Evening star., 1923-11-19
CITIZENSHIP AIM
OF ALIEN STUDENTS
Supt. BaIIou Reports 800 In.
. der Instruction in Local
Schools.
Nearly 500 foreign born students,

Nearly 500 foreign-bor students,
representing thirty-fiye different
countries. are working with the COM
mon purpose of gaining one language
and knowledge of citizenship in their
adopted country. according to an
Education week statement issued to-
day by Supt. Frank w. Ballou. The
statement was prepared jointly by
Walter B. Patterson, director of spe-
cial schools; Miss Maud f. Alton,
principal of the Americanization
schools, and DR.. w. S. Montgomery,
supervising principal of the twelfth
division, as means of showing what
the public schools are doing toward
better citizenship.
10000 Aliens in District.
There are in Washington about
10000 foreign born men and women"
said the statement. More than half
Of these have been naturalized. About
10000 are not naturaliZed. What
are the needs of this group?
The first need of the adult who is
stranger in a land is a knowledge
of the language of that land; hence,
hundreds of our students come to US
to learn the English language. The
basis of the grading of the classes is
made on the knowledge of English
beginners, intermediate and advanced
classes are organized. The aim of the
beginners class is to teach language
that will enable the stranger to live
safely within the community. He
must be able to ask questions so that
he can obtain the necessities of life
and he must know the city regula-
tlons SO that he may not endanger
himself or others, As the language
is taught, information of this type is
given.
I'm the intermediate group the
knowledge of community ciyics
gained while studying the language
continues, but is broadened in its
scope, and shows the community in
relation to the nation. Industrial
geography aids the newcomer in
knowing the United States from other
angles than that which he usually
gets, which is the great city of the
east United States history and
geography are closely correlated, and
the students learn of the great move
ments of our national life which have
made the north, south, east and west
what they are.
Another Branch Held Important.
Another branch of the Americana
cation school. not generally known.
which is equally important. is the
work in the homes. or field work
Two regular teachers and several
volunteers are at present engaged in
this work. The names of non Eng
Hsh-speaking parents of school chill
dren are sent to the Americanization
principal. There are also names sent
from the naturalization bureau of all
men and women who have declared
their intention of becoming citizens
of the United States, and those who
have petitioned for naturalization.
THE visiting teacher visits these
homes (as far IS possible), and in
yites the mothers and fathers to enter
the school classes. In many cases it
is found to be impossible for the
mothers to leave the little children
and home duties to attend these
classes. Where several mothers can
be gathered into one class, a home
teacher visits them twice n week and
gives a lesson in English and civics
The Eome teacher is often able to
English to understand school regula
tions, child labor laws, health rules
and many problems connected with
her own and her children's lives. The
school is now reaching about $50
women in homes. 1t should reach
of citizenship is Independent of her
husbands. and many foreign women
whose husbands are being naturalized
are literally becoming women with
out a country the necessity Of aid
ing the isolated woman so that it
will he possible for her to secure her
naturalization is obvious.
1.-The quality of citizenship depends
largely upon the home, the. type OF
home; the type of home largely de-
pends upon the mothers. If the
mother does not know something of
the duties and responsibilities of citi-
zenship there is danger for the chill
dren of that home. This need the
Americanizationh home teacher is try
ing to meet"