The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-06-10

The 2Gth annua. meeting Of the Yer
mont Federation of Women's clubs,
which had been in session here since
Tuesday afternoon, closed Thursday
evening when Marc S. Brooks, former
deputy commissioner of education for
New Hampshire, but at present super
visor of schools in Medford Mass,
spoke on Amer.canization as a state
wide project Mr.. Brooks address
sparkled with wit but it brought out
many excellent thoughts for construc-
tive work in Americanizaton.
The work of Americanization, the
speaker said. grew out of the war, but
it is now apparent that there is a ne.
cessity for effort of this nature both
among the native born and the foreign
born He explained the law enacted
in New Hampshire requiring that all
elementary subjects in the private as
we'll as public schools be taught in
English. This law also makes provis-
ions for the education of minors and
adults rho are unable to read and
write the English language.
The logical way to teach the Ian
guage to the foreign born is to teach
them to speak first, teach them in
the vocabulary of their job that they
may understand the words they hear
spoken every day. Then teach them
TO read and tinal ly to write. Ameri
canization Is not only an educat onal
problem, but a social problem. Never
allow your children to use the words
Dago, Pollock or HInkie America
has whole lot to answer for in the
way she has treated or ignored these
peoples who have come to our shores
during the last 25 years, DO not think
that Vermont has no Amercanization
prob EN- for she has the same double
headed problem which confronts every
state That of her fore gn-born and
that OF her young people who are i'm
occupied during their leisure hours.
The Federation can help materially in
foundatng and executing plans to
solve these problems. Speak to the
formulating and executing plans to
them on the street ID Will cOmpro-
mise us, but it VIII do us good. Mr..
Brooks final definition of American
ization was as follows American
izatlon is the attempt to create such
an attitude on the part Of both the
American born and the foreign born
that the fore en- born may be enabled
ard encouraged to contribute Their
best to the upbuilding OF America
The incoming officers were intro
duced at this time. The eayel being
presented to Mrs. L. J. hathaway the
first vice president who responded
sraciously by presenting to the retir
ing president Mrs Wa.ter W. Slack a
beautiful bouquet OF roses. All joined
in repeating tie club PRAYER and III
singing the Federation Song, Yer
mont closing the convention
4 highly apprec ated feature of the
closing session was the violin pro
gram given by Abe Noveck, with
Ernest Murray accompanying on the
piano, and which was as 70 lows:
"Walthers Prize Song" from Die
Weistersinger," WIgner Wi helm.
"Legende' Wienawsk
Spanish Dance No. L., Rahfeld
"LAbeile Francois Schubert
The Thursday session was opened
by singing. The report of the creden
tial committee was read by the chain
man, Miss Alice Goodel and was
summarized as follows: Officers pres
ent, 4 past presidents, present, g.
chairman committees present, 10;
delegates present, 80; out-of-town Wis
itors, l9; total registration of 1872.
Mrs. +. S. Locke of Springfield reat
the report of the budget committee
urging the cooperation Of the clubs
in endeavoring to formulate some
definite plan for carrying on the 1nan
clal work of the organ zation,
Mrs Walter W. Slack, the retiring
president, VINO has endeared hersel
to the club-members and federation
workers with whom she has come il
contact throughout the state, ther
gave her closing report, which follows
in part:
Once more we meet for the closins
session of an administration, whel
the president whom you have so 10y
ally served offers for your cons der
alton the results of your efforts tt
meet the requ rements and responsi
bi'ities created by her conditions ant
new ideals 1t has been no easy tasl
to undertake the problems of recon
struction in the proper spirit. W.
could not at first realize that peac,
presented problems as great as thos,
of war and less capable of speedy SO
luton.
Americanization was recommends,
to us, After some discouraging ex
per.ences we were brought to realA
that this is state OF mind which