The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-28
rzsa Mining Town In Belmont County
ecene Of interesting Experiment
Among Workers
Striking Miners and Their Wives MAKE
Great Progress in Acquiring
knowledge
BY Frank II. Ward, Asst. Supervisor OF
Americanlzation in Ohio

Lafferty, O.. June 2T.-Two months
ago there was a spirit OF disconteh'
In this little mining town or Re"
hundred souls. nesting in the NILS
OF Belmont county
The mines had closed down: the
men were out OF work; there was
nothing TO do.
Then State Supervisor OF Americana
cation r. c. Nermilliop conceived the
! idea OF opening a school mere. ne
sent two girl teachers. Miss Florence
! Strevy. AKRON. and Miss Margaret
FERGUSON. West Park. here; the ooard
, OF education turned over the school
building for the Americanizatton
classes.
The miners and their families were
s-spicious at first. Only few came 10
the classes. The teachers. with their
pretty American clothes. were looked
at with awe as something foreign ana
apart There must be some Interior
motive In offering to teach English
and American customs free to grown
ups. many thought
But the classes grew. Those attend
lNS DrOuRnI luelE NuuthS. '''4>''
whose household duties kept them at
home were visited in their own homes
by the teachers. They were treated
as equals. Everything was being CIV
en-, nothing asked.
1885 Registered
So tho barriers were gradually
broken down, one hundred and eighty
five perSons-men. women and chill
dren-registered In the classes. or
these. 125 have an education in their
own country equivalent 10 that OF our
hich school. There were about 20 il
lUerates. but they were men who had
An informal education and are men
who are we'll posted on current events.
! but hadn't received formal school
education.
One man studied for the priesthood.
but a. the death OF his father was
forced to give II up. Practically two
thirds o. the men are tradesmen-
blackSmiths. bricklayers. stonemaSons.
! bakers. butchers. plasterers and mill
e-s: the rest OF them were farmers
overseas only two or three had ever
mined coal before coming to America.
II is the lack of knowledge Of Eng
FISH that prevents them from follow
Ing their trades In this country.
An Original Composition
The State Americanization staff
from Columbus was given a reception
. hv tho classes the other day. Anthony
. Kukavotz. who attended school seven
years in Europe. and has been In this
country nine years. was selected by
his colleagues 10 welcome the visitors.
Here Is his original composition. after
two months in the Americanization
class here:
81 take the honor TO speak a few
words to YOU about our school pro-
gress. Before We started 10 go 10
school there were many % us who
were unable 10 read American And
there were few among us who were
able 70 write But now nearly every
nnS ~ Us i able 10 write letter in
the American language.
I'VE al came from different coun-
tr'as in Europe. but here We shall BE-
all Of Us one nation-onc American
speaking nation. md so we shall out
all cur energy to learn the American
LANGUAGE. and 70 learn American his
tory AMI traditions. and become good
citizens With the aid Of the school
~ characterization and with In" aid OF
our teachers We shall succeed.
So say. all honor to Mr.. Nermil.
Ion, Nj honor TO our teachers!
Long live America,
Another First Effort
Mex CragUi"jI. who went 20 school
-, h,., in 4
iCa Is wears. but has spent only five
werES in school here, then felt i'm
rcEcd 20 demonstrate what he has
lc&rucd. he said:
Il am going 10 tell YOU few things
aboI. this cOuntry. United States l.
Republic The people rule in a re.
public. Tho President is the chief OK.
Ccptiyo President % /. s. Is Wa.
rem &. Harding The President liy"s
j. a=hingtCn. l. E. The United
Sra;es divided into fortyeight parts
The parts called states. The chief eN'
ccatiyn in the state is the governor
Nr. Harry l.. Davis is Governor Of
Ohio. The state is divided INFO com.
ties. The Ohio is divided eight
eight counties. live in Belmon'
county The chief cNeCUtiv" nj u
county is sheriff Tn" citizens Of
L. s. arc those born in L. 5. and who
rot citizens papers"
Proud, The students in the Am"ri.
CGRizaIiuu classes world nor trad"
their KNOWLEDGE Of EnSlish. ciyics and
history picked ua here in Two months
tor coal mine.
Ard utIEID nIpI' rpIprCnrNI