39. Solvay Letter from R. B. Kelley, Superintendent of Schools, November 22, 1919. "With the co-operation of the Solvay Process Company, we are conducting factory classes five days a week at 8:15 A. M., 2:15 and 4:15 P. M., and with the Holcomb Steel Co. four days a week at 4:15 P. M. The sessions are an hour and a quarter long. Each man has two classes a week and in the Process Company's school attends an additional session. on alternate weeks. "The companies provide the schoolrooms, light, heat, books and pay the men for part of their time. The school district pays the teachers. "The men, mainly Italian, Polish, Austrian and Spanish, ranging in ages from 20 to 45 are graded according to ability and previous education. Based upon this classification, we are conducting six classes in English for beginners, twelve for intermediate beginners and two for advanced students. "In addition to the factory classes, we have two classes which meet three nights a week in our regular evening school from 7 to 9. "At present, we have a total enrollment of 413, with an average daily attendance of 142. Eleven women teachers, mainly primary, are employed. This tends to remove any suspicions that might exist. "We feel that out program is working in a most satisfactory manner." 40. Syracuse Data furnished by Superintendent of Schools. The population of Syracuse is about 150,000-no figures on foreigners. We have about 400 adult foreigners in our public schools. Their attendance is regular. The average age is about 25. We have eight night schools besides classes in several churches and factories. We pay teachers $2 per night for half hour sessions. 41. Tonawanda Data furnished by Frank K. Sutley, Superintendent of Schools. The population is about 10,000. We have less than 500 foreigners, mostly Hungarian. There are only 131 children of foreign parents in our schools. Most of the foreigners work in the steel plant. We have no night schools for adult foreigners. A survey made a year or two ago showed only eleven persons in Tonawanda who might attend such a school. We have no great problem in this city. Letter from Charles W. Ward, Secretary, Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas, November 25, 1919: "Our organization has an Americanization Committee on which are also representatives of the Woman's Civic Club and the Church Federation of this city. "After making a considerable study of the subject our committee is of the opinion that cursory and occasional Americanization work conducted by volunteer workers is of little value and may even do harm if not tactfully conducted. "We have, therefore, confined our work largely to co-operating with and supporting the work of the School Board in the maintenance of an effective night school to which foreigners are encouraged to go. As a result of this co-operation, or at least partly attributable to it, the night school in North Tonawanda had a record attendance last year and that attendance is exceeded this year. "As a result of the sentiment for Americanization created in this community by our committee last year, the largest factory in town, the Buffalo Bolt Co., employing about a thousand people, about 250 or 300 of whom are foreigners, chiefly Polish, and in need of Americanization work, has organized definite Americanization work and employed for the work a young woman who was particularly successful in our night school work last year. This work, we are informed, is progressing very satisfactorily indeed. "The County Clerk is now compiling and has promised to furnish us in a few days the names and addresses of all North Tonawanda aliens who have made application for citizenship and he has promised to furnish us such lists from time to time. It is the purpose of our committee to get acquainted with all these prospective citizens, encourage them to follow out their citizenship purpose, and to encourage their friends and neighbors to become citizens. "Our committee is just now considering lending co-operation to our Y. M. C. A. and our Y. W. C. A. to the end. that each may employ an Americanization worker. "Practically all our work is done in North Tonawanda, although our organization represents and is supported by Tonawanda as well. It happens, however, that there are a very few foreigners in Tonawanda while there are a great many in North Tonawanda. "We trust that we have here given a satisfactory response to your letter of the 19th inst., and we assure you that we shall be glad to lend any possible co-operation to your committee in the furtherance of this good work." 42. Troy Data furnished by Superintendent of Schools. The population of Troy is about 78,000 and the foreign part of it is divided as follows: Most of the foreigners are employed in the collar industry. We have fifty foreigners in our night schools, but their attendance is not regular. They average about 35 years. We require that teachers take an Americanization course and we pay them the same as other teachers. 43. Utica Data furnished by John R. DeCamp, Superintendent of Schools. The population of Utica is about 94,000, and one-third of it is foreign. The textile, metal and building trades take most of the foreign labor. There are no factory classes. We have 225 adult foreigners in the night schools. Their attendance is regular. Their average age is 25 years. Letter from John R. DeCamp, Superintendent of Schools, November 11, 1919: "There has been formed here recently the Americanization Council of Utica. "We adopted for our constitution and by-laws the constitution and by-laws of the Albany Council. "About sixty different societies were invited to the meeting at which this council was formed. I suppose that practically all these societies will become members of the Utica Council." 44. Watertown Letter from Frank S. Tisdale, Superintendent of Schools, October 29, 1919: "Population of the city of Watertown is 34,000. "Foreign population of the city is between two and three thousand, of which one-half are Italians, one-fourth Roumanians and one-fourth Polacks. "The leading industries are New York Air Brake Company; paper manufacturing mills; Bagley & Sewall, manufacturers of paper making machinery; silk mills, etc. "The leading industries in which foreigners are employed are railroads, New York Air Brake Co. and paper mills. "None of the above-mentioned industries conduct classes for their foreign-born employees. "We have four evening schools for foreign-born adults, for learning English, American history and the elementary subjects. "We usually have an enrollment of from 60 to 100 adult foreigners who attend these evening schools. "The attendance is reasonably regular. "The average age of adult evening students is about twenty. "The number of hours per week covered by the courses is six. "There was a movement last year 'to Americanize foreigners' which was conducted by the State Department of Education. "Teachers of adult foreigners must be possessed of a valid certificate which would entitle them to teach in the public schools of the state. "We have paid teachers $2 for each evening's work. Another year when we commence the continuation school work it will likely be necessary to increase this rate. "In my opinion the night schools offer the best methods of educating our foreign population. This work should be conducted under the direction of the Board of Education. In addition to this I think a course of free lectures on American history with perhaps some good moving pictures on American history would be helpful. "When you get down to the real question of accomplishing results, the education of the foreign-born child is the most important factor. Evening classes in domestic science for women might also be helpful." |