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more leisurely. Also, situations may arise in which individuals, for example men in the military service, must be admitted singly and at irregular intervals rather than in classes. In the latter instance, the intimate and sympathetic attitude of the judge and his court officials must take the place of a more formal ceremony.

Although freedom is desirable in selecting the procedures applicable to the needs of the particular community or the particular occasion of induction, it is believed that, within the framework of the joint resolution, some general procedures can be developed that will insure an orderly flow of events, and thus save time and detailed planning on the part of court officials. This will not interfere with local differences, or the expression of initiative, imagination, and resourcefulness. If anything, all the essential differences, which contribute variety to the proceedings, will be made more effective by the establishment of a more or less uniform order of events.

The ceremony should be stripped clean of everything that fails to reflect basic ideas concerning citizenship. If the ceremonial portrays and makes impressive these ideas, then it cannot be challenged as a show or a dramatic spectacle. Those in charge must direct each and every procedure toward the end of emphasizing the worth of citizenship; otherwise the ceremony can become subject to criticism.

TIME AND PLACE

The selection of the time and place for holding naturalization proceedings, of course, depends upon the type of ceremony planned and the local situation. Judges generally favor the practice of having naturalization hearings in the courtroom, in the daytime, and during the regular court week. If time and space are adequate, the courtroom is the proper place and the daytime of the regular court week the proper time for holding such ceremonies.

However, the time or place is not so important as the induction itself. If naturalization proceedings have to be wedged in among arraignments, motions, and unrelated activities; if petitioners must be crowded into courtrooms and lined along the walls, or kept waiting in huddles outside the courtroom; if they must be hurried through proceedings by tired or harassed judges, then, in order to carry out

the purpose of the joint resolution, it is preferable to hold court for the granting of citizenship away from the courtroom and at a time when the event can be made one of significance. In view of the fact that every final hearing must, by law, be had "in open court," the place where the hearing is to be held should be duly designated by the court as the "courtroom."

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When the ceremony is held in some place other than the courtroom, judicial procedures should be carefully followed. This is not impossible, as they can be followed and made impressive in a place far removed from the courtroom. The truth of this is evidenced by Presidential inaugurations in the Nation's Capital.

In recent years many college and university presidents have faced problems similar to those encountered by some judges. As graduation classes have grown larger, with an accompanying increase of relatives and friends, the school officials have been compelled to abandon the old college chapels in which commencement exercises were held and to use larger auditoriums, or even stadiums erected primarily for athletic purposes.

Some judges, even before the passage of the joint resolution, began to deal with the problem of time and space by setting aside a day for naturalization during which no other business was transacted. Several judges devote one or more Saturdays each month to naturalization work. By setting aside a day that is outside of the general trial week, they can easily keep it clear for naturalization purposes. Others have held, and recommend, evening sessions. The judges who have held both day and evening sessions of court are in a position to contrast the hurried, perfunctory, daytime proceedings with more leisurely evening sessions. In speaking of some of the daytime sessions over which he has presided, the Honorable F. Dickinson Letts, Associate Justice, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, has said: "*** The proceedings have been too perfunctory and have been lacking in essential dignity. It is not uncommon to see the applicants for citizenship appear in court for induction in their work clothes and frequently in their shirt sleeves. It

18 U. S. C. 1447.

is possible that in such situations the applicant is relieved from his employment for the brief period necessary to attend the court session." In speaking of evening sessions over which he has also presided, he expressed himself differently: "*** All the applicants and friends came dressed in their best apparel. *** Before the convening and after adjournment there was a clustering about the courtroom engendering a spirit of fellowship. Some years ago as a Judge of the Seventh Judicial District in Iowa, I conducted evening sessions of court. May I suggest that evening sessions of court for the induction of new citizens be tried?"

