ARMY EDUCATION:

Gun Flash, Issue III, 16 January 1943, Page 3

ARMY EDUCATION:

After more than 3 year s of war the question of Army Education is still being referred to in the future tense* In the Evening Post of Dec 12 the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones deplored the fact that ’’today thousand's of our young-.men who normally would be receiving a civilian training are being denied that right as a result of the 'war”. He was concerned in particular with the lads, of 18 who are divorced • ! ’from their ordinary training or educ- * ation. These lads have been taken in their most receptive years, disciplined, trained andmolded into fine soldiers, sailors, or airmen, but, after 3,4, or. years, they will be returned to civilian life sadly handicapped by their lack- civilian . • training;. ; 7 ' A survey of one of the batteries reveals that more than half had not received posterimary education and about one sixth had received: 3 years secondary education. On investigation of their occupational fitness, it was found that possibly 20 % were fully trained in one trade, and 5. % wore adept/in. 2 or more /trades. Of these men 80 # were keenly interested in furthering their education. It is understbod that the difficult tics confronting the furtherance of an educational scheme are enormous. . ’ A wide variety of subjects must be catered'for; the training must fit - in with the real job of the army and the organisation of large and separatebodies of men -into classes would be quite difficult. However,’ these dif- ' ficulties are far from insurmountable.

The role of Coast Defence is par-, t'icularly'- suited- to this ideal. The i very permanency of most positions and" the amount foil time at our dis- [ posal are Wo good- reasons to support that contention. state simply that} there la 'a . need . and demand action', without a few suggestions, is often termed*as grousing. This correspondent has these suggestions to make, _ none of which ar e immoderate,/ ana al j of which are particularly applicable, to this Regiment. ' . Firfitly th© institution of a good library on similar lines to tho Red Cross library provided for tho use of rhe U.S. Troops here. This .is an urgent need of •immediate { s well as • future importance,. ' .. . Secondly it should be possible to provide lessons in French. It is universally recognised that tills is something \ of. real value to troops stationed on this island, Many have hod grounding in French and, with * th? excellent opportunities -for practice here, would find it a .simple matter to become proficient in the tongue of our allies. ( ' n Then there is a large field ox tsub« jocts on the physical side of our neglected; education. In spite of /lessons of tho Pacific War and the many endeavours r o overcome this deficiency, 'thane is still'-a .largo number ci 1 -. soldl er s who- c anno s ./ im« .Wi th- he facilities available, and ' the doxens of . expert.-, swimmers as ins true tors, t her e is no go o d reason for any man' not to be proficient in the water. . And there uro many otter talent possible to us if wo only receivc the instruction.

Kenoo this tele • can 1 only conclude, as so many others of similar vein have . concluded, with the , hope• that ■ the good . [intentions of the Adjutant-General and his associates will one day result in some form of tangible education for the men who most need, the thousands . who have given their best years in the z hope that they will someday retufriihto ; a secure civilisation where they will be able to take their/rightful place on an equal basis with those fortunate enough to have been able to complete their civil education. ' ; 1 «o -0-0-0 -0-0-0 -0-0 -O-O-O-