OCR Text |
Show Americanization of Adult Foreigners Mu& Be Brought About Through Schools By EDWARD HYATT State Superintendent of Schools of California There is a phase of public education that lias not enajeil much of our attention heretofore, hut that is surely Koinjj to demand it in the near future that is, the education and the Americanization of the adult foreigner. for-eigner. Ainnnx thoughtful people and allien' lawmakers is growing up the conviction that the presence of the illiterate foreigner is a danger and a menace to us and to our institutions, t'nder present conditions lie may he among us twenty years more, knowing nothing of our language, open to none of the influences that tend to good citizenship. He can he guided and moved hy the intriguer and the hoss of his own nationality, hut cannot he touched hy Uncle Sam. Thus, in time of stress or danger, he mav hecome dangerous and threatening in the extreme to the very life of the rcpuhl in. It is coming ahout that the burden of teaching and' Americanizing the foreigners is to be laid upon the educational forces of the commonwealth. There are 75.000 illiterates reported in California. There are over half u million foreign-horn residents. These classes are becoming so large, as compared with our school population, that the state is taking cognizance of the matter and is moving toward assuming responsibility. At present the most definite wiiv to reach our adult foreigners is through the night schools. The machinery for organizing night schools is at hand in every school district. |