South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-29
BY OTTO McFEELEY.
copyrighted, 1910

BY OTTO McFEELEY.
Copyrighted, 1910
stan Special.
DETROIT. Mich, June 29.-When
you go 20 a certain part of the Ford
plant you will be puzzled by a babel
or voices as OF a school reciting les
sons
Ii is a school school OF grown
up men-and they are reciting les
sons
Foreign laborers cannot become
American citizens learn to spend
more money for living and efficiently
enjov freedom and citizenship unless
they can speak. read and write Eng
lish. This was the conclusion reach
ed by Henry Ford, and accordingly
ne has established schools for adult
foreign workmen.
The school is located in the new ad-
dition of the Ford shop. 300 feet
long. five stories high and as white
inside as a battleship and as clean.
Ford took Judge Neil, the mothers
pension man with whom ne has been
in conference. and myself 10 see the
school.
When We visited the school in the
new factory building the following
nationalities We're represented in the
Polish. Russian. Roumenian, Serv-
ian, Armenian, Hungarian. Syrian,
Turkish Austrian. Greek and Slavs
There are about 10 other tongues in
the factory and they are TO be drawn
into the melting pot school as rapid
IS as the organization can be en-
larged.
No Others Like II.
There is no other school like this
IT'S magnitude is the Ford magnitude.
Ford paws all the teachers. The sys-
tenn of teaching is unique. These
men are taught by animated object
lessons.
Kettle" says the teacher. with 30
pairs OF eager eyes upon him. He
holds up the common tea kettle of
the kitchen.
4 put water in the kettle" he con
tinues
II put the kettle on the stove.
Each sentence is repeated i'm
chorus. over and over again. Then
the teacher takes them through the
various uses of the personal pro-
nouns. 'he put the kettle" you put
the kettle Eve put the kettle" This
brings mp the mystery OF singular and
plural words. He can't get il into
their heads
He grabs a man who is known TO
be unmarried. Single" the teacher
says. shaking the man. Not mar
RED
They understand Now" SAYS the
teacher. "one kettle" holding up one
finger sis what" The answer comes
at once. single"
NOW what is two kettles" holding
up two fingers and the kettle.
Married. shouts a bright lahorer,
beamng at his own show of knowl-
edge. All he gets is "A laugh. The
class has learned enough To see the
joke and the teacher laughs too.
The school runs like a machine
With baton like a music teacher.
with many joke the teacher pro-
ceeds. The class reciting in "a chorus
with only an occasional pupil called
upon TO repeat the sentence alone
He eats my breakfast shouts the
teacher He eats my breakfast re-
peats the class. The teacher takes on
a Mortified look.
What's that YOU say. He eats my
breakfast"
Then the instructor grabs pupil
six feet tall and says IF ne eats my
breakfast I viii fight" and he threat
ems the big man with his fist They
grab the meaning OF the error at once
and will not make that mistake them
selves.
Secs Promise i'm Men.
Are these men cattle" asks judge
Neil OF millionaire Ford and the
teachers. The millionaire and his
teachers flashed their resentment at
once.
Almost everywhere I go big en-
ployes and charity workers refer TO
such men as cattle guineas. and
wopS,' continued the Judge.
They are wrong declared the
teacher and Ford nodded. These
men or II Tongues are just like the
rest OF Us. Most OF them are more
eager Co learn and more ambitious.
Great useful and patriotic citizens
are 20 come out OF this school" was
Ford Is declaration.
In one month 100 men of II
tongues have learned 20 read the
printed English word First is rhe
oral lesson. then the reading aud then
the writing
The first classes now have been
promoted and within six months
many of these adult pupils viii be-
come buyers OF the daily newspapers
and the magazines and will be i'm
position 20 keep up with the trend of
affairs ln their city. state and coun-
Try.
This school is only the beginning.
Courses in American history. utera-
ture. ciVics and technical courses are
10 De organized AS the department
grows and pupils are ready for the
higher education as BELTS S5-a-day
foreign laborers. with the view OF
making them more efficient workers.
better citizens and better prepared TO
live. which. in Ford's = philosophy. is
the purpose of work and education.
Trv NEWS-TlMES WANT An