New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-05
MAXWELL PRAISES
FACTORY SCHOOL
Girls, Illiterate Less than
Year Ago, Now Speak
English with Ease.
AN IMPORTANT STEP,
SAYS N. Y. EDUCATOR
Distinguished Gathering Hears
Sicher Employees Speak at
Graduation Exercises.

you must forgive our mistakes, for
We have had much To learn"
So said Rebecca Meyer. one OF the
twenty-nine graduates Of the Scher
School for Immigrants. when she spoke
her Greeting" to the guests at the grad
uatIon exercises in the recreation hall OF
the white goods factory Of Dudley T..
Sicher & Co. at 70 West 21st st, last even
ing But there wernt any mistakes to
forgive Rebeccas speech was n model
in it's precise yet artless Englsh-though
one year ago Rebecca didn't know any
English AT all.
And when Minnie Spinrad, Pauline
Deutsch. Ethel Brown. Molie Tobowitz.
Mary Wilpan and Rose Clemens told. in
turn, the story OF the evolution OF an
undergarment. from the planting of the
cottonseed TO the shipping OF the finished
product. no one would have guessed, IL
they hadn't been told. that less than
twelve months ago those girls were
cassed as 'Illierates.
One by one they gave their speeches
clearly and modestly. Ethel Brown was
dreadfuly disgraced in her own estims-
ton because she forgot the English word
for bleaching" And all the applause the
audience gave her couldn't take away the
grieved look that darkened her face all
the rest OF the evening.
1t was huge crowd that gathered TO
celebrate what DR.. William II. Maxwell,
City superintendent Of Schools, called the
union between the industrial world and
education. the first and most important
step in industrial education" One side OF
the great hall was given over to as many
Of the FIRMS $50 employees as could get
into 1t. and on the other were many social
workers and representatives OF New
Yorks school system. Among the speak
ers. besides DR.. Maxwell. were john II.
Finley, state Commissioner Of Education;
Miss Mary Antin, author Of THE Prom
ised Land" and the head Of the Sicher
firm. Dudley f Sicher. Miss Anne Nor
gan was one OF the guests, but did not
speak.
Or. Maxwell gave the audience story
which. he said was told him two years
ago-the story Of a factory girl whose
arm was torn off as a result Of her igno-
rance OF English. which made 1t impossi-
bic for her to understand the foreman
explanations.
you can understand" he said how
glad | was. after hearing that story, to
accede 10 Mr. Sichers request TO the
Board OF Education for a teacher 20 IN
struct his employees. This is the frs; ard
most important step in industrial educa-
ton. When will the conscience Of New
Workers awake and make them unloose
the purse strings OF the Board OF Esti-
mate and Apportionment to establish
trade schools for the children Of the poor.
the trade schools which should be the
next step in Industrial education
Dr. Finley brought the greetings OF the
state. and Miss Antin ended the pro-
gramme but the great interest was In
the white gowned graduates and their
teacher. Miss Meyer. The girls not only
read essays but gave some OF the gym
nastics through which they go each day.
And they received crtlfcates of gradua-
ton.
This is the second year Of the Sicher
school for it's employees. but last year the
pupils went to Public School for their
lessons This year the sessions were held
/ In the factory.