The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., July 01, 1923, Page 13, Image 13

JULY, 1923
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
Relations of Schools and Social Agencies to Immigrant Education
The Pennsylvania Plan of Immigrant Education as Appplied in Pittsburg Furnishes an Interesting Study of
Cooperation in Practice Between the Public School and Social Agencies
By H. RALPH DAVIS
for foreign born. Stress must also be the workers were instructed to do no
N CONSIDERING primary education laid on the absolute necessity for well more than extend a most cordial invita­
of any type, I believe it to be sound equipped teaching staffs if efficient ser­ tion to join the classes, at the same time
doctrine that there is but one agency vice is to be rendered in bringing the explaining the advantages to be gained
qualified to carry on the educational foreign bom resident to the standard of by the foreign born through a knowledge
function of preparation for citizenship. I Amercan citizenship. Frequently lack of of the language of American. We.be­
believe further that the only logical rea­ funds prevents local school authorities li eve that those who must be forced to
son for the American system of general from inaugurating courses for the train­ make an effort to learn our language or
public education lies in the preparation ing of teachers and workers in Ameri­ to become citizens of our country are
for citizenship given by and through the canization and, unless some outside not of the caliber we desire to help.
schools. I believe it to be axiomatic agency secures the necessary funds with These attendance workers in the course
that the basis for our form of govern­ which to carry on, untrained teachers of their rounds also found many in­
ment is universal education and that the must be employed. This invariably mili­ stances where assistance was needed in
only practical and efficient agency for tates against efficient work as there is a matters other than education and in such
universal education is the public school. distinct pedagogy and psychology which cases help was always freely given if
as a means toward gaining the
Accepting this promise then, as I feel is essential to successful teaching of possible
confidence of the people with whom we
adult
aliens.
Except
in
very
rare
in
­
that it should be accepted, the relation
were working because, without their con­
between schools and other social agencies stances this specialized training is avail­ fidence, our efforts would have been
in the field of immigrant education must able only through courses of instruction futile. This activity of recruiting into
be on a basis of cordial co-operation, the established for the purpose. It seems to the classes conducted by the public
schools undertaking to perform the edu­ be equally rare to find a school board schools is an integral and important
cational function which is their duty and which will admit having sufficient funds part of every activity carried on by any
all other social agencies undertaking to at its disposal to conduct these teacher outside agency in Pittsburgh and should
work to and through the schools toward training courses. The opportunity exists be included in connection with those oth­
a better and broader realization of con­ therefore for some outside agency to step er fields of our work which will be de­
structive participation on the part of the in and fill the gap by raising the funds scribed in the balance of this review.
immigrant in the privileges and duties and permitting the school authorities to
When the problem of advertising
utilize them.
of American' citizenship.
school Americanization classes is consid­
In
suggesting
that
outside
agencies
re
­
The field of co-operative effort there­
ered it must be remembered that the
fore in which social agencies other than cruit for classes conducted by the pub­ best advertising agency available is the
the schools, which I shall hereafter call lic schools I have in mind that the schools satisfied and progressive member of the
outside agencies, may best find their are fulfilling their entire function when class. Other means of advertising may
niche in any program of immigrant edu­ they announce their readiness to furnish be utilized, however, with most beneficial
cation can be roughly divided into the facilities and instruction to those who results. Here again the schools cannot
following general divisions, each of come to them. The schools cannot prop­ properly be expected to function and the
which will later be discussed in detail: erly be expected to recruit. This part of burden devolves upon interested and co­
financial assistance where the school the work must be done by some other operative outside social agencies. We
board does not have sufficient funds for interested agency and can be carried on found the foreign language press the
effective operation, recruiting, advertis­ in a number of ways. For your considera­ best medium for reaching the foreign
ing, organization, follow-up work, citi­ tion, I shall merely mention a few of our born in Pittsburgh to bring to them
zenship exercise, home visiting and home activities in Pittsburgh, through which news concerning the classes operated by
neighborhood class organization, furnish­ we succeeded in raising the number en­ the public schools and, I am happy to
ing information and service facilities for rolled in our evening school Americani­ say, they responded most heartily to
immigrants, liason between the schools zation or immigrant education classes every request for co-operation. Many of
and industrial or mercantile plants em­ over fifty per cent, in a period of less them carried set advertisements in every
ploying foreign born, and finally in de­ than four months. The Americanization issue advising their readers to take ad­
veloping and directing favorable public Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce of vantage of the facilities for acquiring a
opinion toward a program of immigrant Pittsburgh carried on and directed this knowledge of our language and customs
activity. The entire city was divided and listing the schools where such in­
education.
In considering each of these divisions into six zones or districts, picked 'because struction was to be had. This was done
it must be understood that no exhaustive of the large number of foreign born re­ by the papers without any compensa­
survey is intended in this review but siding in them. A trained attendance­ tion whatever. Organizations and so­
rather merely a suggestion on which worker was placed in charge of each cieties composed of foreign 'born them­
more intensive discussion, may be based. zone. This worker was assigned to two selves also proved very effective in
In financial co-operation the function or three schools within the zone and spreading information concerning the
of the outside social agency is to step in complete accord and co-operation was schools. The Americanization Bureau of
only when and where needed to secure established between the attendance work­ the Chamber of Commerce printed and
necessary funds with which the public er and the principle of each school. Vol­ distributed • through the mills, mines,
school may defray the expense incident unteer workers were also secured from factories and other industrial establish­
to a comprehensive ’program of immi­ the women’s clubs of the city and as­ ments over two thousand posters and
grant education. The funds so raised signed to zones in closest proximity to forty thousand envelope staffers, printed
should be dispensed through the local their homes. These volunteers were in eight laguages, giving reasons for
board of education in order to continue placed under the supervision and direc­ attendance at school and the time and
direct supervision and control of the tion of the zone worker for training. places' of meeting of the school classes.
teaching activities within the public All foreign born families were then visit­ In addition every social worker whose
school. The funds can be solicited from ed at regular intervals during the school field of activity lay with the foreign born
any interested sources and should be year and the members of the families became a walking and enthusiastic oral
turned over to the board of education were invited to utilize the facilities fur­ advertisement of the schoo1“
with the stipulation that they be expend­ nished by the schools.
In organizing whaf
-mnrn as “the
May I interpolate here, however, that vestibule class” th». vuiMde agency in
ed only for the maintenance of classes
I