SOLDIERS AT SCHOOL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 140, 10 December 1918, Page 2

SOLDIERS AT SCHOOL

WORK AT CONVALESCENT CAMPS

NEW ZEALAND LEADS THE WAY

A GREAT WORK.

(By a Member of the New Zealand PreM Delegation on tour in the, War Zone.)

From a very modest beginning an education scheme of immense importance to our soldiers and to New Zealand has been rapidly developed at Nsw Zealand convalescent camps in England. The scheme, though it had-already reached quite considerable dimensions at the'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 the immediate purpose of assisting to divert the mind of the conval-escent-soldier from his present ailments and worries, but enlarging and bettering his equipment for the time when he will return to civilian occupation. He is not only helped more speedily along tb,e road to recovery, and his prospects in bettering his own position in life-increased, but he is made a more valuable asset Chan ever to the community in which he lives. ' . . .. ...

How the scheme originated may b« briefly told. The-first idea was to start a "hobbies" room in connection with the V.M.C.A. hut at Hornchurch Convalesicent Camp. Mr. Varney, the well-knotcn V.M.C.A. secretary, who had been an instructor in technical education, appears to have been responsible for giving effect to the idea, the purpose behind it at that ' time being mainly "that of helping the convalescent soldiers to pass time pleasaiitly 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 movement was su,ch that classes were soon added in carving, boot repairing, basketmaking; rafia work, and similar light forms of employment. These classes soon spread to other New Zealand camps at Bi'oekenhurst, Torquay, Cod' ford, and Oatlands (Waltoriron-Thames). The military authorities, under General Richardson, appear to have quickly seert the value of these classes, and the importarit part they might be made to play in making easier the return of the soldier to civilian life. The" outcome has'been that the whole educational scheme is now practically under military control, though the military, authorities still work in close harmpny with "tho V.M.C.A., and rely largely on its assistance to develop and extend the classes. CLASSES VEBY POPULAR. To tha 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 «> to attend school again may appear in the light of a very real hardship. ..Nothing, however, could be further from the mark. The classes are so,popular with the maI jority of the teen after they have attended a few terms that in many in- , stances where men miss, lessons through leaye intervening or Other duties interfering, they voluntarily, put .in extra tame at the classes to catch up the lost lessons. The secret of,.the: success that is being met with no doubt is.to *be foniid largely in the nature of the instruction given;, tho freedom of choice 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 H'ortichurch, to inspect the work being dona there, members' of the' New Zealand Ereis: Party, wandering around the grounds* saw silcli sights ts a, class, in agricultuf6,' with forty or fifty 1 men lying out Comfort, ably under the shade of a great elm* the majority smoiring, but nil listening closely to the lecture .which was being delivered on the compositioii of botls and the rotation of crops. Another clas^ nearby was being given practical lessons in poultry-raising; .yet another was heiiig instructed an frUit-groWing, with demonstrations in grafting: in a hut ' near-by was a Wool-sorting class, and a fow yards away a lecturer in economics had a. large class intensely interested in \ his exposition of the banking and credit systems, loan transactions, illustrated by 1 means of the Dominion's National Debt. Many of the men attending this last-inen-tiottcd class, like those out in the openj were smoking, and the majority were lounging" in lafge wicker chairs, but therecould not he tlia. slightest doubt that 1 the lecturer had their full attention,, and that they weria nptvonly improving and' .extending their knowledge in a" useful direction, but that tKteir minds had been taken off their immediate ailments and Worries. . .

-'■ The value of the classes from the educational standpoint must, of course, depend on. the qualification^ of the t©a<shers and instructors, and in this respectwe have been fortimato in securing ihe• services-of!men,- in mast cases,-of high qualifications. For instance, Private Condlfffe, who hits charge of the classes in economics at Hornchuroh, was .assistant lecturer in economics in Canterbury College before he joined np with the fighting forces; Sefgeant Adams, another of the instructors, \V3s professor of languages at Otago University; the head of the book-keening 1 class Wois a wellknown Auckland accountant. Bui, of course, it is easy to understand) that firstclass instructors in practically all departments of education should be found in a force composed of crvirtan" soldiers, drawn from all sections of the community. • _ : ■ The classes.at Horrichurch at tlie time of our visit,- with the numbers attending each, ■ were as follow :— iso. AttendiClnss. , enrolled, ance. English * \B4 75 French ; ... 94 77 Economics 283 216 Bookkeeping „ 145 120 Shorthand 71 68 Woodwork 88 79 Basketwork ....:..; .... 40 34 Stained Glass ..,.,...., ,12 10 Building construction ...... "22 20 Kinematdgraphy 10 8 Wool-chssing „'... 147 121 Dairy science 68 55 * General agriculture ...... 101 87-Fruit-growing 105 93 Poultry-keeping ; 87 71 Surveying, etc. 38 34 Bootrnaking 20 16 BEAL DESIRE FOR BETTERMENT. Thus out of a total of' 1420 eonvales- . cents in camp 1146 were on the class roll, with 902 in regular attendance. Of the remainder.6s had bean excused from education. It is of importarice to note that in the..great, majority of"cases the men show a; very real desire to better their' position in life by selecting classes i of instruction likely to assist them to secure a- more highly skilled clas* of employment, 6v to qualify for more responsible posts than they "had been engaged in before joining up with, the military forces. ' The labourer seck3 to qualify himself for some skilled trade; the farmworker tackles dairy sciimce or fftjolclassing;, the clerk, joins tho bookkeeping and accountancy classes, and no ou. It will he noted with s*ti*factlan, too, that

one of the best-attended class* is that in economics, while the various classes relating to work on the land also enjoy a 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 New Zealand convalescent camps in England. It must suffice for the moment to say that it ie in advance of anything of the-'kind "by any other overseas Dominion or by the Motherland itself, though it should be said that Britain is now making good progress in this direction.* On the occasion of our last visit to Hornchurch we were accompanied by a number of leaders of the American V.M.C. A. movement, who were seeking information with a view to introducing some form of classes into the American camps. These gentlemen saw the New Zealand classes at work, and the whole scheme in operation, and they were very enthusiastic in their expressions of approval, also stating their intention to endeavour to follow on similar lines. It might be explained that oar own military authorities in London and the V.M.C.A. are planping to ensure that as far as possible classes will be instituted on the transport* carrying our troops back, to New Zealand, so that the interest of the mep in their studies may be maintained, and the tedium of the long voyage home lightened. It is hoped, too, that .on arrival in the Dominion many of the men will take advantage of the facilities afforded them for attending technical and other classes, and so, complete the good work begun in the convalescent camps overseas. ' ■ . HOPE FOR THE CRIPPLES. ; No reference to the educational work which is being carried on amongst our troops in England would be complete, however, which did not make mention of the Oatlands Hospital and Gamp for maimed and limbless men. 1 There men stricken on the battlefield and' seemingly incapacitated for life ■•■ through loss of limbs have the dark shadow of a life of idleness and uselessness lifted. Men without legs'are fitted with limbs 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 has done and is doing with an ever-increasing measure of sue* cess for these men; and still more wonderful, perhaps, to note the atmosphere of cheerfulness which pervades everywhere throughout the classes of instruction and in the workshops at the Limbr. less Convalescent Camp. The keenness which the.men display in.their work and their pride in the progress they are making with the aid of their artificial limbe and appliances are good to see. Despondency and hopelessness have,been dispelled, and stricken men enabled to face the future with confidence arr3 with a spirit of ielf-reliance and good cheer.