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THE UNITED AMERICAN
DECEMBER 1925
A School of Citizenship for Naturalization
By C. C. KELSO, Director of Citizenship Department, Public Schools, Los Angeles, California
'THE LEADING question in a recent questionnaire
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sent out by the National Education. Association
to secure information regarding the present status
of education for petitioners for naturalization in the
United States is: “What definite requirements have
been set up in your community?” Our answer is an
approved course of study completed in. the public
schools. In answer to further questions the fact is
brought out that this requirement was set up by the
cooperation of the Bureau of Naturalization, the
Courts and the public schools, and further that those
petitioners who satisfactorily complete the course are
admitted without a court examination as to mental
qualification and that practically all petitioners for.
naturalization in Los Angeles present the school
diploma.
Manifestly it would greatly benefit all concerned
to have such requirements established throughout the
country and the N. E. A. is doing a great thing in
undertaking to bring it about.
What has been accomplished here has not been
done in a day nor a year. For fifteen years we have
been working on the problem. First there were citizen
ship classes for the benefit of petitioners who did not
kpow English well enough to pass the court examina
tion. Then a class for educated and English speaking
petitioners who needed to know something about our
government and institutions was established. In order
that a premium might be put upon the education of
the petitioner for intelligent citizenship, the school
diploma plan of naturalization was suggested and with
the approval of the court and the Bureau of Naturali
zation was put into operation. The great advantage
of this plan is that it offers an opportunity for a
comprehensive, practical education in government and
the duties and privileges of citizenship instead of an
examination only. Through the cooperation of the
naturalization examiner and the judges it has become
more and more difficult for a petitioner to be admitted
without the school diploma and at the same time the
requirements for the diploma have been increased so
that the standard for admission is high.
Two courses are required, one in United States
History and one in government. As a rule the prepa
ration must be made between the time of filling the peti
tion and the final hearing about ninety days later.
Consequently these courses must be comprehensive,
concise, practical. National, state, county, and city
government are definitely covered. The important
facts about the departments and institutions of the
four governments are emphasized. The intelligent and
effective citizen must be familiar with the machinery
of government. At the same time effective use of the
machinery is possible only through a realizing sense
of the great American ideals of democracy. Civics
(Continued on Page Twelve)
A Tribute to American Genius
Gas Range of American Genius Adopted by Britishers
Few people realize the immensity of the business which public service corporations perform. For in
stance, that it is estimated that in the Portland territory the Portland Gas & Coke Company furnished its
fuel for over 55,000 (fifty-five thousand) gas ranges.
In the last few years manufacturers have improved both the quality and appearance of their gas ranges
so that there is very little to remind one of the old-time appliance. In those days it was a question of how
cheap they could be made, to induce people to try the new fuel but now that gas is recognized as the most
economical and quickest of all fuels, it is not necessary to coax people by the cheapness of the appliance. The
automobile investments have done a great deal towards making families realize that a gas range, which
ought to last for at least ten years, is the cheapest in the end if it is well made and a piece of furniture
instead of a makeshift.
Not so long ago an Eastern manufacturer invented a gas range with a smooth top, which has well nigh
revolutionized the gas range business and, as was advertised the other day in the daily papers, one in
surance company, in an apartment house project, took 2076 (two thousand seventy six) ranges in one order,
something which has never been heard of before anywhere in the world.
Here in Portland, too, the new style gas ranges have taken the people by storm as more than 500
(five hundred) of them have already been ordered by apartment houses.
One of the principal advantages of this new style cooking stove is that one can keep warm those things
which have been cooked while other things are being prepared. Formerly this was impossible and the
problem of how to serve an entire meal without any of it being chilled has been solved by this clever in
vention.
Most people do not realize that gas cannot burn unless it is, mixed with air and that for this reason it
is absolutely necessary that the right proportion of. air is fed to the gas in order to give the proper flame.
In these new ranges the cooking holes are only in front and the back which is covered, can supply air
to the burners. This is one of the principal points covered by the patent.
Even Great Britain, which generally leads in manufacturing gas appliances made a deal with the Ameri
can manufacturer to handle these same ranges in the British Isles, which is not only an honor to American
Genius, but proves that the Britisher is willing to accept a good thing when he sees it even though it comes
from a competitor.
Among the more important apartment houses which have recently been equipped with these new smooth
top gas ranges may be mentioned the following:
Melcliffe Court Annex
Cordova Apartments
Williams Bungalow Court
Arcadia Apartments
Housman Apartments
Easson Bungalow Court
Belle Court Apartments
Wellesley Court Apartments
King Davis Apartments
Morton Apartments
Place Your Orders With The United American Advertisers—and Tell Them Why
illuminant, 2 degree observer