Both the Saturday and evening sessions, the latter particularly, not only bring some relief from the pressure on the court, but eliminate the criminal court atmosphere and other related phases of court work that have no bearing on naturalization proceedings. Also, the evening sessions offer a greater opportunity for friends, relatives, bar associations, civil and educational authorities, and patriotic organizations to be present, either for personal reasons or for the purpose of cooperating with the judge in carrying out the spirit of the joint resolution.

PRELIMINARY PROCEDURES

Several judges, in order to conserve the time of the court, have eliminated from the final hearing many tedious and time consuming details. These have been disposed of in various ways: through the examiner, the clerk's office, or through hearings held in a second courtroom just prior to the main ceremony. Special or contested cases are heard earlier so that those applicants who are eligible may join the class to be presented in the main courtroom. This procedure makes for a better service, as it prevents the injection of controversial matters into the ceremony with consequent delay and harm to the appropriate emotional atmosphere. In fact, all activities not absolutely essential should be completed beforehand, so that nothing will interfere with the smooth functioning of the court at the time of the final naturalization hearing. Photographs and

signatures are placed on certificates in advance and delay is avoided by staggering the times set for the appearance of the applicants.

OPENING OF COURT

Unless ceremonial arrangements provide otherwise, the prospective citizens should be properly ushered before the opening of court to an appropriate place set aside for them, usually within the bar, where they can see and hear and reflect upon the events that take place. Court is then convened in full ceremony. Patient, painstaking, and tactful cooperation between the employees of the court and others, particularly members of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, can do much toward insuring not only a good opening of court but a smooth running and dignified procedure throughout the ceremony.

In some jurisdictions, the opening of court is meaningful; in others, the opposite is true. In some courts, the mumbled words, especially their significance, appear to be little understood by the court crier, and, because of the way in which they are uttered, are even less understood by most of those attending court. The solemnity with which court is opened influences, in a large measure, the solemnity of the courtroom audience and their attentiveness to the proceedings. Also, it may often reflect itself in the proceedings that follow. An unimpressive opening handicaps the efforts of those who strive to obtain dignity and impressiveness in later proceedings just as an impressive one helps this objective.

When the Court Crier of the Supreme Court stands and announces: "The Honorable, The Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States!" and concludes with the unforgettable expression: "God save the United States and this Honorable Court," one feels a spirit of reverence, coupled with a sense of pride, at being in the presence of the Court which protects and defends our Constitution.

A similar effect can be achieved at the opening of the lesser courts to which the future citizen comes to receive his citizenship. Every officer of the court should be in his place as the time approaches for opening. Murmuring, laughing, and talking should

cease. All should stand and the courtroom become absolutely quiet as the judge enters and as the court crier clearly, deliberately, and solemnly opens court. Like the opening of the Supreme Court, the occasion can help to give those present a feeling of security and faith in the government which is protected by courts such as these.

THE FLAG

After the opening of court, many judges include in their ritual the advancing of the colors by members of a patriotic organization. Whether this particular procedure is followed or not, there should be an appropriate display of the American flag as the emblem of liberty and the unity of our Nation.

MUSIC

Although music is not generally used at this time, some judges consider music, especially that of the patriotic type, an inspirational contribution. As one of the main objectives of the ceremony is to strengthen the loyalty of the new citizen to the land of his adoption, they believe that there is no objection to the use of music appropriate to the occasion, such as: The Star Spangled Banner; America; The Stars and Stripes Forever; America The Beautiful; or God Bless America.

INVOCATION

In many of the courts an invocation is pronounced. If this is made a part of the ceremony, it is advisable to follow the practice of rotating this duty among the representatives of the various religious groups in the community.

PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES

Perhaps at no stage in the proceedings are there more local variations than at the presentation, or examination, of candidates for the decree of naturalization. In courts that have large classes and frequent hearings, the holding of individual examinations in open court, which sometimes duplicates the examination previously given by the examiners and occasionally covers, in a hurried manner, the entire history of constitutional government, is being discarded

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