The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-12-07
Foreign Students From City
Schools Give Entertain
ment for ID. A. r.
MRS. BRADFORD AS SPEAKER
Superintendent of Schools has Unique
Manner of Illustrating Work That is
Being Done by Schools in Educating
Children of Foreign Parentage.

The regular monthly meeting Of the
D. A. r., was held Monday evening at
Masonic Temple, Mrs. Bronson and
Mrs. Buckmaster being hostesses.
The program was somewhat unique.
Supt. Mary d. Bradford had the topic
of the afternoon, which was "What
the Public Schools are Doing for the
Foreign Child" Instead of giving
formal paper upon this topic, Mrs.
Bradford brought before the audience
foreign children from the public schools
and demonstrated what is being done
right here and now for these children.
A group of twenty-four foreign born
children from the Durkee school sang
J" America A group of children in
charge of Miss Mabel Lampe from the
Frank school, illustrated how children
are started in reading, and also what
progress has been made at the end of
three months.
The third number was given by some
children from the high first at the Balm
school. They were in charge of Miss
Larsen, and demonstrated what pro-
gross children have made at that stage.
Various nationalities, Russian, italian,
Polish, were represented in this group.
Their reading of familiar folk-love
stories was excellent.
A group from the Columbus school
showed how the first steps in English
are taken by means Of the recitation
and dramatization of Mother Goose
rhymes. These children also touched
deep chord in the hearts of this or
ganization by giving the "Salute to
the Flag" This effect was also felt
from the recitation Of Paul Schneider,
a Danish boy, who came to America in
May, 1911, who recited the poem Hats
off! The flag is passing by.
Santo Maio, a very promising Italian
boy, from the third grade at the Frank
school, read his composition on a visit
to the engine house. Samples of writ
ten work from different schools were
on exhibition.
Louis andre from the fourth graed,
Central school, told the, history of the
first Thanksgiving.
After the program, Mrs. Bradford
spoke of various things being done to
help the foreign children in the public
schools. She told of the ungraded room
recently started at the Weiskopf school
which is giving individual help to over
forty children who are behind their
grade, and Showed the need Of more
Of these rooms.
A recent Investigation, made in all
She public schools, has set forth some
facts, which Mrs. Bradford will prob
ably write up more fully later. The
fundamental discoveries are these: that
1913 per cent of all children attending
school in grades between the kindergar-
ten and the high school are foreign
born--came across the ocean to get
here; that $50 per cent of the children
attending the public schools come from
homes where one or both parents are
foreign born; that PA per cent of
| the children have one or more grand
parents foerign born; that only 1877
per cent are the fourth generation Of
real "United States. =
These facts show something of the
problem placed before the public
schools which aim to lay the founda-
ton Of intelligent American citizens.
1t shows the need Of early lessons in
civics. 1t shows the Importance of Sc
curing the best of teachers for the
grades, where the great majority of
these children get all the schooling they
will. ever get. 1t shows the need of
giving the teachers in the lower grades
fewer children to teach, so that these
early years can count for as much as
possible in the child's education.
The program is receiving favorable
comment today from those who heard
it.