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Show Vu Eleanor Roosevelt ARMY AIR SCHOOL MIAMI BEACH, FLA. It was very good to be back in Miami Beach, for I have looked upon it in the past few winters as a very pleasant pleas-ant place to rest. This year I have taken no holiday during the winter. I can hardly call the three days spent here now a complete period of rest, but they certainly have been both interesting and enjoyable. . I have seen a number of people I was glad to see again. The technical techni-cal school, which has just been established es-tablished here is one of the most interesting of the army air force training centers. General Wooten was most kind and showed me all the various things they are doing. Col. Horace Smith, who was a White House aide, did everything possible to make us comfortable and happy while we were here. The representatives of the Farm Security administration took us to see the various improvements which have been made in the camps for migratory workers since I was here last. I was glad to have another opportunity to see the change that has come about in the living conditions condi-tions of these workers, whose efficiency effi-ciency is so important to our food production in this war period. VICTORY BOOK CAMPAIGN I felt I had hardly been away, for the days in Miami Beach were so full of interest I have just been notified of a new idea which is being sponsored by the Victory Book campaign, cam-paign, and which I hope will be very successful. A number of college presidents and a small student group have formed a committee to urge i that, at commencements, students throughout the country bring a book ; (with a personal autograph to some member of the armed forces. This ought to bring in a great many books and I hope will be a widely observed custom. The Navy Relief society is joining with the Army Emergency Emergen-cy relief in undertaking more work than has ever been done before for the families of the men in service. Up to this time, the navy has always taken care of its own people. For the first time, through a series of special events, they are asking the general gen-eral public to join with them in raising their funds. I am sure there is going to be a very warm response. From these funds the navy will lend money to the families of nien who find themselves temporarily in need of assistance. Where allotments, allot-ments, social security and Red Cross gifts do not completely take care of any home situation, the Navy Relief will be able to help . the three branches of its service the navy, marine corps and coast guard. These are war time appeals I am sure we shall be anxious to meet, so that no community will have difficulty dif-ficulty in raising its quota. WASHINGTON. I had an interesting inter-esting morning visiting one day. First I went to the school which Diana Hopkins has attended this winter St. Agnes Episcopal school in Alexandria, Va.,- of which Mrs. Helen Macan is principal. The school is situated on Bishop Lloyd's old family estate. There are only a small number of boarders so that there can be a feeling of real home ! life. The additional number of day scholars allows for rubbing up against more varieties of human beings, be-ings, which I think is very good for young people. The staff seems to me very remarkable, re-markable, for .'we went into no classroom class-room where there did not seem to be absorbed attention on the part of the students. They go from kindergarten kinder-garten to high school and the school has just won a much-coveted standing stand-ing in the state both in Latin and French. Something which seems to me almost as important as the educational side of the school is the evident realization by the students that their student government belongs be-longs to them and, having made the rules, they must abide by them. In study hall, there was no teacher, teach-er, but I neyer saw a quieter and more orderly study period. SPEEDY MOBILIZATION As I think it over, the most interesting inter-esting thing being done by the air corps at the technical training school in Miami, Fla., was the effort ef-fort to classify men by examination and interview. As the man in charge told me, they are really trying to find round pegs and put them in round holes. The other thing which impressed me was the speed of organization. It is barely two months since this set-up was started, and yet everything every-thing is running smoothly. RUSSIA AND CHINA RELIEF I hope that the magnificent effort which the Russians have made will spur all the organizations throughout through-out this country to do all they can for Russian Relief. I was sorry not to be able to attend a meeting for this purpose in Miami or Los Angeles, An-geles, for both places asked me. However, I am quite sure that my presence was not needed. We owe so much to Russia and China today and we can only express ex-press our gratitude by sending them all we can in relief funds. |