HISTORY: We have some more history of Italian immigrants to the Tunungwant Valley, courtesy of Sally Costik of the Bradford Landmark Society.
An editorial that appeared in The Era on Feb. 18, 1918. While we don’t know its author, we would venture a guess the piece might be attributable to the editor at the time, who Sally said was Daniel W. Dean.
“A number of patriotic Americans of Italian birth or ancestry in this city have applied for a charter for the Italian-American Progressive Club.
“The Era is in full sympathy with the announced object of this organization, which is to wipe out the hyphen that has proved objectionable and a ground for suspicion — especially since the United States became a leading partner in the war for democracy.
“The segregation of Americans into separate social groups according to nationality is not in the public interest as a general proposition. But in this instance the controlling thought in the movement makes the case exception.
“Desiring to do something practical for their adopted country and for the cause of democracy, the promoters of the proposed club consulted together as to ways and means. They are mostly young men of fair education in English and familiar with American institutions. Realizing the handicap under which many of their less favored countrymen labor, these gentlemen hit upon the idea of promoting Americanization through the medium of a social organization in which the fundamental of republican institutions and government might be emphasized.
“With this idea in mind a temporary organization was formed and application filed for a charter. The primary object is the making of loyal American citizens and to attain this end it is proposed to teach members the value and benefits of citizenship, to drill them in their duties to the government and to incubate a love for and devotion to American institutions.
“So long as the organization holds to the principles upon which it is founded, it will be worthy the support of every loyal American. It will be an incubator of good citizenship and a powerful aid in the promotion of democratic principles.”
