pamphlets of advice for distribution among the newly arrived. The most noteworthy of these is entitled "Messages to New Comers," printed in English and other languages. These are distributed among libraries, schools, and individuals; 60 city libraries use them. The subject matter of these pamphlets covers such themes as "The United States-Its People and Its Laws," "The Need of Learning English," "The Story of the American People," "Naturalization," etc. In Boston alone 140 lectures in these subjects were delivered in 1912-13. Nearly all the branches of the North American League have information bureaus, where aid and advice are given. One of the most important of these is the Immigrant Guide and Transfer Co., maintained at Ellis Island, N. Y., by the New York-New Jersey committee. This company has a staff of guides speaking a great variety of the immigrant languages.

BARON DE HIRSCH FUND.

This fund was established in 1891 for the benefit of Russians, Roumanian, and Galician immigrants. Its purpose is to teach the immigrant to become a good American citizen. Day and night schools are conducted in New York and other cities. Two special schools are also maintained: The Baron de Hirsch Trade School and an agricultural school at Woodbine, N. J. The fund has subsidized special classes for immigrants, day and night, at the Educational Alliance in New York City. Similar classes are subsidized in Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.

EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE.

The Educational Alliance was incorporated in 1889 and reorganized in 1893. It maintains a building and two branches in sections of New York City where the immigrant population is large. The purpose set forth is "to provide opportunities for the thousands of immigrants who come to the American shores, so that they may be able to adapt themselves to the new conditions and that they may readily assimilate American ideas and ideals." This object is carried out through day classes in English for adults, a school of domestic art and domestic science, civil-service classes, naturalization classes, manual-training classes, etc. In one branch is maintained what is called a "Breadwinner's College." Lectures are given in English and Yiddish on American history and civics, naturalization, and other subjects of importance in the education of the immigrant. The alliance has cooperated extensively with other organizations and schools in building up educational work. With the Baron de Hirsch fund, it has carried on special day and night classes adapted to immigrants.

A few brief references to a number of other organizations of this type will show the character of work done and the need of correlation. The People's University Extension Society of New York, incorporated in 1898, maintains free classes in domestic training and other practical subjects. It furnishes trained teachers in civics, history, and other subjects to various organizations. In one year over 220,000 persons attended its free classes. More than 85,000 attended lectures on the care of children. It has aided more than 1,000 societies with free classes and distributed over 425,000 pamphlets of advice. to 500 societies in New York City. These pamphlets were published in Hebrew, German, Italian, Bohemian, and English.

The Lennox Hill Settlement was founded in 1894 by the Associate Alumnæ of Normal College. The settlement house is in a crowded tenement section of New York City. It conducts about 30 clubs and classes, a bureau of advice for foreigners, and neighborhood work. The nationality dealt with is principally Bohemian. The actual work is carried on by resident and volunteer workers and teachers.

In Rochester, N. Y., a housekeeping center is maintained in the Italian quarter, where classes for men and women, district nursing and home education, and a library are conducted. In Chicago is Hull House, with its many ramifications. In Boston is the Civic Service House, working out a new idea in community civic training. There is urgent need for closer cooperation among the many philanthropic organizations now working independently on the problem of educating the immigrant.

ORGANIZATIONS AMONG FOREIGNERS.

A number of organizations composed mainly of foreigners are doing important work in the field of immigrant education. One of the most important of these is the Society for Italian Immigrants. This society has been in existence over 11 years. Its fundamental purpose is to assist and advise Italian immigrants in the United States. It has both Italians and Americans on its membership, and it is supported partly by contribution from the Italian Government. This society maintains a night school in the construction camp at the Ashokan Dam, N. Y., where there are many Italian laborers. Thirty or forty men from the camp attend classes in English and citizenship 5 nights each week for 12 months. There are two classes, one for advanced pupils and one for beginners. English, reading, writing, some arithmetic and geography, and something of American laws and customs are the subjects dealt with. Two teachers, one a woman experienced in teaching English and the other a young man of Italian parentage, compose the staff. Both act as advisers and dispense general information. An experimental school was also

carried on for five months in the Berkshire Mountains, where several hundred Italians were engaged in building a trolley. The company and citizens contributed toward equipment and maintenance. Much general information is disseminated by the society through its agents in charge of the "home" for Italian immigrants in New York City. Many thousands take advantage of this home annually; many are also advised by guides at the docks and ferries.

