A GLIMPSE OF CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2471, 26 May 1915, Page 5

A GLIMPSE OF CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES. RISEN TO THE CALL. Extract from a letter from a gentleman who visited New Zealand ill 1910, and is closely connected with Eton College:— ''It is cheering to be remembered by friends overseas in times of stress. • I came Home in 1910 with an exalted opinion of the love of tho Empire in New Zealand. It seemed to mo that tho Empire had the first place in tho affections of New Zealanuers, above that of their own country.. Such Imperialism appeared to be warm in Australia. but in New Zealand simply blazing. It was proved by the Contingents sent to tho Boer War, confirmed by the gift of H.M.S. New Zealand, and crowned by the present enthusiasm for the greatest of causes. "Great Britain as a whole has risen to the call. Most noticeable have been the public schools and Universities, where the young manhood of England has offered itself for service. In August and September I was in constant communication—personal and by letter —with Lord Roberts about tho establishment of public school and University corps, and he gave the scheme the whole-hearted support of his great name: the boys joined as privates, with the sole condition that t-ney wero to servo together as units of not less than a battalion. At Eton we had a sudden drop of 110 boys, viz.: all those who would normally have left a year later for the Army, or the Universities, or business. Sixteen of our staff are away on military service; one. almost the youngest of my colleagues, nas been killed, and another wounded.' Of our old boys, more than 200 have fallen, and the end is not yet. "Cambridge is a wonderful sight, swarming with khaki; the officers' messes are in the colleges. Trinity has given l up the "New Court" for billets : the main building of King's is occupied by nurses; on the King's and Clere cricket grounds there is an openair hospital for 1000 men. The residents, a poor body, are out of their small means supporting a large number of Belgian professors and their wives. "Of course, there are Belgians in most towns and villages, and besides those in Eton and Windsor we are entertaining and educating twenty-four Belgian boys; these have now been with us for two school' terms, and our own boys have provided a fund to supply the guests with pocket money and clothes where necessary. All this works for good, for it is a lesson of self-denial whicn does not as a rule appeal to the boy-mind. I am constantly hearing of real sacrifices being made by people of moderate means for the sake of one or other of the war funds. "We have had an epidemic of rubella—over 400 cases —and one of the Belgian boys who had fallen a victim cried indignantly: 'I will not have German measles.' Apparently any other variety he would liavo accepted without a murmur 1 ""The chief revelation of the war has been tho Tommy. Officers' letters from the front say that they thought they knew him, but tho reality infinitely surpasses their knowledge—his cheerfulness in all surroundings of discomfort and danger, and his unlimited power of "s'tlcking it." I must add that Tommy's letters are full of praise for his officers—their courage, and considerateness. Those happy relations do much for victory."