New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-11
"TERR0RS" TRANSFORMED
York Hiss Richman Is Doing for
Boys Through Special Schools.

How the "terrors' of the East Side can be
transformed into promising and entirely man
ageable beings was one of the many interesting
things that Miss Julia Richman told the stu
dents of Teachers College yesterday after
noon in the course of a talk or The School
Training of Foreigners for American Citizen
ship Miss Richman. who is superintendent OF
two East Side school districts. has gathered lzo
of these boys whose record of vice and CRIME
would make a grown man shudder, she says
into a special school. where they get lndiVloual
attention, and 20 per cent Of them have never
given their teachers a bit of trouble In TACT
they have developed a positive enthusiasm for
the school. and some OF them have even become
missionaries in the cause of education.
I'll tell you a story to illustrate that point
ssid Miss Richman. The hero Of it was one OF
our hardest cases. and so wofully ignorant that
when brought TO the school he couldn't write MS
own name. It took the truant officer two weeks
TO find him, and after spending an hour ana
half in school he disappeared and eluded the
officer for another week Well. one day this boy
announced to the principal that there were TWO
fellows on his block what didn't go to no school
at an and asked if she would take them in II
he made them come to her. The principal
suggested that he might not be able to make
them come. but he said: Never you mind about
that VIII you take 'em in if bring EN-? Inc
principal said she would, and the next morning
the seIf-constituted truant officer appeared with
two little Irish boys, whom he was holding hrm-
ly by their respective collars. He literally nung
them at the principal with the triumphant an
nouncement Here's them two boys l told you
about
Il wish could invite you to go and see this
school, continued Miss Richman. but l can't,
Is the boys say they amt no specimens for
every one TO come and look at But perhaps
have told you enough to make you realize me
awful crime and wickedness of never, until very
recently. trying TO get boys like this away
from the crowded schools and treat them m
dividually Why have the children's courts and
juvenile institutions been allowed TO groan under
burdens that were greatly educational problems?
WHY in Gods name have We not had such
schools before?"
The responsibility for many of these cases OF
incorrisibiIity Miss Richman placed on former
school administrations. which made no special
provision for foreign children. If child could
not speak English he or she was put into a
primary class, regardless of age or previous
The result was" said the speaker. that the
schools we're filed with children who We're TWO,
three or even half dozen years older than the
rest of the children in their classes The IN
struction they received was not adapted 70 men
respective stages of mental deVeioPfnen,, anu
they naturally ;ost interest, became troublesome
nr rlaved truant. Children who cannot SPEAK
English are now gathered into Specldl classes
I'll the acquire WOEk1ng VOc6DuldTN' anu
,h4n assigned 20 the classes where they EeailS
beione In my own district after February
I expect to have in every school school WITHIN
a school In one school where there are Sky
eight classes there will be fourteen specldl
classes and children who for any reason naNe
fallen behind the usual educational slaIus 95
viii receive special attention ard be proiioleu
con, one 10 another just rapidly as they can
40 the work In these snecial classes the p ach-
No I'd child gets new hope and often MAKES "oti
dsrf,,l nrogress | have known boys 70 40 lhe
work Of five terms in seven months:
Another difficulty which Miss RlchInan, mas
.y,srienCed in her work among foreign ciIliu
S@ tho pulf which the Americanizatlon OF lho
ct,iId creates between itself and its parents
we must Amercanize the child she saiu;
..,,.ap al the cost of tragedy In its home. out
so,,.t think the latter is always unaVo1daple.
Lave some plans myself which hope VIII o9
something to bridge the gulf Just as soon as
-, make the necessary arrangements am go
iTy Ia have regular parents meetings al "hiCii
7 viii outline to them in detail Just what we dLe
+,,-ine 70 do for their children and why we ar
ling 70 do il l will appeal to them Tor lietI
cn.oneration: l will appeal 20 them ana peg
chem 10 give up reading foreign newspapers anu
"a eton talking jargon in their homes
In conclusion Miss RiChman said that lhe
sotool training of foreigners was the most
tbani.ful work in which she had ever beeh en-
gagsd and that the results of any efrortS IN oe-
baif Of the immigrant population We're treIiieil-
dOuS.