Evening star., 1919-05-12
SAYS ALL SCHOOLS
MUST USE ENGLISH
Commissioner CIaxton De-
cIares to Conference Edu-
cation Is Essential.
200 SPECIALISTS HERE

~
taught and the medium for carrying
on all teaching, was advocated by DR..
Philander P. Claxton, commissioner of
education, at the first session of the
four-day Americanization conference
in the Interior Department auditorium
today.
Education is the fundamental
thing in Americaniza ton work. Dr.
Claxton told the two hundred special
lists from all parts of the United States
their own expense to attend the con-
ference, which is being held under the
auspices of the Americanization dlvl-
sion of the bureau of education.
Paying tribute to the English IAN
guage as the language of the United
States" the commissioner of educa-
ton said that "it is the air we breathe
and without knowledge of English
none can become an American. The
speak ker declared that in teaching
English to those who come to this
country there is no desire to make
them give up absolutely their own ma
tive language.
Says All Must Learn English.
The bureau of education" the
speaker declared, "is not in sympathy
limit knowledge in any direction But
all who come to America to seek the
hospitality of this country must learn
English. Private and, parochial as
we'll as the public schools must teach
English, DR.. Claxton urged, and all
the other work done in them must be
taught in English. Private and paro--
chial schools. he continued. should
teach the same things that the pubic
schools teach.
Foreign-b born residents of the Unit
ed States, DR.. Claxton said. grown
up men and women as well as the
children, must be taught something
and informal instruction. The Ideals
and history of this country, which
has had unexampled growth in the
worlds history, must be taught these
peoples, in order that they may grasp
the true essence of the privilege that
is theirs in living and working in the
land of freedom.
q. S. Ideal Part of Education.
THE ideal of freedom is what we
fight for" DR.. Claxton declared, "and
for men and women to get this ideal
is part of the education of the immi-
grant" The manners and customs of
the United States must be taught
them.
DIR. Claxton defended the immi-
grants who have come to the United
States, and who will come, from the
charge often made that they come
for dollars alone.
These people come in the same
spirit that we came in the beginning.
in order that they may better their
condition." DR.. Claxton said. Many
recalled. for financial and
land gain. as well as for the highest
ideals of freedom and religious
Immigrants, by ducation, gradual
ly will be transformed into good Amer
leans, and at the same time the Amer
lean people, through this necessary
better Americans by broadening their
own ideals in helping others, DR..
concluded.
Author Recites "American's Creed"
The sessions were opened by Will
liam Tyler Page of Maryland. who re-
cited The Americans Creed" written
by himself. and recently awarded a
thousand-dollar prize.
canization of the bureau of education,
presiding at the sessions, declared
that 1.-The war has left US no greater
task than that of bringing into full
who were born in other lands. That
this must be done sympathetically
and with a broad and tolerant under
standing goes without saying" he
continued. Unless we are ourselves
convinced that these people from
Americans, that we need them here,
that they come not with empty hands
but with arts. crafts, sciences, music
and ideals which will add to the wealth
of our common heritage, unless we feel
that to us is given not SO much duty
as a great opportunity, we shall fail. I"
Will Ask Congress Aid.
LEGISLATION for the Americanization
work planned by the Department of
the Interior will be sought from the
forthcoming Congress, Mr.. Butler
stated. THE country seems to be
aroused to the need for it's
reau Of education for this work are
divided into four phases-educational
social, racial and informative.
The United States has been divided
into eleven districts, with regional
director. from Washington in charge
group of three or four states. State
will be formed in each
state to carry on the work.
Importance of oral English over
printed exercises, the use of only the
English language in the class room,
and recognition Of the previous edu-
cation of pupils were among the
points emphasized by Charles F.
Towne, director of immigrant educa-
tion, Massachusetts, bureau of educa-
ton, in the course of a paper on the
best technical methods of teaching
English to the foreign born.
Learn American SONGS.
Foreign-born soldiers in Americas 8
which they had heard countless times
from the phonograph with just as
much zest as the native-born fighter,
w. A. Wilson of New York city, point
ed out The use of the stereopticon
in teaching English was explained by
III. D. Rickard of Syracuse. N. Y.
Other papers scheduled for the session
this afternoon we're on the bast methods
for teaching illiterates. by Mrs. Lottie
Richards Bryant, pioneer teacher of
the moonlight schools at Soldier, Ky,
and on Reorganization of the Admins
ration of Our Educational Facilities for
Americanization' by F. V. Thompson Of
Boston, Mass.
At the session to be held at s o'clock
tonight Wilbur c. Phillips of Cincinnati,
Ohio. is to discuss "An Intensive Com
munity Organization Experiment." and
Mrs Margaret Long of the National
Catholic War Council, East St. Louis
Co-ordinating Community
Sessions will open tomorrow morning
at $3.50 O'Clock, and the afternoon ses-
sion at 2 o'clock, during which a long
list of papers will be presented. We'd
nesdays session will begin at $50
O clock am, followed by a session at 2
o clock and a banquet at 8 o'clock that
night, at which Secretary Lane of the
Interior Department is to speak. There
Netherlands Body Backs Women.
THE HAGUE. Friday. May e.-rhe