Evening journal., 1910-03-11
TRAINING
FOR FOREIGNER
Century Club Conference Ap-
points Board to Extend
Work Already Begun
EDUCATORS TELL
OF NEED OF MOVEMENT


The Rev. d. NJ. Cleland. Charles w.
Bush. a member Of the New Castle bar,
and Miss Elizabeth Sumner in speeches
at an open conference in the New
Century Club last night emphasized tho
need Of educational training for aliens.
The conference was largely attended
and every detail OF tho subject was
carefully presented.
The Rev. G. A. Henderson. OF the
First Unitarian Church. opened the
session. and the invocation was given
by the Rev Charles L. Candee. Of Rod
ney Street Presbyterian Church.
Mayor Spruance then took the chair
and after Introductory remarks upon
the Importance Of the question OF edu-
cation for foreigners introduced Char
les w. Bush. Mr.. Bush said he be-
lieved foreigners usually received just
treatment from American courts, but
undoubtedly a foreigner was regarded
with suspicion by all but the judges
particularly was this true OF the jury.
Mr.. Bush traced a foreigners progress
through a trial, only understanding
1 what was interpreted To him, he did not
know what was being said against him
and this placed him at a disadvantage.
/ Except in important cases, he had no
counsel furnished by the State, and
was too poor TO employ any. So the
experience and the delay necessarily
! connected with law Is apt 70 leave him
with a distrust for law-courts and a
preference for obtaining satisfaction
by personal methods Simple knowledge
Of English and American customs
would prevent this unusually
Mr.. Cleland who suggested the con-
ference, was the principal speaker. The
idea OF Citizens Schools" he explain
ed, is tho establishment OF night schools
to teach the English language, civic
government, and American customs TO
foreigners The fun public school cur
rlculum is not necessary, Mr.. Cleland
thought. as the aliens generally know
arithmetic. etc. The American part Of
II is what they don't know, he said
These schools are to be supported by
voluntary contributions from citizens
In answer to objections made from a
number of men that such schools
should be supported by the city Of
State. that they were not a charity
because the government owed foreign
ers this education into citizenship al
much as 1t did the children Of th
4, commonwealth. Mr.. clelenad said tina
an this was true, but IN order TO ge
such support from city or state, pre-
liminary schools had TO be formed Z,
demonstrate their need and value 10 th'
lawmakers.
Mr.. Cleand, who is president OF the As
sociation for the Promotion Of the Wei
fare of Foreigners who with his family
lived for four years among 5000 foreigners
who spoke eight languages, near Pitts
burg. drew a graphic portrait Of the great
great grandparents OF the audience which
showed that they were foreigners them
selves. He said there were three classes
OF foreigners, the "no-account counts,
the beggars, who were too lazy TO com,
over, and the men Of property and ambi
ton who made the bulk OF the $500 reach
ing America every day. He said The
tramps who come 10 the door are not for
elgners-in his own case the Rev" OF
T his door-plate had attracted numerous
! beggars. and It was surprising how many
! Of them we're Presbyterians-this SAINT
door-plate he confessed had taken away
e some weddings from the mayor-but thi
foreigners did not need charity. They wer'
] intensely suspicious OF American banks
[ and buried rolls Of money in baking
e powder cans IN the hillsides OF Pittsburg
The need OF teaching was shown by th'
run on the bank caused by the sign place,
! in front Of a pittsburg bank on the thir'
d OF Juy-"This bank closed tomorrow.
. Mr.. Cleland referred TO the Russo cas-
: as one Of many tragedies which couli
have been averted by teaching. He sal
the method of the school was to teach 90
words-personal. domestic, city, country
., and words suitable to mine and workshop
I, objects were used rather than books II
70 said in the school recently established a
+. No. 500 Washington street, the men wer
teaching each other mostly as there wa
no way to provide a regular teacher yet
n Some OF the High School girls were givin
help In the teaching. He invited the audi
ence to come down when the wor
= 'friend" was taught and demonstrate Il b.
= treating the school to ice cream-whicl
= really had been done in the school nea.
!, Pittsburg. They taught six specific
= things to the students-Not TO carr,
: knives OF guns. but to trust 10 the law
= to deposit earnings in the city banks
- to read newspapers (Air Cleland her
y complimented the Wilmington news
e papers highly; 70 refrain from intoxi
eating drinks; TO spend money I'm cit
Is stores; the meaning OF civil and relig
T. ious liberty. He said as a bushes
i proposition. the banks, stores, lawyer.
5 w. c. T. u. and newspapers ought {
support a school teaching these thing,
Continued on Page 2.