GENERAL STREETER'S WORK IN THE AMERICANIZATION MOVEMENT

A pamphlet recently issued by the New Hampshire Committee on Americanization outlining the progress of the so-called Americanization Movement in this state contains an interesting record of the important work done by General Frank S. Streeter '74 during the past year. The work of the New Hampshire Committee in encouraging the foreignspeaking peoples of the state to acquire and to use English has attracted attention throughout the whole nation. The success of the moyement has been largely due to the untiring efforts of General Streeter in his capacity as chairman of the committee.

Specifically, General Streeter's work has been two-fold—in connection with the parochial schools where the foreign-speaking children receive their elementary education, and with the industrial plants where most of the foreign-speaking adults are employed. The work in the latter division has been more difficult to accomplish than in the former, but considerable results have been obtained here, chiefly through the establishment of large evening schools in the industrial centers.

In bringing about results in the parochial schools, General Streeter sought and readily gained the aid of Bishop Guertin. General Streeter drew up the following set of general principles calculated to furnish a basis for co-operation:

"1—In the instruction of children in all schools, including private schools, in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, grammar, geography, physiology, history, civil government, music, and drawing, the English language shall be taught exclusively, both for purposes of instruction therein, and for purposes of general administration.

"2—The exclusive use of English for purposes of instruction and administration is not intended to prohibit the conduct of devotional exercises in private schools in a language other than English.

"3—A foreign language may be taught in elementary schools provided the course of study (or its equivalent) outlined by the New Hampshire Department of Public Instruction in the. common English branches . . . . be not abridged but taught in compliance with the law of the state."

The Bishop immediately took the matter in band and appointed a diocesan superintendent of schools who entered upon his new duties January 1. Bishop Guertin also sent a letter to all the priests of his diocese in which he gave directions for the establishment of an elementary educational system in accordance with the new requirements. His letter contained the following significant statement:

"This program must be carried out in all the schools of our diocese and we charge the conscience of pastors and all others having the care of schools to take whatever steps may be necessary to put it into execution as promptly as conditions will permit." Since almost all the foreign-speaking children of the state are of French or Polish descent and attend the Catholic parochial schools, it is quite evident that all the children of the state will now be compelled to use the English tongue understandingly.

This co-operative achievement is unique in the nation and places New Hampshire in a foremost position in reference to education in English in all its schools, both public and private.

Through the efforts of General Streeter also a bill has been recently introduced into the New Hampshire Legislature providing for a state school board, a definite school year, a definite school term, and night schools for all citizens under twenty-one years of age, and making instruction in English compulsory in all elementary schools.