The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-01
SCHOOLS FOR FoREIGN-BoRN.

In approximately $50 cities and
towns located in AS states of the
Union, the public school authorities, in
cooperation with the bureau of nat
uralization of the United States de-
partment of labor, have established
evening schools for the instruction of
their foreign-born population. Several
municipalities, with keen realization
of the educational deficiencies of the
aliens. and approaching the advan-
tages to be derived through their
knowledge of English. have extended
the period of instruction to the end of
the present scholastic year. In other
cities the school authorities have sig
nified their intention of maintaining
the public schools as long as there is
any evidence of need on the part of the
adult alien population. Unfortunately,
according to reports received by the
bureau of naturalization, the public
school authorities of a large majority
of the cities and towns, which have
engaged in this tremendous campaign
for citizenship preparedness, have dis
continued. or are about to discontinue,
their classes for alien instruction.
Various causes are assigned, but the
main difficulty appears to be a lack of
funds for the compensation of teach
ers, In order to combat this condition,
patriotic public school teachers and
representatives of the principal organ
iZations in many places have volun-
teered their services to continue this
splendid work until such time as prop
er appropriations may be made for the
purpose. In all of the cities and
towns now cooperating with the bu-
reau Of naturalization in this great ed
ucational movement the intention is to
reopen the night schools at the begin
ming of the fall term. Advices have
been received from various other
smaller places where, for one reason
or another, they have as yet been I'M
able to join in this undertaking, that
the public school authorities have de-
termined to open night schools for
alien instruction at the beginning of
the next scholastic year. There is also
contemplated in various cities a plan
whereby the summer classes, which
have hitherto run from July 1 to
August 81, may open their doors on
May 1, and extend the period of in
struction to September 80. Great re-
suits have already been accomplished
and greater are expected. The bu-
reau of naturalization since the first
of last October has sent the names of
more than 165, 900 candidates for citi-
zenship and their wives to the public
school authorities OF the country. 1t
has also sent personal letters to all of
these to induce them to enter the pub
| lie schools 1t has prepared an out
line course in citizenship, thousands of
copies of which have been distributed
to the public school teachers 1t has
also prepared syllabus of the nat
uralization law, which it has sent out
with copies of preliminary naturaliza-
ton forms to aid teachers in the in
struction of candidates for citizenship.
The cooperation of the public schools
with the national government has
come to stay, and the bureau of nat
uralization believes that this move
ment will go far toward solving the
problem of the loyalty of every sixth
resident of the country, there being
nearly 100000 foreign-born resi-
| dents in the United States, of whom
approximately 100000 are citizens
l.