SOLDIERS' TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 267, 7 August 1919, Page 5

SOLDIERS' TRAINING

WORK AMONG HOSPITAL PATIENTS

NEARLY 1000 PUPILS

Tho educational and vocational training branch of tho Defenco Department has now reached a stage at which classes have been organiscil in nearly all tho hospitals where soldiers arc treated, and a number of soldier outpatients arc getting tho benefit of this scheme, thus improving their chances of making _ headway in civil occupations. It is estimated that thai'* are now ovor a thousand soldiers attending classes. Tho attitude of tho soldiers to tho educational and vocational scheino was at first suspicious, if not actually hostile. Thoy resented the idea of compulsory education, though as a matter of fact tho only element of compulsion which has been introduced into tho system is where a man will be directly improved in health as a result of training recommended by his modical officer. Some difficulty was experienced in trying to rouse the patients out of the inertness which characterises hospital life. Many of tliem apparently took little inteiest in their future. But the vocation oKcers who are sent into the hospitals are returned soldiers who are quite well able to understand the men's outlook, and to overcome their indifference. The latest reports show that these early difficulties are disappearing; now there is very little opposition to--the scheme, and tho soldiers realise that the vocation officers nre anxious to help them. Though some classes fail, others are immediately started—thero is. no hard and fast syllabus to be applied uniformly in all districts— and as a result of experience of the requirements of tho men thero is an increasing number of students, and an extremely wide variety in the classes throughout the Dominion. No fewer than fifty-three subjects are taught altogether, the most ponular subjects being indicated by the following details of the number of pupils on the instruction' rolls on July 1. ■ Tho numbers have no doubt' increased since that time: ' Pupils.

•Motor engineering 129 Leather work 129 Basket work 96 Wool classing (9 Bookkeeping <» Carpentry Go Embroidery 62 Economics ....-.» *•* Splint making :.. 43 ■ Bee keeping 31 Commercial subjects 26< Boot repairing 23 Poultry farming 23 . Loco, and tractor driving 21 A number of special' Subjects are taken by individual soldiers in different centres. They are mainly outpatients who wish to "brush up" their knowledgo, or gain some information which wiil be of value to thorn in their civil vocations. Assistant vocation officers have recently been appointed so that these out-patients wav 1)0 systematically interviewed and helped. It has been found that the best results are obtained at'the sanatoria, where the patients are nearly recovered, and,where iliev stay for some months. When men are sent to a hospital for operative treatment they are really invalids, .and it is useless to expect, them to take up courses which cover a considerable time.

Occupational classes are the first step towerds bringing, the soldier back to active effort. In many cases the-exercises 1 for special muscles have a valuable curative effect. Leather work, basket-mak-ing, wood-carving, spinning and weaving, and embroidery (for cot cases) are taimht. The classes are well attended, and os a rule are popular. Basket-mak-ing does not now attract so large a Bumber of patients as leather work.

It is found that the splint-making, thouah offering little in the way of future openings for soldiers, enables them to get a good deal of useful training in the handling of iron and leather tools which will be valuablo to them in almost anv trade they may take up after discharge. Carnontry and cabinet-making are not as popular as might bo expected. As curative agents they are useful to give training to special muscles, and to get men gradually accustomed to the resumption of bodily effort. A oertain amount of twining in engineering is given in the splint shops at the hosnitals. At Rotoma .there is a special vocational training in electrical engineering but tho. only form of engineering which is really popular is motor engineorinrr. There is a demand for this class of instruction all ovor tho Dominion, and everywhere tho classes havo been fnl.

Boot-repairing classes have been established at Itotonm, Napier, Miramar, and Hannier. Thoy are generally successful, though not largely attended. A s:oed deal of useful work is done in repairing the boots of hospital patients. This is a trade which can be learned in a short time, and fair wages are assured after a few months' instructional work. There is less interest taken in fani'ini! lectin es than might be expected in an agricultural country, though wool-classing has been a popular subject in some centres. At Hannier, whero an instructional farm is attached to the hospital, a farm manager has been appointed, who is an enthusiastic instructor, end it is expected tliat in tho spring and summer a good general agricultural education will bo given Farming will also be taught at the farm attached to the new consumptive hospital at Waipukurau

It was expected at tho initiation of the scheme that technical schools would tirovide suitable training for soldiers, but experience has brought to light many difficulties. The courses there are too lonir and are not intensive. They are 'held at inconvenient hours for soldiers, and itro often crowded with youths and pirla. But tho chief difficulty is that the soldiors are not eager for vocational instruction, and require hot a little persuasion bofore they will attend the classes at ell. Tho solution has been found in special clasues independent of the technical 6chook The vocation officer at Ohiistchnroh reports on this point: "The special soldiors' classes are in all cases successful, and it is recognised that whero the right kind of instruction tho soldiers want is provided good attendance can alwayn be obtained." It should be added, however, that Dunedin Technical School itf an exception, as ovor sixty soldiers are attending classes there. It will be, seen from this review of tho position that the educational'and vocational trair.intj branch has constantly modified its rrogramme tc meet the needs of the men. and that the facilities it provides aro now generally utilised to the advantage of the soldier-patients in New Zealand.