The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-13
CIVIC LEAGUES PROGRAM EXTENDS
 THROUGHOUT CITY
Meetings in Interests of Italian and Polish Speak
 ing Peoples.

| board of directors John Wanamaker, 4Cardina1 Gibbons and Cardinal O'Con- 1 nell, the Rt. Rev. William Lawrence
 and other notables.
 1 Its object is to aid adult foreign 1 persons in the mastery of the Eng 1 lish language, and to hasten the time when they will become citizens.
 Two meetings were held, last night,
 one in Eagles hall, for Italian born
 persons and one in the parish house
 of St. MichaePs R. c. church, for persons born in Poland.
 The former meeting was attended
 15y 500 men and women; the latter meeting by some 1.2oo men and wom- en.
 Mayor Clifford B. Wilson, Postmas- ter Charles F.. Greene and Lynn w. 1 Wilson were speakers at each of these I.neetings.
 There was a meeting for Lfthuan-
 ians, Sunday, a week ago. l The net result of these meetings, to this time, is that some. thousand per- 1 sons have made application for en- trance to the evening schools for in
 struction in English.
 Mayor Wilson offered to see that everything possible is done to aid in 1 the establishment of evening schools for such instruction.
 In Catholic parishes instruction will be given in the parochiaI schools. l The Polish meeting which was at
 tended by over 500 men and women was arranged by MT. and Mrs. Eu- gene M. Schlenk through the courtesy Of Rev. Father fEiglewski. A great in terest was shown in the movement and l following the speeches nearly 500 ap- pHcation cards were signed by men l and women who intend to enter the [ classes that will be conducted by the league.
 1 Mayor Clifford B. Wilson made an Iinteresting talk on the Constitution and what it meant to immigrant. Hon. Lynn w. Wilson talked in a most interesting manner upon the 1 American spirit, the progress of i'm l migrants in ths country, the oppor tunities and the duties of citizen isship.
 Postmaster C. F. Greene spoke briefly and alluded to the fact that the day was the 232nd anniversary of 1 the breaking of the Ottoman siege | of Vienna by Jan Sobieslxi and the | Polish 1egions; the breaking of the l advance of the Turks in Europe and esta abHshing the fact that Europe was to be Christian and not Mohamme- dan. Addresses lirr5 Polish were made by pr. Bronislaw T.. Smykowski, Rev. Father Figlewski, and Rev. Father PankowskI.
 The objects of the league were ex- plained in English by Attorney George I F,arrifi Of this city,
  Italian speaking people was held at | Eagles Hall Where the principal feaG iti1re Of the evening was an illustrated lecture. 'tThe Story of America" by Joseph Spano, the secretary of the league at Boston, and who is in charge of the institution of the league here. The interest shown here prom l ises for the success of the league in Bridgeport
 ] MT Spano dwelt upon the theme Y sI- <7 1 that there is no liberty without law and order. He stated that the Italian | i'm migrant owes it to his good Italian name to become familiar with the English language in order that they become citizens and familiar with the. l laws and customs by a knowledge of the common language of the coun-
 The audience app1auded most the | names of Washington, Lincoln, Presi- l dent Wilson, and King Victor Elm manuel.
 The picture that seemed to make, the greatest impression upon the throng was one of Lincoln in buck skin resting against a half split log | to read a book. MT. Spano drove home the idea that Lincoln, the la borer, made progress through knowfs edge and that every worker could ad- vances himself through knowledge Dr. Giovanni Formichella, was the chairman of the meeting and he spoke very interestingly of the work of the 1 organization. Other speakers were Dr. Nicola M. Sansone, Rev. Canio 3Cerrata, pastor of the Italian Congre- i sgational. church, MT. Frank FTassa, Hon. Lynn w. Wilson, and Postmas- ter c. F. Greene. A musical number was an Italian song, Santa Lucia by Miss Irene Rutsek, soprano. accom- panied by Miss Helen Q. Grossman, llvio4inist.
 The league has previously held a Hungarian and a, Russian meeting. Bureaus will be established in var ious parts of the city and there will be a week of registration for the English classes and clubs. The Board of Education is planning to provide rooms in number of the schools for the night classes. The movement is not in competitor with any other educational movement, and Athe plans are so arranged that there will be co-operation between foreign speaking people in acquiring English and a Knowledge of American institu- tions
 All the work is done without charge and the work starts with meet ing Immigrants at trains and ships. Assistance is given charitable organi- zations, free legal advice is given up to the point of keeping immigrants out of litigation if possible, and there free collection agency.
 Besides the classes in music, Eng fish, dom estic, sciences, care of babies, and other branches the league will conduct a public forum once month at which there will be an orderly dis- scussion of all public questions along educationak lines. There will be a principal speaker and a. chairman of the meeting and following the princi- pal address anyone present may talk upon the subject before the meeting for ten or fifteen minutes as pre- scrfbed by the meeting.
 The league through the kindness of Rev. Father Komara has arranged to hold a, large meeting this evening for Slavish speaking people at St. Johns school building in Pembroke St.