The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-10-21
THE HYPHENATED

THE HYPHENATED. d
Augmenting President Wilson s
declaration that Americas foreign
born residents must be de-hyphenated
the United States Bureau of Educa-
ton announced the beginning of a
vigorous countrywide de-hyphenat-
ing campaign of which Beltrami
county will take an important part.
A three-part constructive program
is being developed by the bureau,
with the following features:
The insuring that newly-arrived
immigrant children are Immediately
placed in the public schools and not
sent into factories and mills.
The promotion of the naturaliza-
States.
The teaching of English to all for
eign-born residents of this country
who cannot read and speak that
language. .
The first step, that of seeing that
newly-arrived immigrant children
are placed in schools, is now being
carried out through cooperation be-
= tween the various school officials of
the country and the immigration Of
: ficia1s at the ports of entry.
When a group of immigrants ar
rive, the inspectors at the port learn
to:what. localities the individual fam
. lilies with children are going. They
send to the proper school authorities
. thes:names Of the children they can
: expect. These officials then make
Il strenuous efforts to prevent any eva
! sion of 1.-The compulsory education
laws by: getting the children into
:; schools as soon as they arrive.
In addition, the school authorities
are also actively engaged in Gre
cruiting", work among the fathers
of these same children to induce them
to- take out naturalization papers.
A. first edition of $4,000 bright
, colored, attraetively printed posters,
setting forth in English and the six
principal immigrant languages =, the
advantages of becoming citizen,
have been published. The bureau is
sending these posters to $4,000 post
, masters and 5000 school officials
throughout the country, by whom
they will be posted ,conspicuously. 70
catch the eye of the unnaturalized i'm
migrant.
Educational authorities are also
following up this printed appeal with
personal talks to immigrants. A
= series of receptions is being planned
at which both government officials
and naturalized immigrants will talk
to these men. !
-. The posters sent out impress upon
every alien who cannot read and
speak; English, the Importance Of
learning the language from the stand
point of becoming a good citizen and
making a good wage. They tell him
to go to the nearest night school and
register or to go to the postmaster or
school official nearest him and en-
list their aid in getting in touch with
a school.
In a letter to school superintend-
ents the Bureau of Education points
out that, there are 2,953, 900 foreign
born whites 10 years or over in the
United States and no less than 2,
e89S;606, Isl years or aover, generally
beyond the compulsory education
laws. who 81 cannot speak 5English.
Commenting upon this situation the
letter says: 80, = .--e. -.- ;
"These facts seem so T appalling
when taken, in connection with the
figures for illiteracy which, are al
most as, large, that they call for &C
ton on, the part of the Federal gov
eminent which will reach the non
English speaking immigrant individ-
ually." - 81
Officials of the bureau intimated,
unofiicially, that in times of national
crisis. such situation might easily
prove, If not disastrous, at least ex-
tremely embarrassing to the govern
ment. e5...s..
Realizing the danger of having
such large body of inhabitants OF
this country almost wholly unac-
ouainted with the. national thought
Of the nation, the bureau is going
to push the campaign of education
through with all the force. and speed
possible and probably will ask con-