EDUCATIONAL WORK AMONG BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR. (TO THE EDITOR
OA TAZ " SPECTATOR:1 Sra,—The liberal response made to the recent appeal for educational books for the use of British prisoners of war interned in enemy or neutral countries, and the welcome accorded to the scheme by those of our unfortunate fellow-countrymen abroad who have learned of and will benefit by it, lead me to think that your readers may be interested in seeing—by an example—how it works. The circular, issued from this office, which invited the responsible officer in any camp to ascertain and notify me as to the needs, in the way of educational books, of the men interned there duly reached (through the kind offices of the Fore'gn Office, the American Embassy in London, and the Amer:can Embassy at Sofia) the camps at Philip- popol:s and Tatar Pazardjik in Bulgaria. The senior British officer at the former place (a Captain in the King's Own R.L. Reg:ment) writes that the scheme has been enthus'astically received 'by both officers and men in the camp, who are looking forward to the prospect of bring able to set up an Educational Library in addit:on to the ex:sting library of fict:on, especially as so many vish to avail themselves of the exceptional opportunity of studying French. offered by our internment along with the French."
By means of the educational books which a generous public has supplied, and I hope will continue to supply, for the purpose, six parcels were the same day despatched from this office to Bulgaria containing literature (all to meet specific requests) on the following subjects : mathematics (dynamics, statics, mechanics, &c.), French, Spansh, German, first-aid, accountancy, music, engineering, law, physiology, zoology, chemistry, and physics. Fresh supplies of books will be sent from time to time to these and other camps as the stock available for the purpose permits.
What is being done for our prisoners in Bulgaria and in Groningen (Holland), and was effected many months ago on a complete scale for Ruhleben, where a library (reference, lending, and class) of over eght thousand five hundred educational books has been installed, I am hoping to be able, accord:ng to the means placed at my disposal, to do for all the camps in either enemy or neutral countries in whch British prisoners are confined. Perhaps, therefore, readers of this letter may like to note the scheme and to communicate it to friends or relatives in any of such camps. Applications from them for educational books should, however, be put forward through the senior or other recognized British officer of the camp, and if possible, on a form for the purpose wh ch may be had on application to me.
A circular explanatory of the Book Scheme and indicating the kinds of educational books for which requests are constantly reaching me from the camps may also be obtained on application by postcard.— Board of Education, Whitehall, S. W.
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