The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-01-11
FORM UNIQUE SOCIETY.
Foreign Born Students at University OF
Wisconsin Organize "Interna-
tional Fraternity"

MADISON, Wis, Jan. 6.-[Special.]
Among the many literary and social
organizations at the University of Wis
consin, perhaps the most unique is the
International club, an organization
started four years ago by foreign born
students. A limited number of Ameri-
can students are also eligible.
AT present the following nations are
represented: Belgium, Canada, England,
France, Germany, Holland, Norway,
Porto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Chill,
Jamaica, Sweden, Russia, Spain, Scot
land, Austria, Bohemia, Philippines,
Japan, Asia Minor, Denmark, Cuba and
the United States
The purpose of the club is to furnish q
meeting place for the large number of
foreign born students, and provide for
their social life, in part, at least. The or
ganization also serves to induce attend
ance at Wisconsin of other students
from foreign lands, through its propa-
ganda committee, composed of one repre-
sentative from each nationality.
A movement of utilization between
clubs of the same character in the va
rious universities was started recently
at Cornell. There the club is called
the Cosmopolitan. Wisconsin was the
first to organize, but now clubs are
found in Harvard, Michigan, Buenos
Ayres and at Cornell. The movement
of afiiliation will provide more system
attic organization, and more siren
uous effort to get all foreign students to
become active members.
At Cornell the club has its own club
room outside of the university buildings
and maintains a reading room and lee
ture course. This last step is also I'M
der consideration at Wisconsin but has
been delayed on account of the inabil
ity to get suitable quarters in the uni
versity section of Madison.
In the way of entertainment the club
has followed the plan of letting the dele
cations from the various countries take
charge of the programmes presenting
selections characteristic of that country.
The last entertainment was taken.charge
of by the Filipino students, seven in
number. Six are sent to this country
by the insular government for the pur-
pose of study, and ultimately to fill i'm.
portant positions in the Philippine civil
service. They were appointed from the
various provinces after an open COM
petitive examination.
A great deal of interest is attached
to the Filipino contingent, as the sue
cess or failure of the attempts to mod
ernize the educational system of the
Philippines depends on native assistants
competent to take up the work of .pri-
mary instruction, the American teachers
gradually leave the islands for work in
the secondary schools. AS there is great
demand for clerical work in the govern
ment service, these Filipino students
have many opportunities on their return
to their native isles.
The International has among its mem
bers. not only students from other lands,
but also a number of professors and in
structors doing work at Wisconsin along
some special lines.
Membership is not restricted to uni
versity people. and two members are
residents in Madison. In this way the
International club differs materially
from the ordinary literary societies con
nected with the university. The scope
of the work is much broader. Never
theless, the club is growing each year
continually adding new members to take
tho places Of those who graduate Of
leave.