Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-23

working at full capacity 365 and women
being taught the things you demand they
shall know If they to make good in your
eyes. He found that this 365 is the maximum
number your appropriation will provide for, and
that there are thousands who need the benefits
available to few.
The appropriation for Americanzation in the
District. carried in the indicated bill, stipu-
lated that 900 be expended for the sa aries
of teachers and $500 for equipment of the
s"hoorooms. OF this you paying $3.50,
while your nephews and nieces resident in
Washington pay similar amount The money
furnishes four whoe-time teachers and six
part-time teachers. who conduct regular classes.
some in the evening and some in the afternoons.
at the old Central High School. the Webster
School and the jefferson School Outside of
their hours of classroom instruction these teach
ers are engaged in home teaching. in aiding their
pupils in the multipleX problems they bring to
them in carrying the word and the ideal and
the promise of America to all they reach.
AS has been stated the total number to whom
that word and that ideal and promise can be
carried today stands at 36j.
How about it, Uncle Sam: The facts in the
obvious. The bureau of naturalization
estimates that there today in the District
$4,000 persons who need the instruction your
appropriation makes available for but 365. You
have said, in attitude if not in words, to the
24.635: Become Americans. Grasp the sig
nifcance of the spirit of America. Speak the
language spoken by Americans. Prove your
selves in my eyes" You have said that. and. in
saying it, you spoke for every conscientious cti-
zen in the land. But our conscience is troubling
us just a little. uncle 1t seems, somehow that
your exhortaton was incomplete, that it fell
short of perfection. How would it have sounded
had you gone to say: I'm back of every
one of you who is seeking Americanism. 1
stand ready to furnish the necessary instruc-
ton. the necessary opportunity
That would be saying something That would
be living up to your reputation who has
his being in absolute fairness alone. With your
warning and your notification that you are ready
to furnish the means whereby they may make
good in your eyes, it would be squarely up to
these visitors in your household.
* x * x
Nor would such a course involve any ap-
palling expenditure your part. For it is not
to be supposed that the bureau of natura liza
tons estimated figure of $1,000 in need of
Americanizaton influences means that the high
per capita sum at present expended each of
the 365 enrolled in the Americaniza ton classes
would necessarily have to be multiplied by
10000 in order thoroughly to Americanize the
National Capital. The 36o at present enrolled
typify those most in need of the advantages
offered. a vast majority of the 5000 would
require but fraction of the time and care and
money expended on each pupil enrolled today
to make them thorough Americans competent
to play efficiently their part in the republic
worthy of all the responsibilities and privileges
and blessings involved.
The annual per capita expenditure on the 365
pupils at present enrolled comes to very close
to s34.25. Should this per capita be taken as
the proper estimate for unit instruction each