Evening journal., 1921-10-04
1868 WORK FOR
Citizenship
Americanization Directors
Much Encouraged by
Enlarged Class
HOME CLASSES
ALSO FOR MOTHERS

Teachers of the Americanization
schools Of the city were amazed and
delighted last night, when no less
than S63 old and new pupils regis
tered for the ensuing term Of study.
Last year the attendance on the
opening night was only 2S2.
Much enthusiasm <was displayed
by the pupils, many of whom re-
ceived their training in the schools
last term, and have since taken out
their naturalization papers, but are
anxious to continue their studies OF
the English and American govern
ment.
School No. 1 has an enrolment
three times as large as last year.
At the Italian Neighborhood House.
60 men and 10 women signed for the
year. Six women registered at Schoo
No IL. while the American House
has an enrolment Of %, of which IS
are former pupils
At School No. IL the electric lights
went out The pupils were obliged
to go home without their lessons.
but heartily assured their teachers
they would return tonight for in
struction.
Two branches of ts workZhome
classes for mothers and its trouble
bureau"-will receive special con-
sideration from the Americanization
Committee OF the Service Citizens
this year. The Americanization
schools Of the city are under direc-
ton of the City Board of Education.
assisted by the State Board Of Edu-
cation. These two bodies are given
cooperation in their work by the
Delaware AmericaniZation Commit
tee of the Service Citizens. Miss
Marguerite II. Burnett of the staff
Of the City Board Of Education. is
director of the Americanization
schools, and Miss Helen Hart is
executive secretary OF the Delaware
Committee.
A thorough review OF the work ac-
complished to date with an Outline of
the plans for the future are con-
tained in a bulletin just issued by
the Service Citizens. DR.. Joseph II.
Odel, director of the organization.
has written an introduction, setting
forth the purpose Of Americanization
work as follows:
"Unless the newly arrived for
eigner can be made to feel at home
in America. unless the spirit of our
laws. institutions and customs can
become an integral part of his con-
seriousness, nine-tenths Of his value
to America and Of the meaning of
America to him will be lost. II he
is only a small part of our physical
machinery, his worth to the future
of the nation will show only on the
pages Of our industrial ledger.
I'm Delaware we have tried TO
blend the soul of the newcomer into
the great and free spirit of American
/ life. The story in the following
pages gives only a few phases OF our
effort; we have not attempted to tell
of the splendid work done through
state appropriation by the State
Board of Education; we have made
no effort to put on record what othe;
agencies have attempted and accom-
plished. Much of the pathos and
tragedy is necessarily omitted, bui
our hearts have often been wrune
by the desperate situations which
have arisen during the year.
Miss Hart and her devoted bant
of experts and volunteer workers
have never spared themselves in tn
great task undertaken, and 10y fai
the chief credit should go to Mis-
Hart for her far-sighted leadership
her unfailing patience and her in
eNhaustible sympathy"
Mothers Important Problem.
Commenting on the need o
greater attention to foreign bori
mothers Of the community, the bul
letin says that children en-
ter the public schools, learn Englisl
and on account Of the superiorit!
which the knowledge Of the Ian
guage gives them, are likely to be
/, come disrespectful to their parent
and hard to control The father VIII
works outside tho home picks III
some Of the language, whether o
not he attends school. and tn
mother soon finds herself falling be
hind the rest of her family.
Another consideration, the Bul
letin states, has weighed very heavil
lin deciding the Americanizatioi
Committee to devote so large a pro
portion of its time and energies {
problems affecting immigran
} women. Under the present citizen
| ship law, the wife of an America
citizen is ipso facto a citizen an
voter. Thousands OF women VIII
cannot speak one word OF Englis
Z but are wives of naturalized foreign
: ers have been granted all privilege
Of the suffrage.
' For these reasons during the pas
r two years the committee has sper
= considerable time and money on oi
ganizing a system OF home teachin
? for foreign women and plans to ds
. velop the work further next year.
i From October, 1920, to June, 1872
: r10O4 day classes for women wei
a held In homes and neighborhoo
centers with a total attendance (
;. i1469. In addition to the day class
). an evening group Of women W;
. kept up by funds provided by II
. Society OF Colonial Danes.
= Altogether 141 women receive
instruction during the year, 70
whom completed the course and
= of whom dropped out on accoui
of serious illness. unemployment
\. husbands or other causes.
y Provision for happy social col
: facts has been a regular part, of Il
. work. including not only pupils
home classes but their friends al