The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-03
MAKING AMERICAN CITIZENS.



Springfield. (Mass.) Letter in New York
Making American citizens OF foreigners
is the work of humble little school in
this city, an institution which has care
also for foreign women, striving to fit them
for wifehood. The Institution is called the
French-American College. and was estab-
lished originally for the French Canadians.
who stream into New England in constantly
increasing numbers. and have been found
TO keep aloof from the life of this country.
except in so far as Industries require. IL
was to offset this French-Canadian spirit,
this clannishness which resisted American
influences, that a serious body of men
founded the school. Persuading students
TO enter the school was slow work at first,
but now the institution is obliged to refuse
applications for lack OF accommodations.
Five or six years ago, in response to a re-
quest from young mrn and women OF all
nationalities, the doogs were flung wide TO
all nations, and at ptesent Italians, Arme-
mans, French, Greeks, Bulgarans, Mace
domains, Spaniards, S:'rians, Nova Scouans,
Canadians Poles ano Japanese are repre-
sented These people come to the school
with little or no knowledge of English, and
often the kindergarten method is resorted
10 in order to make any Roadway with
them. They are not given a diploma until
but have some knowledge OF the literature.
and an ability to write the language easily.
Often student comes straight from
across the water 10 Springfield, bound on
entering the school, of which the mission
aries have told him, and he Is sometimes
tagged In order that he may reach his des-
unation safely; One such young man was
Greek, who did not know a word Of English.
A young woman student who could speak
both ancient and mocern Greek volunteer
ed her services as interpreter. and for sew
q nnl Cnrr1 in fhxa
institution with whom he could converse.
AT one time a Catholic priest Syrian,
forty years old, Altered. He had learned
| of the school from literature which Prot
estant missionary gave 10 him in Syria. A
| student who came recently had been
brought up on a farm in Italy. and had
guage: He was a bright lad, but had alb
solutely no school training. The faculty
shook their heads. They had no time TO
teach a student his & b Cs but the other
students promised to teach him until he
was advanced enough for the regular teach
ers to take him. The direct opposite OF
an excellent education, Is well up in the
| classics, and has att ended the University
| of Athens, but who wishes TO learn English
and French. young woman of thirty Is
! studying at her husbands request and he
is willingly paying for her education. She
is French-Canadiar, and married at the
| age of sixteen. Her, husband is becoming
| well-to-do, and wishes his wife to become
| better educated that she may take the po-
| sition IN society which his comfortable cir
cumstanees demand she should take.
The work which tire school is doing for
the women is rather unusual While il
holds uD wifehood az the most ideal and
stantly throwing all its influence against
the early marriages which are so common
among the French women Instruction il
| given in all branches OF housekeeping Not
only the more sordid part OF housekeeping
is taught, but the litEle graces which make
for the best home life, the high ideal
| the responsibilities of: rearing children. The
| young women have almost entire charge OF
| the housework in their dormitory, and they
are required to help cook the meals. This
| work for the women is bit discouragfng.
for, while the girl are thoroughly In
earnest tro during the sd;sion they are apt to
vacations. and often marry before the in
| stitution opens agafa in the fall Then
again 1t is rather difficult to induce young
women to attend in the first place. as the
men in their family or among their friends
object strenuously, believing that the girls
will become spoiled by their education, and
lilies are particularly; disinclined 10 allow
| their girls such an education, because the
Italian men IN TINS country fsa SO 1utnumber
| number of marrying women OF their race.
Some of the girls have married fellowship
dents, generally those Of their own nation
atty.
The tuition is almost a nominal sum. the
students working for their board and edu-
II
labor in the dormitories. the buildings. and
on the grounds and recently an Industrial
bureau has been established that they
may procure work ostside the institution.
Some of the men are more or less instruct
ed in a trade. and I'LL in their leisure
hours with typesettfg. harness making.
wall painting, working in drug store,
shoemaking. and working in BARRIERS
shop. In the summer these young men and
| young women work steadily on, many OF
them finding places IN the summer hotels
A paper is printed by the school, called
lie Citoyen Franco American, and is print
ed in both English and French, in parallel
| columns. The students do all the type
setting-a work at which the japanese are
particularly successful-and strengthen
their English thereby.
| Some of the graduates go to Yale. OF
Harvard, or other universities. Some OF
them become ministers, some lawyers. some
| home mission teachers, and some business
> men, and they all become good American
| citizens. The women sometimes teach
sometimes become goyernesses, and eventu'
| ally marry.
Thus is the immigration problem being
| fairly met in one corner Of the country.