Evening journal., 1918-09-30
TO AMERICANIzE
SOLDIER BOYS
State Council of Defense
Takes Steps to Teach
All English
MEN AND WOMEN
TEACHERS NEEDED

The state Council Of Defense, In co.
operation with the adJutant generals
ofllce, the Board Of instruction, appoint
cd by the Selective Service Board and
the Wilmington Board OF Education. is
deylsing a Joint plan for giving a work
Ing knowledge Of English TO all non
English speaking men TO be called in
Glass in the present draft.
The matter was taken up by the De-
tense Council in conference last week
with Adiutant General Wickersham,
John J. Satterthwait, chairman Of the
Board Of Instruction. and President
Miller of the Board Of Education.
This movement Is in response to the
request os the Provost Marshal Gen.
eral and in response, also. TO the rec
ommendation OF the Federal Bureau OF
Education.
Not long ago, Secretary Lane pointed
out that there were 100000 men In
the country who could not read or
write, but who are very likely 10 be
drafted into the army In the present
call. including as il does, men up to i5
years Of age. As early as last March,
Secretary Lane urged communities to
take some action 10 make It impossible
for men 10 go TO camp without the abil-
ity even to understand the language
OF their commanding officer.
At that time the secretary pointed
out how important Il is that this be
done before the men 80 10 camp, be-
cause training camps for soldiers are
not equipped for school work. and the
burden OF teaching men 10 read the
simplest English should not be cast
upon officers or others In the camp
They have enough TO do in the camps
to prepare the men in other ways for
overseas service. II is our clear duty
TO give some education 20 all our men
before they enter the army.
In The first draft alone. between 3O-
90 and 10000 illiterates were brought
into the national army. and approx
mately as many near illiterates.
They cannot sign their names.
They cannot read their orders post
ed upon the bulletin boards in camp.
They cannot read their manual Of
arms.
They cannot read their letters or
write home.
They cannot understand the signals
or follow the signal corps in time OF
battles.
Obviously, men with a handicap Of
this kind cannot possibly make good
soldiers.
II is probable that in the first draft
Delaware had not a very great many
non-English speaking men in Glass 4.
The board has at present no means OF
determining this accurately. But in
the present draft, with its inclusion Of
older men. there can hardly help be-
ing a number Of non-English speaking
men, some Of whom vii go into Glass
A. The Stcte Defense Council working
with the adjutant generals ofllce is
taking steps TO secure accurate data
as soon as possible after the question
naires now out come ia.
There Is another reason why teach
ing English 10 drafted men will prob
ably be particularly important in Del
aware. The treaty between Greece and
the United States recently signed, pro-
vides that Greeks in this country, who
do not enlist in their own army with
in a certain given period, may then be
drafted into the American army. This
means that Greeks in the last draft, |
who were given deferred classification |
as aliens and put in Grass >. will auto /.
matically be moved up 10 Glass 1. 4
Also, the treaty with Italy, soon 10 |
be promulgated. will affect in the same /
manner a large Number Of Italians in |
Delaware.
BY the State Defense Councils plan, |
with tho cooperation Of all the agent
cies concerned, the next non-Enslisn 4
speaking men drafted from Delaware |
should have an opportunity 10 learn /
English before they go to camp. In the /
work there will be close cooperation /
with the work OF the Board Of lnstruc-
tion which is charged by the Provost
Marshal General 10 give all drafted men
instruction In matters. OF health, war
risk insurance, legal matters, etc
While teaching English 10 illiterates Is
not specifically stated, it may BE- con-
sidered 10 fall within the scope Of the
board. The object Of their work is Of
flclally stated 10 be "tO put the Select
i've Service men into camp, willing.
loyal, clean and sober, and nc for rapid
pi ogress in becoming good soldiers"
In carrying out this work the De-
fense Council will need men and women
willing 10 give a number Of hours each
week, presumably in the evenings. to
teaching the men. The State Defense
Council urgently requests that all per-
sons willing TO volunteer such service
send In their names promptly TO the
Americanization Committee, State De-
Tense Council, Public Library Building