The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 16, 1916, Page 22

AIWENTY-TWO SISTERS OF LIGHT THE NONPARTISAN LEADER The Story of Bismarck’s “Americanization School”--- A Few Women Doing a Big Thing in a Modest Way have the pleasure of presenting to my rea_xdarg m the. following artic}e Nri:s Yegen’s own account of the ‘“‘Americanization School” at Bismarck, of which she ig the feunder and moving spirit, Great credit is due Miss Yegen and her eo-workers, whe give their service _without remuneration. . A, H. BY EMERITA YEGEN ISMARCK’S Amevicanization or Free Night school is-conducted for the purpose of supplying the demand for an education on the part of the foreign and native born, For this reason the mname “Free Night School” is perhaps .the more appro- .priate of the two. When it is remembered that 13;- 000,000 of our population are foreign born and that 18,000,000 are of for- eign descent, the problem of educating the immigrant and his children can not be lightly consideréd. Those folk constitute one-third of our population and yet’ we have not a single federal, state or municipal W law for their benefit or_protection. The Bismarck - Free -Night school was given a home a couple of weeks before Christmas by a woman who had reared a family of six and had seen each one graduate Trom the local high school. FIRST IN PRIVATE HOME With the true mother-spirit she brooded over the lads and lasses who came trooping to her door night after night. She and her daughter, Miss Aldyth Ward, were among the first teachers. No storm was severe enough to quell the interest of the students. The cheer of a hearty welcome, the bright lights streaming from doors and win- dows, and the warmth within, made the home of the hostess a haven on many a wild, wintry night. % Some of the students trudged for a mile and more through drifts of snow and, ofttimes, against a blustering, bit- ter northwest wind. The “lady with the white hair” and the “lady with the golden hair” never failed to meet each one with greetings of welcome. Miss Laura Sanderson, Mrs. F. H. Register, Mr. Acker, Miss L. Diesen, and Miss Lucille Dahl joined the teaching force. ~ The school, when it reached the number of 26, received the recogni- tion and cooperation of the Bismarck Commercial club. It is now held in the basement of a local school build- ing. Thirty-seven are enrolled and six nationalities are represented. The students come from hotels, restaurants, kitehens of private homes, hospitals, laundries - and; foundry. Just recently, a public in- witation was extended through a daily paper. Heretofore, the students have come through personal invitations only. TEACHERS WORK. “FOR. LOVE” All the teachers donate their ser- vices. The text-books ave the unused baoks of the publie schools. :The: room: was a store room in the basement of 2 school building. - The desks which ' had been stored there are the ones now in use. There are blackboards in the room and' ‘these with crayon and erasers supplied from other rooms in the building, complete the equip- ment. Heat and light are the t‘)’)fi’ items of expense for the school board. The unflagging desire of these. young people to learn, to study; to come “educated” is a constant sur- prise to the teachers. The enthusizsm and the eagerness with which: the stu-~ dents attempt every-task and the tive- - less endeavor to do. his best on the part of each one, are a rich compen- sation to their helpers. "The ‘school opens: ab 7:30 p. ms, at 9:00-the books 'are closed and every voice: is lifted in jubilant and raffer-ringing song. “Fipperary” and other popular songs are favorites. “Home Sweet Home”, “Suwanee River”,“America” and other songs are being rapidly learned. g MUSIC HELPS THE WORK The foreign born are apt in musiec. Rhythm means: much to them. DUn- fortunately, we have not the national sgirit of music as-have the older na- ¢ - daens. It is surpriging to note-the speed with which difficult words are mastered when they are 'set to music. Who knaws hut some: day an educator- will arise who: will evolve a’ method': - in teaching .a. ‘fore‘icx(z..hnzuam'byi, - bearing, is begi making music a. prime factor in the work. Effie, a domestie in a home of cul- ture, seeks to perfeet herself in the Eighth grade so. she may pass the teachers’ examination. Eva, although 17 is learning to read and write for the first time in her ife. Valentine has a memory of some schooling, .yet finds the- first pages A PAGE FOR FARM WOMEN school, which was the only resuly of the officials’ reminding his fathef of the. compulsory edqcaiiz:mnfhlaw. H‘x: atest worry now is for the younge: gl'l\‘ieldren in the home who are sharing his fate. by ; Rose, alone in a foreign land, sweet and wholeseme, is indefatigable in her struggles for knowledge. ALL EAGER TGO LEARN All' these dear ones and many others, no matter how tired they are after a long day’s work, come eager and anxious for the nightly instruc- tion. Marny of them-with fingers swollen from unremitting toil struggle with crayon and pencil. Othqrs, whose brains and bodies have paid a lesser toll to labor, learn with an astonish- ing rapidity. Those who have had some education in the mother count- try or here, manifest the aptitude and concentration of - trained minds. Others who have had little or no edu- cation require endless. drill and repeti- tion of simple lessons. The monotony of their daily work and the lack of BEST PRODUCTS OF A NORTH DAKOTA FARM above picture indicates, Hugo R: Albrecht, who .:esides‘ west of Perth, raises thorobreds, as the Mr. Albrecht came to Perth in 1898 and home- steaded. He is constantly working for the best interests: of the League and lets no opportunity pass without putting in 3 blow for farmer organ- ization. The big .meeting at Perth on January 6th would have been a complete. failure without his enterprise and decision. All trains on the line ‘were tied up and the speaker was marqoned at Rolla. With his usual energy, Mr.. Albreeht hitched up and took the speaker to Perth. The drifts were so. high that once the sleigh tipped completely over, out. Im spite of this aceident, however, Mr. Albrech spilling everything tphadgthe o T speake om the platform at Perth in time to face one of the largest crowds that ever gathered in that town. Everyone of his children knows what the League is for and is an enthuy- siastie beoster. of the primer baffling. Joe, anxious to enter the American high ‘school, must first conquer the English language. ! James, with fine eyes and kmggi i ing -fractions. 