Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-10-14

the army pay there is no reason why young
man cannot be honorably discharged at the end of
three years with snug bank account q working
education good trade and an American heart.
orders have been sent out by General Harris
concerning the enlistment of young foreigners who
90 not speak English and iterates who desire
education Glasses in elementary English and 9TH
er grammar school subjects are now organized
Inc new schools are at Camp Jackson S. c..
Camp Pike, Ark, Camp Grant, H., Camp Travis,
le2as and Camp Lewis Wash. These are recrrit
educational centers modelled after the one which
mas been SO successful at Camp Upton N Y now
transferred to Camp Dix N j.
AN astounding percentage of the men in our
great army of more than 3,56O,00O in the World
war were llllterates, and it was necessary to give
technical traningeto 1,250OO0" says General HAIR
ais. I'm fact, educated men were so scarce that
many regiments at the front We're badly handi-
capped because their best men were taken out
nor other duty requiring men of capacity and in
telligence."
JUST year ago the war department issued an
ofdef dennlng the educational policy for the army
establishing the university in Khaki" 1t had
TWO main objects: One was to train technicans
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
mt the soldier for definite occupation upon his
return to civil life.
By November J., $4,000 men We're enrolled On
March I the enrolment had reached 100000
There are now more than 100000 men taking 1O7
courses. The promises of the recruiting officers
for the new army redeemed. Three-eghths
of the soldiers working time (73S hours a 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 mill
tary obligation. In consequence all types of in
struction given. To insure for the future an
adequate plan, various preliminary conferences
have been held.
summer school for teachers is being held to
perfect and stanlardze courses and methods of
training. Some of the best educational specialists
in the country are there and contribute to the
success of this school,
a majority Of the in the army have not
completed the full grammar school course They
are, of course, over eighteen. The "appcatory
method" is employed. Each man is given series
of concrete jobs or projects in technical courses
The same principle is employed in general educa-
tional courses: series of questions are asked
discussions follow, and each is required to
write his own answer. These compositions are
corrected and returned. Spelling drills In COM
pance with this method are employed
At Camp Dix, 1880 illiterates are being trained
intensively for three months in English, military
practices, and in subjects that make for good clti-
zenship. Here also the "applicatory method" Is
used far possible.
Tests for proficiency are being worked out care
fully. The award of certificates as a result of
these tests will be made as an additional stimu-
liant. From the experience of the training camps
DIN the great war; the army whole has come
to believe In this new army education. This in
itself is a guarantee of success
Zone of the chief duties of the new corps of
chaplains in the army is to give sympathetic
aid to the foreign born and to those who NAV
not be able to protect their interests" adds
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 serve his new country there
ss we'll
gan be secured only by so influencing foreigners
environment, military duty, education. amuse
ments. st.x0ues and religious observances that