The Armenian Colonial Association was incorporated in 1893 to provide an educational and industrial institution for Syrian and Arabic speaking immigrants. The Italian-American Civic League, of New York, announces its purpose as that of civic education and naturalization of Italians in New York. It maintains 10 civic clubs, classes for civic instruction in various sections of the city, and branches of the naturalization bureau. The Hebrew Education Society, of Philadelphia, has a lecture hall and library and gives instruction in English, civics, telegraphy, typewriting, cigar making, dressmaking, etc. Another society in Philadelphia conducts classes in English and engages in various social activities. A German society has a library and night school, teaches German and English, American history, constitution, institutions, ethics, etc. A Polish society in the same city prepares young men for college, gives a two-year course, and has night classes in English, mechanical drawing, etc. At Cambridge Springs, Pa., is a Polish university maintained by the Polish National Alliance.

These are but a few of the many organizations engaged in some phase of educational work that are maintained by foreigners themselves. Results have not always been satisfactory; sometimes Americanization is retarded rather than accelerated by their activities. They are, nevertheless, an important element to be considered in any plans for treating adult immigrant education.

VIII. ADULT IMMIGRANT EDUCATION IN CANADA.

Canada affords a valuable instance of work of private organizations for foreigners. The Reading Camp Association, which has for its patron the Duke of Connaught and for its president a lumberman of Ontario, aims to educate the foreigner in the great labor camps along the railway lines and in the lumber regions. Schools have been established in 36 different camps along the frontier of Canada and in remote regions. The association has a force of about 40 secretaries and instructors, many of whom are employed in the camps in which they teach. The following extract from the annual report indicates the character of the work accomplished:

For two successive winters we operated night schools at two camps 40 miles from Lorring, in the district of Parry Sound. Among the 130 men there were about 20

fellows who became deeply interested in their studies and were doing what little they could on matriculation subjects. Most of these boys spent their summers on the farms about 10 miles from the camps. In order to induce them to keep up their studies and so become camp instructors themselves, we sent J. J. Pearson, P. A., a graduate of Victoria College, to conduct evening classes and to teach them in their homes when he could not induce them to attend night school. The result was encouraging. * * * As it is, the immigrants who are located on our woodland frontier soon become discouraged on their schoolless, doctorless, roadless, undeveloped homesteads and leave the farms to swell our city slums.

CHAPTER XXI.

RECENT PROGRESS IN WIDER USE OF SCHOOL PLANT.

By CLARENCE ARTHUR PERRY,

Associate Director, Department of Recreation, Russell Sage Foundation.

CONTENTS.-Sources of information-Increase of miscellaneous occasions-Use for political purposesLiberal letting regulations-Wider use with the aid of voluntary societies-Social and recreation centers-Adult education through lectures-Evening schools being socialized-Library extension through school branches-The high school as an art center-Extension of day activities-Adapting school buildings for community use-School extension in rural districts-Wider-use legislation.

This chapter is based largely upon information received in response to a general request sent out by the Commissioner of Education November 29, 1913. The scope of this appeal was given as "what has come to be called 'the wider use of the school plant,' the use of schoolhouses, grounds, and equipment for other purposes than the instruction of children during school hours," and it brought in a large amount of typewritten and printed material from school authorities throughout the United States.

The statistics concerning the extent of social centers were obtained through an investigation covering the months of February, March, and April, 1914, in which school officials recorded upon blank forms furnished by the Bureau of Education the evening occasions in the buildings under their charge. There were also available, as supplementary aids, the informational resources of the department of recreation of the Russell Sage Foundation.

The movement to use the school premises for larger portions of the total utilizable period is advancing with such rapidity and showing such variety of aspects that a complete description of its present status is out of the question; only a summary of its newer features will therefore be attempted.

INCREASE OF MISCELLANEOUS OCCASIONS.

In the vast number of letters received from superintendents there is scarcely a dissent from the view that a wider use of the school buildings and grounds has come to be accepted as desirable. The most convincing evidence of this attitude is seen in the number and character of the occasions which call for the use of the school halls in

1 The complete results of this inquiry are to appear in bulletin form.