Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-17
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TAUGHT
FoREIeN-BoRN SOLDIERS OF
THREE STATES.
GOOD PROGRESS MADE
IN EDUCATIONAL, EFFORT
lieutenant at Camp Complies Lexie6ns
Por Use Of swedes, Italians and
Pinns-Work Brings cemmendation
From Commanding offieers--Work
Extended to Other Cantonments.
rRy u. q. Dougherty.l

washington, Nov. 1.-THE plan or
teaching foreign born conscripts from
Minnesota and the Dakotas and from
Iowa towns, now in training at Camp
Dodge. was made the subject of an
interesting story written by one of the
writer's Of the committee on public
information. The success Of the Eng
lish language classes at Camp Dodge
was told the war department 10y Brig.
Gen. w. D. Beach in aEletter telling OF
the efforts of Second Lieut.. Hjalmar
R. hansen, who has compiled lexicons
for use Of the men who are not &C
ouainted with the English language.
The committee on information story
follows:
.'The army as a melting pot is
shown by the institution of English
classes in the training camps.
..while American soldiers with the
expeditionary forces are learning ths
language OF France, it becomes neces-
sary to teach English to certain OF the
selectmen now in training in natlonai
army environments. The war depart
ment has received report OF satisfac-
$ tory progress by an English language
class at Camp Dodge, Iowa, and COM
manding officers of any cantonment
are authorized to institute such classes
when necessary.
Swedish English, 1talian-Engllsh
and Finnish English lexicons have been
prepared for use at Camp Dodge by
Second Lieut.. Hjalmar r. Ramsen IN
a letter. to the war department, Brig.
Gen. w. D. Beach says:
81 am sending you pamphlets snow
ing results Of our first efforts at teach
Ing English to our men from northern
Minnesota and Dakota. Similar pam
phlets in Russian and Greek will follow.
had nv regimental commanders sort
ont their most hopeless Firms, Swedes,
Russians Italians and Greeks and they
gent me a hundred or more. After
talk the number was reduced to TWEEN
weight who, altho they had been in
this country from three to seven years
could not speak or understand Eng
lish at all. It has helped them. how
ever to know that their lack Of know!-
edge Of English will not result in their
discharge. The men are q me lo'
nbystcally and are learning fast
"The Swedish English lexicon, Tor
instance, contains d iioI u f'AhAAS
and two Introductory paragraphs head
ed Learn English First the Engllsh
word is given, then the pronunciation
as near as it can be written in Swed-
ish equivalent viz:
Attention -ttenschen - Gf-akt;
About. face-afbaut fes-Helt-hoger-
!, onn:. Fall in-Fal-inn-Uppsta Lining
81 IA similar plan Is followed IN ehe
sSaching OF English to those speaking
languages other than English.
"Juder the heading Learn English
the following appears:
LEAN English. 1t is for your own
benefit. Buy yourself a small diction-
ary or one OF your daily newspapers
and read carefully, and do not be AFRAID
to ask questions of your fellow men:
Make up your mind to learn English, II
only a few words each day, as 1t Will
help YOU in the service.
Remember you stay in the service
even tho YOU never learn to speak one
Z word of English. Therefore, learn 10
speak English for your own sake. Inc
government is going to treat you win
Justice and see that no injustice comes
to YOU. The United States OF America
has given you home and Shelter and
to many Of your countrymen riches and
nrosnerity. You should try now your
hest to become a model soldier and
loyal citizen, and thereby pay back q
little part of what you owe the Onlteo
States Of America" ...