7 always wanted to continue schooling bat m;:'as compelled to go to work in- tead.. i ? s / Ralph, physically weak and after 8N ing his. best strength. over pots and pans and kettles in a restaurant all. day long, comes at 8:00 because ‘the supper hour is not owver till then. Sylvester ‘sometimes has the shift from 12 neom till midnight. Then he ‘must forego all attendance but, when he has the other shift, he never misses + & night. Katherine and’ Felicia, dainty buds of womanhood, are mastering Eng- lish: beautifully. : : ' TRAGEDY OF LOST CHANCES Otto, stunted in growth from the heavy work.he was engaged in when a child, is very ambitious and. feels the -others’ progress too slow’and that: he i capable of more. John, in whose soft brown eyes, lies revealed ‘the pathos of a wronfl -and: robbed childhood, confides that hi capacity. for:learning and remember- ing''is ‘mot what it was when as a ild: he: stole preciaus moments from drudging farm work for study. : It 1s no- pleasure to-tell him that the: immluagl‘e .years for study and mental ‘growth are those of’ c]ui dhood and - early ‘youth. His well-formed headé and fing ty-;magh%sd -fe&tul:temd; one to s ct a scholar and a‘thi ‘Child fighting Tie. bf"-le‘zimgng,: is .4 haunting -tign of his few wi to the worldi A picture unde stmg{litflb* way for a glimpse 009009000000 00passennesensend early training have dulled forever the finer mental perceptions. Child labor exaets its price from brain as well/ “as body. Perhaps, after all, they who are receiving greater education in this school are the teachers. It is hoped the work will gr_ow till | every man, woman and in Bis- marck and vicinity who. has. heen cheated of his education will be en- abled to find. here some chance for mental growth and development.. 3 That there were those seeking this opportunity came as a distince sur- rise to a. great many who are resi- léeuts of this city. -And even now, the field is greater than is ggner;lfir known. Sufficient advertising will prove the truth of these words. May the day quickl , come when the vast army of the illiterate and the ignorant will' no longer hamper the progress of these United States of *- Ameriea. Edited by AUDREY A. HARRIS Editor’s Corner ‘Why a woman’s page in the Leader when every-page is a woman’s p:ge; when the movement which Leader voices will solve your preblems the same as it will those of your hus- bands and brothers? : A Because you women have more to %a.m from bettered conditions on the aim, sinee its burdens fall most - heavily upon your shoulders. Because we recognize that you have another and a wider interest not touched. by the general scope of ‘the paper—that warm human interest around which' centers the home life, the hopes of ambitions and the as- pirations of your children. 3 Yours is the st le against great odds to make home life sweet and at- tractive and to attain for yourselves something of the richness of the new intellectual world now opening. for women. To help you meet these needs is the purpose of this page, but to do so adequately I must be in close personal touch with you. I must know your problems. g y Write a letter. Tell’ me’ the needs of yourself and the women of your community. Tell me the things in which you are most intensely inter- ested, the subjects you want discussed. Cooperate with me to make this page a feature of positive value to every woman in North Dakota; a page from which each one of you may ‘fam something of help, of hope and of inspiration, Let us work together to bring about a broader and richer life for women _ on the farm. 2 Put me in touch with real women . in this state who are doing things worth while along social and educa- tional lines. Perhaps there is some wonan in yeur community who is rendering valuable service in such work. Let us enable her, through the medium of this page, to make her power for geod state-wide. o 9 ‘!) © IN WOMAN’S WORLD - | : : ) - More than 7,000 women are now em- ployed in the Krupp works at Essen, Germany, most of them in making fuses for large shells. They do this difficult work better than men but. get just one-half the wages of the male mechanies, In Indianapolis about 1,800 women, mostly married, have enrelled in the domestic classes of the publie schools. "Prohibiting women and children to work at heavy and dangerous employ- ment and shortening their hours of labor are among the prowisions of the - new factory law just gone into effect in Japan. It will benefit about 1,- 000,000 factory workers. BEWARE “BAND WAGON” MEN We have noted with considerable pleasure: and satisfaction the grow- ing- strength of the Farm Grange and such kindred organizations as the Nonpartisan League and others, and tions is the real solution of the pro| There is-one danger to whie gani: of this kind are subjected, and this is, after they have become t te be a factor in the Mli@ there alwa; um coa , there are ys a num- ber of i:eanbd “band \:aggn cl;mb; ers,” who are ‘to join in movement that VI;;ll!‘clamgmlsos‘ to brin teghemselyes into some: ewosg: job, it is against this class I that we wish iz warAN%evm%u}? (XX A T TY] Your -oq&c.nqugoooooopumm.qn-fico’sguno_dg_p _Farmers and Farm Workers ~ worker as well as to yourse : Likewise ¢ T e He e city worker—i Jnon 4 x UNION STAMP worker by the. purchase FOOTWEAR. TONGLT T preperity, e v TR e e R i o the bt e G AR SR O v LI : in of e our L o J S ANION STAMP FOGTWEAR is 50 prosperity is helpful to the city his success is an indivect aid ta h: or- | ‘parasite .