STUDENT CAPTIVES.
ITo sun Emma or THE " SPECTAT011-"I may perhaps interest some of your readers to learn—front
an example—soteething of the kind of -work we hove been able to do for British prisoners of war, not merely in the way of providing them with books for study purposes, but also in enabling them to sit for University and other examinations during their internment.
Mr. L. K. White, son. of an Edinburgh Town Councillor, has recently- qualified for matriculation at Edinburgh University en unprecedented clecumetancea He wag on holiday in Germany when war broke out,. and was interned at Ruhleben. Taking advantage of the educational classes held there, for which we have supplied very many thousands of books, he, along with five other prisoners, accordingly eat for the Matriculation Examination of London University which was conducted at the camp in December last mn specially prepared papers sent through the agency of our 'scheme. This examination he and the others duly passed; but as Mr. White deaired to matriculate at Edinburgh, and the Uni- sersity authorities there were unable to accept the London test, new papers, specially prepared for the purpose by the Scottish University, were forwarded to Ruhleben, with the result that ho was enabled also to sit and peas that examination in subjects which will now allow him, on his release, to matriculate at once at Edinburgh. Thus an interned studenehas, within six months, been enabled-to pass the examinations of two British Universities and enter on his University career despite the fact that all the time lie lass been, and still is, a prisoner of. war in the hands of our principal enemy.
It will be gratifying to many friends of prisoners to learn that our parcels have for some time past been reaching even the remote camps in Asia Minor, and that the postcard acknowledgments which we enclose with them are coming to hand from enemy countries ill steadily increasing numbers:_ whilst the testimony we receive Erma the recipients as to the value they attach to the books we send them would fill a volume.
If only every reader of the Spectator realized that he may be the-means of assisting, and perhaps even of preserving the reason of, same unfortunate prisoner if he simply makes out and-sends us a list of the books lie can spare from his shelves and place at our disposal, our supply of books for study purposes would keep pace with tho requests, which- are simply pouring in upon us. At present the- demand for good books is far in excess of the supply. Fiction, hooka in dead languages, and out-of-date scientific and technical works we hove no use for.—I am, Sir, &c., ALFRED T. DAMPS,
Chairman, British Prison.. of War Book Sesame (Educational). Board o .1 -education, Victoria and Albert diocesan,
South Kensington, S.W. 7.
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