A<7f K ^iA ■p > ia. ^^'6. / f# Glass. 1-4 (-^ 37 3g- Book_JlaA5i. 111; lite;;'- liiai mi STATE OF NEW YORK CSUh.) fied^s^^-ol.-^i^ EXECUTIVE CHAMBER ^^'^^ "^ "^ ^ ^ ^ 11 m lii AMERICANIZATION iiReport of the Committee on Education M 11 S m If of Governor Smith's Reconstruc- tion Commission MAY 14, 1919 11 If m t ALBANY J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS 1919 of ^« J3 191^ REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION OF THE RECONSTRUCTION COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF AMERICANIZATION May 14, 1919. To the Governor: The people of the State of New York have recently learned with alarm that there are in this State approximately 600,000 illiterates of whom 400,000 are above the age of ten. In the National Army numerous cases are reported in which men were unable to understand the commands addressed to them because ignorant of the meaning of the English words. Under these cir- cumstances, it is plain that the laudable efforts now being made on a limited scale to abolish illiteracy should be very emphatically broadened and intensified. But the removal of illiteracy is not the whole or the chief object of Americanization. It is of great importance to draw a distinction, often overlooked, between adults who are illiterate and ignorant and those who are unfamiliar with the English language but proficient in some foreign language and at times intelligent and well educated. These adults coming to this land with foreign speech as their means of communication, but lacking the ability to sufficiently master the new language, should promptly be made acquainted with American institutions and ideals. In Americanization therefore we must sometimes teach American history in the language of the foreigner. We should find the ablest men in the country acquainted with American history and ask them to collaborate with able foreigners who are devoted to American ideas and yet speak their own languages fluently as well as English. With such men as these, i. e., profes- sors of economics, history and social science we should be able to work out a course of American history, institutions and ideals which can be taught to the foreign born. In some communities an attempt is made to solve the American- ization problem by means of evening classes. The attendance at these evening classes is apt to fall off iu the course of the terms. This would seem to indicate a need for imj)rovement in the conditions under which they are given or the kind of instruc- tion given. The English language is the vehicle of intercourse and mutual understanding among the American people. To acquire the fluent use of English is to cross the threshold of our democracy. But many j)ersons, both native and foreign born, pass the threshold without entering the inner precincts of citizenship — without becoming genuine Americans. It should be stated explicitly at the outset that the present movement for American- ization will have to contemplate the more complete Americaniza- tion of the native born as well as of the foreign born. What is implied in essential Americanization ? Americaniza- tion has an intellectual aspect, an emotional aspect, and a voli- tional aspect. The aim should be to educate the mind, the feel- ings and the will in a certain way. To be genuinely American- ized is to think as an American, to feel as an American, to act as an American, to understand the spirit of America. The emotional aspect of the subject is easily disposed of. Community singing, for instance, has the desired effect on the feelings; pageants, the celebration of patriotic festivals and the like, tend to awaken the right emotional response. Under this head should also be mentioned how very desirable it is to invest admittance to citizenship with something of ceremony and dignity. Instead of in the crow^ded court room, naturalizations should take place from time to time in the city hall, the schools or in other public buildings. But the intellectual and volitional aspects of the subject require far deeper consideration. How shall we make the newcomer think as an American? How shall we ourselves learn to think more entirely as Americans ought to think? Every American should think hopefully of the institutions under which he lives, should train him.self to have faith in the possibilities of democracy, despite its apparent shortcomings. Much emphasis should be put on the actual achievements of Democracy. And in jiarticular American history should be taught from the point of view of the ability of Democracy to meet great crises, as shown in the crisis that occurred at the time when the Constitution was adopted ; in the crisis of the Civil War and in the great crisis that is now facing mankind. But in considering what it means to be Americanized there is perhaps at present no need more urgent than that of inculcating the American habit of accepting the verdict of the majority, whenever it has been rendered according to law. There are two kinds of minority rule: the one autocratic, the other revolu- tionary. But minority rule in either guise, autocratic or revolutionary, is uncongenial to the American mind. In America the majority decides — in the last analysis must decide. The habit of peacefully, and even good humoredly, accepting this decision, trusting