SOLDIERS AT SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 64, 10 December 1918, Page 7

SOLDIERS AT SCHOOL

EDUCATIONAL WORK AT CONVALESCENT CAMPS ' NEW ZEALAND LEADS THE WAY A GREAT WORK. (By a member of the New Zealand Press Delegation on tour in the War Zone.) from a very modest beginning an education scheme of immense importance to our soldiers and lo New Zealand has 'been rapidly developed at New Zealand convalescent camps in llngliind. The scheme, though it hat! already ireaehod quite considerable dimensions at (he time of our visit, was really only in its infancy, and there'appeared to be tremendous possibilities ahead' of it. It was, and for some time no doubt still will be, one of the brightest and most beneficent features of our convalescent camp life, not only serving as it does (he immediate purpose of assisting'to divert the mind of tho convalescent soldicir from his present ailments and worries, but enlarging and bettering his 1 equipment for the time when he will, return lo civilian occupation.. He is not only helped more speedily along the road to recovery, and Jiis prospects of bettering his. own position in life increased, but he is :nade a more valuable asset, than ever tu the .community in which he lives.

How the scheme originated may be briefly told. The first idea was to start a "hobbies'"'room in ■connection with the T.M.C.A. hut at Horiichurch Convalescent Camp. Mr. Varncy, the well-known Y.M.C.A. secretary, who had been an instructor in technical'education, appears to have been responsible .for giving ef- , feet to; the idea, the piirpo'se behind it at that time being mainly that of.helping the'convalescent"soldiers to pass tune pleasantly and profitably while progressing on the. oftentimes tedious way to recovery from wounds or illness. Beginning with a small carpenter's shop, the popularity of the lfiovement was such that classes were soon added in carving, boot repairing, basketmaking.'rafia work and similar light forms of employment. These classes soon spread to ether New . Zealajid oamns at- Broekenhu.rst', 'i'or- . quay, Codford, and Oatlands (Walton-on-Thames,). 'The military'authorities under ' .General Bichardson .appear to have quickly seen the value of those classes, and the important part they, might be made to .play in making easier the. return of.the soldier, to civilian life; The outcome has bseii that the whole educational scheme is now practcally'under military control, though, the military authorities still work in Close Harmony with the Y.M.C.A., and i rely largely on its assistance to develop , and extend the classes. • 1 Classes Very-Popular. . To.the :average adult who can. recall the drudgery of his or her school, days the idea of compelling our convalescent soldiers who are fit _to do so to attend school again may* appear in the light of a very real hardship. Nothing, however, could lw further from the mark. The classes are so popular' with the majority'of the meii alter they ihave attended a few terms that in many instances where men', miss lessons through leave intervening or other duties interfering, they voluntarily ipnt in -extra time at the classes to catch, up the lost lessons. The secret of the success that is being met with no doubt is to be found largely .in the'nature of the instruction given; the freedom of cihoice allowed the soldiers as to the classes they will, attend; and the, liberty permitted in class to smoke and take things easy. For instance, on a recent visit to Hornchureh to inspect the work being done there, members of the New-Zealand Press Party wandering around the grounds saw such sights as a, class in. agriculture witli forty or fifty men lying out comfortably under -the ■ shade of a great elm, tho majority smoking; but all listening closely to the lecture which was being delivered on the- composition of soils and the .■relation of, crops. Another class nearby was being given practical lessons in poul- ' try-raising j yet another was being instructed in fruit-growing with dembnstra.tions in grafting jin'ft hut nearby was a wool-sorting class, and a few yards away a lecturer in economics had a largo class intensely interested in his exposition of the banking and credit systems, loan transactions, illustrated by means of the Dominion's National Debt. Many of the' men attending this last-mentioned class, like those out in the open, were smoking, and the majority were lounging in large wicker, chairs, but there could not bo the slightest doubt that the lecturer hod their full attention, and that they wero not only improving and extending their knowledge in a useful direction, but that ■ their minds had been taken off their immediate ailments and'worries. The value of the classes from the educational standpoint mjist, of course, depend on this qualifications of the teachers and instructors, and in this respect we have been fortunate in securing the services of (men in most eases of high qualifications. For instance, Private Cond'ifTe, w'hp has charge of tho classes in economics at Hornchiirch, woB rssistant lecturer' in economics in Canterbury College before, he joined up with the fighting forces;.Sergeant.-Adams, another of the instructors, was professor of. languages at Otago University; the head of the book-keeping class was a wellknown Auckland accountant. But, of course, it is easy to understand that-first-class instructor in practically all .departments of education should bo found in a force composed of civilian soldiers drawn from all 'sections..of. tho community. .The classes at Hornchureh at the time of our visit, with the numbers attonding each, wc-ro as follow:

