Arizona republican., 1921-04-18
VALUE OF WORK IN
 INTERPRETATION
 SHOWN IN REPORT

5hUWV IN RtPURl
 The following report on Americani- zation work at the Lincoln school from April, 1920, to April. 1921, un- der the direction of the Phoenix local committee, has just been issued
 Many people when the subject of Americanization is preached deny the necessity of such work, citing our de- velopment from 13 struggling states to one of the worlds greatest powers as an unanswerable argument. That the need in the early days did not exist we must admit, but the whirI- gig of time has wrought changes conditions are different-just why we cannot say definitely. Edward Ross, verSity of Wisconsin, considers the change due to the fact that while in 1 years past our immigrants were | chiefly from the northern European countries, they are now from the southern, and from races whose ideas, manners and customs are diametrically opposed to our own, and that therefore the question of absorption is akin to that of mixing oil and water.
 1 Another factor. it is claimed. Is our now congested population. In past days neighbors, though farther in dis 1 tance from one another. were depend i ent upon each other, and were nearer in personal touch.
 l The newcomer now is lost among l crowds of indifferent people, or he gathers with others of his kind in a 1 little community apart, which is a fair duplicate of that left behind, and as one Americanization teacher eX- l pressed it, Who cares about learning to swim if no water is in sight ?''
 To see how best to create this de- | sire to amalgamate the immigrant with the life of America is g. question now being taken up by the commits | Sionef general of immigration, as well as by serious minded people who do not forget the conditions revealed by | the late war.
 Just a year ago the Phoenix local committee and the state committee, backed by the Jewish Council of Women, decided work was needed here, as our foreign population is large and clannish, so my services were engaged for. night school work.
 The Methodist Mexican mission of fered us the use of it's schoolroom, an offer promptly accepted.
 The first and only pupils who pre-
 sented themselves on our opening night were two adventurous boys; | was very evident. They claimed to be past 16. but their looks belied their
 words. We felt sure it would be theix first and last appearance, as they so evidently belonged, or should belong,
 to one of the day schools, but we made the evening as pleasant as pos sible for them, hoping they would
 carry favorable reports to the broth
 CTS and sisters who had probably sent 1 them to investigate. Our forebodings
 proved to be correct: they did not
 appear the next school night, but. as
 hoped. three grown people did. The
 third class night saw our work fairly
 launched, and our roll book soon car 1 ried SO names. At the end of the
 move to the Lincoln school, there be-
 ing room for two schools, as many
 who. lived far south were prevented
 from coming on account of distance The Latin race is a courteous race
 It does not like to hurt ones feel
 ings. In Cuba, when the franchis. ' was given to the people, man asked t his servant: For whom are you go ing to vote. Felix?' Felix looked Q grave. twisted his hat in his hands @ and answered: "Senoi. is : n good man, also Senor - is a gooe e man. Who am I, Felix, to say whicl | Is the better man? I do not vote s senor-" Rather than decide between a two classes many dropped out O y both, but we still carried a roll O o 20, with an average attendance of 1S = That phase soon passed. the timi y ones in the vicinity of Lincoln schoo a returned, and through the hot sum n mer months the attendance neve D. faltered: we carried Il roll of 40 an $ an average attendance of 26.
 g Thanks to the kindness of the com ,f f,-in ,s parties during this term that wer Ie greatly appreciated. On the 4th c " July the table was set with plac ts cards. upon which were the words c le The Star Spangled Banner" an 70 the table decorations were red. whit k and blue. Pictures of Washington l. Independence hall and others of in
 terest were hung around the room at with our flag over all. and a tiny fla ic for each pupil as a memento of th le occasion. We sang America" an $ the Mexican national hymn.
 rs The second party was in honor ( of one of our pupils who was returnin ix to Mexico for visit
 90 Christmas we had some interestin ne talks in English relating to the oc l. casion. The committee gave fru
 and kind friends donated candy, als es each pupil was presented with a per u- cil box and pad.
 IS In January the committee and i ss friends gave the class most deligh he ful outing at the fair grounds. ot he governor, his wife and sister beiI S. most gracious guests.
 ch In February our roll reached tl to high-water mark of 64. Miss Gem on vieve Moore kindly offered her ser of ices in aid of the growing work, ar mt is still giving us her very valuab ng assistance
 Ia Four Chinese joined the classes on this time, but finally gave up, neet
 ing more individual attention tn: - could be given with our small fore - On March T. the classes gain el joyed an evening at the fair groun
 under the same auspices as befol
 Judge Lyman honored us with |
 presence, and Avery Thompson. ci
 manager, donated a most acceptah \ prize.
 During the past six weeks, owing
 the employment situation. 20 of O
 class have left us. many returni
 to Mexico, others going to GillesI
 dam, Tucson, Calexico and Los A
 geles. leaving us with 30 good. earne . students. Four more of the sal / kind will enter Wednesday. In ado
 tion to these, we have IS recent a
 plicants who are more of proble