Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-08
A SCHOOL FOR GYPSIES
BY Frederic J. iiaskIn


washington. Dec. s--Washington
has gypsy school with 81 young gyp-
scs all buslly studying the mysterier
OF the first reader
Whether the school will last long
enough for the children TO md o,it
what happens on the last page Of
the book depends on the uncertain
gypsy temperament. II the call to
wander comes tomorrow, the teacher
who has been dcputcd by the public
school system TO teach the gypsy
school may find herself suddenly
without a single pupil.
The young gypsies of the class have
Travelled through Russa. Brazil,
Panama, Mexico. Italy and other
countries They sreak n number Of
languages fuentiy. Among themselves
they break into spanish, French.
gypsy dialect. Russian and Italian.
Yet only two or three Of these young
lllnguists and travellers have ever be-
fore been inside n schoolroom. One,
who Ind tried school before in the
course Of his travels remarked TO his
present teacher, Mrs. n. V. Wacker-
imam, you are good teacher, and !
LEARN to read. other teachers. no
good"
Until November s. which was the
Ered letter day when they started Ia
school. none Of tho children, from
the six-year ODDS TO those Of 10 years
could read or write his own name.
They might have gone on lacking
this accomplishment indefinitely, if the
band had not stopped in city with
the intention Of staying all winter
} perhaps. The police reported that
! the children OF n gypsy band were
hanging around the streets at hours
when all civilized youngsters are
lcooped up in schoolrooms. The schoo
authorities investigated and then be-
; gan the process OF getting n troop o.
gypEy children to school.
= There were so many Of the children
r land so fantastic was their apparel
:, that a special class was opened foi
. them In one of the public schools. tn,
( came. rather eagerly, interested in thu
. Ipromse that they would learn to read
{ And they have stuck. Reading particu
n larly interests them. They labor IN
\ tiringly over the stories Of Tom AT tn
seashOre and Littie 30 Peep. In thei
month Of schooling they have read s
pages OF their reader and what the,
learn they remember.
The teachers only difficulty is tina
they all covet the privilege Of bein
the one TO read aloud.
y q read for you" offers one black
7 eyed boy.
: mo mo. read him good" insists ar
l. ether. and occa sionslly ore enthusi
Is astic scholar rises without invitstio
4 TO read 10 the class.
e Restless Pupils.
70 Fortunately, the teacher undei
II stands them She realizes that the
are unaceustomed to sitting on chaii
at home, or to sitting still long an!
I" !, where. and that the schoolrocm ro'
tine must be hard for them. SO u
= class gets along peacefully.
> This is an achievement conside
= ing the explosive feelings Of the gyl
~ sy. One boy who was ducked by
neiRhbor in the drinking founta
d came in from recess protesting vi
y lently
~ Put him in de basement, teacher
- he urged in English. after expiainir
'e TO the boy just what hei thought
y him in foreign language that visb
IL impressed the other boys VINO unde
stood IL.
es Mrs. Wackern1an restored peac
1t though the two continued TO glare
is each other for a while. Then. sudde
c. ly they forgot all about 1t.
re The appearance of the children a
4. II
Sc Wackerman says that the first d
they started to school they were ~.
rd cal. carefree gypsies. The boys h'
d. was tumbled. Stockings fell over tn
elk shoes. Some of the girls were ragg'
ny And there were few signs OF a NOR
ne ing scrub.
NO Now, in less than a month, there
IL noticeable change. Some Of
boys still rebel at collars. and wG
n they go out they pull on sweaters a
r coats that fall TO the knees and 9th
20 wise swallow them. But aside fr,
"a the foreign look. their dark skin a
- eyes. they are not easily distinguish
from other children Of a poor
. trict.
10 The girls still cling to the styles
gypsy uTtSs. Ons bttit S4ii' Nho
> typical. had on green fiowered mi
ne lin dress, made long-to the ankl'
n and very full. There were ruffies
the sleeves and ruffie below
en- waist. A rose colored sash was at
A. belt, and strings of plaid cloth fast
ty. ed her two braids. On her feet W
ma the shoes of woman. with fairly h
mo heels. A slight tear in the hack
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