THI-: TKCHNICAL RE-EDUCATION OF MICN MUTILATED IN THE WAR 6r 



§ 3. Resuets obtained. 



We will now examine the present state of these schools, the results 

 they have obtained, the observations made in them, and the reflections which 

 the practice of technical education has suggested to the teachers in them. 



National School of A^rictdture at Grignon. — There is a division for 

 the training of rural mechanics and another for training shepherds. Eigh- 

 teen mechanics of tractors or drivers of machines have already been placed 

 at the disposal of farmers. Recruiting for the shepherds' division is diffi- 

 cult. The school could not render any real services by re-education until 

 the Service of Health installed in it a medical hospital and the wounded men 

 who were receiving treatment could be re-educated. Seventy-eight mutil- 

 ated or wounded men have been re-educated and fifty-six vv^ounded or dis- 

 charged men are now being re-educated. The school could easily accom- 

 modate 150 of the mutilated. 



National School of Horticulture of Versailles. — The school cannot board 

 pupils and this is a serious obstacle to recruiting. Only four mutilated 

 men have been re-educated. 



Dairy Schools of Mamirolle, Poligny, Siirgeres and Aurilljc. — These 

 schools have re-educated thirty-one mutilated men. Recruiting is dif- 

 ficult. The Poligny school can receive only slightly mutilated men for the 

 work necessaiy to the manufacture of Gruyere cheese is heavy. 



Most of the mutilated men re-educated in the Surgeres school become 

 inspectors or testers of milk and can earn from 120 to 150 francs a month. 

 The pay of buttermakers and firemen begins at from 120 to 130 francs a 

 month. The Central Association of the Co-operative Dairies of the Cha- 

 rentes and Poitou has facilitated the stay of the men at this school by allow- 

 ing 45 francs a month at least to such of them as belong to the three de- 

 partments of Charente-Inferieure, the Deux-Sevres and the Vendee. 



The Chantal is so far from the large medical centres and the hospitals 

 that the Aurillac school yields no result. 



National School of Basketmaking of Favl-Billot. — The school, wliich 

 depends at once on the Ministries of Agriculture and of Comtneice, recruits 

 normally. Sixty-two mutilated men have been re-educated in it, eight of 

 them being blind. All have easily found situations on leaving. Their 

 average earnings are form 5 to 6 francs a day ; a few receive 7 francs a day, 

 or 150 francs a month with board and lodging. It follows on the director's 

 personal observations that re- education should begin immediately after 

 a cure, before the time necessary for the formalities of discharge has elapsed. 

 Apprenticing is comparatively easily accomplished, even in the case of the 

 blind. It is important not to be afraid of spending nuich time at the outset, 

 for once the principles of basketmaking have been learnt time will eventually 

 be saved. Thus after eight or ten months of apprenticeship a blind man 

 can manage to make one or two objects which have a market and allow him 

 to earn his living. A blind man's work should not differ from that of a 

 seeing man and therefore his wage should approximate to that of the latter. 



