Welsh Journals

SCHOOLS FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS LESSONS FROM FRANCE AND BELGIUM fate of the soldiers and sailors whom the present war will render unable to take up again their former professions has already attracted the attention of the Government. A few months ago the President of the Local Government Board appointed a committee to consider the question of employment for disabled soldiers and sailors and to report upon the methods to be adopted for providing them with employment. Interested in the matter as I am, I have since been constantly on the alert to hear what measures would be taken in this country for dealing with the matter, but in vain: my curiosity has not yet been satisfied. I have thought it might be desirable to relate what I know about the matter and how the problem has hitherto been dealt with by the French and the Belgians. The problem was not quite a new one for the Belgians, for before the outbreak of the war they possessed in their country a professional school at which disabled labourers were taught new trades. This school was founded in the province of Hainaut, a province quite comparable to theCountyof Glamor- gan with respect to its coalfield, its industries, its population and the general state of the public mind but with one difference, that in the Belgian province far more importance is attached to educational questions and especially to technical education. To convey a clear idea of what I mean it will be sufficient to say that the provincial authorities have everywhere organized technical schools for the labourers, of which the Labour College of Charleroi, with its 1,500 pupils, is the most brilliant example. The distinguishing feature of this college, as well as of all similar schools in that province. is that the intention is to form excellent, skilled workmen and not mainly foremen, as is the case in countries where technical education is still in its infancy. It was at the Labour College of Charleroi that the first school for disabled workmen was founded a few years ago, and at the end of 1914 other places such as Brussels and Tournai were following its example. It is probably due to the general experience which had thus been obtained of the problem, that the Belgian Government started at Rouen a large school for disabled soldiers as early as the end of last year. And it is noteworthy also that in French AND SAILORS towns such as Lyons and Montpellier for instance. those who organized similar establishments were Belgians, who were only too happy to render assis- tance in this way to an allied nation. The main object of the professional schools for the disabled is to save soldiers and sailors. many of whom are still young, from the disgrace of inactivity and dependency on others for the rest of their lives, and to spare the nation the burden of thousands of unproductive citizens who are perfectly capable of contributing towards the national welfare. They proceed from the standpoint that it is the duty of a community not to allow any of its disabled de- fenders to return home, after having been discharged, without the means of again participating in a com- plete and normal life. It may be equally important to avoid fostering in them the illusion that they will be able to maintain themselves by adding to their pensions the income derived from such secon- dary posts as the nation was able to offer to her old soldiers in normal times. On the contrary, all those who, before they joined the colours, were accustomed to live by their daily earninga-and they form the great majority-ought to be convinced that it is to their interest to enter the professional schools, especially provided for them, at which they will be received, maintained and lodged gratuitously, while still receiving their pensions, till they are fully capable of living again by the fruits of their own labour. Everybody will agree that the founda- tion of such institutions is urgent, and that the question of their utility is beyond discussion. Let our investigation therefore be directed to the organi- zation of such establishments as are now already in existence. For the pupils themselves the most interesting question is that of the trades taught in the school. Here. of course, the general development of the mind of each man plays an important role, but the opportunities which the district, in which the school is situated, offers, are also an important factor. Such trades, however, as those of clerk, shoemaker, tailor, carpenter, bookbinder, vegetable grower, florist, are almost everywhere useful, whilst circum- stances may give rise to the creation of courses for locksmiths, harnessmakers, cane-workers, jewellers, brushmakers, etc. The courses for the more intel-