New-York tribune., 1901-01-06
TUTORING IMMIGRANTS.
a SOURCE OF REVENUE TO MANY AM.
BITIOIIS EAST SIDE SrIrnEnrrs

pretty thoroughly all the ramifcatons of the
pubic school system. but from the main trunk
and its chief branches spring dozens of smaller
twigs, very insignificant when considered alone
put full of interest to the sociOlogst. 1t is not
difficult to imagine the utter helplessness of the
Immigrant who has just arrived in this country
He finds it is true. a temporary refuge among
his own relatives or among kindly disposed fell
low countrymen. but he cannot presume upon
their good nature for long, and the necessity of
earning his bread stares him in the face before
ms legs have forgotten the unsteady stagger of
the sailor
The first step toward the goal is to learn the
language. There are night schools but he may
wish TO learn more quickly than is possible in
class. Again. the strangeness of his sur
roundings may make him shrink from under
going the ordeal of going to school or the hours
may be inconvenisnt This condition of affairs
has created a curious class of boy teachers.
lads we'll trained in the public schools who
carry to the newly arrived immigrant, even be-
fore he hears the words public school" the
benefits of the system on which the country
brides itself.
THE PEDLER'S DEFENCE
The majority of these boy teachers are those
whose ambition has carried them beyond the
grammar school, but whose families can hardly
afford to support them without any financial
AN'OAii. sunni pIlSHl DOyS, upon W1Om IS laid
an even greater need for earning money. begin
while they yet in the grammar school To
these ambitious youths come the foreigners
eager TO exchange little of their precious cap
ital for such knowledge of the language and of
accounts as will help them to earn a more or less
decent livelihood. Peddling is the refuge OF
the newly arrived poor foreigner. His relatives
will do their best TO find a place for a man
who does not speak English, but such places
are Few and are eagerly sought that many
a man finds himself driven 10 shoulder a pack
or push cart within a week of his arrival
Friends and relatives fit out the newly fiedged
his own resources. which small as to be
positively microscopic. Any person of ordinary
intelligence and less than ordinary honesty can
cheat him. and he knows II. The first day or
two Of agonized doubt is sufficient to send him
post haste to some fountain OF knowledge
usually boy teacher. The boys teach English
and arithmetic. a rule. and they charge
ordinarily % cents lesson. In half a year a
good working knowledge OF English will be
gained. and the streets may be trusted TO teach
the rest after their fashion
The of the pedler is taken merely be-
cause it is one of the most pathetic. Some Of
them. indeed soon earn a good deal of money;
some years ago. especially. peddling lOurished
exceedingly, and man could make as much as
$40 week If he were clever and had little
capital; but the trade is bad and its fol-
lowers need all the protection that English and
arithmetic will give them. But not all. or even
n large proportion. of the boy teachers pupils
pedlers. Shop people are in the majority
sweatshOp people often, who save out of their
starvation wages enough to pay for what they
hope will enable them to escape from their
wretched condition. Many a man of fair educa-
tion and moderate prosperity was started ON
the right road by a boy teacher. Sometimes
less frequently, there is a call for the higher
branches from one who had some pretence nf
education the other side; while not infre-
quently pupils in the night schools come TO be
coached in subject in which they are
deficient.
1T MEANS FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE.
AS for the teacher, he gathers a harvest
which. while small compared with what he
could II AXE in business. yet enables him to con-
tinue his education and maintain at the same
time financial independence of his family
help TO support others, two three dollars a
week will be enough for his needs, and should
he need more he is sure to find the ready CO.
operation of immediate relatives. The possess
sion in the family of young man of education
gives a social prestige worth the expenditure of
a little ready coin.
Why girls should not enter this field is at
first a mystery but it is really easily explained
most of the pupils The girl teach