The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-03-04
ALMOST QUA TIER Of
A MILLION FO REL 6 n
BORN ARE TAUGHT TRUE
A N { RI CA n N f \ D OS

iJtsburg, March G.-ATore than 200,
coo foreigners who live within 20
miles Of the Pittsburg courthouse
are being Americanized through the
education Of women and children by
trained workers who speak their
home tongue and are acquainted with
their home customs.
These workers are selected by
church boards from among the for
cisn population, and after being cdu-
Gated in cookery nursing and the
essentials Of Amcricanism are sent
among the people to carry out a
system by which the foreigners may
b" lifted to the level of his Ameri-
can ncighbur. For religious purposes
they have The active assistance Of
clergymen who speak the languages
Of Immigrants from southern Eu'
rope. and who are in sympathy with
the people.
The pittsburE Prcsbytcry of the
Presbyterian church. the pioneer in
the movement, has g. educational
stations scattered in all parts of Al
legh,ny county. A. trained foreign
workers and II ministers. Il also
publishes four weekly papers having
Il combined circulation Of almost lOO,-
600 and tine leaders Of the movement
estimate that fully 10000 foreigners
came under the influence Of its
workers every day.
The plan is simple Foreigners
coming into the district usually col.
lecL in groups each nationality liv.
ing in its own section of tine com.
munity where the men are employed.
Colportcurs, speaking many lam
GCages. are sent among them to spy
out the land and inquire into their
needs. These men gain the conf
dence Of the people, and in time be
gin the distribution Of literature print
ed in the language of the particular
group. This includes short stories
depicting American life and sketches
of men who have done much To make
Alll''l4tds 'tlbiuiIN AIl' l'l 'l1l'' ~
show added interest, and when the
women and children come over the
colony is ready for the women worker
from the Presbyterian training school
The care If children. how 10 pre-
pare American meats and vegetables,
and the best methods to keep their
houses clean are gradually taught
the women, who, finding themselves
addressed in the speech OF their child
hood, freely give to the young work
crs their full confidence.
There is little trouble with the
children. They gladly seize upon the
opportunity afforded for Americani.
zation and are eager to learn the
language ana customs Of the coun-
Try. 1t often happens that they are
not content with tho learning they
obtain in the public school but crowd
the summer schools conducted by the
prcshytcry. They learn quickly, ana
sftcr few months sewing Is taught
to the girls and manual training to
the boys.
Thcy are surrounded with cleanli-
ncs moral and physical, and made
to feel that il they are to become
real citizens Of the country they must
learn and follow the mental and phy-
steal lessons taught TO them by the
young women workers. Results have
been most gratifying, say leaders of
the movement.
! Reaching the man from southern
Europe is perhaps little more diff
ficut but when once reached au.
thorities declare, he seldom goes bacl;
either to his former mental state or
! his native land.
Patriotism is the first theme of the
workers, not meaningless platitudes,
hut practical lessons in the advan'
tages of living in America. Often
these lessons are turned to good ac
count, as in the case of a young Rus
sian who recently transformed n boil
shevist society in Pittsburg into class
cs which are now engaged in learn
ing English.