El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-02-20
NIGHT SCHOOLS, LIKE WE HAVE, HERE
BEST MEANS FOR APPROXIMATION

LIZ WILL Al W. 4 <AA
CCHOoLS are the best have Of Amerieanizing
- aliens Amercanzaon is the second step after curing
fIliteracy. nteracY and what may be called ahensm
for want Of better word, Americas worst foes
The ignorant and English speaking people IN the
United States ounumber ain the people that live IN Ne
vsda, Wyoming, Delaware, Arizona, Idaho, Mississippi
Vermont Rhode Island, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Oregon, Maine, Florida, Connecticut and Washington com
Thsrs are 100000 of these people.
They viii outvote the combined populations Of greater
lev York Philadelphia and Chicago any state in the
union except New York The has demonstrated
OF dangers from the large number Of foreign born
residents who have not been definitely assimilaed
Aercanzed It also brought forth thousands upon thou
sands Of men, native born Americans for many generations
Who cannot read write.
The south leads in iterates The north leads in non
English speaking Seventeen and one-fourth percent Of
the people Of the east central iterate
percent Of the people IN PasSa N j. cannot read write
speak English The percentage probably higher here
where 50 large part Of the population is Mexican or
Spanish-American
ufteracy Is a problem here in El Paso and the need
for AUGMENTATION is evident The condition holds
N al the border states counties ard cities The problem
here 70 provide education for the Spanish speaking popu
tion TIE school facilities Of Fl Paso large they are
not sufficient furnish for all who entitled
70 II, # compulsory education rgdly enforced
For Spanish speaking people who outside the COM
Pusory education age the night school offers the best
means Of curing ilhteracy and after these people have
learned TO read and write English Aercanzation Is not
far step Tor further education American customs hab
its Of thought ard patriotism follow.
Twelve Of A1zonas a county scheo superintendent,
q
AUGMENTATION and decided that night schools the
best solution These schools have been started all over
The state without formal authorization allotment Of
funds though the last special session of the legislature
appropriated $4,000 for characterization this money
VII be apportio1ed equitable basis probably on
that Of population
Here Fl Paso night schools eagerly patronzed BY
Aenean are doing much possible toward educa-
non and the big night school at the Aoy
school where the average nightly attendance is ab7ut 200
and the total enrolment Is about 400 The total attend
aHce last about 700 school authorities e
Pect the total enrolment for this year to approximate
that number The pupils range age from TO 50
last year there 20 year old In classes Not
Al Of them are terate for many read write IN
Spanish and know arithmetic But they study reading and
writing IN English and the iterates naturally start at
the very bottom.
The southde residents patronize the AU7 night school
For northsdsrs sessions held the high school and
there IS . class Of about 40 there
Superintendent Of schools R. T. Tighe and sducsfors
generally throughout the country are much interested in
the passage Of the Smith BaQkhead bin ao promote the
education Of native ieraes OF persons unable 10 under
stand and the English language and Of other resident
persons OF foreign BIRTH to provide for cooperation with
me states II the education Of such persons in the Fnpis
language the fundamental principles Of government and
cfensH1p the elements Of knowledge pertaining TO self
support and home making and in such other work as win
assist IN preparing such iterates and foreign born uer
sons Tor successful living and intelligent American citizen
The 5n provides appropriation Of SIS 600 600 for
aellcaHlzation and eliminating iteracy the states +o
PROVIDE an equal amount The apportionment would Be-
asee On me number Of nonEngh speaking people shown
by the 1910 census.
Thus Texas would get an characterization fund oil
soSooo IRON the federal and state governments and an
fund OF $4,000 which, doubled BY the state con-
would b-ing that total up TO ss5aO0o.
ms Iund TO be used for teachers salaries and scooI
Se would BE great aid to the schools in Spreading