Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-07

thousands OF picturesque letters which
have been received at the bureau OF
naturalization since last October.
Il am exceedingly happy" writes
ona of these prospective citizens OF the
United states. ''to read your letter, and
/ M. very thankful to YOU for good
advice which you have sent by the let
Tor since receiving the advice l am
attending night school in the city OF
Rochester I shall keep your advice
am working for my living since
fourteen years boy. for very small
money and long hours So your advice
is very good and kind to me. never
heard before that some one would say
there is chance TO get more money
or a better ych-
Another answers the letter sent him
by the commissioner of naturalization
thus;
public school and do appreciate your
Kindness very much and promise TO be
true and anectiorate in L. :. of Ameri-
II don't know how to ind word
grateful enough. says another, ito
thank the l. : government OF your
letter of the 10th past. I did not sup
pose that you will get Yourself in trou-
HE to answer TO a letter Of a poo-
workingman Once moro thank you
very much My best wishes Tor 1915
of happiness and prosperity Tor the
country for which try to he child.
D And the fo,ioN'inr. from one Of those
who have already received school ad-
Nantages Is caa:ac; er.5tic of the atti-
tude of the educated foreigner, as er-
pressed in hundreds OF letters. to the
work which the government rs DONG
for the miS-ant;
II received yolr kind letter and 1
thank You very much for what you
have done FOR ne. May God recon-
pense you and bless you throughout
YOUR life. I ,et you know that ] am
already attending school at Asuinas
College, and I expec: TO complete my
college course this com ing June. l am
well acquainted with the laws, Consti-
tuition and customs of this country.
which love wiz 1ly whole heart l
am also glad to say rnat / have studied
Latin, Italian. iDanish and French
throughout ~ sc'ooi course
Such expressions of gratitude from
the learned and tae unlearned alike
might be auo'-a 'nde1initely
have resulted IN the attendance a,
scnoo, of thotga1tss OF adult imnii-
grants who o-ie7vis Use wouid nave re-
manned indi1c- mt to educational ad-
yapIageS of any sort
In San Diego. Cal. where there was
previously not z single night school,
100 immigrant were enrolled as STU
dents within tie est month after night
classes Were opened
In the city OF Chicago thirty-two
public school buildings are opened
every evening fo- the benefit OF sew
eral thousand aliens who arc taking
course in American citizenship.
In the city % Washington night
classes for foreigners ave held in the
Jefferson and the John Thomson schools
Many large cities. notably cleveland.
Detroit, Boston. Low eli, Pittsburgh and
Chicago will from this time on keep
their night SCHOOLS for immigrants
n
only seventy nights a year as formerly.
In it's work Of educating and assim-
Hating foreigners. the bureau of nat
uralization has enlisted many agencies.
Women's clubs thTous hout America, the
National Council o. Jewish Women, the
Daughters or the American Revolution.
the Sons of the American Revolution,
civic organizations, chambers of COM
merce, boards of trade and individual
employers of imm grant labor through
out the length and Hresdth of the land
are cooperating with the federal gov
eminent in the campaign of American
ization.
What the naturalization authorities
are doing for the immigrant parent
is to some extent being accomplished
for the alien child by the bureau Of
immigration. Immigration AUTHORITIES
furnish the names. addresses and ages
of alien children arriving at our ports
of entry to school superintendents in
the various communities to which such
children are destined. In this way
school off1cials are enabled to locate and
enroll all alien children of school age
who arrive in their districts.
The division of immigrant education
is newly established department OF
the federal bureau of education. being
less than two years old. Under DR.. II.
H. Wheaton it has already done valu-
able work in the investigation and
promotion of facilities for the educa-
ton of the immigrant. 1t has COM
piled valua BILE statistics regarding The
literacy of our foreign-born popula-
ton.
These statistics reveal the fact that
more than two and a half million
whites born in this country who are
more than twentr-one years of age
cannot speak English. Also that more
than million and a half aliens in
America cannot read or write in any
language. In the light of these figures
the relation which the immigrant bears
to our national problem of illiteracy IS
obvious.
In co-operation with the national
AmericaniZation committee Of New
York city the division of immigrant
education has recently given nation
wide distribution to the America
first poster designed to interest the
foreigner in learning English and at
tending night school.
In eight languages the advantages
of doing are set forth beneath 4
glowing picture of Uncle Sam. who
stands with the hand of welcome out
stretched to the immi grant. In English.
Bohemian. German. Hungarian. 1tal-
ian Lithuanian. Polish and Yiddish
the beneficent results of education for
the alien are described in these words
1T means a better opportunity and
a better nome in America.
1T means a better Job.
1T means better chance for your
children.
81 means better America