Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-05-12


WNkbM They making many intelligent
'Ww - Americans do some hard thinking
these days. The problem didn't
amount to much long the bulk of immigra
ton came from western Europe-from Germany,
England, Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Den
mark In fact, America sorely needed these sturdy
folk, who came here to be with under the
Stars and Stripes
But of late years most of the immigration has
been from Russia, Italy, eastern Austria, European
and Asiatic Turkey-and the Lord 1only knows
where else. In this country they generally herd in
city settlements, for the most part a dirty ig-
norant burden to city communities. They don't
mix" with u.s. They don't become part of our
citizenship. Their traditions and ideals and con-
ceptlons of the American social order not ours
They're sort of indigestible lump in our gizzard
Cities Tackle Job.
Almost with the bravery of despair the larger
cities-New York. Chicago, Cleveland Pittsburgh
Rochester, where ow-class immigrants are espe-
cially heavy in numbers-have set out to perform
the task of making citizens of this unpromising
material The public schools are the most useful
instruments for the purpose at hand
Our city schools are becoming great melting
pots" for all races and creeds Our small cities,
our towns and rural stretches do not have to
face this great problems solution directly but the
general welfare of the nation depends on how we'll
the cities meet the task. We are and we should
be- interested, encouraging onlookers.
This is really story about the work being done
in big high school in Chicago city with a
very large foreign population. In one grade
school room there are children of seventeen dis
tnct nationaties. Just consider the task of max
ing good, patriotic Americans of all of them
Japanese, Chinese, Turks and the rest. It's be-
ing done, though And there's hint in this story
of what we can do to make local schools more
useful to us than they are.
Real Melting Pot
The real melting pot of Chicago is situated less
than a mile from the city IS business center 1t is
a. melting pot that takes boys and girls, old men
and CRAVING representing twenty national
tiles and turns them from lonesome, bewidered
strangers into useful ambitious citizens. 1t
teaches them everything from trades to dancing,
from wood-turning to wireless teegraphy The
melting pot is Lane Technical school, the most
remarkable of all Chcago's public schools and one
of the most wonderful schools in the world. 1t has
a teaching staff of than hundred and fifty,
more than eighty classrooms and about eight thou
sand pupils, with the largest nightschool in the
world.
Lane teaches almost every subject imaginable,
from the sixth grade of grammar school to the
second year of college 1t teaches steam and
electrical engineering, carpentry and agriculture.
1t teaches craftsmanship and advertising. 1t
teaches stenography, bookkeeping and designing.
1t teaches hundreds of other useful subjects And,
of course, every subject at Lane is free. Lane
teaches, too the love of work. how to make friends
and how to find place in the world
Instead of opening at nine and closing at four,
as the majority of schools do Lane is open all day
and all evening. 1t opens at eight in the morning.
At 80 it starts special training for trades appren-
tees ~
Night Student Classes
From $50 until $3.50, the night students take
possession. Nearly all of the night students are
employed at hundreds of different occupations dur
ing the day but though they are tired after their
DAYS work they seize the opportunities at Lane
to learn new languages, new trades or to mt them
selves for higher wages in the trades at which
they work during the day.
There is a class in metalurgy for foundry fore
men courses in automobile engineering and re-
enforced concrete There is valuable class too,
to which young men may go if they are in doubt
as to which trade or profession they would be
best suited The vocational class prevents square
pegs in round holes. Expert psychologists ques-
ton the members of the class and advise them as
to their future.
IF YOU don't see what you want, ask for it," is
Lanes advice to seekers for knowledge If several
men or women want to study some subject that is
not included in the regular courses they sign
petition and new class under expert instruction
is started Some of the new classes are journal
ISM copper work and automobile construction
Last year advertising and Spanish were new sub
jects but this year they take their places as reg
ular classes.
Opportunities for Girls.
For the girl who works during the day. Lane
nroyes especially inviting and valuable. 1t is hard
to get acquainted in city. young man can go
out alone at night girl, busy all day, has little
time to make friends. 1t is pretty lonesome TO
spend evening after evening alone in little room
1t isn't necessary in Chicago for Lane is ready to
take care of lonesome girls, to give them pleas
ant time and valuable instruction.
Three evenings each week the big gymnasium is