New-York tribune., 1919-09-08
Campaign to
AmericaniZe
Aliens Begins
Two Schoolhouses in City
To Be Thrown Open
Evenings 3 Nights Week
ly to Carry on the Work
State Furnishes Funds
Italians and Bohemians on
Upper East Side Give En-
thusiastic Aid to Plans

The initial step in the Amcricaniza-
tion campaign planned by the State
Department Of immigration Education
will be taken to-day. The first inroad
on the blanket sum of 100000 voted
to cover this work throughout the state
benefit of the Italian and Czecho- Slo-
yak residents of the region extending
from East Fifty-ninth to East Nine
tieth street. Some 10000 Bohcmians
and more than 25, 900 Italians are in
directly affected. The Board of Edu-
cation has granted the use of Public
School "a, 220 East Sixty-third Street
and Public School 82, Seventeen Street
and First Avenue, for carrying on the
work. These will be experimental cen
tres for training in citizenship.
Participating in the campaign are
the State Department of immigration
Education, the city school board, Lenox
Hill Settlement anu influential Italians
and Bohemians. Unlike similar prof
ects in the past, the people most di-
rectly concerned have been called into
council.
At meeting held last week in the
Italian Community Club, 4O4 East
Sixty fourth Street, the representatives
Of twenty-five Italian societies con-
ferred with the campaign organizers.
They were enthusiastic over the pre-
gramme. The outcome was leat1et
calling for a rallying of the Italian
people to the classes, that they might
become we'll informed citizens with a
knowledge of the laws and politics Of
the United States.
Bohemians Have Committees
Similarly the Bohemians have their
own committees and leaders who are
anxious for the diffusion of informa-
tion of this kind. A mass meeting will
be held in Public School "a tonight,
when Italians will register. A second
meeting will be held tomorrow night
in Public School 82 for Bohemian and
Carpathian Russians.
Two of the leading spirits in the
movement are Mrs. Francesca Vitelli
representing the State Department Of
Education, and Miss Rosalie Manning,
head worker of the Lcnox Hill Settle
ment. Both have worked for years
among the foreign born peoples and
are thoroughly familiar with the prob
lens. Mrs. Vitelli joined forces with
Miss Manning about q year ago. She
believed the Lenox Hill Settlement,
with its community work among the
racial groups, was coping with the sit
uation in the right way. A report to
this effect, submitted to the State De-
partment Of Education, met with re
suits. The unique union of state, city,
settlement and foreign born workers,
newly effected, is more or less expert
mental.
City Furnishes Teachers
In addition to giving the use of the
two schoolhouses, the Board of Edu-
cation has agreed to furnish some Of
the teachers. Wherever possible, men
and women of Italian or Bohemian
birth arc being picked for the work.
In addition, qualified teachers will be
supplied by the State Department Of
Education. For the last two years
women have been studying specifically
toward this end under state auspices.
Glasses begin tonight and will be
held Monday, Tuesday and Wednes-
day evenings Of each week. They will
follow school routine and discontinue
will be followed by careful grading.
geneous groups. Italian born teachers
will instruct those who cannot speak
any English. The course will simply
be termed "citizenship." 1t viii en-
brace rudimentary instruction in Eng
lish and a working knowledge Of laws
and politics.
1t is the first time state and civic
forces have combined in New York in
practical attempt to reduce adult
illiteracy, and it is expected that the
work done in the two schools opening
to-day will be the nucleus for wider
activity Of the kind in future