The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-27
MORE LOWELL HOUSES.


 MORE LOWELL HOUSES.
 Dr David Blaustein's assertion in his lecture at Lowell house. Wednes- day, that one of the characteristics of the Italian immigrant is that he comes from city life at home to seek country life in America is capable of two in- terpretations. Either Dr. Blaustein thinks of New Haven as being a pro- vincial town, a sort of country village by the Sound. in comparison with the monster New York that he Is used to, or else he has never been down on Oak street or looked around Grand avenue Our impression is that there are few Italians in those sections. Any one who saw the Italian mothers run to George street at the time of the Zunder school fire would be of that opinion. And peculiarly enough, Lowell House is in the midst of an Italian settlement. too.
 But the lecturers contention that immigration, if assimilated, will be blessing to America, and, if not assim- Hated, may be a curse, seems the height of truthfulness. I'd have them housed all around in the better quart CTS of our cities, If it were possible" he said. Then they would come into intimate contact with the best We have, with true Americanism, But, if you draw back from the very sugges- ton of that, believe settlement work like what you are doing at Lowell House is the next best way to reach them" He placed the opportunities for good work in the settlements ahead of those the public schools en- joy The latter, he Bought, under mined the family structure. At them
 
 the children learn English and con sequently find their money-earnlng ca parents. They become independent. They think they know more than their parents. Trouble follows, the chill dren leave home and the parents think 1t was the fault of the schools, with out which they would have remained happy families
 To the settlements all can go, in- cluding the parents. There they all can learn English and American GUS toms. There they all can join the various clubs. and in them learn the basic principles of self-government and democracy, what 1t means to vote, which to the Slavs and others Is such unknown procedure that they do not even have words in their languages to express tho Idea. They have not the first idea of what self-government Is. That they can learn in the settle ments, Dr. Blaustein explained. What do they think he asked. "of political liberty when they come here and hear each of our parties heaping every kind of calumny upon the candidates and methods of the other parties? You must remember that these immigrants are children. They believe all that is said at these political meetings. Then they come to the conclusion that both no such thing as political freedom here in America
 Lowell House has been doing a big work. both at it's old quarters and at it's new house on Hamilton street so generously given by MT. Farnam, But pr. Blaustein's remarks only lay more stress upon the suggestion made by Miss Ethel Evans, the head worker. at the annual meeting the other night and the belief that has long been held by the workers, that Lowell House should be only one of number of similar community houses about our city of New Haven. The work there has been successful. It is a patriotic work when looked at in the light of Dr Blausteins explanation of the importance to America of the assimi- lation Of it's immigrants Other such houses should he established with quarters equally attractive and ser viceable in other quarters of the city, all of them working in perfect har- mony under the central control, per haps. of some such organization as the Associated Civic societies and always in close touch with the city officials and the charities organizations. There is a big field for settlem. mt workers in the city and those at Lowell House should be congratulated upon what they have done and what lies ahead in their power to do.
 
 THE REWARD OF HFRoISw.