The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-08-17
Uncle Sam Takes Steps to Pro-
mote Americanization of
Immigrants.
SEEKS LOCAL SCHOOLS AID
Plans Given Impetus by Census Re-
port Showing Nearly 100000
Persons Unable to Speak
English.
By FREDERIC ERNEST FAR
RINGTON.
(Of the United States Bureau of Edu-
cation.)

In April, 1914, the first step was
| taken which resulted in making the
division of immi grant education an
organic part of the bureau of educa-
ton of the department Of the interior
| at Washington. Thoughtful people
| with large civic interests had been
| aroused by the revelations of the cen
| sus report of 1910 to a realization of
| the significance of the alien problem
! in this country. For many decade
| Americans with snug complacency had
| pridcd themselves on the irresistible
| power of American civilization to as
| simulate the foreigner who landed
upon our shores. Nobody knew just
| how it was being done, nor could one
| point to any specific organization re-
| SpOnsible for effectng the change, but
somehow or other that subtle force
of American civilization was ever busy
at its task and the alien was quietly
but surely being transformed into an
American
With the publication Of the immi-
grafton returns for 1905, which
| showed over 100000 immigrants en-
tering this country that year, people
began to wonder If, after all, the
process of assimilation was really
working as smoothly rs it had been
claimed. Milllon-immigrant years fol-
lowed the report Of the immigration
commission furnished veritable mine
<,f ,,,F. bn Nnrt
of 1910 finally portrayed the condition
mt that date. America suddenly learned
that there were over 100000 for
eign-bOrn persons in the country, that
over six and half million of these
We're males who might become citizens
of the land, and that only 100000
of them had become citizens. Had the
melting pot ceased To boil. Had the
solution become saturated? What had
become of the much-vaunted ability Of
this country automatically to assimi-
late the foreign element?
Millions Do Not Speak English.
Other figures from this same census
report We're still more disquieting.
There We're nearly 100000 persons
in the country unable to speak and
understand English, and of these over
two and half million were over TWEEN
ty-One years of age; in other words,
beyond the age when they were likely
to learn II new language without some
external Stimulant. No state has any
law affecting the literaCy or non-Eng
disappearing ability of the adult, and
with few exceptions there are no com
pulSOry laws on these points for mi
norS who are above the compulsory
Observation-Disclosures age.
Here. then, is the problem before
the division Of immigrant education
to promote educational facilities for
the illterate or non Engish-speaking
foreigner beyond the reach of compul-
sorry attendance laws and to stimulate
his attendance upon English and civics
classes.
The first work of this division was
to enter upon IA general investigation
of the existing facilities for the edu-
cation Of immigrants. With this in
formation in hand, II Is possible to
plan an intelligent campaign for in
creasing the attendance upon schools
already established, and for encourag-
Ing the establishment of new schools
where need for them is disclosed.
one of the functions of the work
IS to bring local and state school au-
thOritieS to Il realization Of the immi-
Il. H..
superintendent have shown by their
replies to this office that they are not
| fully in touch with their own local
| conditions; and one state superintend-
ent has written asking where statis-
| tics relating to the alien education
problem in his own state may be OBJ
tanned. Thus is this division carry
| Ing out one of the large functions of
| The bureau of cducatlon-to act as a
clearing house for information.
America First" Posters.
Perhaps the most striking activity
OF the division has been in connection
with the America First" poster.
This Is II colorod Autographed sheet,
showing a picture of Uncle Sam shak-
| Ing hands with foreign workman. 1t
! Is printed in seven different foreign
| languages, ana is designed to urge
upon the foreigners the ACCESSIBILITY
of going to evening school and learn
ing English. over 100000 of these
posters have been distributed during
the winter, and today they may be
a tn, 60, a.
schools, railroad stations, and on bull
letin boards of civic Associations,
chambers of commerce and the like
from one end of the country to the
other.
This poster did much to pave the
way for building W friendly relations
with commercial and industrial organ
izations
The division has prepared compre
hcnsivc lists of texts in English for for
cigners with separate groupings fol
the more important languages. Tn,
combined list includes specific titles
reaching Is different foreign peoples
A Croatian or Pole writes To this of
fcc-not infrequently in his native Ian
guage-nSking for text which he car
use for learning English. The division
is in position 10 handle his letter nnt
TO furnish the information desired.
Can Head OF lliiteracy.
A plan Of cooperation has beer
worked out In onjunction with the bu
reau OF immigration whereby tn,
| nutupS of Children hptWppu fpur NM
sixteen years of age will be sent b.