Real Desire'foy Betterment. \

Thus out of a total of 1420 convalescents in camp IHG were on the. class roll, with 902 in regular attendance. Of the remainder 65 had been excused from education. It is of importance to note that in the great majority of cases tho men show a very real desire to better their position in life by selecting classes of instruction likely to 'assist them to' secure a more highly skilled' class of employment, or to qualify for more responsible posts than they had been engaged in liefore joining up with Ihe military forces. The labourer seeks to .qualify himself for somo skilled trade; the farm-worker tackles dairy science or wool-classing; the clerk joins the bookkeeping and accountancy classes, and so on. It will be noted with satisfaction, too, Hint one of the best-attended classes is that in economics, Vhilo the various classes relating to work on the land also enjoy n large share of popularity.It would take a great deal more space than is available for this article to attempt anything like a detailed description of the educational work that is being carried'on at the Jfew Zealand convalescent camps in England. It must suffice for tho moment to say that it is in advance of anything of the kind by nny other overseas Dominion or bv (.lie Motherland itself, though il should be said that Britain is now making good progress in this direction. On the occasion of our last visit to Hornchureh we were accompanied by a number of leaders of the American Y.M.C.A. movement, who were seeking information with n view to introducing some form of classes into tho American camps. These gentlemen saw the New Zealand classes at work, and the- whole scheme in operation, and they woro very enthusiastic in their expressions of approval, also 'stating their intention to endeavour to follow on similar lino*. 11 might be exnlained that our own military authorities in London and tho Y.JI.C.A. are planning to ensure that as far as possiblo classes will be insti-

luted on Ihe transports carrying our troops back to New Zealand, so that the interest of the men in I heir studies may be maintained, and Ihe tedium of 1 belong voyage-home lightened. It is hoped, too, lliat on arrival in the .Dominion miinv of tho men will take advantage of the 'facilities afforded them for attending technical and other classes, and so complete the good work begun in tho convalescent camps overseas. Hope tor the Cripples. No reference to the educational work which is being carried on amongst our. troops in Eneland would be complete, however, which did not make mention of tho Oatlands Hospital and Camp for maimed and limbless ne/i. 'Jhero men stricken on the battlefield and seemingly incapacitated for life, through loss of limbs have the dark shadow of a life of idleness and uselessiu'ss lifted. Men without Ices are fitted with iinibs and taught skilled trades and occupations at which they can at some future day find employment'and prove themselves still useful and valued members of society. Men lacking an arm or even two find equal' care' and consideration awaiting them. It is very wonderful to see what skill- and patience ihave done'and are' doing with an over-increasing measure of success for these men; and still more wonderful, perhaps, to note the atmosphere of cheerfulness which pervades everywhere throughout tho classes of instruction and in "the; workshops at the Limbless Convnle>cen't Camp The keenness which the men display' in their work and their pride in the piwrrss they are making with the aid' of their artificial limbs and appliances are good to see. Despondency" and •hnpelwu.'ss have been dispelled, and stricken men enabled to face the future'with confidence end with a spirit of self-reliance and good cheer.

v No. AttcnrlClass. enrolled, aneo. English 84' 75 French ; 94 77 Economics ..' '. 283 21B Bookkeeping '. 145 120 : Shorthand 71 G8 Woodwork 88 79 Baskehvork 40 34 Stained glass : 12 10 Building construction 22 2(1 Kinehiatography • 10 jj V/obl-classing 147 121 Dairy science _ (i8 ' 55 Genera! acricuUiire .; 101 87 - Trnit-Brtwiiig .... 105 93 Ponltry-keeping ..., 87 |71 Surveying, etc 38 . 31 Bootninkinj;' 20 • lfi '