Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

A p ril, 19 2 3 115 SCENES FROM "THE PACE OF PROGRESS" The picturesque stage-coach, which came in answer to the increasing necessity for a medium of "fast" passenger traffic, speaks to us of the trails of yesterday. The modern electric train covers more ground in an hour than the stage-coach covered in a day. Motion Pictures in Business HOW THE NORTH SHORE LINE USED FILMS IN AMERICANIZING ITS ALIEN WORKERS WHEN, something over two years ago, the six public utility properties controlled by Samuel Insull instituted an intensive citizenship campaign with the idea of bringing their working forces up to the standard of 100 per cent American, the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad faced a problem that seemed all but insuperable. For an overwhelming majority of its workers were of foreign birth — the ordinary grade of common laborer, representing fifteen different nationalities, mostly Italians and Croatians. A survey brought out the fact that whereas 88 per cent of these men had been in the United States over five years, 90 per cent were not citizens and the remaining 10 per cent had as yet taken out only their first papers. In the matter of a knowledge of English, 80 per cent could not write and 75 per cent could not read English, while more than 30 per cent could not even speak our language. Indeed, there were 25 per cent who could not read or write their native language. The First Step in the Americanization Program "The contractors' labor camps at which these workmen were boarded made it impossible to impose American standards of living and educate the men in American ideals because they were not under our jurisdiction," said J. S. Hyatt, Engineer Maintenance and Way, under whose direction the Americanization program was carried out. "The company's first step, therefore, was to establish its own camps, put a first-class chef in charge of the commissary, and provide baths and recreational facilities. Among other features adopted to attract a better class of workers were the employment of a Y. M. C. A. secretary to look after their recreation and the establishment of two centrally located classrooms — ■ one at Highwood, Illinois, and the other at Racine, Wisconsin — where the men were gathered from various points along the line for regular instruction in English, arithmetic, government, safety, sanitation, and American citizenship. "In this work movies played a very considerable part. Every week from two to three reels were shown. Two distinct types of pictures were used : entertainment films to keep up the interest and enliven the programs ; and films with a serious educational purpose, which directly or indirectly taught the men much-needed lessons in health, sanitation, American history, and American standards of living. "These reforms not only boosted our Americanism and literacy percentages, but exerted a very noticeable effect on our labor turnover. The men realized that here was a good place to stay, because we gave them proper food, good clean beds, a measure of entertainment to keep them contented, and an opportunity to advance themselves through education. Naturally and inevitably, many emerged from the course qualified by their knowledge of English for better positions; and some of these for whom we could not provide suitable berths drifted out of our employ into machine shops and garages where the work was more responsible and better paid. However, it must be a very short-sighted employer who would see in that development an argument against the education and Americanization of the common laborer." "Safety" Argument the Entering Wedge When this educational program was first launched, according to Glenn Goodsell, Educational Director, it was found necessary to make it compulsory, inasmuch as some few of the men were unwilling to take the training. "We put the matter on the basis of education for safety and tried to make clear to every man that it was absolutely necessary, for the safety of the road, for him to understand English," explained Mr. Goodsell. "We even went so