s:

About thirty men of voting age are not citizens. This is due purely
to neglect and the red tape in acquiring papers. Both Republican
and Democratic organizations exist, but most vote the Republican
ticket, believing that the Republicans keep the country's business
going better.

Polish colony, South Deerfield, Massachusetts. Statements by their leaders:

Almost every adult Pole understands English to a certain degree and
is able to make himself understood. About half of the adults can
write English, including those who can only write their own names.
About 50 per cent of the Poles are illiterate even in the Polish
language.

Large, long-established Italian colony, Vineland, New Jersey. Statements
by their leaders:

A large number, possibly two thirds, of the adults do not speak
English. All Italian farmers have first papers and intend to become
Americans, and about two thirds have second papers.

So it goes through all the rural colonies of immigrant settlers.
Everywhere the crying need is for education and training in English, in
citizenship, in agriculture, in everything. For the remedy, everyone
turns to the evening school for adults.

A large majority of the rural immigrant colonies in the country,
including small country towns, are without evening schools, without
libraries, without any educational facilities by which the adult
immigrant settler might learn the country's language, ways of life, the
meaning of citizenship, or better farming methods.

The public evening schools up to this time have been a city
institution.[52] Only during recent years have they made their appearance
in the centers of a few rural immigrant colonies. These have been
temporary establishments undertaken either privately by native Americans
in co-operation with the local immigrants, or publicly on the initiative
of the local government authorities. The money required has been raised
by collections or the local government has made temporary
appropriations. Usually the idea of a school for adult immigrants was
taken up by some public-spirited and patriotic local leader, a meeting
was held, money secured, a teacher employed, and the immigrants invited
to attend the schools. Almost in every case the enterprise seemed to be
successful at its beginning. The school was well attended and the
teaching and studying enthusiastically started. But after a week or two
the st