Evening star., 1922-12-04
14,0QO Foreigners
HERE NOT CITIZENS
School Americanization Work
Held Handicapped by
Lack of Money,

Lack of Money
Work of the Americanizatfon
schools in training foretEn-born men
and women for better citizenship is
being seriously Handicapped because
] of the lack Of funds, 1t was pointed
out In an education week" statement
prepared by Miss Maude E. Alton
principal of the Americanization
schools. and Walter B. Patterson, d.
rector of special schools.
At present, the statement declared,
all classes Of the Americanization de-
partment are more than oveFcroWded
This condition." the statement con-
I tinues. makes it impossible to do the
class should never number over
| twenty students. The appropriation
made by Congress Is being stretched
! to the utmost. This work, which is
of the greatest Importance. because
| 1t Is direct training for better citi-
zenship. is being seriously handicap
i ped because Of the lack OF funds.
| 5000 Foreign Born Here.
There arc $4,000 foreign born in
| the city, $4,000 of-whom are not natu-
| rallied, according to the statement,
| which describes the work OF the
Anericaniza tion schools in training
! them for citizenship as follows:
| evening. There is work in the school
buildings and also in the field: The
day classes are almost continuous
! from early morning to late afternoon,
! so that men and women can come be-
| fore and after working hours. For
| ipr n
cannot come to the evening class. but
! he can come in. and in many cases does.
before he goes home to sleep In the
morning. Many workers are en-
ployed in shifts. three hours on. two
off. three on and so on. The classes
are go arranged that these workers
may find a place to attend citizenship
classes at time convenient for them.
Tho headquarters Of the work is In
I the Columbia Junior High School
and Monday. Tuesday and Thursday
evenings. The other evening classes
are at the Curtis School, Georgetown;
the Eastern High School and the
Hebrew Institute. southwest The
| day classes are at the Columbia High
School: the Webster School and field
work in three sections OF the city
Schotts place neighborhood. Arthur
place neighborhood and GEORGETOWN.
The total enrolment in all these
clas sSes for this fiscal year, including
summer classes has reached approx
was $500 This years enrolment
will undoubtedly far exceed that.
Food Buying Taught.
ITO understand the work one
should see and watch from day to
day the progress Of the student in
the class. The classes are graded.
beginning with non English speaking
people-both literate and illiterate
The chief aim in the beginnerS class
form that will meet daily needs. the
reading of signs. understanding how
to find employment, how to buy food
, understanding city regulations that
! must be Immediately obeycd for pub
| lie safety and welfare.
ther and. through the study Of United
States history, begin to understand
; how the present forms Of govern
ment came into being. The study OF
! industrial geography makes the stu
dents acquainted with the Industrial
conditions in the various parts OF
| the country. The study of>the Con
stitution leads to an understanding
of our federal government.
/ There are many excursions to diff
ferent departments. SO that the stu
dent may have a concrete illustration
. u
the welfare of the citizens OF the
! country. Both city and federal de-
partments send bulletins and PAM
phlcts for use in the school.
No Hurry In Exams.
The citizenship class is the goal
Of the work. Here are the men and
women who have completed the nee
essary time in the country required
before they can become citizens.
! .-rhis is the group that has made its
petitions and will be called into
court within the next ninety days for
final hearing. mere record OF
facts, names and dates cannot give
these coming citizens a sense OF the
privileges and responsibilities which
they will assume. The school Is try
/ ing to give them a grasp OF the oeep
and powerful currents which nave
! dominated American life and made OF
US the people we are today, so that
our hopes for our country may oe
their hopes also. The naturaliza-
ton bureau co-orerates closely with
this class An examiner from the
| bureau comes to the school several
times month and the petitioners
are examined in the school; Here.
examiner can nlk to the petitioner as
man to man, the. real attitude OF
the student can be ascertained. A rep
resenta tive of the school attends the
court hearing in the Supreme Court OF
tho District of Columbia. There the
netjtioners who have passed the nat
uralization bureaus examination are
certified to by the school. The court
accepts the schools certification
Receptions Are Given.
"Following this. the school. CO.
opearting with the Daughters OF the
Revolution and the naturalization
bureau, give a reception to the ne"
citizens and their families. and well
come them into the civic life OF Wash
ington. At such a reception on the
2Sfh of November. forty-ntne men
who had been students OF the schooi
were welcomed by the officials or the
school and city.
at is most interesting to note the
organizations that have carefully
observed the work Of the school and
have either contributed to the board
of education that private fund
might be created to further the Work
or have given personal service that
aids men and women in making ad-
iustments in their life and hence bet
ter fits them for citizenship in their
new country. Among these are the
Dauxhters Of the American Revolu-
tion. the American Womens Legion,
the Council of Jewish Women. Rotary
Club. Federated Women's Clubs, the
Century Club and many others.
"The new law relative to naturalf-