The New York herald., 1921-10-23
5E GIRLS UPHOLD NATIONS BEST TRADITIONS

of the mental habits of these charming
young women.
There u.s. as you probably know, an i'm
mense background of life and history for
every girl born in a certain class abroad
notably in Italy. To really know such an
one outside of ones own family is practically
impossible. She may appear ingenious and
fathomable in reality she Is mysterious.
Between her and a man who is to know her
only as friend there is wide gulf. She
VIII not cross it, nor rule will she wish
to. In simple words, she has been taught
by precept. example and tradition to
camoufiage her real self
The American gir-and I need not limit
myself to Vassar, for 1 have met them in
many colleges on the same pleasant plane
knows nothing about such confusons. She
is frank, outspoken and rarely hides what
she really thinks. Don't you see how easy
it is for foreigner to misunderstood her?"
ut is the fault of my countrymen" said
he ito be satisfied when they have learned
1000 or 5000 English words. To be able to
talk colloquially and fulfil their material
wants by means of an inadequate vocabulary
is not enough. 1t keeps barrier between
the races that / am eager to pull down
Italy Learns Great Lesson
From the Results of the War
ITALY has at last recognized that the
three millions of her people who are in the
United States and Canada are permanently
lost to her. 1t took the great war to teach
her that these emigrants of hers were no
longer Italians but Americans. think this
is as it should be and that it will enter with
other things into better rapprochement be-
tween the two countries. But these italian
Americans can become still better Americans
by getting deeper hold on the English
language.
incidentally let me say that it is a grief
to me to know that not single girl of
Italian parentage is enrolled as student at
Vassar. l deplore their absence which isn't
due to lack of money, for all Italians
over here are savers of money and they are
generally prosperous
'As there is so large a showing of Italo-
Americans it is wisdom of state to recognize
the fact and make them even better Amer
leans than they are. Colleges like
Vassar would help powerfully in this rebirth,
and never miss opportunity to urge my
we'll to do fellow countrymen to send their
girls either here to a similar college.
There is no religious objection so far as.
Vassar is concerned, for many of the under
graduates here are Catholics"
DR.. Roselli feels very earnestly a desire
to bring Italy and the United States into a
better understanding. 1t is improving, he
thinks since the war; which ended leaving
Italy dissatisfied because she had seen no
American contingent fighting on her soil.
Our hope" he said, "is in the American
generation Of Italians. The children born
here OF Italian parentage are Americanizing
the family names-although we Italians
can't help but resent this-and are making
even their old fathers and mothers into good
American citizens.
These children are product of the pub
lie schools and can but hope they will go
on utilizing the advantages of a wonderful
college like Vassar. This for the Italo-
American girls will be a long step toward
the absorption of real Anglo-Saxon ideals.
I'm truth institutions like Vassar which
foster true Americanism ought to be more
widely advantaged of by Italians whose home
and heart are here. Until they do take ad-
vantage of such institutions and carry on
the education along such lines there will
always be immigrants in this free land who
dc not belong to either country-immigrant
who have given up Italy but have not vet
accepted America"
Interesting as these thoughts are and ger
name to the general subject still the main
theme of the interview remained the impress
sion made on a cultivated and pedagogic
mind by the American girl. Dr. Roselli was
brought back to it by a question as to wom-
ems colleges in Italy.
There are none, strictly speaking" said
he, "and coeducation where it is found
is due chiefly to lack of space Women in
Italy do, as in Florence and Bologna, study
alongside of men, but it is as If a sacred
sword lay between them. Certain lectures
are heard in common because there is really
no division of place or of time possible
Nevertheless, the barriers put up by CEN
turies between the sexes have not been taken
down.
Large groups of women who are suffra-
gists and who demand new freedom do not
exist in Italy. BY education, training and
tradition the choice has ever been for a
sheltered life for women. This, 1 must con-
tinue to think, will still remain her ideal ex-
istence, unless. as / have hinted. American
born girls of Italian descent go back in large