the war department issued an
order defining the educational policy for the army
establishing the university In Khaki" It had
two main objects: One was to train technicians
and mechanics to meet the army's needs and to
raise the soldiers general intelligence in order to
Increase his military efficiency. The other was to
return to civil life.
BY November 1, 900 men were enrolled On
March l the enrolment had reached 100 600
There are now more than 100000 men taking 107
courses. The promises of the recruiting officers
for the new army are redeemed. Three ighths
of the soldiers working time (73S hours year)
in each post Is made available for school work.
Any soldier once enrolled for definite piece OF
work must complete it, since it becomes a mill
tary obligation. In consequence, all types of in
structon are given. To insure for the future an
adequate plan, various preliminary conferences
have been held.
A summer school for teachers is being held to
perfect and standardize courses and methods Of
training. Some of the best educational specialists
In the country are there and contribute to the
success of this school,
majority Of the men in the army have not
completed the full grammar school course They
are, of course. eighteen The "appicatory
method is employed. Each man is given a series
of concrete jobs projects in technical courses
The same principle is employed in general educa-
tonal courses; q series of questions asked,
discussions follow, and each man is required to
write his own answer. These compositions are
corrected and returned. Spelling drills in com
pliance with this method are employed.
AT Camp Dix 1880 illiterates are being trained
intensivey for three months in English military
practices and In subjects that make for good cti-
zenship. Here also the "applcatory method" is
used far as possible.
Tests for proficiency being worked out care
fully. The award of certificates as a result of
these tests viii be made additional stimu-
liant. From the experience of the training camps
in the great war. the army whole has come
to believe in this army education This I'm
itself is guarantee of success.
"One of the chief duties of the new corps of
chaplains in the army is to give sympathetjc
aid to the foreign born and to those who may
be able Drofpct their own inferestc adde
General Harris. mo more valuable service can
be rendered TO the country than to bring the
young foreigner into the army in the right men,
tai attitude and to send him back to civilian life
with an ambition TO his country there
well.
THE complete of whole program
can be secured only by influencing a foreigners
environment. military duty, education amuse-
rights, athletics and religious observances that