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About The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip. (Portland, Or.) 1923-1927 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1926)
February, 1926 THE UNITED AMERICAN Page Seven Accomplishments in the Field of Adult Education Since the War By Charles M. Herlihy, Massachusetts State Supervisor of Adult Alien Education, Boston, Massachusetts. importance and the needs of public school program for adults programs of citizenship training for adult men and women, constitute the most recent development of needing elementary civic instruction and have enacted legisla E DUCATIONAL the public schools in the United States. The impetus for this tion favoring this work. It is significant to note, however, work was furnished by the war-time disclosures of the tre that there are only 21 States in this group in which the work mendous number of native illiterates and non-English speaking has been recognized by the State department of education as deserving of the services of a director and supervisors. immigrants in the military and naval forces of our country. In addition- to the 282,000 students recorded officially from Illiteracy and Americanization campaigns were vigorously prosecuted in all sections of the country during the period the 21 States in the above survey there are undoubtedly 50,000 from 1917-1920. Public interest was aroused and many types adults enrolled in classes in the larger cities of those States of Americanization programs were proposed to remedy these which have not provided State leadership for this work, e. g. Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Baltimore, Trenton, New Orleans, important ills in our body politic. The assimilation of the foreign born was a new call for and Milwaukee. This grand total of more than 325,000 adult students is service and this appeal met a most enthusiastic response in every civic, fraternal and patriotic organization. Following the most significant proof of the strength of the adult edu the propaganda of the war period this work was given the cation movement in the United States at the present time. careful consideration which it deserved. From 1918 to 1920 Despite the waning of the public interest in the Americaniza school programs of Americanization were well established in tion program and the serious retrenchment policy in public several States, notably, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, expenditures the school programs for native illiterates and Massachusetts, Delaware, Ohio, South Dakota, and California. adult foreign born have steadily improved during the past The Illiteracy Commission of the National Education Associ five years and the outlook from a National standpoint is most ation, under the able leadership of Mrs. Cora Wilson Stewart, promising. The immediate practical aims of Americanization work have conducted live campaigns to arouse public interest in the size of the illiterate problem in the Southern States. Demonstra to do with the teaching of English and the preparation for tion schools for adult illiterates were conducted by interested citizenship. The direct results of this work have shown that volunteers in a number of counties and the work was officially the adults who attend such classes are helped not only in learn recognized by the State departments of education in North ing to talk, read and write English, but also in understanding their duties and privileges as American citizens. Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas. The bad social effects of illiteracy and the unfortunate A National survey of the State programs of adult education in elementary subjects conducted by the author in the spring misunderstanding of the public in regard to the disposition of 1925 showed the following interesting facts about the present and contribution of the foreign born to our American life can responsible in no small measure for the friendly spirit of status of this work: be corrected only by the right type of educational program. 1. Number of States that have enacted legislation favoring The antidote for intolerance is right information, and the school the establishment of adult school—31. programs for Americanization in the several States where this Oregon Ohio Minnesota work has been conducted during the past decade have been Michigan California Iowa cooperation and understanding found there at the present time. Massachusetts Missouri Wisconsin Rhode Island Tennessee North Dakota viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini» Connecticut South Dakota South Carolina Montana Alabama Nebraska Idaho Mississippi Delaware Arizona 1 District of Columbia Arkansas Utah New York _ Maine New Hampshire Nevada Pennsylvania Washington 2. Number of States that furnish educational leadership for adult education in the State Department of Education—21. Oregon Minnesota Alabama California Mississippi 1 North Dakota Delaware Arkansas South Dakota District of Columbia Massachusetts New York South Carolina Rhode Island Pennsylvania Maine Connecticut Ohio Any home can be made attractive and Oklahoma Wisconsin Nevada comfortable through the magic of good taste 3. Number of States that provide financial aid to local districts conducting adult classes—21. and credit. | Washington Alabama I Minnesota California Maine North Dakota Let us help you to select the furniture that | Delaware New Hampshire South Dakota District of Columbia Massachusetts I New York you need for your home and then show you Virginia Rhode Island Pennsylvania how easily it may be paid for with Powers South Carolina Connecticut 1 Wisconsin , Arizona Nevada I Tennessee Liberal Credit Plan. | 4. Number of local communities in the United States re- I ported from 21 States in which adult classes are conducted—670. 5. Approximate number of students enrolled in classes, We Charge No Interest. I for adult illiterates and adult foreign born in United States 1—282,000. (21 States) 6. Number of States conducting special teacher training I courses for adult schools—11. Est. Est. Connecticut Pennsylvania I California Arkansas 1866 Wisconsin 1 Delaware 1866 AND Oklahoma 1 South Carolina Massachusetts I New York Rhode Island Portland’s Largest Home Furnishers For 59 Years The 1920 Federal census shows that every State in the ■ Union has more than 5000 foreign born adults and native I illiterates. Thirty-one States to date have recognized the imiiiiimmiiiiiimtiiiKMttiiimiiiiimiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiii Your Credit is Good --At POWERS Use It! Place Your Orders With The United American Advertisers—and Tell Them Why |
