Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-05

IN cases where such schools are not
provided. private individuals connected
w!th the committee OF 100 have cs
tdbiished them. The womcns clubs,
as usual. have taken up the Cause
with great energy Clusscs for in,uj-
grant women are being conauc,nd ~,
American club women an uvcr ,bo
country. and the club womcn's h,,s.
bands are installing them In ,helr rar
tories.
one big automobile factory In a Mid
ole western town has class OF
spo non English speaking Immigrants.
taught BY the Americans in ia en-,
ploy. who volunteer their service. -rh.
various nationaii,lcs are divided INTO
o'iiercnt classes ana each class ~
taught by separate instructors The
method used is simply that Of ordj
nary conversation. but tho factory rro
vtdcs blackboardS for the Instructors
10 illustrate certain articles or actions
which cannot b" exhibited a SON
tcnce like, The bird llcu." for exam
rle, is difficult 10 illustrate without
either "a bird or a Blackboard This
taxes tn" artistic versatility OF the
American laborer, hut ON the whole he
is most successful teacher
IS rule, the immigrant ia rand
and al"rt pupil. Italians usually mas
Ter English more quickly than any
other nationality because the two
lang yes have a great many simi!ari-
tles bat tho !luugayiuus and u aim
cult. Hungarian is nothin-, like Eng
iish-no'hinr. in fact. like any other
language except, perhaps. Japanese
and there are no familiar roots to nro-
mote the acquaintance. Hence, learn
ing English is Il painful experience
10 the hungarian. but when he finally
learns IL. he speaks u more correctly
'hhn does the Italian or the Pole.
soon Initiate Americana.
In all departments the initiative fac
atty Is highly developed. Tor example,
when they first enter The night schools
their dress is distinctly informal. Their
clothes are usually greasy, their hair
unbrushed, aud the nicer vnnitics of
collars and cravatS are scorncG The
atmosphere is Dcrmeatcd with the
fragrance OF onions and garlic Y5y
The end OF the first week. however.
there is a complete change All the
immigrant males are wearing new
clothes, including collars ana neat bow
ties like the teachers. while II few
have even gone so far as TO COPY his
spats. III the next room tho immigrant
females are wearing their hair after
the fashion OF the Young schoo!narm,
and their dresses fave'a nea;cr and
more American look, Unfortunately,
however, there is no destroying the
outiivcs the hyphcn.
one Of the greatest aids TO the Ru-
roau Of Education in gaining recruits
for tho public night schools is the i'm
migrants themselves. Not The non
EnElish- speaking ones but the foreign
ers who have become successful In this
country They are anxious TO see their
COUNT yInen succeed, and their influence
carries more weight than that OF
Americans Recently, a list Of 742
newspapers printed in foreign lam
ruages and having circulation .of
80 00o 900 has entered the campaign
TO persuade all foreigners To attend
night school and become American citi-
Zens. They will carry Uncle SANS
circulars as advertisements, and also
articles setting forth the many advan-
tagcs accrunG from American ciluca-
ton.
Finally. the bureau Is asking the CO.
operation OF every American citizen in
the america First" campaign. n. IT.
Wheaton. who is in charge Of the i'm
migrant education work OF the bureau.
cured ono Immigrant recruit for tho
public night schools. little would he
left for government officials TO do.
This is cmharra ssing for those of us
who have no acquaintance among non
English speaking immigrants: but we
can at least present the fruit vendor
and the bootblack with the circulars
OF the bureau written in all the
foreign languages. The immigrant is
certain to understand one OF them.