in the long run to reason rather than force to modify it, is the most precious political habit which the American people have acquired, a habit in which they should still more confirm themselves, and which it is one of the prime objects of the Americanization movement to instill into those who join our citizenship from abroad. To put the matter concisely, without the support of the greater number of the citizens government cannot be carried on at all. Without full liberty guaranteed the minority to win converts over to their side, and thus to become the majority, the govern- ment is not really democratic, whatever its name may be. Finally the evils, due to the indirect influence of powerful and selfish minorities, in so far as they exist, must be eliminated from the body politic, the American people must in this respect be more thoroughly Americanized, and high-minded foreign-born citizens must be invited to join with the best among the native born to accomplish this process of purification and Americaniza- tion. The House of Democracy in America is still in process of building. Only its substructure has been laid. The practice of publicly debating great public issues is one of the prime instruments of educating the public mind. Such de- bates should be carried on, not only in largely attended public meetings, but in smaller, more intimate gatherings, and especially among groups of the foreign-born, who may thus be led to a more thorough-going understanding of American institutions and ideals. 6 The last point to be considered is, how the stranger who enters our household may be made not only to think in the American way, to feel in the American way, but also to act as an American. And here the principle accepted in all modern theories of educa- tion of " learning by doing " has striking application. To become a democrat one must practice democracy. ]^ow the essential feature of democratic citizenship is law-making. Initial practice in law-making may be secured by introducing a measure of self-government into the schools. Concerted neighborhood action is a help. But participation in the govern- ment of the industry to which the worker belongs is a further and most important step. To recapitulate some of the main points that have been stated : to abolish illiteracy and spread a general knowledge of the English language is but first aid toward Americanization. To learn to think as Americans, to feel as Americans, to act as Americans, are the three objects to be jointly pursued. Faith in the possibilities of democracy must be built up. Minority rule, whether autocratic or revolutionary, must be rejected. The American habit of accepting the verdict of the majority must be deeply inculcated. The principle of " learning by doing " must be kept constantly in view. Law making, which is the essential feature of democracy, must be practiced in the narrower spheres in order that it may be successfully carried out in the wider sphere. The foreign-born citizen who enters the national house- hold must be regarded as a partner with the native-born in build- ing up the unfinished house of freedom. In view of these facts and conditions, therefore, your Committee makes the following immediately practicable recommendations : 1. We recommend that the annual fund at the disposal of the State Department for Americanization be increased as far as the financial condition of the State will permit. 2. We recommend the enactment of a bill establishing continua- tion schools for boys and girls at work under eighteen years. In such continuation schools, instruction in the English language and at least in the elements of American history would be included. All of those at present illiterate under eighteen years of age would thereby be reached. There is at present a law on the statute books attempting to attain the same end by imposing a fine for the employ- ment of illiterate minors under 18 years of age. But this law is not generally enforced or enforceable. A law estab- lishing continuation schools for all minors whether illiterate or not would not be open to the same objection. The Committee recommends, finally, that lectures and stated courses in American institutions and ideals be authorized and developed more than they have been in the past. The Committee believes that in such lectures the use of the foreign tongue, instead of being forbidden, should be allowed and even encouraged as a necessary provisional means of conveying the essential American point of view to the foreigners who intend to make their home with us. In addition to the above recommendations the following was added by the Executive Committee as a substitute for a recommendation which was submitted by the Committee on Education: As for persons over 18 years of age who are unable to read and write the English language, some form of com- pulsion to acquire the language should be provided. ABRAM I. ELKUS, Chairman Recofistniction Commission of fJie State of New York. EELIX ADLER, Chairman Committee on Education. M. Samuel Sterist, Michael Eeiedsam, Mrs. Haeby Hastings, Mrs. L. S. Chanler., Peter J. Brady, Charles P. Steinmetz, George Foster Peabody, John G. Agar, S. J. Lowell, Mrs. Sara A. Conboy, Committee on Education. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 184 865 8