THE IKCHXICAI, RE-HDUCATION OF MEX MUTILATED IN THE WAR 63 



in manipulating the left-hand levers, especially if these are at a little dis- 

 tance. A man with one sound leg can however manage the foot-levers. 



We have already seen that a division for rural mechanics has been an- 

 nexed to the Grignon school, 'the same is true of the schools at Montpel- 

 lier, Rennes, Ondts, Tomblaine, Oisellerie, Auch-Beaulieu and Brosse. 



The school at Noisy -le-Grand was founded on a farm of 180 hectares, 

 which vias together with a sum of 100,000 francs, placed at the disposal of 

 the Ministry of Agriculture b}^ a generous donor, IVIme. Gomel-Pujos. The 

 school lias been at work since 17 February 1917 and has already received 

 137 pupils. 



Ondes District School of Agricnltiire. — The di\asion for re-education in 

 this school was formed on 4 December 1915 and may be considered to be 

 the finest example of what the collaboration of a school of agriculture and 

 the Service of Health can produce. The division disposes of a hundred beds. 

 From the time of its foundation it has been maintained in an almost complete 

 state. The pupils are admitted in series, ever}^ four months. The practical 

 teaching includes farm-work, gardening, smith's work and woodwork, for- 

 estrj^ and basketmaking. The wounded men are divided into six groups, 

 and these in turn, for two days at a time, work : (i) on the farm — in the 

 stables and under cover ; (2) on the farm out of doors ; (3) in the garden ; (4) in 

 the smithy ; (5) in the carpenter's shop ; (6) at basketmaking and in the hos- 

 pital. Recruiting has always been ensured by the chief doctors of the cen- 

 tre of neurology of the 17th region, Drs. Cestan and Decomps. Onlj^ some 

 ten invalids have been placed, and the^^ became managers earning from 100 

 to 120 francs a month with allowances in kind. The difhculties are great 

 both of recruiting the pupils and of giving them the teaching which should 

 complete their physical re-education. Half the wounded are farmers and 

 are obsessed by a wish to go back to their homes. The other half, agricul- 

 tural labourers, can be a little more easily influenced by a hope of bettering 

 themselves. Almost all of them are very little educated and at first they 

 are all suspicious. But after a fortnight such as have been convinced of 

 the advantages of re-education are finally won. Their efforts and the pro- 

 gress they make are soon surprising. In four months' time these invalids 

 have acquired an important sum of technical knowledge. They have, in fact, 

 sufficient knowledge to till the soil intelligently. But in order that the ini- 

 tial difficulties may be overcome the men must be approached patiently 

 and ever}^ effort must be made to give them confidence first in the teclini- 

 cal teaching and then in themselves. It is possible to do this. At first 

 a mutilated man feels that it will be difficult for him to play an active part 

 in life ; his future looks dark to him ; he thinks he is condemned to an exis- 

 tence of unhappiness. Gradually he discovers the forces latent in his 

 brain, and his hopes are reborn and amplified. When he leaves the school 

 he is longing to prove his worth, to begin his task courageously. 



The school of Ondes has re-edacated 253 discharged wounded or in- 

 valid men, and now contains 133 pupils. 



The School 0/ Grand-Jouan has re-educated tliirty-two mutilated men. 

 The general instruction includes the study of the most impoitant ])oints 



