Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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of the government providing he main- tains the standard of good work. But what is the significance of all this planning? What does it really mean? lt means that the government with the co-operation of educational institutions is undertaking a costly and somewhat experimental program. By this undertaking the government hopes to do several things: chiefly, to raise the intellectual standards of Americag to give the returning veterans a new chance and a head start on their civil- ian lifeg and to prevent their having to sell apples on the street corner. This G. l. Bill of Rights and the planning of each individual educational institu- tion for returning ahead of anything done after the last war for their benefit that the two situa-- tions are hardly comparable. During and after the first World ,War the government helped only the disabled with some slight vocational trainingg and after the first World War Sieg- fried Sassoon could write such bitterly sarcastic lines as the following, which although they were probably describ- ing England's neglect of her soldiers were just as true of our own: veterans is so far Do they matter ?-those dreams from the pit? You can drink and forget and be glad, And people won't say that you 're madg For they'll know that you fought for your country And no o11e will worry a bit.', This time the country is worrying and preparing to embark upon a pro- gram which will demonstrate to its fighting men that the people have not forgotten their sacrifices and are grate- ful to the extent of providing for them substantially by supplying what can never be taken from them - an edu- cation. EPIC OF THE FRENCH UNDERGROUND By Eva Morin N the spring of l94U, the French Army, disheartened and beaten by the overwhelmingly stronger forces of tl1e Germans, thought only of the black and gloomy present. The Germans tried to poison the people by a contaminated press filled with propaganda. They made the people believe that they were to devote all their efforts toward build- ing up the Third Reich and the New Order and ruled their subjects with an iron hand. The people couldn't move an inch without seeing a detested swastika or a uniform of the German Army of occupation. ln spite of this apparent defeat and loss of freedom, however, the French love of liberty was not dead. No sooner had the Germans occu- pied France, than the French, a proud

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if they were under twenty-five years of age on their induction into the service and were in the active military or naval service on or after September 11, 1940 and prior to the termination of World NVar ll, or if they have served ninety days in the service and their discharge was anything but dishonor- able. lf the veteran is discharged be- fore the end of the war, he must file his application within two years of the termination of the warg but if he is discharged after the end of the war, his application must be filed within two years of the day he was discharged. The government, by this bill, promises to pay a maximum of 95500 to cover the cost of tuition, books, equipment, lab- oratory, etc., to the school for one ordinary school year. To the veteran the government will pay 3650 a month for the time he is in school and for regular holidays and leave of not more than thirty days in one calendar year. If the veteran has one or more depen- dents, he will receive 3275 a month in- stead of 3550 on the same basis. The government really pays for everything except the G. I.'s room and board. But! pay may be reduced or withdrawn entirely if the student receives pay for work as part of his apprenticeship or training program. Any eligible G. I. may go to any private, public, or other school for the education of adults provided it is approved by the state approving agency which is to be designated by the Vet- erans' Administration as the approv- ing agency and provided he can meet the entrance requirements of the school. The school does not necessarily have to be in the state where the G. I. re- sides or even in the United States, so long as it is approved by some branch of the Veterans, Administration. How- ever, the school, not the Veterans' Ad- ministration, will determine whether he is acceptable as a student and whether he is qualified to pursue the course of training he selects. He must also keep up to the standards of the school, for if he cannot, his benefits under the bill may be discontinued. As to the length of time the veteran may attend school the bill provides that any veteran who is eligible, which is to be designated by the previously stated eligibility requirements, is eligi- ble for a minimum of one basic year and a maximum of four years educa- tion. In addition to the one basic year a veteran is eligible for a period of study equal to his or her service be- tween September 16, 1940, and the termination of the war. Special train- ing courses taken in the Army or Navy which were continuations of civilian courses taken prior to induction will not be counted if the training was completed. If, however, at the end of the first year the veteran has made satisfactory progress in the opinion of the institution he is attending, in ac- cordance with the regularly prescribed standards of the institution he will be allowed to continue his education for three more years at the expense

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lllllllllli IIEIEUIKEIEIEIEBEIIII . and independent people, began to re- volt secretly to save their country from complete annhilation and humiliation, and to regain their self-respect and their pride as a nation. They risked their lives for the little liberty offered in resistance movements. The people fought against the Vichy regime, which was to them worse than that of the Nazis - French participation in Ger- man oppression of Frenchmen. In spite of German arrests, murders, spies, informers, and the control of the press, radio, and all out-going mail, the underground, which originally be- gan by acts of personal: vengeance, became united and strong. Notwithstanding great obstacles, the organizations of the resistance move- ments forged papers, helped stranded Royal Air Force men escape, got fac- tual data on all German activities, and persuaded the people to collect and give money for the cause. Resistance against oppression welded people of all creeds, of all political be- liefs, and of all types, both rich and poor, to work smoothly together for victory. In the fight for freedom, the French used sabotage, the Maquis, and news- papers to overcome the Germans and their evil deeds. All phases of the re- sistance movements were equally dan- gerous and had the same penalty - death if captured. The leaders in these fields were chosen for their ability, not for former wealth or position - ability made authority. In order to weaken the enemy and to lower his morale, the French peo- ple committed sabotage in important places during blackouts. Sabotage methods included the destruction of railroad tracks, the poisoning of Ger- man food, the cutting of vital telephone and telegraph wires, and the firing of fuel dumps. To commit these acids, the saboteurs, often women and older men, were taught by school teachers and former soldiers to be alert, wily, and to give careful attention to minute details. One of the cleverest acts of the sabo- tours was to put an abrasive on bear- ings made at one factory. When the various parts were assembled, the ma- chine would run well at first but would soon break down for some mysterious unaccountable reason. Such sabotage rattled the nerves of the Nazis and finally forced them to close many vital factories. 1 On D-Day, sabotage acts delayed German rein- forcements for twenty-four hours. Another phase of the war for inde- pendence appeared when the traitor Laval issued the order that all young men were to report for slave labor in Germany. The men took to the woods and formed the guerrilla band called the Maquis. Although the Maquis, who were led by former French Army officers, lacked arms, they did not lack faith, and in that faith performed daring deeds by means of which they stole from the Germans most of the arms they used.