The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-07
A School For Gypsies
By FREDERICK J. HASkIN

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. Z
Washington has a gypsy school with
Il young gypsies, all husily studying
the mysteries of the first reader.
Whether the school will last long
enough for the children 10 fiEh out
what happens on the last page of the
book depends on the uncertain gypsy
temperament. If the call to wander
comes tomorrow. the teacher who has
been deputed 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 Russia. Brazil. Pana-
ma, Mexico, Italy and other countries
They speak a number CT languages
fluently. Among themselves they
break into Spanish. French, gypsy dia-
lect. Russian and Italian
Yet only two or three of these young
linguists and travellers have ever be-
fore been inside u schoolToom. One,
who had tried school before in the
course of his travels, remarked to his
present teacher, Mrs. r. V. WaCker-
man, You are Il good teacher, and |
learn to read. Other teachers no
good"
Until November s. which was the
red letter day when they started to
school, none of the children, from the
six-year olds to those of thirteen years,
could read or write his own name.
They might have gone on lacking
this accomplishment indefinitely. ii
the band had not stopped in a city
with the intention Of staying all win
ter-perhaps The police reported
that the children OF a gypsy band were
hanging around the streets at hours
when all civilized yOunsteTs are coop
cd up in schoOlrOoms. The schOO
authorities Investigated and then be
gan the process of getting a troop OF
~ypsy children TO school.
There were so many of the children
and so fantastic was their apparel
that a special class was opened fol-
them in one of the public schools
They came, rather eagerly, interest
ed in the promise that they woulC
learn to read. And they have stuck
Reading particularly interests them
They labor untiringIy over the stories
Tom at the Seashore and Little BE-
Peep. In their month OF schooling
they have read 60 pages of their read
er and what they learn they remem
Der.
The teachers only difficulty is tina
they all cOvet the privilege of bein!
the one to read aloud.
II read for you" offers one black
eyed boy.
NO me, read him good" insist.
another, and occasionally one en-
thusiastic scholar rises without in
vitatiOn to read to the class.
Restless Pupils
Fortunately, the teacher under
stands them. She realizes that the,
are unacCustomed to sitting on chair
at home, or to sitting still long any
where, and that the schOOlroOm rout
inc must be hard for them. So tn
class gets along peacefully.
This is an achievement considering
the explosive feelings OF the gypsy
One boy who was ducked by his neigh
Dor in the drinking fountain came il
from recess protesting violently
Put him in the basement, teacher,
he urged in English, after explaining
TO the boy just what he thought O
him in foreign language that visibl
impressed the other boys who unde1
stood it. Mrs. WackeTman restore
peace, though the two continued t
glare at each other for while Their
|Auddenly they forgot all about it.
" The appearance of the children a
tracts considerable attention. Mr.
Wackerman says that the first da
they started to school they were typ
cal carefree gypsies. The boys ha
was tumbled. Stockings fell owe
their shoes. Some of the girls wei
ragged. And there were few signs
a morning scrub.
Now, in less than a month. there
noticeable change. Some of the boy
san rebel at collars, and when they 2
out they pull on sweaters and coat