JULY, 1923
7
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
that have been conducted in six central school build
ings in this city also to he abandoned ?
Are the immigrant residents of this city to be pun
ished in this way because the voters of this city in
the recent school election turned down the school
building program and the school levy submitted by the
local board and administration of public education ?
If the superintendent is quoted correctly there is
not alone little doubt of the correctness of this con
jecture, but more than ample proof of the assertion
that the present school administration is for reasons
of its own not a whit interested in adult immigrant
education and absolutely out of harmony with an
advanced program of Americanization.
It is time for the citizens of this city to voice their
opinion and place themselves squarely on one or the
other side of this issue. The question is not one for
any single civic organization to solve, it is one for the
people at large. Political manipulations and wire pull
ing must be kept out of Portland’s department of
public education. This can only be accomplished
through a public awakening and with a watchful and
correctly informed public opinion on guard.
The Western American stands squarely behind the
Americanization movement with a watchful eye. We
have condoned many abuses and many aspersions cast
upon the immigrant population as a whole, but we
have come to the conclusion that we will rather meet
our Waterloo as champions of an unobstructed road
to intelligent citizenship, built and maintained at pub
lic expense in acknowledgement of the better values
brought to America by the worthy immigrants of all
races and nationalities and in proportion to their con
tributions to our well being as municipalities, states
and nation, than to prosper by compromise and in
lieu of being considered “good fellows” by those who
play the game.
We believe that with an aroused public opinion the
plan will carry to make every public school building in
the city an Americanization center for social and edu
cational activities; the social activities to be carried
on and conducted by volunteer Americaniation agen
cies; the educational activities to be carried on at
I public expense through the Department of Public
Schools with none but carefully trained teachers con
ducting the classes after the present system of quali
fications in vogue has been abolished through public
iprotest.
The immigrant influx to the great Northwest and
¡into our cities will increase year by year. The com
plex situation presented by an almost overwhelming
I alien population in many of our sister cities of the
I East can be avoided in this city by promoting adult
I immigrant education, as outlined, NOW.
I What we invest now in adult immigrant education
Ithrough public expense will come back with interest
in lessened law violations and avoidable trial costs
with reduced public expense.
I In another month the public mind will turn from
«frolicking to resume its accustomed place in educa
tion, politics and business. Let there then be a strong
mind and will expressed for advanced instead of re-
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