ls, normal schools, and
colleges specifically to train their immigrant girl students to become
home teachers in the colonies of their respective nationalities. Such
home teachers, qualified and trained for their work, should receive an
adequate, living salary. Their duty would be to visit the immigrant
homes, talk with the mothers, tell them how to rear their children, how
to care for the health of the family, how to prepare meals of American
food and in American ways, how to can and preserve, and how to work in
the home garden. They should organize recreation facilities, reading
circles, amateur theatricals, choruses, etc. The home teacher should
organize the women into afternoon classes for learning English and
should induce them to visit the evening classes with the men. She also
would be the intermediary for the establishment of friendly and social
relations between the immigrant families of different nationalities and
the native American families. She should be attached to the teaching
staff of the local public school.

Such home teachers have been employed in California under the direction
of the Home Teacher Act passed in 1915. The conditions of employment,
the duties and qualifications of the home teachers are outlined by the
Act as follows:[50]

Boards of school trustees or city boards of education of any school
district may employ teachers to be known as "home teachers," not
exceeding one such home teacher for every five hundred units of
average daily attendance in the common schools of said district,
as shown by the report of the county superintendent of schools for
the next preceding school year. It shall be the duty of the home
teachers to work in the homes of the pupils, instructing children
and adults in matters relating to school attendance and preparation
therefor; also in sanitation, in the English language, in household
duties--such as purchase, preparation, and use of food, and
clothing--and in the fundamental principles of the American system
of government and the rights and duties of citizenship. The
qualifications of such teachers shall be a regular kindergarten
primary, elementary, or secondary certificate, to teach in the
schools of California, and special fitness to perform the duties of
a home teacher; provided that the salaries of such teachers shall
be paid from the city or district special school funds.