Frank Bell (educator) facts for kids

Frank Erskine Bell OBE (born 18 September 1916 – died 14 July 1989) was a British teacher. During World War II, he was a prisoner of war (POW) in Borneo. While a prisoner, he created a "secret university" to help his fellow prisoners learn. After the war, he started the first Bell Language School in Cambridge, England, in 1955. He also founded the Bell Educational Trust, which is a charity focused on language education.

Early Life and Becoming a Prisoner

Frank Bell went to school at Haileybury and Imperial Service College. Then, he studied at Peterhouse, Cambridge University. In 1938, he graduated with top grades in French and Spanish.

In 1940, Bell joined the British Army. He became an officer in the Royal Artillery in 1941. His unit left England in December 1941. They were meant to go to North Africa. However, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Because of this, his unit was sent to the Far East instead.

They arrived in Batavia, Java, in February 1942. Japan quickly took over Java. On March 8, 1942, the Dutch forces gave up. The few British troops on the island, including Bell, became prisoners of war. Bell was held in five different camps. In September 1943, he arrived at Batu Lintang camp in Kuching, Borneo. Officers were kept separate from other soldiers. Bell was an officer, so he stayed in the officers' part of the camp. His friends called him "Tink" or "Tinker."

The Secret "Kuching University"

Frank Bell was the main person behind the "Kuching University." This was a secret school for the British officers in the camp. A fellow prisoner, John Mackie, said Bell was a kind and smart person. He cared deeply about his friends. Mackie explained that prisoners were starving and getting sick. They were also losing hope. Bell realized that keeping their minds busy was very important.

The Japanese rules were strict. Prisoners were not allowed to teach or learn. They could not even write notes or meet in groups. If they disobeyed, they could be imprisoned or even killed. Despite these dangers, Bell led the "university." They held classes in seven modern languages. These included Dutch, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. They also taught many other subjects. These included history, public speaking, and even how to raise pigs or chickens.

Bell and the other teachers made their own textbooks. They led classes and even gave out diplomas. Classes often happened in the evenings. The darkness helped hide their activities from the guards. Paper was very hard to find. They used paper from soap wrappers or old newspapers. They also used the backs of letters and cigarette paper. These papers were then made into books. Sometimes, they used sarong material for covers.

This experience greatly strengthened Bell's interest in language and adult education. In 1946, Bell wrote about his time in the camp. This writing was published 44 years later. He wrote about his hope for the future. He believed that studying and learning together could bring people closer. He felt that working together in education could stop anger and jealousy.

After the War

After World War II, Bell continued his work in education. He helped organize classes and courses for students from other countries. In 1948, he helped restart connections with German universities.

In 1955, Bell started the first Bell School of Languages in Cambridge. This school taught English to students from other countries. More Bell Schools opened in other cities later. In 1968, he bought Concord College. This college helped international students get ready for university. In 1972, he turned these schools into educational charities. Today, the Bell Educational Trust is a charity that helps with language education.

Bell was recognized for his work. He received the OBE award in 1975. He was also the Chairman of the Bell Educational Trust starting in 1988.

Frank Bell had a twin brother named Douglas. Frank was married to Elisabeth, and they had two children, Nick and Tass. He lived in Cambridge for most of his life. In 1984, he and Elisabeth visited Kuching again. He was happy to see that the old POW camp site was now a thriving teachers' college. After Bell passed away in 1989, Elisabeth published his writings about his time as a prisoner.

See also

• Far East Prisoners of War