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Twenty Nationalities, But All Americans

Americanization class, Portland, 1924

Americanization class, Portland, 1924

Item 43285 info
Maine Historical Society/MaineToday Media

Occasionally the paper published writing by the Americanization students. This writing was always about patriotic subjects that matched the pageant photographs.

Nathalie Westwig, shown here at far right of the back row, had lived in the United States for only seven months when her essay, "What We Must Do to Show Our Gratitude to America," was printed the week after Thanksgiving.

"We must respect our Flag of beautiful colors, red, white and blue," Westwig wrote. "We must be kind to all creatures that God has made."