Evening journal., 1918-12-14
MUST touch SOUL
OF new AMERICANS
Americanization Should In
clude True Democracy,
Miss Mcguire Says
SEES PRUSSIANISM
IN PHILADELPHIA

The heart and soul OF the alien must
be touched before the intellectual side
OF his nature can be effectively and
successfully reached, and no teacher
can impart a true definition OF Ameri-
canization before they themselves have
implanted In their minds the true
spirit OF democracy and what IL means.
were some Of the thoughts that Mar
garet Mcguire. principal Of the Mccall
school, Philadelphia gave the audience
at the Americanization Institute at the
High School annex last night.
While there have been experts In
teaching the foreign born TO speak at
I the institute in the past month. none
OF them created the impression that
Miss Mcguire did. Speaking from years
or experience in teaching the alien born
in one OF the slum districts Of the
quaker City, she was able 10 make the
candidates for Americanlzation work
here feel some OF the things she has
learned to feel, and 20 realize that II
was not theory but practice, that she
was talking about.
Its the independence that breeds
disobedience," she said, "that is really
as dangerous to this country as the
Bolshevists. II would be well for us
to teach some Snug American children
that / know a little bit more about
courtesy, as well as TO teach them
arithmetic and the other things. /
know a school In the Quaker City where
a teacher gave the class one more word
In spelling than they had been accus-
toned TO. The next day there were
several inquiries from parents to learn |
why this was done.
II wonder II we know what democ- !
racy really means. I'll give you my
definition Of 1t. Democracy means to |
give, not TO get. Until we learn to give |
In this work. we shall not be very sue
cossful. The alien often comes here TO |
get not to give. and we must teach him !
the true American ideal TO give.
But we cannot do this until we get |
the right Idea ourselves. Then when |
we have got it, the alien will benefit |
because we shall pass II on to him. |
NO selfish person can become sue
oessful teacher OF the alien.
"Americanization is not altogether
thing OF the head. 1t must also be of |
the heart.
I'VE have some things in Philadelphia
bidL dlc iiht tIusold. Every illle Mdr0 /
leader Is somewhat Ike the Prussians. |
They demand obedience, just like the |
Prussian leaders did and do. And the |
trouble Is the alien sees IL. That's !
where our hard work comes in, in try I
ing TO show them that that spirit is
not as American ideals should be. Pol /
iticians give unthinking obedience TO
their party. That's not American. And
its just like the Prussians who give
unthinking obedience to their leaders.
What we need is thinging obedience.
That's American.
1T was nationalism that held the
German nation together. Jew and Cen
tile. Protestant and Catholic--all alike
bowed 10 the will Of their leaders. That's
why it's so important now for us 20
get a clear definition OF what our
ideals really are.
America has vision far ahead OF all
other nations. But the danger TO us
lies in whether we are going to become
conceited and egotistlcal like the Ger
mans, for that caused their downfall.
We cannot reach our high ideals by
We must get down TO hard
work, and we must understand spirit
ually what Americanization means in
order to reach the intellectual"